PREVIEW: Can Miramar delay Olympic’s Central League title celebrations?

By Luke Austin

Another huge win for Wellington Olympic last weekend has all but wrapped up the club’s fourth Central League title in a row.

Three points for the Greeks at David Farrington Park on Saturday would see them crowned as champions.

Standing in their way is an in-form Miramar Rangers side pushing for qualification to the National League.

Club statistician Steven Robertson points out Olympic have won a club record 17 matches in a row (13 Central League, four Chatham Cup) since losing to Western Suburbs in April.

Round 16 kicks off at Memorial Park, with Petone hosting Napier City Rovers.

Napier badly need a win following their home loss to Miramar last time out to guarantee they hold onto third place.

After a compressed schedule in the first half of the season, the Phoenix Reserves play their final game in the Central League at home against Stop Out.

With several of their players featuring for national age group sides in recent tournaments and also for the Phoenix first team in the Australia Cup, it will be interesting to see how the academy side fare in the Central League.

Ninth-placed Island Bay United have had a few tough weeks, with back-to-back heavy defeats to Napier and Olympic.

They will hope for a better performance at Wakefield Park this Saturday where they host a Waterside Karori side who are winless in their last five games.

The final round 16 game takes place on Sunday with North Wellington traveling to Endeavour Park where they take on second-placed Western Suburbs.

North Wellington secured what could end up being a valuable point last weekend with a draw against Petone.

They now sit in 8th place, above Island Bay on goal difference, but with a game in hand.

A win for Wests would take them a step closer to ensuring their spot in the 2024 National League.

*Wellington Olympic head coach Paul Ifill … close to adding a Central League title to the Southern League crown he won last year with Christchurch United. Photo: Dave Lintott / Phototek.*

Game of the week

Wellington Olympic have the chance to win the Central League title at the home of their biggest rivals, Miramar Rangers on Saturday.

The Greeks appear to be unstoppable this year, with back-to-back 8-0 wins in the league in recent weeks, and their only loss of the season way back in April.

However, after a disappointing middle part of the season, Miramar are back in great form and are making a late push for the top three.

Their win at Bluewater Stadium against the impressive Napier side in round 15 signals they are back playing their best football.

Miramar need another win and will be desperate to prevent Olympic from winning the title at David Farrington Park.

Can Miramar rise to the challenge or will Olympic be crowned champions once again? It’s worth going to the game to find out,

*New Zealand’s Nathan Walker (13) celebrates scoring for the national U-17 side. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / Phototek.*

Players to watch

A number of Phoenix academy players featured for the men’s first team against South Melbourne in the Australia Cup round of 32.

Nathan Walker (18) showed promise as he played the full 90 minutes in what was his senior debut for the Phoenix.

The winger, signed from Auckland club Fencibles United earlier this year, has scored four times in the Central League this season.

With the reserves back in action in the Central League this weekend, Walker will be one to keep an eye on against Stop Out.

The forward line for Napier City Rovers will be worth monitoring when they play at Petone on Saturday.

Rovers have lost the talents of the league’s leading goalscorer, Oscar Faulds, who has headed to a Danish second-division club for a trial.

The Swedish-born New Zealander has been in outstanding form for Rovers, scoring 21 goals in 14 games, but after being scouted by Auckland FC and the Wellington Phoenix, who gave him a trial, Faulds has opted to chase a pro’ contract in Denmark.

Forward Max Chretien scored during the loss to Miramar, and another potential replacement is Jordan Annear, a recent arrival from England where he played non-league football.

Golden Boot

21 — Oscar Faulds (Napier City Rovers)
15 — Lucas Meek (Western Suburbs)
13 — Sam Mason-Smith (Miramar Rangers)
12 — Hamish Watson (Wellington Olympic)
11 — Jack O’Connor (Petone),
9 — Tomas Alvarado (Waterside Karori), Martin Bueno (Miramar Rangers)
7 — Jesse Randall (Wellington Olympic), Connor Wilson (Western Suburbs), Isa Prins (Wellington Olympic)
6 — Tor Davenport Petersen (Wellington Olympic), Nicolas Bobadilla (Miramar Rangers), Connor Gaul (Stop Out)
5 — Ben Mata (Wellington Olympic), Miles Green (Western Suburbs), Luke Supyk (Wellington Phoenix), Stefan Ashby (Island Bay United, now Wellington Olympic), Josh Tollervey (Miramar Rangers), Henry Sinclair (North Wellington), Sam Lack (Napier City Rovers)