Ngaruawahia United have slipped five points clear of the chasing pack at the top of the Lotto NRFL second division.
While the Waikato side routinely beat lowly Beachlands Maraetai, other results meant their lead increased from the two points they took into the round.
Here’s our round-up of latest games:
Waterland hat-trick inspires Bucklands Beach win
A hat-trick by Sander Waterland powered Bucklands Beach to a 4-0 win at Hibiscus Coast’s Stanmore Bay Park.
The result was crucial for Bucklands Beach’s hopes of catching league leaders Ngaruawahia United as they took on the side that started the day in second spot.
The turning point in the game came just after the half-hour mark when the visitors scored twice in a minute.
Rory Bohea struck first in the 34th minute, before Waterland doubled his side’s lead in the 35th minute.
In the second half, Coast could not claw back the game and Waterland completed a hat-trick with goals in the 79th and 88th minute.
The goals take him to 13 for the season, and co-leadership (with Cambridge’s Josh Clarkin) of the Golden Boot.
The only black mark for Bucklands Beach was the late sending off of striker Sean Latimer for two yellows, meaning he’ll face suspension for next week’s game against Claudelands Rovers.
Main photo: Sander Waterland … co-leader of the Golden Boot table. File photo: Shane Wenzlick / Phototek.
Ngaruawahia brush aside Beachlands Maraetai
As the season goes on, unbeaten Ngaruawahia United look increasingly likely to take the title.
They just keep winning when they’re expected to — and that’s how it was in their trip to Te Puru Park where they beat Beachlands Maraetai with a goal in each half.
The experienced Federico Marquez scored early, his 9th-minute goal setting the Green Machine on the right track.
In the second half, the visitors doubled their lead through Liam Fellowes in the 69th minute.
The win stretches Ngaruawahia’s lead to five points and next week, they play bottom side Oratia United.
The pressure stays on the three sides chasing them …
Northland offer no respite for ‘Tia
Oratia United’s hopes of clearing the bottom of the table were dashed by Northland’s second half performance in which they made sure of a 2-0 win at Trigg Arena.
The sides had been locked 0-0 at the half-time break.
However Northland struck through Rihley Svenson on the hour.
In the 71st minute, Jackson West doubled the home side’s lead and Oratia — the division’s lowest goalscorers — were not going to find a way back.
Late own goal costly for Cambridge
Cambridge blew a 2-0 half-time lead to draw 2-2 at West Auckland’s Brains Park after conceding an own goal in added time.
The Reds had seemingly taken the initiative in the first spell, scoring twice through Josh Clarkin.
His goals in the 35th and 42nd minute put the title-challenging West Auckland side under pressure, and gave Clarkin co-leadership of the division’s Golden Boot table with 13 goals.
In the second half, West Auckland pulled back a goal through Anthony Lockton in the 57th minute.
But Cambridge appeared set to hang on for the win until the game went into added time and the home side found an equaliser credited to the visitors’ Kyle Stead as an own goal.
Franklin topple Claudelands Rovers
Two goals in the last half-hour earned Franklin United a 3-1 win at Claudelands Rovers’ Galloway Park.
United had taken a first half lead through captain Henry Fa’arodo in the 38th minute.
Rovers levelled 10 minutes into the second half through Ellis Breadmore.
However, three minutes later Franklin regained the lead through an own goal credited to Max Duckworth.
With 10 minutes to go, Dillon Lazarus increased Franklin’s lead to 3-1 and the visitors managed the final stages of the game to take home the points.
Results
Games played Saturday July 23, 2022
Hibiscus Coast 0
Bucklands Beach 4 (Rory Bohea 34′, Sander Waterlands 35′, 79′, 88′)
Beachlands Maraetai 0
Ngaruawahia United 2 (Federico Marquez 9′, Liam Fellowes 69′)
Northland 2 (Rihley Svenson 61′, Jackson West 71′)
Oratia United 0
West Auckland 2 (Anthony Lockton 57, own goal 90+2′)
Cambridge 2 (Josh Clarkin 35′, 42′)
Claudelands Rovers 1 (Ellis Breadmore 56′)
Franklin United 3 (Henry Fa’arodo 38′, own goal 59′, Dillon Lazarus 81′)
Standings
Thanks
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