Hello Taranaki Football,

Saturday saw the top of the table clash in the Men’s Premiership which also doubled as a Challenge Trophy encounter. The 2018 Champions Flooring Design Moturoa AFC set the bench mark for the rest of the season and proved they’re still the favourites for the title with the 2-1 win over Rampage Fitness FC Western which saw Moturoa retain the Challenge Trophy. Moturoa got off to a great start by scoring in the first minute from a right hand side set piece free kick by Scotty Manson which was headed home by Nicholas Parthemore on the near post. Things got worse for FC Western as they conceded again in the 20^th minute as Nathan Morath broke through the backline and knocked one over the advancing keeper Nic Reive. FC Western played much better in the second half as they got back into the game when Golden Boot leader Ben Furze slotted home a free kick in the 60^th minute but it wasn’t enough as the strong Moturoa defence kept out the previous unbeaten side for the rest of the match. NPBHS 1^st XI over took JLE NP Rangers AFC to move into third on the table after a huge 7-0 win over them with two braces getting scored by Oskar Wano and Adam Lawrence. Proglaze Waitara Prems got their first win and points for the season after beating Smith & Sons Eltham Prems 3-0 down at Taumata Park but it wasn’t enough to move them off the foot of the table as Spectrum Decorating Woodleigh FC picked up their first win of the season also winning 1-0 over Kitchen Draw Inglewood AFC in a tight affair at Sutherland Park. In the remaining match Peringa United played out a 2-2 draw with Rough Habit Hawera when Hawera being down 2-0 at half time managed to get something out of the game after equalising in the 83th minute.

The Taranaki Men’s Championship had the Challenge Trophy change hands for the third time this year as league leaders TreeHouse NP Rangers defeated NPBHS 2^nd XI 3-1 at Webster Field with Sanjay Singh hitting home a brace. Milwards Roofing FC Western remain equal top after winning 2-0 over Jones Quarry Moturoa but Mark Frost Electrical Hawera fell away from the leaders as Bounceback Physio Peringa held them to a 1-1 draw at Peringa Park. In the last two matches Oliver Flooring Eltham got a 3-1 win over Wonder Minerals Kaponga and Woodleigh got a huge 7-1 win over Inglewood as Billy Steer and Joseph Crowe both doubled up with braces.

Taranaki Men’s Division 1 still has three teams tied on 18 points at the top of the ladder but Kaitake FC has two games in hand while Charrua Kaponga has one over HEL Rimu NP Rangers Oddbodz. All three of these teams picked up comfortable wins over the weekend as Kaponga defeated Hutchins Dick Peringa Pirates 6-2, Kaitake 6-0 over Withers Coachlines Moturoa and Oddbodz 4-0 over McDonalds Stratford AFC. The last match saw an all high school battle as FDMC New Style Homes 2^nd XI got the win 4-0 over Chooks Flooring Ltd NPBHS 3^rd XI. KP Joinery Waitara had the BYE.

Taranaki Men’s Division 2 is still controlled by Taranaki Thru Tubing NP Rangers as they remain unbeaten plus retained the Challenge Trophy by winning 2-0 over 4U Computer Solutions Hawera at Merrilands Domain. Taranaki Tyre Torque Woodleigh still stay right in the fight by being just three points behind Rangers after getting three points over Inglewood 4-3. P Hamlin Builders Eltham were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Town & Country Foods Waitara and great to see Stratford winning their first game of the season 5-2 over Pipeline Peringa. FC Western had the BYE.

The Tungsten Legal Taranaki Women’s Premiership also had a Challenge Trophy match last Sunday when NPGHS 1^st XI retained possession by defeating Liquid Beans Peringa United 15-0. Moturoa White ended Naki Electrical Waitara’s unbeaten season by winning 8-2 and Moturoa Red also got a good win over Woodleigh to take top spot over Waitara. Eltham Ladies got the points 5-0 over Tungsten Legal Stratford in the mid-south battle and Susanne Hipp Accounting Hawera lost 1-3 at home against NP Rangers. Inglewood had the BYE.

We move into a Cup weekend this coming Queen’s Birthday Weekend with matches across all three days. Duff Rosebowl/Nimmos Cup on Saturday, GR Engineering Women’s Federation Cup/ Tungsten Legal Duchess Cup Sunday and Lotto Men’s Federation Cup Monday.

Article added: Tuesday 28 May 2019