Football on the up

Zachary Mayo of Cambridge FC

Cambridge’s top men’s and women’s football teams remain on course for promotion to the Northern League.

The first of many: Zachary Mayo jumps high in the box to head home Cambridge’s opener over Otumoetai. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.

The men have demolished opposition in the Southern Conference – and made it 20 wins from 20 on Tuesday night following a 9-3 away win against Claudelands.

And the women have been almost as dominant in the WaiBop women’s league – with 15 wins and a draw from 17 outings.

Thomas Walters eyes the goal

In both cases, they now go to home and away September clashes against Northern Conference winners, with the prize a place in the next level up – Northern Leagues  which include clubs from Auckland.

The opponents for the men will be either Waitemata, Waiheke or Northland. The women face Papakura or Onehunga Māngere, also home and away.

Cambridge was crowned Southern Conference men’s champs at the weekend and celebrated with a 13-0 home win over Otumoetai.

Should Cambridge men win promotion they could be in familiar company. The Northern Championship league is already home to Ngāruawāhia – and next season will also have Hamilton Wanderers, who will be relegated from the premiership.

Melville, second to bottom in that league, could make it four Waikato teams in the championship next season – meaning a potentially lower travel bill, but strong among those clubs competition for players.

Joshua Clarkin on the attack. Photo: Mary Anne Gill

Zachary Mayo of Cambridge FC prepares to cross under the watchful eye of Otumoetai captain Jonty Rhodes. Photo: Mary Anne Gil

More Recent Sports

Quarter century celebrated

Cambridge’s wheelchair athlete Maioro Barton has completed his 25th New Zealand Wheelchair Basketball season playing for Waikato. He told The News that halfway through 2024 he was asked to fill in as coach until the…

Double for Donovan

Cambridge’s Hugh Donovan collected  two golds at the South Pacific Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Championships over Labour Weekend. Donovan, a year 10 student at St Peter’s School, competed in both gi and no-gi divisions for his age and orange belt category in Auckland….

Know rugby… can travel

Cambridge mum Michelle Santy says there are loads of “amazing travel opportunities out there” for young rugby players. Her son Jordan is one of four former Cambridge High School students who have ended up playing…

Karter grew into jet skiing

Cambridge teenager Connor Brinck had been go-kart racing for four years before he slammed into a roadblock – his own height. “I’d been competing at national level, but I had to change because I got…