By Jack Sharp
After their history-making run in the Chatham Cup, Cambridge get back to the business of winning the Lotto NRFL Southern Conference.
Cambridge lost 4-1 to Oceania club champions Auckland City at John Kerkhof Park, but were far from disgraced, holding their own for much of the game and providing great entertainment for almost 1,000 spectators.
Though it was the best cup run in the club’s 76-year history, the loss signalled the end of Cambridge’s 21-match unbeaten streak, going back to last year.
Now, coach Jordan Shaw and his side have to start again, and they get no better chance than a home game against last year’s champions Waikato Unicol.
Unicol were well beaten 5-0 at home last weekend, by Taupo.
Game to watch
Taupo host Ngongotaha Lakes on Saturday, in the Battle of the Lakes.
Of the weekend’s three games, it’s likely to be the closest-fought, and there’s a good chance it will be a high scoring affair.
Taupo have won their last three games, racking up 15 goals in the process.
Until last weekend’s 3-1 loss to Claudelands Rovers, Ngongotaha Lakes were on a four-game winning run, having scored 11 goals in that string of three-pointers.
Player to watch
Nathan Claridge (33) is expected to make his 300th first team appearance for the club when he runs onto John Kerkhof Park on Saturday.
Remarkably, he’s played for the same club every consecutive year since he kicked his first football aged 4.
These days, the versatile midfielder/defender is often starting on the bench and he came on as a sub last weekend against Auckland City in the cup to set up the chance to celebrate his milestone in front of home fans on Saturday.
Bold predictions
It’s hard to see any upsets this weekend with the competition’s top three all at home and playing sides down the table.
I’ll predict comfortable wins for Cambridge, Claudelands Rovers and Taupo.
Last week, I tipped Ngongotaha Lakes to keep the Federation Shield with a draw or better against Claudelands Rovers. Rovers returned to Hamilton with the shield after a 3-1 win.
Golden Boot
17 — Bailey Webster (Cambridge)
14 — Jack Connor (Cambridge)
13 — Krishaant Singh (Claudelands Rovers)
11 — Jack Boland (Otumoetai),
10 — Josh Clarkin (Cambridge)
9 — Joe O’Donoghue (Taupo)
8 — Henry Stephen (Claudelands Rovers)
7 — Andrew Cooper (Papamoa), Kjay Morehu (Waikato Unicol), Steffano Riley (Ngongotaha Lakes), Dylan Foster (Taupo), Sean Barbour (Taupo)
Fixtures
Games to be played on Saturday July 13, 2024
Claudelands Rovers v Te Awamutu
Galloway Park, Hamilton, 3pm
Cambridge v Waikato Unicol
John Kerkhof Park, Cambridge, 3pm
Taupo v Ngongotaha Lakes
Crown Park, Taupo, 3pm
Jack Sharp
Jack Sharp is a long-time follower of club football in New Zealand and is a volunteer writer for Friends of Football. You can show your appreciation for his work by buying him a coffee.
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