By Jack Sharp
With the top and bottom placings already decided, there are still two contests worthy of interest in the Lotto NRFL Men’s Southern Conference.
One is the race for the Golden Boot; the other is to see which club will end up holding the WaiBOP Federation Challenge Shield over the summer.
Champions-elect Cambridge have scored 82 goals in their 16 games so, not surprisingly, have dominated the goalscoring table.
Forward Bailey Webster had taken a big lead in the Golden Boot with 17 goals, until he suffered a season-ending injury.
Even so, Cambridge strikers Jack Connor and Josh Clarkin were scoring for fun, and seemed obvious favourites to fight for the honours.
But Claudelands Rovers’ Krishaant Singh has been in a super form of late, and he’s taken a one-goal lead in the Golden Boot.
Singh joined Rovers from Cambridge this season, and his matchwinning double against Waikato Unicol last week took him to 19 goals for the season.
Game to watch
Otumoetai host Taupo on Saturday in a match which could help decide who takes this year’s runners-up spot behind Cambridge.
The match will also decide whether Otumoetai continue to hold the WaiBOP Federation Challenge Shield or whether it’s taken back to Crown Park by Taupo.
Despite the paucity of remaining fixtures, the shield could still spend the summer in any of five trophy cabinets.
If Otumoetai see off Taupo’s challenge, they’ll still have to defend it against Papamoa.
If they do that, they’ll end their season playing for the shield against Cambridge on September 7.
If Otumoetai surrender the shield to Taupo, they’ll have to defend it against Waikato Unicol, and if successful, they’ll face a last-game challenge from Papamoa.
If Taupo win the shield but lose it to Waikato Unicol, the ‘varsity team will face only one challenge — from Cambridge on August 31.
Bold prediction
Otumoetai seem to be enjoying their hold on the federation shield and if the best version of Taupo turn up, the game will be a belter. I’ll tip Otumoetai to hang onto the shield by the barest of margins — a draw.
Last week, I tipped Taupo to beat Te Awamutu by four goals or more. They won 8-0.
Golden Boot
19 — Krishaant Singh (Claudelands Rovers)
18 — Jack Connor (Cambridge), Josh Clarkin (Cambridge)
17 — Bailey Webster (Cambridge)
15 — Joe O’Donoghue (Taupo)
13 — Jack Boland (Otumoetai)
9 — Andrew Cooper (Papamoa), Henry Stephen (Claudelands Rovers)
8 — Abdul Wahid Sulieman (Waikato Unicol), Ty Christensen (Taupo), Steffano Riley (Ngongotaha Lakes)
7 — Kjay Morehu (Waikato Unicol), Dylan Foster (Taupo), Sean Barbour (Taupo)
6 — Rahim Nabizada (Cambridge), Vincent Callister (Papamoa)
5 — Blake Taylor (Cambridge), Duale Mire (Waikato Unicol), Dylan Montero (Otumoetai), Jordan Shaw (Cambridge), Thomas Walters (Cambridge)
Fixtures
Games to be played on Saturday August 17, 2024
Papamoa v Claudelands Rovers
Gordon Spratt Reserve, Papamoa, 3pm
Te Awamutu v Cambridge
The Stadium, Te Awamutu 3pm
Otumoetai v Taupo
Fergusson Park, Otumoetai, 3pm
Waikato Unicol v Ngongotaha Lakes
Waikato University, 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.
More football stories
