Here's what you need to know from an action-packed weekend of football.

The race for fourth heats ups - LOTTO NRFL Women's Premiership 

The LOTTO NRFL Women's Premiership is fourteen games long, which means we are heading towards the last rounds of the competition. The race for the top spot seems to be between Eastern Suburbs and Auckland United.

The second most important spot up for grabs is fourth, the last spot to quality for the National League, currently held by Ellerslie who overtook West Coast Rangers this weekend after beating them 1-0.

Hamilton Wanderers should also be in the picture as long as they don't slip up next weekend against Northern Rovers. Hibiscus Coast's recent run of form may just be too late but never count out anything in football.

Stjepan Kovacic does fire again, but it's not enough

In the preview, the question was asked if Stjepan Kovacic could score again this weekend. The answer was yes and twice in fact, making it thirteen goals in thirteen games.  Unfortunately for Ngaruawahia United, the golden boot leader's efforts were not enough to keep all three points at home. 

Cambridge scores TEN!

Cambridge's admin may be sad they didn't get tickets to T Swift, but that frown must have turned upside down after watching the team's performance on the weekend. The team put ten goals into the back of the net as they faced Te Awamutu, featuring two hat-tricks and a double. 

Cambridge Goal Scorers

Zachary Mayo (90')

Krishaant Singh (80', 36', 1')

Blake Taylor (72')

Jorge Rodriguez Cuero (33', 58')

Joshua Clarkin (12', 47', 56')

(DRAWS) LOTTO NRFL - Women's Conference - League One - Northern League 

Prue Catton's goal for Ellerslie made sure the three points stayed at home and saw the team take the fourth sport off West Coast Rangers. Auckland United and Eastern Suburbs both gained victories in their race to the title. 

Hibiscus Coast 2

Hamilton Wanderers  1

Auckland United 4

Northern Rovers 1

Eastern Suburbs 3

Western Springs 2

Ellerslie 1

West Coast Rangers 0

This round started with a wet and windy game at  William Green Domain on Friday night. Braces from Nina Feliciano (56', 77') and Zoe Brazier (7' 62') saw Fencibles overcome a resurgent Manukau United.

Otumoetai proved to be clinical this week with eight goals against Central United featuring five different goalscorers. Taryn Holloway (50' 79'), Eve Mischewski (76'), Grace Duncan (69'), Lilly Muspratt (62', 58') and Halle Carr (53').

Fencibles United 4

Manukau United 2

Te Atatu 0

Onehunga Sports 4

Central United 1

Otumoetai 8

Tauranga City 3

Franklin United 0

The top three on the table all gained three points this weekend. Metro and Birkenhead look to be the teams fighting for promotion into the LOTTO NRFL. With ten or eleven more games to go and close scorelines throughout the league, the other teams will be hoping they can turn near losses into wins, which may just make this league very close. 

Birkenhead United 2

Greenhithe 1

Beachlands Maraetai 0

Metro 3

Bay Olympic 2

 Onehunga Mangere United 0

East Coast Bays will be extra happy this weekend, not only gaining three points, but rival league challengers Ngaruawahia United and Tauranga City drawing 2-2, removing an extra two points if a team had won. 

Hibiscus Coast may just be frustrated as a win this weekend could have propelled them up the table away from the congested mid-table teams.

Ellerslie will be looking for something different next week as they were lucky to gain a point, through a last-minute goal by Devon Andrews (90').

Mt Albert Ponsonby 2

Northern Rovers 0

Onehunga Mangere United 1

Waiheke United 0

North Shore United 1

Hibiscus Coast 1

East Coast Bays 3

Fencibles United 1

Ngaruawahia United 2

Tauranga City 2

Metro 1

Ellerslie 1

Franklin United continue to be the only team to not have lost a game this season and go into third place after overcoming Albany United. Coming from behind twice, these three points may be very important when it comes to the end of the season. 

Beachlands Maraetai goes top of the league after taking home all three points from a trip to Northland. 

Albany United 2

Franklin United 3

Central United 4

Oratia United 0

Waitemata 4

West Auckland 2

Northland 1

Beachlands Maraetai 3

BYE - Bucklands Beach 

Not only is the ten goals scored by Cambridge impressive, but it may also turn out to be important as goal difference could play a part in deciding who wins the league. 

Waikato Unicol picked up an important win, beating rival league challenges 2-0 through goals from Harry Christensen-Rose (70') and Donovan  Latham (2').

Cambridge 10

Te Awamutu 1

Claudelands Rovers (POSTPONED)

Papamoa (POSTPONED)

Ngongotaha Lakes 1

Otumoetai 0

Waikato Unicol 2

Taupo 0

South Auckland Rangers took all three points home after a visit to Te Atatu, which up until this weekend had not given away any points at home. Both teams will be hoping to not drop as many points as possible, as both look to be promoted into the NRFL in 2024. 

Te Atatu 1

South Auckland Rangers 2

Ranui Swanson 0

Papakura City 5

Uni-Mount Bohemian 1

Papatoetoe 1

An impressive display from Eastern Suburbs helped by a hat-trick from Martin Bueno (29', 61', 79'), sees them stay tied with Auckland City at the top of the table. What a game that one is going to be!

Manurewa dropped all possible points again as they look to recover their form quickly as they eye to keep the fourth spot, with many clubs looking to take it away. 

Eastern Suburbs 6

Hamilton Wanderers 1

Melville United 5

Manurewa 2

Auckland United 3

Manukau United 0

Takapuna 0

Western Springs 3

West Coast Rangers 0

Auckland City 3

Birkenhead United 3

Bay Olympic 0

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Image: phototek.co.nz

Article added: Monday 03 July 2023