Northern Leagues

Hi Chopah,

No such thing as a guest player under the regs are they are now written.

My only complaint with this is the process - or lack of it.

If regulations are to be changed, there should be a draft proposal drawn up which then goes out to clubs for submissions, then a final draft promulgated.

But for some reason our hieracrchy just unilaterally make it up as they go along without reference to those who are the subject of the regulations. 

Went to Hibiscus v Tauranga on Saturday.

Frenetic opening 20 minutes and it could have been 3-3 with real early season defending and finishing meaning it was 0-0 and it then settled down

Taurangas goal a classic Route 1 -  well finished after long clearance by Tauranga keeper caught HBC defence out.

HBC look to have lost a few and not gained much (one of the Campbells). Had very liitle on the bench and unless they have some to come in , it could be a tough season as I wouldn't think that Tauranga will be up the top.

Did you all see this from last week, pretty slick from AFF, a massive improvement on previous seasons.
http://issuu.com/alidas/docs/lotto_nrfl_programme_round_1__hi_re

That is a huge upgrade. Who is the person driving that? They deserve a 'Fudge yeah'

Just a shame that not all the teams provided team lists. I'd have thought that they would know the make-up of their squads by the time that went to publication. No need for all the secret squirrel stuff, it's not the Champion's league!  It's a great initiative though, seems to a big push on raising the profile of the NRFL this season, which is a good thing.

Daniel Markham at AFF, also created a lotto NRFL page on Facebook and an account on twitter

I am heading a long to Bay Olympic vs ECB tomorrow, Will the bar be open?

I was at Waitakere City vs Melville today... For anyone interested, here's my write-up and photos:

http://in-the-back-of-the.net/2015/04/03/not-again/

NRFL Stuff

Preview: http://issuu.com/alidas/docs/lotto_nrfl_programme_...

Results (Good Friday Only): http://www.aff.org.nz/index.php?id=44&tx_ttnews[tt...

Eastern Suburbs 3 (Ben Vidaic x2, Nathaniel Bowen) Central United 1. (Finn Cochran) 

Horror show for Central United losing 6-0 away to Hamilton Wanderers today. A Jama Boss hat-trick, Tewi Te Pou x 2 and Le Bon Balamba with the 6th. 

Watched 2 games over the weekend.

Friday Glenfield 3 v Ham Wanderers 3. Fair result although it took an injury time og to secure point for Wanderers. Wanderers missed a penalty in the first half at 0-2. Glenfield looked to have a few missing but unimpressive. A few players in that Glenfield side that are hard to like .

Monday ECB 1 v Glenfield 5. ECB up 1-0 at half time but Glenfield tore them apart in 2nd half. Holloway and Ellensohn up front for Glenfield in the major change to Friday - neither that impressive though. ECB apparently have a few U20's to come back in but that's not until mid June I would have thought so could be a tough season.

If bays had finished there chances in the first half they would have been 3-0 up. Glenfield team this year looks a lot different to last years. All there goals came from headers ( Didn't see last goal ).

So they like playing football in the air? Sounds like the same Glenfield team as always to me.

8-2 win for Birko today. 8 different scorers. Formidable.

10-0 Hibiscus Coast over Mount Albert Ponsonby. It was 7-0 at half time with MAP down to 9 men.

2-1 Central United over East Coast Bays Dale Bennetto and Vincent Pineau the scorers for Central. Joe Bresnahan from the penalty spot for East Coast Bays. 

It's actually a joint effort between Daniel at AFF and Alida at NFF, they launched the rebrand together.

Hamilton Wanderers beat Western Springs 7-1 today, so that's 20 goals so far in the first four games for them...Jama Boss scored another to take his goal haul to 5 so far for the season.

Springs

Went to HBC v MAP on Saturday.

10-0 to HBC.

was 7-0 at half time with MAP down to 9 men - defender sent off for hand ball on the line at 2-0 I think and Goalkeeper for last man foul at 4-0 I think. Both send offs technically correct but perhaps a little unfortunate. Both resulted in penalties which were converted.

MAP really square at the back and got ripped apart.

HBC struggled against 9 men in the second half and  only got three more in the last 15 mins.

Match ball had to be cut into thirds as 3 hat tricks.

Can't make up my mind whether HBC good or MAP woeful - a bit of both I suspect.

Central 1 Glenfield Rovers 1 Central score a very very late equaliser through Mario Ilich to get a point (96th Minute) 

Both Waitak and MAP have conceded 18 in their last 2 matches. Awful.

Hamilton Wanderers won again, away to Onehunga 2-1, coming back from a goal down...Jama Boss scored the winner.

Program of the week

Who else puts out 28 pages? Big prog for a small (-ish) club. 

c.f East Subs pathetic 4 page excuse.

Nice wallpaper too (I remember that game - Ellerslie knocking Central out of the Chatham Cup, yes?)

it was indeed - thanks for the kind words.

electronic version here: http://www.ellersliefootball.org.nz/UFresource/Ell...

Birkenhead 6 Bay olympic 0 at Shepherds Park , Saturday

Really only one team in it - Bay Olympic poor - only recognised James Pritchett (playing CB ) and Stephen Carmichael (I think ?)

Ethan Galbraith scored a hat trick after coming on as a sub with about 20 mins to go - one of them of great  quality . Interesting to see Adam Dickinson dominant at this level after looking very ordinary at Premiership level this year. Chad Coombes got shifted back to RB and got booked quickly , then subbed to avoid getting sent.

Have never been able to make up my mind about Jack Hobson-McVeigh . Some bits of absolute quality , other bits very ordinary. Seems a pity he has never made a real attempt at ASB Premiership football (injury or lack of interest ?). Probably needs to play for a side not coached by his father to stretch him.

I have to agree about Dicko and Hobbo. I have watched Dicko a lot over the last two years at ASB prem level and he has struggled more and more and I think that Northern league is probably the right level for him. Jack Hobbo has had many chances over the years to play at the higher level but for one reason or another never seems to stick around long enough! I think you hit the nail on the head with your comment about injury/lack of interest! When he plays for other coaches (ie other than his Dad) he is never given the latitude he gets at Birko.

having said that I do think he shows moments of brilliance but sadly they are becoming few and far between, he seems to spend most of his time on the ground!

Glenfield paying the refs again.

insightful as always.

In regards to springs - I didn't see them stuggling as much as they have this season, is the absence of Neil while he focuses on the U20 World Cup doing a lot of harm to springs?  or is the newly appointed U17's Assistant Zoro doing a good job and the playing group not up to it?

Is Roger Gray's lad Christian at Birko? How's he doing?

He's brilliant. Probably the best defender in the league. I was very surprised to hear he is eligible for the under 20's, he should be in that squad.

I never saw his dad play but i keep hearing he was an All White. The way Christian is going he has a good chance of following his dad's footsteps in that regard.

Hahahaha. Can always rely on you to make the most ridiculous claims and statements. You really are one eyed! 

You can maybe make such a claim when all the ASB prem players are back. You've got to be taking the piss mate

Haha. Ok not the best but surely he is up there. Early days but Birko already have the best defensive record and that is largely down to him, his form so far has been exceptional. In fact 40% of the goals Birko have conceded came when he was off the field.

Name any defender you would consider one of the best in the league. There's not a great deal of quality defenders out there. For someone who isn't even 20 yet he reads the game superbly.

Bays lost again. Didn't see what happened but our Captain Joe was sent off again, A little it sick and tired of his crap he is letting down the team. At this stage we are looking at getting relegated. Hope the boys can pick it up!!!!!!

Must be the day for captains being sent - as both Birkenhead and Three Kings captains were shown red today, Jack after 20 odd minutes, Ben with about 15 to play.

Very scrappy game, with a number of testy moments.

Jack's red was never a red. Wasn't even one yellow let alone two. Absolute joke call by the ref.

I agree, the ref had just spoken to the 2 captains before the first yellow and I think wanted to re force that message with the first yellow, which was for a hard tackle - tbh, I can accept that yellow.   I think the ref had forgotten about this first yellow when he issued the second - which could only have been for dissent as Birkenhead had been awarded a free kick and we're waiting for the injured 3K player to get up before restarting - and by the time the ref realised the consequences it was too late he had passed the point of no return.

Down to 10 inside 25 minutes unfortunately had too big an effect on the game in context of the 2 "offences" imho.

Don't know if this is true or not, I heard this match was this referees first NRPL appointment - strange to be awarded this match if this was the case.  I thought the poor guy was really struggling a lot of the game - missed a lot of off the ball rubbish too.