Napier City Rovers have clinched a spot in football’s National League in a dramatic final round of the 2023 Central League season.
Today’s 3-1 win over North Wellington at Alex Moore Park, Wellington, secured the Bill Robertson-coached team third place in the 2023 Central League; with the top-four finish doubling as a spot in the upcoming National League.
Central League champions Wellington Olympic and eventual second-placed team Wellington Phoenix Reserves were confirmed National League qualifiers before the final round.
As part of their participation agreement, Wellington Phoenix Reserves are guaranteed a spot in the top league regardless of where they finish, which meant the other top three Central League finishers would move through to the National League.
Going into today’s final round, Napier City Rovers could have finished third, fourth or fifth, the latter of which would have ended their season.
Just two points separated them and fifth-placed Western Suburbs before kick-off. Petone FC, who went into the weekend’s action in fourth spot were on 29 points, one behind Napier City Rovers and one ahead of Western Suburbs.
North Wellington held a 1-0 lead over Napier City Rovers at the break.
But a trio of goals from Stefan Karajovanovic, Alex Mort and Deri Corfe - all new signings this season - in the second half killed off the home side’s hopes of an upset.
Heading into the match, Robertson told the Herald his players had a huge amount of self-belief they would secure National League qualification.
Their destiny was in their own hands, he said, and while a draw would probably be enough to secure a top-four finish they would be going all out to win the match.
“We are not going down there to draw; we just need to focus on winning the game,” he said earlier in the week.
“If we do that we finish third in the league as well, and that is a massive achievement for the club. It is one place better than last year.”
The fourth spot available for Central League teams went to Petone FC after they toppled Stop Out 2-1
The Central League sides will be joined in the National League by the top four teams in the Northern League – Auckland City FC, Eastern Suburbs, Auckland United and Manurewa – and the top two teams from the Southern League, who were Christchurch United and Cashmere Technical.
The draw for the season – which kicks off this month – is expected to be confirmed over the next week.
By finishing third, Napier City Rovers will have four round-robin home games at Bluewater Stadium.
For the second year running, Napier City Rovers will be the only provincial-based club to make it into New Zealand Football’s top-tier male league.
Napier City Rovers finished eighth in last year’s National League.
And given the improved strength and depth in the team this year, they should feel confident about being even more competitive this year.
Captain Jim Hoyle has again led the side impressively this season, constantly putting his body on the line to shut down opposition attacks and directing play from the back.
Goalkeeper Oscar Mason continues to show his talent.
Fellow veteran defender Fergus Neil – who missed the clash against North Wellington as it was played on artificial turf – has been another to show the way at the back, as well as igniting attacks. Younger defenders Kaeden Atkins and Jack Albertini have also fronted throughout 2023.
The midfield has been controlled by the club’s MVP Ta Eh Doe and Cameron Emerson, the latter who has been one of his team’s best performers all season.
And around the opposition’s goalbox, the side has been consistently explosive in 2023.
Former Manchester City youth player Deri Corfe finished second in the Central League goal-scoring stakes. Corfe made no secret when he arrived in Napier he wanted to test himself at the highest level of New Zealand domestic football - qualification to National League now gives him that chance.
And when it hasn’t been Corfe inflicting scoreboard pain on the opposition, the likes of impressive Canadian import Stefan Karajovanovic, 2022 Central League MVP Jonny McNamara or former first-class cricketer Christian Leopard have scored crucial goals.
Securing National League qualification for the second successive year is the latest thing for the proud club to celebrate in their 50th season.
To mark the anniversary, the club’s first-team has worn a strip modelled on the one worn by their 1985 team which won that year’s Chatham Cup.
As well as honouring the proud past of the club this year, Napier City Rovers players have also played in memory of the seven people from Hawke’s Bay who lost their lives – and the thousands of others who had their lives impacted – in February’s Cyclone Gabrielle.
The devastating cyclone struck in the early stages of their pre-season campaign ahead of the Central League kick-off.
All year the side has worn black armbands to honour those who died.
Emerson said the armbands quickly became an important part of the team’s game-day kit.
“All the boys before the game, we are all asking for our armbands,” the midfielder said. “Everyone is wanting to wear the armbands to represent what happened here months ago.
“We are all part of it. Even towards the latter part of the Central League season, it is still a significant part of our kit.”
The gesture came after the whole first-team squad volunteered to help in the clean-up of some houses that had been ruined by surging floodwaters, mud and silt.
Emerson said being able to help out earlier this year had been something that had meant a lot.
“We are a community, at the end of the day. Whether you were fully affected, or one of the volunteers who ended up helping out, you are part of the community,” he said.
“Doing working bees and helping them out was important. We just had to get out there, we knew what the right thing to do was.”
Neil Reid is a Napier-based senior reporter who covers general news, features and sport. He joined the Herald in 2014 and has 30 years of newsroom experience.