By Jack Sharp
This weekend’s games will decide the fortunes of clubs at both ends of the Lotto NRFL Men’s Conference.
At stake are the Conference title and with it, a chance to earn promotion to the Lotto NRFL Men’s Championship.
At the other end of the ladder, results will decide who will drop to next year’s NRFL Men’s League One, with already-relegated Oratia United.
Competition leaders Waitemata catch the ferry across the Hauraki Gulf to play second-placed Waiheke United at the Onetangi Sports Complex.
A win or draw will be enough for Waitemata to book a place in a two-legged home and away promotion play-off with NRFL Southern Conference champions Cambridge.
A win to Waiheke United will lift them above Waitemata and give them the right to play Cambridge over the weekends of September 14 and 21.
Going into the round 21 fixture, Waitemata and Waiheke United have identical results — 14 wins, 3 draws and 3 losses.
If Waitemata succeed on Saturday, Waiheke United will rue the deduction of two competition points which keep them behind the west Aucklanders, despite having a superior goal difference.
Waitemata have pretty much led the competition from start to finish, and will need to complete the programme at Onetangi where the Waiheke United side will have the advantage of a passionate home crowd.
Sixth-placed Beachlands Maraetai host bottom-placed Oratia United in their final fixture.
A win will ensure safety from relegation; a draw or loss will then mean Te Atatu’s result against Albany United will decide who goes down with Oratia.
Te Atatu have to win and hope Beachlands Maraetai draw or lose to return to the Conference next year.
This competition has been hard-fought all year; the final games are not for the faint-hearted.
Golden Boot
17 — Mark Giles (Beachlands Maraetai)
15 — Sander Waterland (Bucklands Beach)
11— James Chamberlain-Barlow (Albany United)
10 — Nico Vanina (Waiheke United)
9 — Kyle Levell (Northland)
8 — Adam Hargood (Waitemata), Fumiya Ito (Northland), Josh Smith (Bucklands Beach)
6 — Alexander Thurbon (Beachlands Maraetai), Arnold Kochasira (Waitemata), Diego Carvajal (Waiheke United), Ramon Lindner (Waiheke United), Shane Tanner (Waitemata), Ethan Carter (Northland)
5 — Harry Murphy (Waitemata), Lyle Jones (Bucklands Beach), Jared Colligan (Te Atatu), Gian Krauer (Albany United), Lukas Webster (Waitemata), Milan Clarke (Northland). Stuart Davies (Waitemata)
4 — Ali Ryou Zeyni (Beachlands Maraetai), Andy Kapteyn (Oratia United), Daniel Peak (Te Atatu), Mikael Munday (Northland), Oliver Peters (Beachlands Maraetai), Roy van Leeuwen (Waitemata), Sergio Lindner (Waiheke United), Seth McGuinness (Albany United)
Fixtures
Games to be played on Saturday September 7, 2024
Waiheke United v Waitemata
Onetangi Sports Complex, Waiheke, 3pm
Northland v Bucklands Beach
Trigg Arena, Whangarei, 3pm
Albany United v Te Atatu
Rosedale Park, Albany, 3pm
Beachlands Maraetai v Oratia United
Te Puru Park, Beachlands, 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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