Tough weekend for Bay's football teams
There were no wins across the NRFL and WaiBOP wide fixtures for Bay of Plenty teams as Tauranga City, Otumoetai, Papamoa FC and Ngongotaha Lakes all fell short.
It was a weekend of struggle for the area’s football teams in NRFL and WaiBOP action, as none of the region’s top sides could pick up a win.
However, the return of Baywide football means there was still plenty to shout about for clubs across the Bay of Plenty.
Tauranga City AFC’s men’s first-team were looking to bounce back from last week’s defeat to freshly promoted Hibiscus Coast against fellow NRFL Championship newbies Ngaruawahia United.
All the action came in the final five minutes, with City battling to a 1-1 draw against the Green Machine.
The Waikato side took the lead in the 85th minute through Stjepan Kovacic. With City looking at a second home defeat in a row Adam Davidson dispatched a 90th-minute penalty to earn a point on their return to Links Avenue.
Last week’s highlight for the Bay’s teams was Tauranga City women opening their NRFL Women’s Championship season with a 2-0 win over Central United.
However, they found the going tough this weekend, Talia Entwisle’s second-half goal a mere consolation in a 4-1 loss to Fencibles United.
Meanwhile, Otūmoetai will have to wait for their first win at this level following a 5-0 loss to Te Atatu. Tauranga and Otūmoetai face off next up in an Easter Sunday derby clash at Fergusson Park.
All three NRFL Men’s Southern Conference sides remain winless after the weekend’s fixtures.
Papamoa FC and Ngongotaha Lakes played out a thrilling Western v Central derby at Gordon Spratt, a 90th-minute goal ensuring the home side took a share of the spoils from a 3-3 draw.
Ngongy Lakes looked in control after a quickfire double from Mel Cropp. But Pap drew level in the second half through a Connor Irvine penalty and Calum Brash goal while, for the second week in a row, the away side were reduced to 10 men, Simon Te Kiri seeing red in the 65th minute.
Still, it seemed Cook Islands international Harlem Simiona had won the game for the Villagers with 15 minutes remaining, only for substitute Jayden Hyland’s late heroics to secure a draw.
Otumoetai’s men also played out a thriller but will be kicking themselves after letting three points slip at Cambridge.
Two goals in two first-half minutes from Caelan Fraher and Chaz Picton had Oats cruising at half-time.
However, Jordan Shaw scored for the home side shortly after the restart before a Krishaant Singh brace in the final five minutes left the travelling side empty-handed at John Kerkhof Park.
Goals were not the order of the day in WaiBOP League One, as Tauranga City and West Hamilton played out one of three 0-0 draws from the four league fixtures played on Saturday.
Elsewhere, in the WaiBOP W-League, Lakes FC started their season with a 1-1 draw v Waikato Unicol.
Baywide football returned this weekend, with results from the opening day below:
Men’s Bay 1
Te Puke United 2-2 Tauranga City Relics
Whakatane Town 0-2 Otumoetai OTT Reserves
Katikati FC 2-4 Otumoetai
Kawerau Sports 2-4 Papamoa
Women’s Bay 1
Tauranga City Bay Ladies 6-0 Otumoetai Bay Women
Waiariki Bay Women 0-8 Papamoa Icons
Plains Rangers 0-9 Papamoa Legends
Whakatane Town 4-3 Te Puke United
Men’s Bay 2
Tauranga City Juggernauts 5-2 Otumoetai
Taupo Lakers 3-1 Te Puke
Omokoroa Fury 2-3 Plains Rangers
Waiariki 1-2 Papamoa United
Tauranga City New Blues 4-2 Otumoetai Special Reserve
Men’s Bay 3/Over 35s
Papamoa NOBs 0-5 Papamoa Rovers
Ngongotaha Lakes 1-1 Waiariki Over 35s
Ngongotaha Lakes Over 35s 3-3 Otumoetai Gunners
Papamoa Old Boys 1-1 Waipuna Rangers