Taranaki’s Moturoa earn right to play in next year’s Women’s Central League

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Taranaki’s Moturoa will play in next year’s Women’s Central League after winning their promotion play-off against Capital Premier side Horowhenua Coastal.

Two goals from Madeleine Hill gave Moturoa a 2-1 lead at half-time at Whanganui’s Wembley Park, and that’s how the score stayed till the final whistle.

Main photo: Moturoa’s promotion-winning side. Photo credit: Bri Goldby.

Moturoa won the 2023 Central Women’s Federation League, going through their season undefeated, and won the 2023 Central Federation Cup.

Moturoa go into the eight-club Central League at the expense of North Wellington who finished bottom of the 2023 competition.

Outstanding year for Moturoa

This year’s Moturoa team is arguably the most successful in the club’s history.

At the recent club prizegiving, the team won the club’s premier award, the Jed Martin trophy.

A home friendly against Waikato Unicol opened the 2023 season, a rare visit by a Northern club to Moturoa’s base at Onuku Taipari Domain, the first since Huntly Thistle in 1982.

Coached by Moturoa club president Scotty Manson, the side entered the Central Federation League after a two-year absence.

The competition covers a large geographic area, from Havelock North in the east of the island to New Plymouth in the west and across Palmerston North to the south.

Moturoa won the league previously in 2020 but later withdrew back to the Taranaki league until rejoining this season.

The Central Federation Cup was won for the second year in a row after victories against Palmerston North United, Hawera, New Plymouth Rangers and Eskview United.

The club entered the Kate Sheppard Cup for the first time in 2023.

A first-round victory against Massey University was followed by a home draw, resulting in the only loss of the season, inflicted by eventual cup finalist Wellington United.

The Moturoa AFC reserves, coached by Sam Edge and Matt Stoneman, won the 2023 Taranaki Women’s Premiership and held the league challenge cup.

By winning the local knock-out cup (the Duchess Cup) this team completed the treble.

The club has played Central League football before in 2015 and 2016.

In 2017, the club withdrew to join the newly formed Central Federation League.