League newbies beat defending champions

Photo by: Andy McGechan

Men's Federation League

Well, l this week we have to start with the huge result where league new comers Levin AFC have knocked over the defending champions Building King Havelock North Wanderers 1-0. Donnelly Park in Levin hosted its first-ever Lotto Central Federation League match and the home side went up early in the second minute through Jessie Skinner, a lead they would keep for the rest of the match. Peggy Gordons NP Rangers picked up their first win for the season with a 5-3 away win against Isles Construction Massey University FC at the Institute of Sport Massey fields. Rangers had a 5-1 lead going into the last 10 minutes which saw Massey push for a dramatic ending but the deficit was too great to run down. GJ Gardner Homes Whanganui Athletic backed up their strong win in the opening round with a great 4-0 away win against North End at Memorial Park. Lastly, in the first-ever Lotto Central Federation League match to be played on a turf pitch PN Marist got a big 7-0 win over Alexander Electric Napier Marist in the Marist derby at Arena Manawatu. Nicholas Carrick rocketed home a four-goal haul with Troye Aitken netting a brace for the hosts. 

The last two games saw the two league leaders emerge from the pack and keep 100% records to be tied on the top of the ladder with an equal 9+ goal difference. Red Sox having the Bye in round two now have the tough task of hosting one of these leaders in Whanganui Athletic this weekend coming and Massey will need to try to bounce back against the other in PN Marist.

Women's Federation League

It was a weekend of close scorelines in the Women's Federation League this weekend, which ultimately ended with Moturoa retaining their top spot on the table, with Taradale nipping at their heels. An early goal between Taradale and Football Whanganui, with a 17th-minute strike from Cara O'Neill, proved the difference between the two teams, both of which spent the majority of the match testing each other’s defences. Keeping the score line closer than the previous week would have been comforting for Football Whanganui, but they are still searching for their first competition points, while Taradale are setting themselves up for a return to last season’s form. In the Taranaki,  a single goal to the home team helped them grab the three points from the visiting Massey team. With another tightly fought battle between two dynamic teams, Moturoa are making plenty of noise on their return to the premier women's competition, and don't yet look like they're letting up, while Massey would have been disappointed not to have at least shared the points on the weekend after a great start to their season.

Tungsten Legal Women’s Premiership

For the round two review, we’re going to start on Sunday where our Tungsten Legal Women’s Premiership was back in action and we had TSH Moturoa defend the Challenge Trophy for the first time this season. They picked up a 5-0 win over Hipp Accounting Hawera with 2018 Golden Boot winner Kate Phipps showing some early season form, collecting a four-goal haul to go with her six last week. Worley Woodleigh picked up their first win of the season coming back from a 1-3 halftime deficit to beat the Eltham Ladies 4-3. Braces from Tiaan Neatherway and Bobbie Clark for Woodleigh made the different with Meagan George netting a hat-trick for Eltham. Inglewood AFC got a nice home win against Liquid Beanz Peringa 4-0 to pick up their first win for the season and ESH Wash NP Rangers were too strong for Tungsten Legal Stratford away winning 7-0 with Jade Boyce completing a hat-trick. In the final game, NPGHS Senior Team came home with a wet sail against Naki Electrical Waitara at Manukorihi Park with seven second-half goals to win 8-0 and Eva Hilliam scored a hat-trick in three minutes plus finishing with a four-goal haul.

Taranaki Men’s Premiership

Kitchen Draw Inglewood had another impressive result on the weekend showing they going to be hard to beat this season. They secured a point against Rampage Fitness FC Western at Karo Park when the match finished 2-2. Taylor Bignell bagged a brace for the home side.

“I'm happy with how the team performed on Saturday," said Inglewood captain Des Murray. "it certainly wasn’t always pretty but we took our chances for the second straight week and came away with a well-earned point. The lads showed plenty of hunger when needed and as confidence builds we can only hope to get stronger”.

Flooring Design Moturoa put the Challenge Trophy on the line for the first time this season and came away with the 1-0 win over a much improved Rough Habits Hawera. NP Rangers and Spectrum Decorating Woodleigh both kick-started their seasons with Rangers winning 5-1 away to Proglaze Waitara and Woodleigh winning 5-3 at home to Smith & Sons Eltham. Sam Jiggins for Rangers scored two and Harry Bushell and Jack Foxwell from Woodleigh did the same. In the final game, NPBHS 1st XI continued their great form knocking over Peringa United 7-1. Ashdin Tuuta rocketed home a hat-trick and Zack Young a double for the school side. 

Taranaki Men’s Championship

2019 champions Millwards Roofing FC Western battled out a 2-0 away win against Inglewood which sets up a round three showdown against Cunningham Construction Kaitake FC, which put the 2018 champions TreeHouse NP Rangers to the sword 5-0 with Jimmy Bevington firing home a four-goal haul, three in the first 12 minutes. NPBHS 2nd XI continue to secure comfortable wins with a 4-1 victory over Bounceback Physio Peringa United, Jaycob Haynes with a second-half brace. Oliver Hill led the way for Jones Quarry Moturoa setting up their first win of the season 4-2 over Mark Frost Electrical. Oliver scored all four of the Moturoa goals. Finally, a Robert Shintaro Kirkcaldie double got Woodleigh the 6-1 win over Eltham at Sutherland Park. 

Taranaki Men’s Division 1

FDMC Senior Team got a big 8-0 win over KP Joinery Waitara away with the goal scorers shared around but Joseph Wills did get a brace. Matt Sanger put his surfboard in the rack for the afternoon netting a hat-trick for Hutchins Dick Peringa Pirates who defeated Wonder Minerals Kaponga 5-0 at Peringa Park to hold on to the Challenge Trophy. In the last match, NP Rangers Oddbodz had a 3-0 home win over McDonald's Stratford and Withers Coachlines Moturoa had the Bye.

Taranaki Men’s Division 2

Last year’s champions Thru Tubing NP Rangers were held to a 1-1 draw against Vertech NZ Kaitake FC, Pipeline Peringa won 3-2 away to Stratford, Taranaki Tyre Torque Woodleigh went down at home 2-3 to Paul Hamlin Build Eltham, FC Western defeated Inglewood 5-1 at Karo Park and in the final match Town & Country Foods Waitara got the 3-2 win over 4U Computer Solutions Hawera in Waitara.