Football: Promotion now the major goal

Tauranga's Nathan Farey (right) is thwarted by the Ngaruawahia goalkeeper in Saturday's 6-0 victory at Link's Avenue. Photo / Andrew Warner

Belvedere Tauranga City United's rampaging 6-0 victory over Ngaruawahia at Links Avenue on Saturday keeps their dream of winning promotion to the Northern Premier League alive.

Going into the final two games, Tauranga needed a goal difference of 10 clear goals to leap-frog over North Shore City and take the second automatic promotion spot. Tauranga beat North Shore home and away this season which will be the criteria if goal difference and goals scored are the same.

So a 4-0 differential over mid-table Mangere United back at Links Avenue this Saturday will see Premier football at Links Avenue next year.

"We made it hard for ourselves, now it is slightly easier," Tauranga head coach Duncan Lowry said. "We scored four last week and missed four, and on Saturday we scored six and missed six. It doesn't do my heart any good.

"It has been like a roller coaster these last four weeks. The good thing is Jordan Culpepper and Colm Kenny have come back, and I have Josh Nelson back this week too from suspension. We are firing on all cylinders and everyone is up for it. We have 22 at training on Tuesday and Thursday nights in the first team squad and the reserve team coach is getting 14 of his squad.

"Obviously, we have something to play for and the last four weeks has been like cup final football."

Saturday's 6-0 win over bottom club Ngaruawahia was never in doubt, with Tauranga leading 2-0 at the break and they crushed their Waikato visitors with four more goals in the second half.

Culpepper got on the score sheet twice, as did Nathan Farey, Dean Styles, Jerahl Hughes and Strauss Boom. Hughes' strike from the penalty spot was his 19th of the season, which makes him the Northern League First Division's Golden Boot winner by six clear goals, with a game to go.

Lowry says Boom is a player to watch for the future.

"He is a 17-year-old, Bethlehem College kid who is 1.88m tall and weighs 89 kilos. He can catch pigeons. He is an absolute flying machine who played wide out on the left for us."

With all the emphasis on scoring goals, Lowry has drilled into his team the need to keep their composure and their defensive formation at the back.

Saturday's opponents are seventh-placed Mangere United, who were well beaten 3-1 by 10th-placed Waiuku last round.

Belvedere Tauranga City United 6 (Jordan Culpepper 3', Jerahl Hughes 10', (2), Nathan Farey, Dean Styles, Strauss Boom) Ngaruawahia 0