Fencibles United will return to northern football’s top competition for the first time in 21 years after securing the Lotto NRFL Men’s Championship.
A 2-1 win at Ellerslie on Saturday evening made sure Fencibles took the title and promotion to next season’s Northern League.
The club last played in the top tier of regional competition in 2003 when they were relegated.
Only three years ago, Fencibles were playing in the Lotto NRFL second division, two divisions below the Northern League.
They won promotion in 2021 to the competition now known as the Lotto NRFL Championship, and consolidated their position before mounting a push for promotion in 2024 with new head coach Rhys Ruka.
Latest results mean Manukau United will finish runners-up in the Championship.
Manukau will go into promotion/relegation play-offs against one of three Northern League clubs — Manurewa, East Coast Bays or Melville United — whose fates will be decided in the last round, to be played on Saturday, August 31.
Main photo: 2024 Lotto NRFL Men’s Champions. Photo credit: Fencibles United social media.
Results
Games played on Saturday August 24, 2024
Hibiscus Coast 2 (Bronson Brown 68′, George Debenham 90′)
Northern Rovers 1 (Samuel Robertson 9′)
Takapuna 3 (David Yoon 30′, Tyler Paterson 44′, Kevin Escudero 90+2′)
Franklin United 1 (Tafara Chawira 90+5′)
Manukau United 3 (Meysum Shafahi 23′, 70′, Luis Armando Natera 62′)
Ngaruawahia United 1 (Reuben Henderson 54′)
Ellerslie 1 (Axel Andersson 85′)
Fencibles United 2 (Aston Burns 8′, Royston Dsouza 75′)
Fixtures
Game to be played on Wednesday August 28, 2024
North Shore United v Takapuna
Shepherds Park, Birkenhead, 7pm
Games to be played on Saturday August 31, 2024
Mt Albert Ponsonby v Ellerslie
Anderson Park, Mt Albert, 3pm
Fencibles United v Manukau United
Riverhills Park, Pakuranga, 3pm
Ngaruawahia United v Takapuna
Centennial Park, Ngaruawahia, 3pm
Hibiscus Coast v North Shore United
Stanmore Bay Park, Whangaparaoa, 3pm
Northern Rovers v Metro
McFetridge Park, Glenfield, 3pm
Franklin United v Onehunga Mangere United
Drury Sports Complex, Drury, 5pm
This story was first published on August 25, 2024.
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