We may not be at Harcourt anymore, but our favourite hooligan has come with us to Maidstone! Thanks for the updates Harcourt Hooligan.
Four of our teams are in a share of top place on their respective tables still. Our Women’s second team in Women’s Two, the UHC Saints in Div. 8, the UHC RJs in Masters Four and our under 17 team in U17b.
Our Central League team played their best football so far to draw 1-1 away with Miramar Rangers. The Miramar coach was grateful for the draw after his team lost discipline early, despite having opened the scoring, and one was sent off for a two-footed tackle. Upper Hutt were on top by then and, despite a spell of renewed Mar vigour after half-tim,e looked likely to take three points. It wasn’t until the seventieth minute, though, that Luis Corrales walked the ball into the net after his shot was blocked. Corrales almost took the three points with five to go when Pedro Garcias set him free with a great ball and he hammered past the keeper – but not past the far post.
The team now sits in clear fourth place with five points behind the only top five team (except ourselves) we haven’t played yet, top-placed with nine points from a possible nine, and Saturday’s opponents, Wellington Olympic. Tied for second place are Miramar and Wests.
Our results have been Wests 1-1 (Luis Corrales), Wairarapa 2-1 (Corrales, Rhys Howe) and Miramar 1-1 as above. Olympic’s have been Napier City Rovers 5-2, and Petone and Tawa both 3-1. Their scorers have been Van Elias 3, Andrew Abba 3, Jimmy Haidakis 2 and Colm Kenny, Clayton Lewis and Anthony Neonakis.
Many have thought that our initial success has been lucky but this has been belied by our consistency. As stated above, after this game at Maidstone 5:30, we will have played all the top five teams. – and (at least) five points out of a possible nine ain’t bad for a newbie.
Our second team in Capital Two has been another story altogether. Their results have been a 4-1 win against a weak Olympic team (Matt Bennett 2, Matt Boyle, Steve Coleman), a 2-6 loss against Douglas Villa (Bennett, Coleman), and a 1-3 loss against Island Bay (Boyle). Saturday’s away game is against bottom-of-the-table Stop Out – one of only two teams behind us. Hopefully this will signal a turn-around in fortunes.
In Capital Four, our thirds drew 1-1 with Kapiti but lost 3-8 to Stokes Valley and 2-6 to WK Magpies. In ninth place, they play fourth-placed Island Bay HHH at Maidstone 3:30pm Saturday.
The Upper Hutt Saints in Capital Eight beat Seatoun 6-1 (Ricki Cusin 3, Jason Gray, Marty Leck, Neville Philp), Wellington Legends 4-1 (Jeff Hayne, Damien Gartner, Rob Fleetham, Philp), and drew 2-2 with Seatoun (Gray, Fleetham). They are in a three-way tie for top-of-the-table, second on goal difference and play Victoria University Beavers who are equal second on points and fifth on goal difference at Wellington College turf Monday 7:30.
We have two teams in Capital Eleven. The Marauders beat Miramar Mysterions 4-2 (Brett Faint 2, Alex Allen, Nathan Birch), and lost 1-3 to Victoria Amigos (Faint). They are in sixth position and play WK Stevedores who are in eighth on Maidstone at 7:30 tonight. Defence lost 3-4 to Wellington Utd Terrace (Mark Brian, Jesse Ellis, Howie Duffy) and 1-6 to Miramar Mysterions (Jarrod Musapha). They are in ninth and play Wests, who are top-of-the-table, at Endeavour 12:30 on Saturday.
In Capital Fourteen, the Creeps beat Stokes Valley 7-0 (Peter Hill 2, George Leen 2, Robert Hill 2, Thumb Stroebener) and lost 1-4 to Island Bay Bombers (Brad Stroebener). They are fourth and play North Wellington Bombers (8th) at Raroa 12:30.
The Slayers in Capital Fifteen, who proudly claim to be the worst football team in Wellington football, lost 1-7 to Seatoun (unknown) and 2-6 to Petone Hawk Wasps (Carl Forster, Marty Kenny). They had the bye last week and are tied for bum last in the region with Wests – who are, however, behind them on goal difference. They will have played North Wellington Great Whites (9th) at Maidstone 2:30 on Anzac Day (Thursday) by the time you read this, and Wainui Roundballs (4th) at Brian Heath 2:30pm Saturday today.
In Masters 4, the RJs beat Stokes Valley Mentors 3-2 (Tristan Elder, Trevor Weaver, Stu James), Wests 2-1 (Jason Stone, Chris Jones), and Wests Reds 3-2 (Jones, Stone, Steve Andrews). They sit atop the table in contrast to last year when they reportedly went nine games without a win (I haven’t checked that). Saturday they play seventh-placed Petone Mighty Masters at Maidstone 1:30pm.
The Under-17s beat Island Bay Utd Makos 1-0 (Jakob Philp), Petone 2-1 (both own goals) and drew 2-2 (Liam Wood, Jayden Stone) with North Wellington Saints. They remain top-equal on points but second on goal difference to Seatoun. Sunday they play Wests Spurs, who are a point behind, away at Endeavour 11 am.
Our Central Women’s League team lost 0-17 to Massey, 1-7 to Seatoun (Catherine O’Reilly) and 1-2 (Mel Riddall) to Wellington Utd). Wendi Henderson appeared as a sub at Seatoun and started against Wellington. This weekend the team (8th) is away in Palmerston North to Valeron Wanderers (3rd = on points, 6th on goal difference).
In Capital Women’s Two, the Women’s seconds drew 1-1 with IBU Sharkettes (Gemma Bannatyne), beat Marist Novas 5-1 (Amanda Hewitt, Brook Matthews, L Samorun, Yahna Gray, A Wooller) and Petone Pins 6-0 (Gray, Hewitt, Aoi Uchida, Lydia Marriner, Bea Rei). Top-equal on points and top on goal difference, today they take on Stokes Valley (6th) away at Delaney 2:30.
In club news, the facing went on the bar on Sunday, thanks Tony and Macca, and we now await the installation of the tap beer system sponsored by Tui Breweries. While we have found a major sponsor for the deck in ITM, we still have a large amount to find. Please support your club in any way you can.
Harcourt Hooligan