Northern Leagues

Narra's goals are on their facebook page: 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=656338804402094&set=vb.160117404024239&type=2&theater

Watched it a few times - nup, still can't see what the penalty was for!

Oh, and to be fair, the third goal was pretty good too.

bit quite in here Buffon?

Not sure why people are calling Narra's 4th a stunner, just looked like really ordinary keeping to me

^ just looked at the video again, yeah you're right ^ this.

Rumour has it the wheels have fallen off at Birko? Any story there Buffy?

Just a poor run of form. Happens to all teams at some point.

trying to breathe some life into the Northern League forum:

- are glenfield running away with the title?

have the wheels fallen off at Birko?

will bays win in their typically Germanic way?

Is anyone really interested?

I've heard that Birkenhead have some internal culture issues. I heard that through a senior player at another club so I tend to take it with a bit of 'yeah ok' Their results this year are less than flattering.

The league is very tight this year and its got some interesting match ups. I might go watch the 3 Kings Birkenhead game as that could be a bit of fun if Sykes and JHM clash.

I doubt ECB would back themselves to win considering they are missing a decent chunk of their squad with u20s.

I understand your position Chopah and yes, I guess it is a little bit of chickens coming home to roost but by the same token, this tournament came from out of thin air as well so had it not been for this, they would be playing for ECB. I think for the benefit of the game from a development standpoint, I am just happy they are playing and not sitting on some teams bench.

to give them credit they could be asking for postponements under the rules couldn't they?  and they don't seem to be so that's something to be admired.

true - but you can't help but think they have done the right thing by not applying for postponements and mucking up everyones season - dispite what you may think of them buffy.

They will cope with the U20's away.

Metro V Ellerslie ...Metros starting keeper worse than awful ...gave it up in the first half , Metros tactical genius for running all their reserves at half time when Stu Hogg had already looked crocked....

What a performance today Birko 4 TKU 0 played them off the park. Could still win the title, you never know....

Yep it was a superb performance, probably the best from Birko all season. Hitting form at the right time?

Going for the tactical draws Buffy. Big game this coming Saturday!!!

Going for the tactical draws Buffy. Big game this coming Saturday!!!

Next Saturday

I would say his gambling and alcohol issues probably played more of a part than what his old man says about him. 

Oh ok. I did not know about the alcohol and gambling issues.

I saw the Birko game on Saturday and was an outstanding fist half performance, 3 kings at times looked like spectators.

I haven't seen the new Glenfield machine in action as yet - and wondered just how good they are playing with all of  the acquisitions - do people think that they have the legs to stay the distance?

I think Glenfield will be hard to beat.

They were 3-0 up against Wanderers inside 30 minutes - even with a really really ugly penalty miss from Mike Gwyther, who sprayed the ball over the bar and out of the ground. Not even in the vicinity.

Two early goals to Steven Holloway and one to Alex Feneridis and they were cruising.

Mark Jones pulled one back in the second half - a good strike too - but Glenfield knew they had it by then.

But I would expect Glenfield to be without Chris Bale next week. Amazing scenes at the final whistle as he got in a stoush with the linesman. Bale had loudly slagged the lino off for being useless during the match, and in return the lino was giving him the finger. Hilarious. They were head to head at the finish, with the lino calling Bale "a coward". Somebody should have filmed it.

Tough for Wanderers without Johnny Konnings at the back, and Adam Luque went off early.

Glenfield were without Allan Pearce, but had the luxury of giving Holloway - who they have otherwise converted to a defensive midfielder (odd move, but it accommodates the stars) - a rare run up front, and he got player of the day to go with his goals. 

Vlad Frank was good in goal for Wanderers, who are generally tough to beat this season.

Well reffed by Mirko B.

Glenfield will probably walk it from here. Hats off to them if they do, it really is fairytale stuff.

they are talking about the chatham cup game.

Went along to my first game at Onehunga Sports, worth the bitterly cold wind to do so as well.

Sports went up 2-0 early, first goal was a real scrappy one, Wanderers players were fuming as there was a guy in an offside position right in front of the keeper, claiming he disrupted play, seemed to have a case - the ref seemed to think they had a point but the lino was steadfast. 2nd goal was then a penalty, Wanderers guy went through the back of a player, won the ball but took the player out too, dumb challenge, similar to the JHM one v Central.

That was all in about 10 minutes, but Wanderers came back, first Mark Jones scored from a goalmouth scramble before Wade Molony got dragged down by Harshae Raniga (who I rate), Jones with the pen.

Wanderers then went ahead after the half, Jones (who is seriously class at this level) played provider for Gurjeet Singh, who put in a good stint up front, but then Adam Luque got sent off - brought a guy down through on goal, looked like there would be cover defence coming across though, 50/50 call imo but Nick Waldron reached for the red rather than the yellow. 

Waldron had fair to say a mixed day...

After that Wanderers were dead, Molony went off with an injury before Jones went down with what looked to be a serious rib injury, he was down for about 5 minutes after the Sports keeper collected him going for a cross, got him right in the ribs, seemed like after the game he was alright, hopefully he's fit for Wanderers' cup match. Sean Lovemore then tied it up with a few minutes to go as Wanderers hung on for dear life.

Haven't seen Sports much this year, Lovemore did his usual thing of looking brilliant for 30 minutes and being nowhere for 60, Ross Haviland at the back is quality, same with Raniga. Seemed very Sports-y - grind out results, will probably finish in the middle of the table again.

Anyway, you probably don't care, but for those who do just thought I'd provide my take

Beat Birkenhead 2-1 GET IN. Birkenhead should have smashed bays as we had so many players out. 

Buffy did you watch game? Thoughts? Was at the club but was to busy celebrating out 5-1 loss :P

Good read N-Bomb was that Rainga that was at 3 kings last year or am I thinking of someone different?

Bays should have been smashed given the number of chances Birko had - I hope you were buying your keeper some drinks, he saved you guys today and secured you your 3 points.