By Jack Sharp
Cambridge have wrapped up the Lotto NRFL Men’s Southern Conference title with six games to spare.
After Taupo dropped two points in last weekend’s 1-1 draw at Papamoa, it meant Cambridge could not be caught, even if nearest rivals Taupo or Claudelands Rovers win all their remaining games.
The title makes up for missing out last season when Waikato Unicol pipped Cambridge at the post, taking the honours in the last round of competition.
It’s been an outstanding season for the Reds, and the team reached the fourth round of the Chatham Cup for the first time in its 76-year history.
But for an ambitious club who have targeted promotion to the Lotto NRFL Men’s Championship, the job’s only half done.
Cambridge’s remaining games are a dead rubber, meaning coach Jordan Shaw can rest and rotate players, allowing injuries to heal and preparing for the two-legged end-of-season promotion play-off with the winners of the Lotto NRFL Men’s Northern Conference.
Waitemata lead the Northern Conference but won’t be able to claim the title for a few rounds, at least, with Waiheke United and Northland in dogged pursuit.
If Cambridge and Waitemata meet in the play-off series, it will revive memories of their epic battle in 2015 when they fought a promotion series won 4-3 on aggregate by Waitemata, who won the away tie, and then lost at home, spoiling an otherwise unbeaten season.
Game of the week
With the title decided, and Te Awamutu 15 points adrift at the foot of the ladder, the remaining Southern Conference games provided academic interest.
For entertainment, the pick of the round could well be Claudelands Rovers’ home game against Waikato Unicol.
Rovers play open, attacking football and with nothing at stake, can really go after Unicol.
The ‘varsity team has been disappointing this year, after winning the Conference title in 2023 and narrowly missing out to Franklin United in the promotion play-off.
Unicol, who lost a raft of players in pre-season, have been unpredictable, and have conceded 53 goals, an average of more than three a game.
Player to watch
Waikato Unicol’s Abdul Wahid Sulieman (23) has been on a hot streak lately, scoring seven goals in his last six outings.
That takes him to eight for the season, and his form suggests he’ll continue to climb the Golden Boot table.
The former Hillcrest High School player has played senior football for a number of Waikato clubs, including Ngaruawahia United, Claudelands Rovers and West Hamilton, before joining Unicol in 2022.
Interestingly, half of Sulieman’s goals this season have been scored in stoppage time — a factor Rovers will need to guard against when Saturday’s derby goes into its final stages.
Bold prediction
Though their title hopes have gone, Taupo will want to finish strongly, and they get the chance to put winless Te Awamutu to the sword this weekend.
Te Awamutu kept a clean sheet last time out, drawing 0-0 with Ngongotaha Lakes, but they find it more difficult at Taupo’s Crown Park.
I’ll pick Taupo to win by four goals or better, setting them up nicely for a challenge for the WaiBOP Federation Challenge Shield when they travel to holders Otumoetai on August 17.
Last week I predicted Otumoetai would retain the WaiBOP Federation Challenge Shield, which they did with a 4-3 win against Waikato Unicol.
I also tipped the Te Awamutu – Ngongotaha Lakes match to be a goal-fest, with six or more goals, given that they had collectively conceded 127 goals this season. They chose that game to find clean sheets at both ends, drawing 0-0.
Golden Boot
17 — Bailey Webster (Cambridge), Jack Connor (Cambridge), Krishaant Singh (Claudelands Rovers)
16— Josh Clarkin (Cambridge)
14 — Joe O’Donoghue (Taupo)
12 — Jack Boland (Otumoetai)
9 — Andrew Cooper (Papamoa), Henry Stephen (Claudelands Rovers)
8 — Abdul Wahid Sulieman (Waikato Unicol)
7 — Kjay Morehu (Waikato Unicol), Steffano Riley (Ngongotaha Lakes), Dylan Foster (Taupo), Sean Barbour (Taupo)
6 — Ty Christensen (Taupo), Vincent Callister (Papamoa)
5 — Blake Taylor (Cambridge), Duale Mire (Waikato Unicol), Dylan Montero (Otumoetai), Jordan Shaw (Cambridge), Rahim Nabizada (Cambridge)
Fixtures
Games to be played on Saturday Month , 2024
Taupo v Te Awamutu
Crown Park, Taupo, 3pm
Cambridge v Papamoa
John Kerkhof Park, Cambridge, 3pm
Ngongotaha Lakes v Otumoetai
Tamarahi Reserve, Ngongotaha, 3pm
Claudelands Rovers v Waikato Unicol
Galloway Park, Hamilton, 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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