Northern Leagues

1.03.51 into this video - absolute tekkers goal from Allan Pearce. Also some quality goals earlier from Holloway and Gwyther.

Pearce's "Holy shit I just scored a freaking ripper" celebration is also top form.

Some absolutely gold unintentional comedy in this. Essentially saying all we care about is winning, and happy to have paid a truck load of cash to do so. And now what?

http://www.aucklandfootball.org.nz/index.php?id=44&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=2645&tx_ttnews[backPid]=1&cHash=c07aa2b5e2

What do you think has been the secret to your success this season? Are there one or two areas the team has excelled in that you think have resulted in you doing so well?

We spend a huge amount of time focusing on the small things, the details in the moments of games that affect the outcome. I think we have staff and a group of players who have a fundamental understanding of what actually wins games and, although we don't always dominate, we usually get those small moments right.

Report and photos by me on the Glenfield Rovers coronation yesterday for those who would like to take a look:

http://in-the-back-of-the.net/2014/08/24/the-king-is-dead-long-live-the-king/

Two more cracking goals from Pearce by the way. He must be annoyed the season is over.

Thanks Enzo - great write up and photos, as always!

Why do they have 2 trophies there in the celebrations? Have i missed something else they have won this year too?

Most PAYE paid ?

One was the official Northern League cup obviously. I did read the inscription on the other one but can't remember exactly what it said. It was essentially just some other cup that goes to the winner of the league. I'm guessing there is some historic reason there are two. Maybe it's a hangover from when NFF broke away and had its own league for a few seasons?

chopah , what happened to Ellerslie over the last month. A win yesterday would have sealed promotion

We're there injuries, suspensions or just bad form 

Yeah I noticed that too. You kinda had that 3rd place stitched up. Guess it's open for Melville or Hib Coast. Please not Hib Coast...

What have you got against Coast, JV?

kinda a bit of all three - but basically combined together meaning we look like we just were not quite good enough - which is a bit of irony as I personally don't actually think the league was that competitive in the end, i think regardless of if Melville, Coast or us go up there has ended up being a big difference in quality between Springs/Suburbs and the rest.

All teams lose players to holidays and injuries so can't really blame that - the players we lost should have been able to been replaced by players who were slot into the group and we should have been able to win more than 1 out of the last 6, but with a young side after the suburbs game we lost a lot of confidence and just struggled to bounce back.

In context against Metro there was only one player in our back four who was playing in his actual position.

Anyway if some miracle happens and we go up i guess we will take it but it's a shit way to get it.

If Melville don't get at least 1 point v East Subs next Sat at Madills then Hib Coast need only draw at home same day v Metro to go up.

What's the skinny on mario Hofmann , he's turned up at a CHCH club.

Played at ECB. Quite over rated. Runs about but misses more than a few

Nice day at the beach if you pick the right weekend

it was nice the other day to be fair.

For Mario being an overrated player he's scored his fair amount of goals (4th best in the league), and been consistent for ECB this season, a season they'd probably want to move on from. The thing with Mario is his work-ethic, he may miss some goals but with Del Monte bombing on who cares, he works incredibly hard off the ball and is also a top top lad. Definitely not overrated in my opinion.

I can see what you are saying Zane and I did allude to him running about a bit much like you have. The two games I have watched him this year, he has been largely been ineffective off and on the ball. I have seen him somewhere else a couple of years ago but can't remember where but he was not much then either. It could well be that I saw him on off days and I accept that but if I had to choose between a Colin Gardyne from your team as an example or Mario Hoffman, I'd choose Colin everytime. Granted different type of players but in terms of strikers, Colin is far better.

Having said that, the true measure of a striker is goals and as you say, he is 4th in the league...

More than likely Buffy.

well bugger - congrats to Melville and Coast for their results today - good luck to both of you for promotion - it's been a tough race but it's down to two now.

Wanderers thump Narra 6-0 in local derby

Narra had three players sent off, Ben Latham straight red for a bad tackle plus two others for two yellows each. If Wanderers win next week against Central then they will finish third

Its been a very congested table this year. Wanderers have a nice little side there. I guess it will be interesting to see whom pops up where if Melville come up.

Am I right in thinking play-off for entry/re-entry to NL2 will be Warkwarth v Bucklands Beach? Or are there other teams involved?

Erm don't think so mate. As far as I'm aware Warkworth have been relegated automatically with no play-off and coming up will be Te Atatu & Manukau City from the AFF/NFF Conference and also AFC Fury from WaiBOP Fed League. 3 teams up as the Northern League is expanding.

Only reason I can see for any play-offs would be if one of those 3 teams listed above didn't want to come up for some reason (pretty sure they all do), or if another team were to drop out of the NL2 for some reason. In that case I assume that the 3rd placed team in the Conference (currently Waitemata) and the 2nd best team from WaiBOP Fed League (not sure who this is) would be involved in a 3 way play-off type structure with Warkworth.

^ Cheers.

New coaches up North

Eastern Suburbs Malcolm McPherson

Bay Olympic Carl Jorgensen (Unconfirmed??)

North Shore Utd Paul Temple

Fencibles Utd Daniel Rattray

 Ellerslie ??

Anymore ive missed??

I heard Carl at Bay Olympic as well.

Mark Holt at Papatoetoe is the other one i know of.

Swapping Prem and Mission Bay for Div2 and Papatoetoe hmmmmm......

Who is Mark Holt?

Jorgensen.... I give that 6 weeks until he is suspended, there is a revolt and the club punts him. Where is Knowles off too?

Daniel Rattray at Fencies is interesting. I thought he would wind up with the booze boys at MAP.

Holt coached East Subs last season and Waitak Youth in this seasons ASB

English I think also does One Tree Hill College 1st XI

Rattray lives out east and teaches at one of colleges out that way maybe Botany College??

I wondered how long for Cain to pop back up again. I guess its been enough time.

I did not realise Rattray was permanently up this way. I know he was a Wanderers lad for a long time and playing at Olympic but thought that was just travelling thing.

Is Ellerslie looking at a new coach Chopah? I have to say that I thought in the end, Warren was good at developing a young side with no names to play to a plan. Kudos to him.