Local womens football (incl. W League)

To be fair the drop to a 4-0 was against a mostly B-Team WU side

true that, but given that B side are top of the premier division, having only lost 1 game and scored 62 goals, 4-0 was quite a credible result, especially given the two double digit hidings earlier in the season and from what I heard it was a mix of both Wgtn Utd fielding a B side and Stop Out being much improved

Been thinking a bit more about the issues with the current league size. It seems like the early season massive scorelines are now (somewhat) an aberration? 

Take last weekend:

The scorelines have, in general swung back to the 'weaker' teams to results which are not out of line with results in some of the senior mens leagues. Maybe the issues are that the actual number of teams in the league magnifies the relative differences, given the frequency upon which teams play each other?

I would argue that VUW and Karori would probably be somewhere between W.United & Seatoun, based on what i have seen of them. Perhaps an 8 team league, which would also help travel costs for some of the wellington teams, given less travel to Palmie/Rapa, if they have to travel less frequently?

Uni lost 2-0 to BNU, so push for any chance of promotion pretty much gone now anyway.

tempted to bring out an earlier quote of yours. 

In normal circumstance they would still be eligible if they came behind WU in second anyway

Can't comment on how the BNU game went, wasn't there and haven't heard anything except the score (doesn't seem like the coach wants to talk about it!)

What you should be watching is the late charge up the table by our seconds!

I saw that game, 1st half was pretty dire, 2nd half was a bit better, BNU worked out Nicole Baird is VUW's best player and marked her out of the game, which stopped them doing anything. it was 1-0 with 10 to go and Uni decided to attack and bought on a striker for a center back, bold move but backfired almost immediately as BNU made it 2-0

BNU only 2 points behind Uni now

teams might have seen some personnel changes during the season? CJ and Katie at least from UH? 

Seatoun would have had a good possible first eleven all season I would have thought? On the weekend there looks to be a lot of the team that won the league recently.

Wellington United have rarely fielded the same team each week, Micky & Jemma Robertson were away in the US (back now), Briar Palmer is off to France for some trials, Fran Grange has been injured. They have used the games against the weaker teams to give their reserves experience

Seatoun are pretty much the same the have been for the last couple of seasons, and that's probably the problem, they aren't getting any younger and there doesn't seem to be many coming through, having no second team doesn't help either

Little bit of trainspotting to go with this:
For the four games (two league, both cups) against PNM, Wellington United have had four players available for all four games. (Tash, Asha, Nic, and Maggie (just) if you want to know who)

PNM apparently a stack of players missing also. And still a very comfortable win.  There is no denying that this 6 team league is intact 2 leagues within one.  Top 3 and bottom 3.  You can try to deny this and justify other ideas but if you're honest.....

I wasn't suggesting that there wasn't a big difference between the top and end of the table, but not the gulf that existed in some of the early rounds.,I think that with a 6 team league the difference between top and bottom is more apparent. I maintain that Karori and VUW would probably bbefighting for 4/5 in the current W league.

Its a bit of a pointless argument going on about what players are missing. No doubt the bottom teams have lost their better players (what few they have) during parts of the season and this may have led to larger loses than would be expected.

Seatoun is a concern as they only have one team. Surely Capital Football should insist on W League Clubs having more than one team or we could end up with another Valeron where they could not field a team for various reasons so they pulled out of the Central League.

Capital football will do what ever they want with this league and its makeup etc.  They have to this point. Club voice needs to be considered and heard.  What do clubs want, what do players want.   Its fine to come up with a theoretical league that those int he offices think will work but has it ???

IMO six team incl PN is the right number at the moment. There should at least be a relo play off. They might as well have WU resies in there. Not sure about Sat games - can't be good for spectators involved in Sat footy already

Not all bad then I guess

It is certainly good having the w league teams in the club on a saturday

You know what you said to me about nobody giving a stuff about the Chatham Cup quarter final. Well...

Doloras get onto this stat

Look, I'm GLAD no-one gives a stuff about women's football, otherwise weirdos would be gossipping about ME on the Northern League forums.

Sort of Local - NWKO Cup quarter finals this week, Upper Hutt City only Wellington team left

Upper Hutt City (CFWL - 1st) v Palmerston North Marist (CFWL - 2nd)

Saturday 5th August, Maidstone, KO 12pm

So far

Upper Hutt City - struggled past Vic Uni 1-0 before thumping Wairarapa 10-1

Palmy Marist - beat Wellington United 2-0 and Seatoun 5-1

Previous WKNO Cup meetings

2015 Upper Hutt City 10 PN Marist 2

2016 PN Marist 3 Upper Hutt City 4

Best performance

Upper Hutt City – Semi Finals x2 2009, 2016

Palmerston North Marist – Quarter Finals (x2) 1994,96

The 4th meeting this season of the top 2 W-League teams, so far there has been a win apiece and a draw

My pick – either on penalties

Dunedin Technical (FS - 1st) v Coastal Spirit (MPL - 1st)

Saturday 5th August, Caledonian Ground, Dunedin, KO 12:30pm

So far

Coastal Spirit beat Waimak 6-1, FC2011 2-0 and Cashmere Technical 2-1

Dunedin Technical beat Queenstown Rovers 9-1 and Roslyn-Wakari 3-0

Previous WKNO Cup meetings

2013 Dunedin Technical 0 Coastal Spirit 7

2014 Coastal Spirit 2 Dunedin Technical 1

2015 Dunedin Technical 1 CoastaL Spirit 4

Best performance

Dunedin Technical – Quarter Finals (x2) 2013, 14,15

Coastal Spirit – Won 2013

Coastal Spirit leading the MPL by 4 points and have only lost once this season. Dunedin Technical are unbeaten and have scored 61 goals and conceeded 4 in league and cup games this season

My Pick – I'd love for Dunedin Technical to win and get Upper Hutt City in the next round, as Tech have ex UHC players Mikela Hunt and Emily Morison in their team. But I think Coastal Spirit will be too strong

Eastern Suburbs (NPL - 2nd) v Three Kings United (NPL - 1st)

Sunday 6th August, Madills Farm, Auckland KO 1pm

So Far

Lots of goals for these two, 17 for Eastern Suburbs in 2 games (9-2 v Ham Wanderers, 8-0 v Norwest United)

Three Kings United got 18 against Rotorua United and beat Claudelands Rovers 4-1

Previous WKNO Cup meetings –

2006 Eastern Suburbs 1 Three Kings United 2

2007 Three Kings United 3 Eastern Suburbs 3 (won 3-1 on pens)

2009 Three Kings United 5 Eastern Suburbs 1

2011 Eastern Suburbs 2 Three Kings United 1

2015 Eastern Suburbs 5 Three Kings United 2

Best performance

Eastern Suburbs – Runners Up 2005

Three Kings United – Won (x4) 1997, 98, 99 & 2012

Top of the table clash – Eastern Suburbs are 2 points behind TKU but have a game in hand

My Pick - really no idea which way this will go

Glenfield Rovers (NPL - 3rd) v Forest Hill-Milford United (NPL - 6th )

Sunday 6th August, McFetridge Park, Auckland, KO 1pm

So Far

Glenfield Rovers - 12-0 over Ellerslie & 2-1 over Western Springs

FHMU - 10-0 against papakura & 8-0 against Central United

Previous WKNO Cup meetings –

2009 Glenfield Rovers 7 FHMU 0

2010 Glenfield Rovers 13 FHMU 0

2014 FHMU 2 Glenfield Rovers 3

2015 Glenfield Rovers 2 FHMU 0

2016 FHMU 2 Glenfield Rovers 2

FHMU won 4-3 on pens

NB 2014 & 2016 games were the final

Best performance

Glenfield Rovers – Won (x3) 2011,14,15

FHMU – Won 2016

A replay of last seasons final, I reckon Glenfield will get revenge for that loss on penalities

Upper Hutt win a very tight match 2-1 (1-1 @ FT) with Goals to Emma Main and Lena De Rond.  The winner coming in the 110th minute.

PNM hit the crossbar and Post at varying times at Upper Hutt came close on several occasions.

Beaut day at Maidstone and a very enjoyable and tense game.

WNKO cup Semi Finals

Eastern Suburbs v Upper Hutt City

Dunedin Technical v Glenfield Rovers

went to Seatoun v Stop Out W-League game on Saturday

here's my write up

and some photos

Personally I think Seatoun Park is just a magic little ground, with great character. Always enjoy ref'ing there.

rather be at seatoun in a southerly than Wakefield...

Upper  Hutt 5 nil over Wharfies in Kelly cup semi-final  tonight

sounds like Karori getting a few plaudits for its efforts against the top team. Pity our captain thought the season would have been over and was on holiday. Good luck in the final.

Still maintain Karori would be at/about Seatoun level in the W-League, and the W-League structure needs a rethink/resize.

Seatoun have some quality experienced players on their books. Not sure why a team would want to be in that league to get pummeled most games. 

You've a young team. I would have thought there is more value for the players in difficult games against quality opposition than putting 8 or 9 past tawa?

your'e right in that Wharfies and Uni would be competitive with Stop Out & Rapa, and possibly Seatoun.

maybe they should have made it a 12 team league (current W-League + Wharfies, Uni, BNU, Petone, Wgtn Utd reserves and one other like Upper Hutt reserves or Wests) and then split into a top 6 and bottom 6 after one round. Top 6 play for the W-League, bottom 6 play for the Kelly Cup (solving the issue that most clubs would rather not play in that competition any ore)

You'll still get some cricket scores, but until others can close the gap on the top 3 that will always happen but at least the majority of games would be closer and more competitive than what you get now

From what I've heard Upper Hutt are losing Emma Main and their coach next year and possibly Sarah as well, so probably less cricket scores incoming? Can't say I'm sure that what I was told is true though...

ahh that time of year when the rumours start - it's almost exactly a year since there was a rumour on here that Upper Hutt's coach had had enough and was going to quit!

Emma Main less of a surprise as shes probably going to Uni, or she may possibly be picked up by the FFDP program in Auckland. Upper Hutt lost Mikela Hunt & Emily Morison from last season and it didn't worry them too much

Wellington United's 2 teams have scored 163 goals between them this season (in 35 games), so doubt there will be less cricket scores for a bit

speaking of rumours, where's the Uni coach going?