Form goes out the window in day of Lotto NRFL first division upsets

posted in: Lotto NRFL, News

Three promotion-chasing sides all lost to teams beneath them on the Lotto NRFL first division table in a day when form went out the window.

Tauranga City, Onehunga Mangere United and East Coast Bays all lost, leaving Manurewa in clear second place, despite not playing their fixture until Sunday.

To round off a day of form reversals, bottom-placed Waitemata also found victory, upsetting mid-table Ellerslie.

Rhodes and Shaw get Rovers home against Tauranga

Northern Rovers have struggled in front of goal this season, having scored less than a goal a game going into their fixture against Tauranga City at McFetridge Park.

So there must have been a sense of relief for Rovers supporters when Paul Rhodes put them ahead in the 27th minute with his first goal of the season.

The sides went into the break with Rovers 1-0 up, and soon after the break they doubled their lead through Thomas Shaw.

Tauranga’s Adam Davidson reduced the deficit in the 68th minute but Rovers saw the game out to move firmly into mid-table.

Sub scores late winner for Fencibles

Substitute Cheauxyan Maukau grabbed a late winner for Fencibles United in their match at Onehunga Mangere United.

The teams were scoreless at half-time but Rob Dymond gave Fencibles the lead in the 54th minute.

The Mountain Men drew level in the 79th minute when Fencibles substitute Harrison McDowell put through his own goal.

As the game was about to go into added time, Maukau — on the pitch for only four minutes — scored the vital goal for Fencibles.

MAP come from behind to topple East Coast Bays

Mount Albert Ponsonby got the win against East Coast Bays, thanks to a strong second-half performance.

Bays had taken an early lead through Daewook Kim and the teams went into the break at Anderson Park with Bays good for their 1-0 lead.

But MAP substitute Brad Rathbun got his side back in the game in the 68th minute, scoring almost as soon as he came off the bench.

Nicholas Hindson then put the home side ahead in the 76th minute and, unlike earlier in the season when MAP squandered leads, this time they dug in and gave Bay no chance to take away their victory.

Lowly Waitemata topple the Ponies with strong second half

Bottom side Waitemata threw themselves a wooden spoon lifeline with a 3-0 win against Ellerslie.

This was another first division game in which neither side could score in the first half.

But Waitemata came alive in the second, scoring through Scott Sellar (49′), and then substitutes Roy Van Leeuwen (57′) and Ryan Sabich (89′).

The win keeps Waitemata in touch with the rest of the sides, and a win could lift them two or three places up the table, while a loss would have cut them adrift.

As for Ellerslie, this was another example of the Ponies ability to run hot or cold — today it was cold.

Results

Game played Friday June 10, 2022

Metro 0
West Coast Rangers 2 (Allan Pearce 48′, Jamie Mason 84′)

Click here for match report >>>>

Games played Saturday June 11, 2022

Waitemata 3 (Scott Sellar 49′, Roy Van Leeuwen 57′, Ryan Sabich 89′)
Ellerslie 0

Northern Rovers 2 (Paul Rhodes 27′, Thomas Shaw 51′)
Tauranga City 1 (Adam Davidson 68′)

Onehunga Mangere United 1 (own goal 79′)
Fencibles United 2 (Roby Dymond 54′, Cheauxyan Maukau 90′)

Mount Albert Ponsonby 2 (Brad Rathbun 68′, Nicholas Hindson 76′)
East Coast Bays 1 (Daewook Kim 13′)

Fixture to be played on Sunday June 12, 2022

Albany United
Manurewa

Standings

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