Aotearoa Domestic Football Roundup – July 27
Men’s Northern League
You can’t take your eyes off the prize when midweek fixtures come around. That goes for the teams for whom three points on a Wednesday night are equally as valuable as three points on a Saturday... and it especially goes for the rest of us because those Wednesday nighters can serve up some of the best action you’ll see all season. That’s what happened at Bay City Park when East Coast Bays hosted Auckland City. Both sides very keen for points as they seek top four qualification. ECB hadn’t won either of their previous two matches (losing to Fencibles and drawing with Bay Olympic) and couldn’t afford to fall further behind against an ACFC side that rocked up with a five-game winning streak across league and cup, having scored 16 goals in those matches... whereas ECB’s defence had looked rather squeaky lately.
Did someone say goals? Luke Flowerdew put ECB ahead early (4’) only for Pavel Osmančík (6’) to retaliate straight away for City. Louis Wickremesekera (11’) and Ryan Watson (23’) then did the same thing before Wickremesekera got his second (28’) to make it 3-2 to ECB after only half an hour. It took awhile but Auckland City eventually grabbed their third equaliser of the evening through Gerard Garriga (58’)... but then what do ya know Luke Flowerdew scored (64’) to make it 4-3 and despite some pressure from City, Bays locked it down for a massive win.
Auckland City are still second but because they’ve been cramming in midweekers to find space in the scheduled for some impending Oceania Champions League, they’ve now played two games more than the three teams directly behind them. ACFC have 36 points from 19 games. Eastern Suburbs, Fencibles United, and East Coast Bays are all on 34 points, with ECB having played 18 games while the other two have done 17 games. Birkenhead Utd are 11 points clear at the top and can clinch the trophy with a win next week.
There are 22 matches in the season all-up and it’s no longer in Auckland City’s own control whether they can hold onto second place. They face Bay Olympic in another Wednesday nighter coming up... then are away to in-form Fencibles before heading to Fiji for the OCL. When they return, they’re away to Melville in the final round of the season. Meanwhile, Luke Flowerdew has scored 10 goals to be within one of the Golden Boot (6 for Auckland United, 4 for East Coast Bays). Monty Patterson (Birkenhead) and Marius Zabarauskas (ECB – he didn’t play this game) are leading the way with 11 goals. Cool interview here with Zabarauskas about his impressions of kiwi football.
Chatham Cup
That East Coast Bays vs Auckland City meeting was the only men’s league game to take place this week on account of the main event that was the Chatham Cup quarter-finals. Eight teams remained, only four would still be standing at the end of it. The first of those games took place on Saturday evening where Fencibles United hosted Auckland City. Quick turnaround for the Navy Blues and they had to do it against the in-form team in the North Island... so in-form that Fencies were leading 2-0 at half-time following goals from Liam Wessels (29’ - heading home from a corner) and Riwai Rangihuna-Stanton (45’ - pouncing on a deep cross from open play). Auckland City usually find an answer when posed with any conundrum and just when it was looking dire, they scored twice in a hurry to level it at two-apiece. Nathan Lobo (67’) and Dylan Manickum (70’). Lobo’s was a cross that floated into the top corner, Manickum’s came from following up after a save. Two goal comeback from Auckland City... and after that came the real drama.
Pouring with rain at Riverhills, seemingly headed for extra time, Yoichi Kawachi took a pop from outside the box which seemed to catch a deflection on the way into the net for the 88th minute winner for Fencibles. Or at least that was the way it seemed until substitute Matt Ellis, back with ACFC after playing Pro League with Auckland FC, squeezed between a couple defenders dribbling into the area and was fouled for a penalty deep, deep, deep into stoppage time. Up stepped Angus Kilkolly looking to order another thirty minutes... except that Toby Lewis made a wonderful save and the final whistle blew after AK was unable to get over the top of the rebound attempt. Fencies are into the semis. 3-2 final score.
Auckland City scored five goals in two games across three days yet lost them both and with those defeats are now officially out of contention for two trophies (Northern League and Chatham Cup). Their National League qualification is also in some doubt now - the only other trophy they’re competing for is the OCL and we’ll see about that in two weeks. Fencibles have won 11 games in a row across league and cup action. They’ve knocked Birko and ACFC out of the Chatham Cup and currently hold a top four Northern League spot. It’s going to be a very tough end to the season for them (Auckland City at home, Eastern Suburbs away, Auckland United at home, Birkenhead away, Western Springs at home to finish the Northern League plus whatever the Chatham Cup draw serves up) but who’d wanna face them right now?
For the second year in a row, Nelson Suburbs are into the Chatham Cup semis. Last year they got there and were beaten 3-0 by Auckland United. This time they beat Auckland United to get there. It was 1-0 to AUFC at Saxton Fields when Ben Wallace pounced on a back-stick cross from Matt Conroy after 11 minutes and it was still 1-0 to the visitors as the half-time oranges were passed around. But Nelson Subs had already asked a few questions in that first spell and they began the second in fast-forward mode by winning a penalty for handball. Keeper dove the right way but Trevin Myers still scored... to the delight of the kids who’d huddled up behind the goal for the best view. Anyone’s game from there. Corey Wilson made a few mint saves in goal for Nelson. Then Johnny Reynolds angled his way into the penalty area and ripped a winner off his left boot via the underside of the crossbar (85’). Joy on the bank at Saxton. Nelson Suburbs have done it again – the only one of the 2025 semi-finalists to make it back the next year.
Extra shout out to English forward Lennon Whewell who didn’t score in this game but he was a handful up top as always on his return from suspension. Pretty lucky that he missed the 2-1 win away to Selwyn United and not the home Chatham Cup quarter-final, aye? Nah luck had nothing to do with it. Pure tactics...
TopSouthNow.co.nz: Football fans were bemused by Nelson Suburbs striker Lennon Whewell’s goal celebrations on a chilly Sunday afternoon at Saxton Field. He scored a hat-trick as Suburbs swamped Northern AFC 11-0, and the Englishman ticked off another goal as well. Lennon was so determined not to miss Sunday week’s Chatham Cup quarter-final for disciplinary reasons that he deliberately sought to earn a yellow card for removing his shirt after each of his goals.
“The ref (Ralph Clink) missed it the first time, but I was finally booked,” reveals Lennon, who was subbed off soon after his third goal and subsequent yellow card. “I was sitting on four yellow cards for the season and I didn’t want to risk missing the cup match. If you get five, you receive a one game penalty and miss a match, but more importantly, a reset after that. I think it was best to miss our next league match against Selwyn United before the cup.”
(The funniest part is that it took two goes get the ref to notice his strip-tease antics).
The only team outside the top tier to make it this far was Hibiscus Coast. They were chucked up against Napier City Rovers and were leading 1-0 after Ethan Hackenburg struck first (4’) at an absolutely sodden Stanmore Bay Field, making use of the slippery conditions as a low cross from Caleb Noel slid past everyone. But Napier City Rovers said touché when Dan Makowem ran onto a skidder in behind to level up (6’) and then Ben Stanley (12’) and Ross Willox (17’) each scrambled in goals have Rovers in command at 3-1. Cameron Kerr (30’) got Hibiscus Coast back within range as the rain began to clear but then Aston Hurd (40’) touched in from a free kick delivery and it was 4-2 at the break. The rain came and went during the second half as the teams traded chances the rest of the way. However the only other goal was scored by Jim Hoyle (73’) for Napier City with another second-phase finish. 5-2 was the final score as Napier City Rovers charge into the final four. An expected result but arguably a scoreline that didn’t do justice to what the Coasties had to offer. Not really the day for a dip in the ocean afterwards but gotta love some beachside footy.
And in the other game, Cashmere Technical won 2-1 against Miramar Rangers. Freezing day in Christchurch but at least the sun was out for this game, where Zander Edwards (42’) and Garbhan Coughlan (54’ pen) struck either side of the break (Edwards’s was a beauty of a strike from range) before Joe Harris (73’) flicked home a header to keep Miramar alive. They almost tied it up right at the very end but Pieter-Taco Bierema made a superb one-handed save six minutes into stoppage time to deny Owen Smith. Cashy Tech had just a little too much and therefore that club will be the only ones to contest both the Chatham Cup and Kate Sheppard Cup semi-finals this year. Also we can update Garbhan Coughlan’s goal tally for the club to 252 goals in 180 games. Insatiable.
Women’s NRFL Premiership
Also on Wednesday night was the rescheduled top of the table game between undefeated Auckland United and undefeated Eastern Suburbs at Keith Hay Park. Auckland Utd bossed a lot of this game, as is their usual, but finding any kinda room against that outstanding Lilywhites defence was no simple task. Chloe Bellamy had their best chance of the first half dribbling into the area but getting closed down by keeper Nikki Whyte. That dynamic didn’t change at any stage but it has to be said that Eastern Suburbs did begin to find a few more outlets as the game went on so it wasn’t completely (only mostly) against the run of play when Sam Tawharu got onto an excellent long ball from TJ Anderson and even though the square ball from Tawharu was a little behind her target, Amelia Hitchcock touched it back to Ella Findlay who picked out the bottom corner from just inside the area (61’).
Zoe Benson had a chance for AU but shot straight at the keeper. Talisha Green then cleared one off the line to deny Van Dort up the other end. Liv Ingham lobbed one over Whyte but also over the bar. Attacking subs arrived for AUFC as they chased an equaliser... but that left further room at the back and when a switch of play found Nicole Mettam in space, she made no mistake firing across goal to make it 2-0 (86’). That wasn’t the end of it though. Aniela Jensen’s hold-up play in the area drew a handball penalty that Ingham converted (90’) to buy United a lifeline. Six frantic minutes of stoppage time later, Charlotte Roche flicked a header on target that just for a moment appeared to have tied things up... until Nikki Whyte got low and saved it. Great stop and with that Eastern Suburbs claimed a 2-1 victory to take control of the NRFL Premiership with six games remaining. This loss snapped a 47-game unbeaten streak for AUFC at Keith Hay Park... and it dealt them their first loss of any sort this calendar year. There’s only one undefeated team left in this division now, folks.
Those two teams had a rematch in the Kate Sheppard Cup a few days later, at Madills Farm this time, but that was a rescheduled game with the other quarter-finals having already been played. That allowed for two other NRFL Prem games over the weekend. In the first of those, Melville United hosted Fencibles United and it was Fencies who came away with a 2-0 victory. Goals late in each half for Mihiro Kisu (45’) and Hayley Miller (87’), both very sharp finishes from a pair of reliable scorers – Kisu has 10 goals this season while Miller has 8 of them. This win takes Fencies back ahead of West Coast Rangers with an even amount of games played.
Ellerslie also won 5-0 against Tauranga Moana. Goals scored by Jeongyun Kwon (8’), Rina Hirano (39’, 41’), Hannah Barclay (70’), and Elaine Murray (74’). Another scoreless defeat for Tauranga, as has happened in 9/15 games so far. They have home games against Melville and Western Springs still on the horizon so those are the ones to target. Ellerslie are the perfect bridge team in this division because they’ve gone 0-0-9 against the top four clubs and 6-1-0 against the bottom three.
Kate Sheppard Cup
Back to that Eastern Suburbs vs Auckland United rivalry. Both were undefeated heading into this week but Eastern Suburbs won on Wednesday night in the NRFL Premiership and then would you believe it they won again on Saturday to advance to the Kate Sheppard Cup semis at Auckland United’s expense. An own goal in the fourth minute snuck inside the post after one of those trademark long throws from TJ Anderson and that was that. First time all year that Auckland United have been held scoreless as the holders tumble out of the competition. We’ll be getting new champs in both cups this year.
Auckland United’s goal-scoring feats are one thing but Eastern Suburbs are rock solid at the back, having made it to the KSC semis without conceding a goal (12-0 vs Waikato Unicol, 1-0 vs Fencibles, 1-0 vs Auckland Utd) – chuck in their league form and that’s 12 clean sheets in 18 matches this year. That’s what a back four of Zoe Barrott, Yuki Nishizono, Rebakah van Dort, Kenya Brooke will get you – doesn’t get any better than that at this level. Auckland United made four changes between Wednesday and Saturday. Eastern Suburbs made two (and at least one of those was injury enforced). It feels like an upset any time that Auckland United lose but after the week that was we’re going to have to shift that reputation onto the Lilywhites because when you beat a team twice in the space of a few days, home and away, the bragging rights are all yours.
Kate Sheppard Semi-Finals (15-16 August):
Cashmere Technical vs Wellington Phoenix U20s
Eastern Suburbs vs Ellerslie
Chatham Cup Semi-Finalists (Draw on Tuesday):
Fencibles United, Napier City Rovers, Nelson Suburbs, Cashmere Technical
Women’s Central League
Full slate of games in the Women’s Central and South Island Leagues this week. That began with a Palmy Derby as Palmerston North Marist lost 3-0 to Palmerston North United. Completely in keeping with the recent fortunes of both sides. It was scoreless at HT but then goals from Georgie Irwin (50’) and Kate MacPherson (51’, 88’) turned the screws. PNM remain stuck on four points but at least they know nothing is gonna see Taradale climb above them since that team no longer exists, forever halted on three points. Palmy United are only three points behind second place thanks to other results - they’ve played an extra game but still pretty amazing to see them carrying on this charge. After taking one point from their first three games, all against teams now below them in the standings, PNU have banked 25 points from 11 games ever since. Their last three games are against the three top teams though.
It would appear that this league is now Wellington United’s to lose after second half goals from Farina Anchico (55’) and Marla MacInnes (74’) gave them a 2-0 win against Waterside Karori. Enormous fixture between two competing teams. A win for Karori would have cut the margin between them to two points with the Wharfies possessing a game in hand... instead Wellington United are seven clear of Petone (who had the bye) and eight clear of WKAFC. The Diamonds were in the midst of it a few weeks ago but consecutive clean sheet victories against Petone and Waterside Karori has claimed all impetus and it’s looking very much like a three-peat is on the way. Welly Utd have won six of the last eight WCL titles (with Karori winning in 2022 and 2023)... could soon be 7/9 unless Seatoun, Miramar Rangers, or Palmerston North United can tip the apple cart over in the remaining games. Two wins out of three will do the trick and even that’s assuming that Petone can win every game.
Seatoun won 3-1 against Victoria University. Hannah Wignall (7’) made sure they were leading almost all of the way and then Pam Pelders (77’) and Nikola Szentirmay-Ross (87’) later added a couple more before Ella Simmonds (90+3’) scored a penalty for Vic Uni as consolation. And it was a 0-0 draw between Miramar Rangers and the Wellington Phoenix U18s. Nothing to add there other than it being a second straight cleanie for the WeeNix, building back a bit of the defensive stoicism we saw from the previous wave last season. Incredibly, Miramar Rangers have not conceded a goal in six home games during this Central League (though they’ve still gotta put that to the test against Karori or Welly Utd).
Women’s South Island League
Now we head down south where Cashmere Technical are one step closer to lifting the trophy after a difficult 1-0 win away against a revitalised Coastal Spirit team. Dorothy Yek scored the only goal on 42’. Dunno what’s clicked for Coastal but after one point from their first six games, they’ve since had two wins and two very narrow defeats (2-1 away to Nelson Subs, 1-0 against Cashmere) to suggest they’ve turned a corner. Not enough to stop the juggernaut though. Nine wins and a draw for Cashmere Tech across ten matches. 37 goals scored and only four goals conceded. Into the Kate Sheppard Cup semis as well. Dunedin City Royals can get to a maximum of 34 points and Cashy Tech are currently on 28 points. Seven more will do the job... or four if they beat DCR at home next week.
Dunedin City Royals did their bit to keep the race alive with a 3-1 win against Nelson Suburbs. Liene Schulze-Steinen put the travelling Suburbs ahead in the seventh minute but then goals for Sylvia Haig (31’, 32’) and Ruby Burgess (84’) sent the Royals onwards to another win. Ruby Burgess played NZ U15s earlier this year and this was her third goal of the season. Sylvia Haig is also 15 years old and not long back from an NZ Secondary Schools trip to Melbourne which Burgess was also involved in. Both scored during that tour, both scored during the win against Nelson Subs. Jot those names down.
Didn’t have it all their own way but Otago University was able to win 2-0 away against NW United, thanks to goals from Madison Kay (28’ pen) and Jemma McCormick (90+10’). Another strong defensive display from the students whose aim the rest of the way will be to win the Uni Challenge against Universities of Canterbury who are three points ahead in third place having played one additional game. UoC drew 2-2 with Roslyn Wakari in a back and forth game that saw Sienna Neill (2’) make it 1-0 to RW, Livia Deane (15’) make it 1-1, Yui Ishikawa (28’ pen) make it 2-1 to RW, and then eventually Erin Roxburgh (62’) settled it for a draw. Two equalisers for UoC along the way. Bit of a bumpy run for UoC going LDWLD since beating Otago Uni in early June, though Roslyn Wakari have been good lately. Not so long ago they drew 3-3 with DCR.
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