Northern League ramps up

With teams north of Auckland Harbour Bridge coming back to the fold, the Northern League soccer competition looks as busy as said bridge in rush hour.

Thirty-four teams in all will start in two divisions, including five from the Waikato.

There are 18 teams in the grading league for the premier division with the top eight making the top flight when the season starts proper.

Hamilton Wanderers have always had the ability, it's only been the consistency they've lacked. Coach Mark Cossey and captain Michael Mayne are stressing the importance of that to their squad this season. Wanderers have good depth and with a strong defensive focus have the ability to beat anyone on their day.

If they win the games they're meant to on paper, they're a good top-eight chance.

Ngaruawahia United could do it tough this season. They've been promoted to the Premier Division only to find the top teams from the United Soccer 1 federation, who have come back to the Northern League, waiting for them too.

But they have the spine of a strong side with enough experience to be competitive and three New Zealand secondary school representatives to add zip.

Apart from Nathan Holten, and to a lesser extent Alex Barlow, Ngaruawahia are light on out-and-out goal scorers, but new coach Richard Harris was still confident of keeping Centennial Park a fortress as it was for large parts of last year. A top-eight place is not beyond them, but it will be tough.

Melville United are the defending Northern League champions and again look strong. They've recruited Jason Chewins from Cambridge. The hardest job for coach Steve Williams will be to get the most out of the returning Waikato FC players and how well they shuffle back into the side after missing most, if not all, of the pre-season. Melville host Glenfield – a team they have lost to three times in the last five years of the Chatham Cup. They should easily make the top eight.

Waikato has two teams in the First Division with a new-look Cambridge returning and Matamata Swifts making their first appearance in the Northern League since 1987.

Duncan Lowry will coach the Swifts for a sixth season and, though it is their first match in the big leagues for some time, the Irishman is expecting his team to do more than just compete.

"I'd be disappointed if we didn't win to be honest," he said.

Matamata travel to Mangere United for their opening match and Lowry said their mix of experience and youth, and having the right type of players, meant his side would be strong.

Cambridge have a new pair in charge and Josh Easby and Andrew Treanor's side host Fencibles United today.

Today's games, kick-off at 2.45pm, (home team first) are: Premier Division: Ngaruawahia v Papatoetoe, Hamilton Wanderers v Central United, Melville United v Glenfield Rovers.

Division one: Cambridge United v Fencibles United, Mangere United v Matamata Swifts.

- © Fairfax NZ News