Cambridge FC v Onehunga Mangere
29 September 3pm
Cambridge Women have won promotion to the Northern League women’s championships following a 3-3 draw with Onehunga Māngere United at John Kerfhof Park in Cambridge today.
Corner from Caitlin Varcoe midway throught the second half. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Cambridge goals came from Brooke Suisted and two from Zoë Fon.
“It was unbelievable,” coach Scott Bult said.
“We went out hard, it was a super tough battle coming out against a well-drilled side but our resilience – we just held on and did what we needed to do to get the result and now we go up.”
Zoe Fon for Cambridge FC challenges Onehunga Mangere’s Victoria Marsh for the ball midway through the second half. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Promotion came courtesy of The Reds 1-0 away win – a goal to Caitlin Varcoe – in Auckland last week.
Cambridge reached the play-offs after winning the WaiBOP Women’s League, winning 15 of their 17 games and drawing one. Onehunga Māngere United won this season’s NRF Women’s Conference.
Caitlin Varcoe throws the ball in. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
26 September 9am
One down, one to go.
Goal man: Rabin Nabizada (left) – in action during the second half of the first leg – scored the winner on Waiheke Island to secure promotion. Photo – Roy Pilott.
Cambridge’s men team has won promotion to the Northern football league – and the club’s women’s team now has a great chance to compete in the women’s equivalent of the competition.
The men repeated its 1-0 scoreline win over Waiheke United on the island last Saturday as the first of the north v south conference league winner payoffs were completed.
The decisive goal for coach Jordan Shaw’s side came from Rabin Nabizada in the 66th minute.
It gave Cambridge a two-goal lead with just 24 minutes to play in a game which United would have gone into full of confidence, having given Cambridge a lot to think about despite losing the first leg by a single goal.
The hosts also went into the match buoyed by the return of Frederico Pantella who had been suspended for the first leg.
Promotion to the Northern League championship puts Cambridge into a league which features Waikato and Auckland clubs.
The 2025 league will include Ngāruawāhia, Melville and Hamilton Wanderers – the latter two were relegated from the premier league this season.
Saturday’s win also competed a remarkable league campaign for Cambridge – they won every game.
Halfway there: Cambridge’s women’s team have one foot in the Northern League door.
The women’s team can cap off the perfect season for the club on Sunday – and on home soil when it hosts Onehunga Māngere.
The team celebrated a 1-0 win at Māngere Domain last weekend thanks to a fifth minute strike from Caitlin Varcoe.
Coach Scott Bult might have been thinking it was a case of déjà vu – because the men’s first leg was also settled by a fifth minute goal in Cambridge a week earlier.
His side takes on Onehunga Māngere at John Kerkhof Park on Sunday.
Island celebrations: Cambridge’s men’s team after their 1-0 win over Waiheke United
