Prem div title now all but formality for Keri
Kerikeri Bay Builders 5 Tikipunga 1: Kerikeri opening up a 10-point gap at the top of the standings along with a 44-nil goal difference after seven games and it is now impossible to imagine any other side winning this year’s Northland Men’s Premier Division title.
A report from the Keri camp noted the visitors came out determined not to be on the end of a similar scoreline as the 12-0 result of the two sides’ last meeting and, with a number of returning players, settled well, created a few halfchances then scored first with a great run and cutback by Steve Paul for Timo Obrez to side-foot home.
Tikipunga lost any chance to be competitive from early on in the second spell when Steve Crowley was sent off for retaliating to Jake McGowan’s late challenge by throwing a punch. Standouts were Obrez who scored a brace (and named POTD), with a goal each for McGown, Shane King and North Force star Jeremy Rintoul.
Following the completion of domestic football on Saturday afternoon, the three Kerikeri men’s sides were all on top of their respective competitions.
Kamo 2 Kaitaia United Justa Plumber 1 (ht 0-1): Despite this narrow loss in round 8 of the Northland Men’s Premier Division at Kamo on Saturday, Kaitaia captain Andy Booth was both rapt with the performance by the visitors and unequivocal in his appraisal of the excitement of this “end-to-end” match.
Kaitaia scored first, a very well struck free kick by Boothy which sailed into the top corner, only for Kamo to equalise early in the second half then score a fine winner two to three minutes before the final whistle as both sides went into attack-is-the-best-form-of-defence mode.
“Absolutely brilliant game, probably the best we’ve played,” he said, noting Kaitaia standout was Daniel De Waal who “cleaned up everything” in the sweeper role, and Pika McDonald, solid in goal but moved out into the forwards late in the piece as manager Adam Sharp went hunting for the matchwinner.
NMP standings: Kerikeri (played 7, for/ against 44/0) 21 points, Kamo (6, 14/9) 11, Bream Bay (8, 12/24) 10, Kaitaia (7, 11/14) 9, Tikipunga (7, 12/21) 9, Onerahi (7, 14/13) 8, Central Brown (7, 9/14) 8, FC Whangarei Madhatters (7, 5/26) 2.
Kerikeri Reserves 4 Tikipunga Orange 1: A scrappy match by all accounts from the Northland Men’s 1st Division at Waipapa which saw the visitors resorting to a long-ball game, and well taken care of by the Keri defence. The breakthrough came when Drew Young pulled a great ball back from the sideline for Philipe Simon to smack home.
This allowed the homeside to settle and scored at will, albeit missing a few clearcut chances too, and the visitors getting a consolation right at the death after a defensive mix-up. Simon went on to celebrate his debut run with the Keri reserves by scoring another and picking up the POTD award, with the other goals via Adam Streamer and Young.
NM1 standings: Kerikeri (played 8, 32/15) 18 points, Kamo (7, 42/12) 16, FC Whangarei (6, 27/10) 15, Bream Bay (8, 17/29) 10, Tikipunga Orange (7, 18/17) 9, Central Brown (7, 12/12) 9, Madhatters Blue (7, 10/31) 3, Onerahi Reserves (6/38) 3.
Kamo Whangarei Aluminium 2 Kerikeri Harcourts Masters 6: The Keri Masters returned from Kamo having kept their unbeaten record in the Northland Men’s 2nd/3rd Divisions Grading intact.
The visitors didn’t get off to the best of starts, falling behind to a goal against the run of play, but soon responded with an equaliser. As both sides began using long-ball tactics, Kamo scored again to suggest a real competition was on the cards, before the Keri Masters got into their stride and pulled away, scoring four more times. Goals by Felix Drew 2, Ben Moss, Stevie Moselen and ‘new boy’ Danny Spake (on his debut) while player of the day went to big centre back Stevie Thomas.
Central Brown 0 Kaitaia United Top Roofer 2 (ht 0-2): Rob Covich scoring both goals in this NM2/3G clash in Whangarei to secure the POTD award for the Kaitaia Bs. With both teams playing away on Saturday with the maximum 14 players, Kaitaia United spokesman Andy Booth said this was proof that football was thriving in the district despite having the previous two weekends off through bye and games postponed (thanks to the Fifa U-20 World Cup on in Whangarei).
Tikipunga Developments 3 Bay Cosmos Mixed 3 (ht 2-1): Bay Cosmos Mixed securing their first point of the season in a remarkably high-scoring clash at Tikipunga on Saturday. The visitors only started with 10 and were down to nine with Jahdon Davis taken out by a heavy tackle before reinforcements arrived. Hannah Jull scored in the first half to keep the homeside in touch before James Bauer levelled 2-2 for the visitors. Tikipunga went back in front 3-2 before Jeff May nodded in another equaliser with time all but up. Cosmos standout was right back Dennis Williams.
NM2/3G standings were unavailable with full list of results from last weekend still incomplete.
Kerikeri High School 7 Northern Wairoa 0 (ht 2-0): Kerikeri High girls securing a big nil win over the visitors in round 8 of the Northland Women’s Premier Division in this match played at Kerikeri on Saturday.
Coach Russell McCabe admitted this was a by-the-numbers effort from his side as the scoreline suggested: “They defended really well but ran out of fitness and we just ran through them.”
Goals by Jess Fuller 2, Libby Inwood 2, with Holly Inwood and Arni Bailie Bellew also scoring, while standout was Marcella Neale. This rescheduled catch-up match was the only NWP fixture played over the weekend, with other games called off in deference to the Fifa U-20 World Cup match taking place in Whangarei.
Looking ahead, McCabe noted the girls were now preparing to host champions and current NWP pacesetters Kamo this Sunday. The win over Kerikeri Siteworx on May 31 had boosted the high school girls’ confidence ahead of the coming clash, which could well end up defining their season.
NWP standings: Kamo (6, 36/5) 18, Kerikeri Siteworx (7, 31/9) 15, Kerikeri High School (7, 32/14) 15, Hora Hora (6, 19/25) 7, Northern Wairoa (4, 8/18) 3, Central Brown (5, 12/25) 3, Onerahi (7, 2/44) 1.