Hello Taranaki Football,

Sunday saw a lunch time kick off for the Men’s Federation League match between Peggy Gordons NP Rangers and Building King Havelock North Wanderers. Havelock who are league leaders and looking to secure the title this coming week took what they needed from the game which was the three points winning 4-1. Rangers went into the break 0-1 down but hit back through Taku Warren early in the second half, unfortunately any hope of getting something out of the match fast evaporated as Havelock struck back seven minutes later with a penalty kick followed by two more strikes towards the end.

Before the above match at Pukekura Park, NP Rangers hosted Susanne Hipp Accounting Hawera as a curtain raiser in the Tungsten Legal Women’s Premiership with Rangers getting the 3-0 win. NPGHS 1^st XI had another successful Challenge Trophy defence as they won 7-0 over Tungsten Legal Stratford, Paris Liu and Caitlin Bowles with doubles. Naki Electrical Waitara got all the points with a 3-0 victory over Eltham Ladies and Inglewood did the same winning 5-0 over Worley Woodleigh with doubles to Libby Collins and Jesseka Fairclough for Inglewood. The final match was a Moturoa derby as Red defeated White 8-0, Fernanda Toscani with the four goal haul to continue to lead the Golden Boot race. Liquid Beanz Peringa had the Bye.

In the Taranaki Men’s Premiership we have a showdown lurking this weekend as both Rampage Fitness FC Western and Flooring Design Moturoa got past tough opposition last weekend to set up a title deciding head to head. Western won 5-1 over JLE NP Rangers with Connor Oliver-Rose netting a brace after missing most of the season through injury and Moturoa 6-1 over Peringa United, Hayden Murray up to his usual tricks bagging a double and helping his side keep the Challenge Trophy. NPBHS 1^st XI have moved into third on the table after getting two late goals against Proglaze Waitara to win 2-0 and Rough Habits Hawera got a goal either half to also win 2-0 over Spectrum Decorating Woodleigh. The last match saw Smith & Sons Eltham led by a Luke Snellgrove brace win 4-1 against Kitchen Draw Inglewood. 

The top of the table clash in the Taranaki Men’s Championship between Millwards Roofing FC Western and TreeHouse NP Rangers ended in a 1-1 stalemate but the advantage sat with Western as they hung onto their four point lead on the ladder heading into the last two matches. Rangers came out of the blocks hard and deserved to take the early lead through a fantastic strike from Lukasz Zielinski after Western failed to clear the corner. After a huge battle across the park Western finally got back to level terms through a Mark Bland special volley off a rebounded freekick in the 71st minute. Both teams had chances to get the win but having the match finishing in a draw was probably a fair result. NPBHS 2nd XI moved into third in this league too after a come from behind victory over Wonder Minerals Kaponga 3-2 and Oliver Flooring Eltham won 5-1 over Inglewood with 2018 Junior Player of the Year Toby Stratton coming away with the brace. Bounceback Physio Peringa reversed the result from earlier in the season by beating Jones Quarry Moturoa 4-0 as Captain Hamish Gunson bagged a double. The final match was a 11 goal barn stormer which Woodleigh won 6-5 over Mark Frost Electrical Hawera, Woodleigh President Simon Green rocketing home four of them with Matt Kelbrick getting a double for Hawera.

Taranaki Men’s Division 1 saw Kaitake FC hold onto the Challenge Trophy after a 6-2 win over Chooks Flooring Ltd NPBHS 3^rd XI, James Bevington with the hat trick. Hutchins Dick Peringa Pirates won 5-0 against Withers Coachlines Moturoa after Brad Hickling scored a double and McDonalds Stratford won 5-2 over KP Joinery Waitara with Daniel White getting a brace for Stratford. FDMC 2^nd XI defaulted to Charrua Kaponga and HEL Rimu NP Rangers Oddbodz had the Bye.

Lastly the Taranaki Men’s Division 2 had all four matches played with Taranaki Tyre Torque Woodleigh dispatching 4U Computer Solutions Hawera 5-1, Stratford winning 4-0 over Town & Country Foods Waitara, FC Western 6-0 over Pipeline Peringa and Paul Hamlin Build Eltham drew 1-1 with Inglewood. Champions Taranaki Thru Tubing NP Rangers had the Bye which was probably needed after last weekend’s celebrations.

Article added: Tuesday 06 August 2019