Hamilton Wanderers benefitted the most from the latest round of results in the Northern League.
Inspired by a hat-trick in 11 minutes from their captain, Derek Tieku, Wanderers picked up three more points as they overran North Shore United 5-0.
They then learned their rivals for a top four spot, Melville United, had lost to Western Springs after conceding two goals in the dying minutes of their match.
The results give hope to Wanderers that they might still sneak a place in the qualifying spots for National League football.
Main photo: Derek Tieku … leads the Northern League’s Golden Boot with 15 goals. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / Phototek.
Here’s our round-up of latest results:
Springs sink Melville with late finish
Two late goals by Western Springs turned an impending defeat into victory as the club celebrated their return to Seddon Fields with a 3-2 win against Melville United.
Playing on their resurfaced home pitch, Springs looked set to lose until the last three minutes of the game when they snatched their win.
The first half was even till Springs took the lead almost on the half-time whistle, with Dawson Straffon finding the net.
Melville levelled in the 57th minute through Harry Christensen-Rose.
Melville had a setback in the 68th minute when goalkeeper Max Tommy had to come off, and there was no replacement ‘keeper on the bench.
Luke Searle became the side’s makeshift ‘keeper for the rest of the game.
The Waikato visitors took the lead when Jerson Giraldo scored with quarter of an hour left.
But Springs kept fighting till the end and levelled in the 87th minute through substitute Kayne Vincent.
A minute later, Kenta Nakashima grabbed the winner to send Melville home pointless.
Wanderers’ top four hopes get double boost
Hamilton Wanderers’ hopes of making the top four were helped by a 5-0 win against North Shore United, and hearing the news that Waikato rivals Melville had lost.
The results leave the sides five points apart but with a local derby to come.
Wanderers had little trouble shaking off lowly Shore, especially after taking the lead through Jordan Lamb in the first minute.
Though Shore resisted for the rest of the half, the second spell was always going to be testing for a side that had conceded 76 goals going into the match at Allen Hill Stadium.
Sure enough, Wanderers captain Derek Tieku led the charge with a hat-trick in 11 minutes, scoring in the 48th, 54th and 59th minutes. Tieku now has 15 goals for the season and leads the league’s Golden Boot.
Substitute Tesco Grunwald finished the rout with Wanderers’ fifth goal, four minutes from time.
United enjoy goal fiesta which condemns Waiheke side to drop
Third-placed Auckland United enjoyed a 7-0 romp at Keith Hay Park, despatching bottom side Waiheke United who have yet to win the competition.
Matthew Conroy opened the scoring in the 16th minute and Regont Murati added another four minutes later.
Josh Redfearn scored two goals in a four-minute spell just before half-time, sending the sides into the changing rooms with the half-time score 4-0.
Hiroyoshi Kamata came off the bench for the second half and scored within a minute of the restart.
In the 54th minute, Michael den Heijer stretched the lead to 6-0.
Oliver Fay netted the seventh goal in the 81st minute.
The result leaves Waiheke at the foot of the table, and they would need to win all their remaining games by large margins, and have Takapuna lose all their fixtures, to avoid the drop to division one.
In reality, Waiheke’s result (and Takapuna’s win) almost certainly condemns them to relegation.
Takapuna almost assured of another year of Northern League
Takapuna have all-but assured themselves of another year in the Northern League with a 2-1 win at Bay Olympic.
Tom Miller did the business for Takapuna, scoring a goal in each half.
His first, in the 42nd minute, ensured the visitors turned around with a 1-0 lead.
Jack Duncan levelled for Bay Olympic in the 66th minute.
However, Miller struck again in the 76th minute and the visitors held their lead.
Though they were unlikely to get pulled into a relegation scrap, three points and the day’s other results mean promoted Takapuna are close to confirming a return to the first division next year.
Manukau and Suburbs split the points
Manukau United and Eastern Suburbs shared the points with a 1-1 draw at Walter Massey Park.
With both teams sitting mid-table, this game always looked to be close and neither side could find a goal in the first half.
Suburbs took the lead through Jake Mechell in the 51st minute, his first league goal of the season to complement his goalscoring feats in Suburbs’ Chatham Cup run.
Yousif Al-Kalisy levelled for Manukau in the 80th minute and the sides settled for the draw.
Results
Games played Saturday August 6, 2022
Western Springs 3 (Dawson Straffon 45′, Kayne Vincent 87′, Kenta Nakashima 88′)
Melville United 2 (Harry Christensen-Rose 57′, Jerson Giraldo 75′)
Manukau United 1 (Yousif Al-Kalisy 80′)
Eastern Suburbs 1 (Jake Mechell 51′)
North Shore United 0
Hamilton Wanderers 5 (Jordan Lamb 1′, Derek Tieku 48′, 54′, 59′, Tesco Grunwald 86′)
Bay Olympic1 (Jack Duncan 66′)
Takapuna 2 (Tom Miller 42′, 76′)
Auckland United 7(Matthew Conroy 16′, Regont Murati 20′, Josh Redfearn 39′, 43′, Hiroyoshi Kamata 46′, Michael den Heijer 54′, Oliver Fay 81′)
Waiheke United 0
Standings
Thanks
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