Aotearoa Domestic Football Roundup – June 8
Chatham Cup
Last week was chock-full of Chatham Cup and Kate Sheppard Cup action but there was one game that spilled out into this week as the Wellington Phoenix Reserves faced Island Bay United under the lights on Wednesday night. IBU had played that Central League catch-up game on Saturday instead, losing 3-0 away to Napier City Rovers, and you might as well have an extra couple days of recovery if you can get it. That rest must have done them good because they zipped out to a 2-0 lead after goals from Abel Nesibu (15’) and Tyson Dellow (23’). Little bit against the run of play though Nesibu’s was a rip-snorter of a dipping half-volley.
The WeeNix went with an extremely youthful line-up. Every Central League game they’ve played has involved several fringe A-League players (Loke, McCarron, Cassidy, Walker in particular) but there were none here because the Chatham Cup regulations don’t allow professional players – the Auckland FC Reserves didn’t have any either in their 4-2 loss to East Coast Bays. For the WeeNix, that meant 20yo midfielder Hayden Thomas was the only starter not still in his teens – with 17yo goalkeeper Joseph Chalabi and 15yo winger Ben Trenberth highlighting the next generation. They were very good too. Chalabi made an excellent leg save to avoid going three down. Then after Ryan Lee’s mazy run and shot was saved, Charlie Hale pounced from a tricky angle to reduce the deficit (29’) before a Jack Perniskie shot was blocked with an elbow and Luke Mitchell converted the penalty for 2-2 (39’).
On it went. Chances at both ends in an entertaining contest. Michael Plim struck the crossbar for IBU late in regulation time so it was off to extras... and right at the end of the first half of bonus time Tim O’Farrell scored (105+1’) to put Island Bay into a lead that they held onto the rest of the way. 3-2 final score AET. Great work from IBU sticking with it, giving coach Callum Holmes a win against the club he used to work for (coaching the Women’s U20s).
Island Bay will host Stop Out in the third round after a pretty fun draw that’s served up tasty dishes such as Auckland City vs East Coast Bays, Ferrymead Bays vs Cashmere Technical, and Miramar Rangers vs Western Suburbs. The pick of the KSC third round has gotta be Otago University vs Dunedin City Royals resuming their rivalry, while Eastern Suburbs vs Fencibles should be another standout.
Women’s Central League
The end of the A-League Women’s season often leads to a flurry of offseason transfers as Aussie players (and some kiwis) pop up at state league clubs to stay busy in the months between their contracts (no 12 month deals in the ALW, remember). Liz Anton (Northern Tigers) and Liv Page (NWS Spirit) have been amongst those moves... as has Maggie Jenkins from a different angle moving to Essendon Royals from Auckland United. But the ALW offseason moves happen here as well. A few weeks ago, Grace Bartlett left the Wellington Phoenix to link up with Auckland United. Now a couple more fringe A-League players, perhaps a little too fringe for their likings, have been dispersed among Wellington clubs.
Ela Jerez made three subs appearances for the Phoenix in 2024-25, having joined the Nix Academy after a hugely exciting run at Western Springs where she scored the winner in the Kate Sheppard Cup final aged 15. For whatever reason she just wasn’t in Bev Priestman’s plans and didn’t get a go at all last term. Now she’s popped up at Wellington United (the club that the Nix U20s knocked out of the Kate Sheppard Cup on pens last week... though Jerez didn’t play) and would you believe it she scored four goals on debut. That would have been the talk of the town except that Hannah Pilley scored five despite only being subbed on at half-time. The Diamonds won 13-1 against Palmerston North Marist. Carnage in the form of: Jerez (6’), Kennedy Corkin (40’), Jerez (46’), Jerez (47’), Kyra Morgan (50’), Pilley (56’), Jerez (59’), Pilley (61’), Pilley (67’), Pilley (69’), Pilley (84’ pen), Farina Anchico (89’), Anchico (90+2’). Having said that, an own goal after 22 mins did temporarily have PN Marist on equal terms. It was 1-1 after 39 minutes... then it all went awry. Hannah Pilley has score an incredible 17 goals already this Central League season, better than two per game.
Also scoring in a gigantic win on debut was Ella McMillan at Waterside Karori. Four ALW appearances but nowhere to be seen for most of the past season so with her contract up she’s done what former teammate Amelia Abbott did and boarded the Wharfies boat... where she began services with a very late goal to put the final touches on a 9-2 win over Seatoun. Renee Bacon missed a penalty while it was still scoreless but Nicola Ross (32’, 44’) and Sophie Burchfield (35’) still got Karori going strongly in the first half, even if Pam Pelders did score one for Seatoun (39’). Abbott (50’) and Burchfield (54’) then took it out of range before Nikola Szentirmay-Ross (72’) hauled another one back for the visitors. Burchfield completed her hatty (75’) before a brace for Jessica Woodside (85’, 89’) was followed by McMillan’s effort (90+5’) and there ya go. American import Sophie Burchfield has 11 goals so far, making her the closest challenger to Pilley in the Golden Boot race.
Karori and W.United are by far the top scorers in the division but it’s a three-way sprint for the title thanks to Petone’s supreme defensive capabilities. That was on show again on Sunday... except they forgot to do the other thing in a 0-0 draw against Miramar Rangers. Excellent result for Rangers holding the league leaders quiet like that. This result opens up the door for Wellington Utd to overtake Petone if they win their game in hand. Unfortunately for Petone, while they do have a decent number of former Nix Academy talents they don’t seem to have been included in this month’s A-League squad lolly scramble.
The WeeNix U20s had that impressive cup win last week but the Wellington Phoenix U18s continue to struggle in the Central League after falling to a 1-0 defeat at home against Palmerston North United. Melissa McKenna scored the winning goal (33’) as Palmy Utd made it three league wins on the trot. They were pipped by Miramar in the cup last week but in the CL they’ve beaten Waterside Karori (2-0 home), Taradale (4-3 away), and now the WeeNix (1-0 away) all in a row. Suddenly they’re all the way up to fourth! Sienna Candy and Alyssha Eglinton both played for the Nix so it wasn’t a weak side. Former Halswell goalkeeper Malia Forde was between the sticks – the third different keeper that they’ve used for their U18s, with Sophie Yeoman getting most of the starts and Addie Ferris also chipping in.
And in the other game, Victoria University won 8-2 away against Taradale. They were actually 2-1 down after quarter of an hour with an own goal in their favour (2’) contrasted with strikes from Samantha Waru (8’) and Laura Brassington (13’) to put Taradale ahead. But seven unanswered goals usually does the trick. Nicole Baird (16’), Sofia George (23’), Baird (28’), George (45+1’), Lucy MacDonald (46’), MacDonald (55’), Georgia Gardner (66’) got those goals. Vic Uni lost 10-0 to Petone in their previous league game which means they’ve gone from a 10-0 loss to an 8-2 win in the space of a fortnight. Taradale aren’t giving their fans much to savour having lost all four home games and this wasn’t even the worst of them (Wellington Utd won 9-0 at the same venue).
Men’s Central League
Hold the phone because FC Western have won a game. Big scenes at Lynmouth Park in New Plymouth where first half goals for Leo Elder (20’) and Scott Manning (30’) gave Western a head start against the Wellington Phoenix U20s. Remember that Western, newly promoted, didn’t even score a single goal until their sixth match and didn’t hold a lead until last round game when they were 1-0 up over Napier City only to lose 6-1. Lessons must have been learned because this time they didn’t concede until Dylan Gardiner popped home in right near the end (88’) and when the final whistle blew it confirmed a 2-1 win for Western. On the board in the Central League, that’s what we’re talking about.
For the WeeNix, there were a lot of players kept on from that Chatham Cup game midweek but Nathan Walker and Eamonn McCarron did both play so they had two pros in their ranks. First start of the season for 17yo centre-back Marcus Commisso. Season debut off the bench for Jesper Edwards. The guy to take note of is Ben Trenberth who turned 16 years old today – happy birthday - yet has started eight games in a row (including the Chatham Cup). Big opportunities for a youngster among youngsters. Ah but this was another disappointing result for the Phoenix U20s who have lost seven of their last eight games (exactly aligning with those Trenberth starts... but it’s not his fault, he’s been bright). Perhaps things will settle down now that Joshua Neff has been confirmed as the full-time Men’s Reserves coach having held that role in interim since Chris Greenacre moved up to the A-League squad. The American is also the Assistant Academy Director. Here’s a podcast that Neff did last year if you want to know a bit more about that guy.
The funky thing about this round is that the top four, separated by just two points, all played each other... and nothing’s any clearer now than it was a week ago. That included a wonderful game between Western Suburbs and Napier City Rovers which ended 3-3 after Wests found a couple late-ish goals in their comeback. NCR scored first through Leo Brown (9’)... who celebrated by running half the field to lift assistant coach Chris Greatholder up in a big bear hug. It was a flick header that caught the keeper out of position, perhaps a designed play. Love the enthusiasm either way. Reilly Marlow-Jones (14’) levelled up for Wests with a sweet solo move. Liam Schofield’s thumping volley (41’) and a second for Brown (66’) had Rovers up 3-1... but then Fumiya Ito (70’) and Kyle Carr (71’) scored in quick succession to leave it even. There was some scrappiness in this one with six goals and four yellow cards... but that’s what you want when two contending teams butt heads. Wests felt they were hard done by with a late goal disallowed for offside. Both Wests and NCR had only conceded four times in nine games before leaking three in this one alone, while Kyle Carr’s goal keeps him top of the Golden Boot chart with seven goals now to his name.
Meanwhile Wellington Olympic and Miramar Rangers drew 1-1. Will Vincent was the unlikely goal scorer for the Greeks (51’) but Miramar had an answer through Nicolas Bobadilla’s deflected free kick (73’). These two teams drew 1-1 when they met at Dave Farrington Park and they’ve drawn 1-1 at Wakefield Park too – both times Olympic scored first and then Miramar replied (which is not as crazy as the last time these two rivals drew both their league meetings, back in 2013, when Olympic twice blew 3-0 leads to draw 3-3... hat tip to Statman Steve for that beauty). Of course, Miramar Rangers did knock Wellington Olympic out of the Chatham Cup last week with a 2-1 win so if you’re looking for a way to split them then that’s probably it. Alternatively you could look at the league table which has Olympic ahead or both Miramar and Napier in first place thanks to goal difference.
Upper Hutt City had a 2-0 win over Petone with Lucas Hansen (49’) and Donal Gahan (57’) scoring the goals. Five wins and five losses for UHC so far (including three wins in a row). They’re the gatekeepers between the top four and the rest of the Central League. Gahan and Hansen both have four goals each (as does teammate Rio Winkworth). And that midweek cup game going to extra time must have taken it out of Island Bay United because they chased that by getting whipped 4-0 away to Waterside Karori. The Wharfies got goals from: Tyler Hornsby (14’), Oscar Crowe (23’), Hornsby again (39’), and Albie Frances-Alles (52’). Exact inverse of the scoreline when these two teams met back in March and just the second win for Karori, the other being a 1-0 result against Western on Anzac Day. They’ve got a decent squad so maybe things have finally clicked for them with this win.
Women’s South Island League
Cashmere Technical 9-0 NW United... that’s what they do. The women at Cashy Tech are beginning to rival the men’s team for copious goal scoring. That makes Margi Dias the equivalent of Garbhan Coughlan because she scored another hatty in this one. Four goals, in fact. Anya Stephan also got three. It went: Dias (7’), Ruby Luxton (12’), Dias (30’), Sophia Bonser (45’), Dias (45+1’), Dias (70’), Stephan (73’), Stephan (83’), Stephan (88’). That’s 5/5 for Tech with 23 goals scored and 3 conceded. Margi Dias has scored 11 of those goals all by herself.
Cashmere Tech are the only team to beat UC so far. It was the Otago University vs Universities of Canterbury student derby this week, down in Dunedin, where a Georgia Kennedy goal (58’) put Otago in front only for Holly Lyon to score twice off the bench (68’, 79’) as UC rallied to win 2-1. That’s four wins out of five for UC who are clearly onto something. The other three wins were against the bottom three teams so this was the statement result that should get folks taking notice. Very balanced work from that lot with Liv Deane (5), Erin Roxburgh (4), Lydia Gilbert (3), and Holly Lyon (3) all contributing regular goals – that’s four players with at least three goals each.
Dunedin City Royals travelled up the country to meet Coastal Spirit and then returned home with a 4-0 victory. They scored three times inside twenty minutes and then again near the end to coast home. Hannah Mackay-Wright (2’), Hannah Scott (19’), Georgia Nixon (20’), and then a second for Nixon (89’). DCR will go second if they win their game in hand... they’ve only slipped up once and that was a 1-0 defeat to Cashmere Tech. Royals face Universities of Canterbury in a fortnight (it’s another cup week next time) so that’ll be a doozy. That’s more than we can say about Nelson Suburbs 0-0 Roslyn-Wakari... though the point each does help both clubs as they step a little further from the two sides behind them.
Men’s Southern League
Well, damn, Dunedin City Royals won 2-0 against Christchurch United. Connor Neil (74’ pen) and Kazik Swain (81’) struck in the latter stages to give DCR just their third win in 10 Southern League games... and two of them have been against CUFC. They’ve doubled them up, winning in the opening round and now they’ve beaten them again. The struggles continue for Christchurch Utd who have now lost four in a row and the further down the ladder they sink, the more their hopes of getting into next year’s National League diminish. The glimmer of sustenance is that they might be able to coax a good chunk of that South Island United team to help them out now that the Oceania Pro League is over. Not sure if there’s a stand-down period involved there but they did get one of those fellas on board for this game: goalkeeper Callum Kennett made his club debut, having been one of the back-up keepers during the OPL. Formerly of the Wellington Phoenix Academy and North Wellington. Kennett initially saved that penalty from Connor Neil... but he’d moved too soon and Neil scored from the retake.
No stress for Ferrymead Bays with a 5-0 victory over Wānaka FC. Luca Marson got them underway at the back post (23’) before a very scrappy own goal (27’)... unless Omar Cameron got the final touch there, it was hard to tell and the match centre’s not been updated. Bays wreaked havoc with their long throws and it looked like it was Jacob Killick who benefited from the next one, lurking back post to score (38’), with Omar Cameron (56’) and Treye Butler (69’) also putting away very tidy second half finishes as Ferrymead romped to their biggest win of the year.
Nor any stress for Cashmere Technical who won 4-1 away against Selwyn United. Harry Brindley did equalise for Selwyn (25’) with a screamer off his left boot after Yuya Taguchi had gotten it started for Tech (8’). But then an own goal (31’), Rory Hibbert (45+2’), and Zander Edwards (53’) sent Cashmere onwards to their usual-schedule emphatic win. No Garbhan Coughlan this week which is why they settled for four. That makes it 10/10 for Cashmere with 52 goals scored and only 4 conceded. Ferrymead Bays are five points back in second.
In third place are Nomads United after they beat Northern 2-0 in an early Saturday kickoff. Angus McIntyre (38’) and Flynn Holdem (79’) got those goals. Seven for the season for Holdem, who also set up McIntyre’s effort. It had been a 3-0 win to Northern in the reverse fixture so apparently home advantage counts for plenty between this pair. Home advantage didn’t count for much in a crazy game between Coastal Spirit and Nelson Suburbs though. Travelling Suburbs were 4-0 up after half an hour courtesy of goals from Johnny Reynolds (2’), La Bu Pan (5’), and Ben Polak (20’, 30’). Rico Pradhan (47’) got Coastal on the board but they ran out of time after Noah Platt (77’) made it five for Nelson Subs. Thomas Moon (83’) and Jack Mitchell (90+4’) still gave it a punt anyway... add that all up and that was a 5-3 win for Nelson Suburbs.
Women’s NRFL Premiership
This was the week that Eastern Suburbs confirmed their title credentials. They’ve already drawn with Auckland United, one of only two instances of AUFC failing to win this year, and this week they had back to back wins against the two other teams in the top four. On Wednesday night they were away to Fencibles and won 2-0 with goals from Erika Skindlov (38’) and Maddi Ollington (54’). Then on Sunday they hosted West Coast Rangers and won 2-1 where the same two scorers were at it again, Skindlov (19’) and Ollington (50’), although Emily Lyon did get one back from the penalty spot for WCR (71’). Coach Adam Thurston picked the exact same Lilywhites eleven for both games and they served up the goods to join AUFC on 29 points at the top of the ladder. Trailing on goal difference but equal on points after 11 rounds. Eastern Suburbs have drawn once with AU, won twice against Fencies, and had a win and a draw against WCR. Only four goals conceded in 990 minutes and every bit as undefeated as the favourites AUFC.
In a sign of how far Western Springs have come since their coaching change, they hosted Auckland United on Sunday and only lost 3-1. They got whalloped 13-0 last time they played this lot. What’s more, Springs were leading this game for much of the way thanks to Indigo Kirk’s goal (10’). It wasn’t until the last half hour that Grace Bartlett, AUFC’s new signing from the Wellington Phoenix (an Auckland native returning for game time ahead of the U20 World Cup), finally put something in the net for the visitors (62’). Talisha Green (68’) and Siobhan Edwards (72’) quickly compounded that as United got their points but that’s massive progress for the Swans compared to where a few months ago. AUFC also debuted another new signing here: former Western Springs favourite Lily Jervis. She’s linked up with the club after being away from the local scene for a year or two working for Tottenham Hotspur as an international development coach in South-East Asia. Very cool opportunity... now she’s back to win some trophies.
Fencibles would have been gutted by the midweek loss, leaving them five points adrift of the top two. But they dusted themselves off with an 8-1 win against Melville United. Unsurprisingly, Laura Bennett scored the goal for Melville (21’). Seventh of the season for the NZ U20s rep – the entire rest of the Melville squad have only scored six between them. But that was no match for a Fencies team that went: Carolyn O’Reilly (14’), Mihiro Kisu (37’), Mila Clark (53’), Tineke de Jong (61’), Mila Clark (65’), Hayley Miller (68’), and Hayley Miller (90+2’ pen).
And Ellerslie did what they needed to do with a 4-0 win over Tauranga Moana. Goals for Kirsty Gage (19’), Hannah Barclay (27’), Abby Wright (35’), and Anita Trudgen (73’). That gives them a little breathing room, opening up a six-point gap between themselves and the bottom three. There probably won’t be relegation this year due to the National League reform but that wooden spoon battle is looking crazy with Tauranga Moana and Western Springs both on three points with TM on -36 goal difference and WS on -37 goal difference. They have a rescheduled game against each other to be played at some stage.
Men’s Northern League
Thirteen games deep and Birkenhead United remain undefeated. 12 wins and one pesky draw. This week it was a 2-0 win over Auckland FC Reserves with Charles Bidwell (22’) and Rob Dymond (31’) getting the goals. Dymond becomes the thirteenth unique goal scorer for Birko this season, his was a perfectly placed side-footed volley from 20 metres out. That’s also nine clean sheets for the red and whites. And this was a solid Auckland FC Ressies side that they beat with Luka Vicelich, Aston Burns, and Dejaun Naidoo all starting and Van Fitzharris and Bailey Ferguson featuring off the bench. They’ve given Birko a couple of tough games but both times it’s been Birkenhead with the 2-0 wins... nobody else has found a solution against these guys so it’s unfair to expect the U20s team to figure it out.
Good to see Bailey Ferguson in action though – he started the OPL in sizzling form but didn’t play after the first six matches mostly due to the fact he’d gotten himself an A-League debut and was hanging around the fringes of that squad, though he may also have been injured for a spell in there. This was his first game for the U20s team which means he gets to join the illustrious group of players who’ve featured for all three AFC teams: Luka Vicelich, Van Fitzharris, Jonty Bidois, Adama Coulibaly... and Bailey Ferguson.
Eastern Suburbs are the closest thing to a challenger that Birko have right now and they’re ten whole points behind them in second place. But the Lilywhites did win 4-0 against Melville United. Goals from Keen Mandizvida (15’), Finn Murphy (16’), Ignacio Machuca Maturena (60’), and Mick Reid (85’). Murphy and Mandizvidza are 17yo and 18yo respectively so it was a pair of teenagers setting them up for this win. ESAFC have an even better defensive record than Birko (4 goals against in 13 games) but they don’t score nearly as many so the Madills Farm faithful will have appreciated a four-bagger from the lads.
East Coast Bays have made a slick new signing with Luke Flowerdew swapping over from Auckland United. He began the season knocking in goals for AU but then they signed Ben Wallace and his minutes dipped so he’s with ECB now. Debuted off the bench in a 2-2 draw against Western Springs. Ihaia Delany (39’) and Louis Wickremesekera (45’) had Bays leading by two at the break only for Caspar McGavin (55’) and George Cooper (78’) to have other ideas. Wickremesekera’s goal was a first-time curler from just outside the box and he also set up the first goal with a delicious angled cross. Given that he spent some time in the Phoenix Academy with Luke Flowerdew he might also get a finders bonus for helping that move come to fruition. Cooper’s equalising goal came on the follow-up after Louis Caunter saved his penalty kick.
It was also a draw between Auckland City and Auckland United. 1-1 in this case. Adam Mitchell’s superb header (71’) had the Navy Blues on the very brink of another victory at Kiwitea Street... only for an incredibly rare instance of a Nikko Boxall mistake (though his goalie shares some blame) as he chested a cross backwards only to find that Nathan Garrow had already come off his line and Ben Wallace was on hand to pounce for, get this, the 90+7th minute goal to snatch a draw in the shadows of the game’s conclusion. Good fun.
Bay Olympic got the better of their bottom-of-the-standings clash with Manukau United as Lucas Lovelock’s goal after 69 minutes earned a 1-0 win, snapping a seven-game losing streak during which they’d only scored once. They only scored once in this game but once was enough. Manukau remain last and now they’ve got a three point buffer as well as some goal difference to overturn. Speaking of goal difference, Fencibles United gave theirs a healthy boost with a 7-1 win against Tauranga City. Liam Wessels (4’) and Ronaldo Munoz (9’) began proceedings. Henry Kemp got one back for TC (23’) only for Dylan Laing-McConnell (28’) to quickly respond while Lopez Munoz (41’) grabbed his second before the break. Liam Molloy then got sent off (49’) for a second yellow and there was no way back for Tauranga City from there. Wessels (51’), Aidan Purkiss (62’), and Yoichi Kawachi (84’) supplied additional goals. Tauranga City have one draw and five defeats when playing in Auckland this season (although they did win away in Melville two weeks ago). Their home form isn’t much better... however they did win 5-2 against Fencibles a while back. 5-2 win at home and 7-1 loss away... Fencies take the aggregate 9-6, how’s that for entertainment?
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