Football: Kerikeri pipped at the post once again

Men's Federation One Cup Football final, Glen Eden Rangers v Kerikeri Bay Builders at Kamo Kerikeri's Jeremy Rintoul and Rangers goal scorer Adrian Peihopa take to the air as Rintoul goe

Kerikeri Bay Builders continued their luckless season with a 4-1 defeat by Glen Eden in the Federation One Cup final at Kamo.

The loss means the 2015 Northland Premier League champions are without a major title this season after Kamo pipped them for the league title and knocked them out of the Stafford Choat Cup in the semifinal.

Despite Saturday's final score line, Kerikeri were right in the final until its final moments when Glen Eden rubbed salt into the wound with two late goals.

There was no shame in losing with the cup victory giving Glen Eden the Northern Football Federation League and Cup double but Kerikeri's Mark Roberts said it was hard to shake a feeling of deja vu about the disappointing end to their season.

"It was typical of our season really, we've played really well but we've just not had the rub of the green," he said.

"It was an awesome game and fair play to Glen Eden they won the NFF conference and you don't do that unless you're a good side and they gave us a good tough game."
Kerikeri started the game well had had a couple of early chances to cash in on their good start.

"We were doing really well and had all of the ball early on and should have scored a couple of times but then they scored against the run of play," Roberts said.

Down 0-1 at the break, it took a big effort to get back into the game.

Robbie Kingman continued his good form this season with a trademark goal 18 minutes from time and suddenly a cup final win was on the cards.

"We were all over them after scoring our goal but then disaster struck and they scored and it was all over," Roberts said.

The disaster was a goalkeeping error which gifted a goal to Glen Eden and deflated the team.

"I was standing on the sideline watching when the goal went in an you could see the lads heads just drop because they'd worked that hard to get back on level terms," Roberts said.

Two headers from late corners gave Glen Eden a lop sided result.

"We've got so much potential but sometimes you need a bit of luck too and we've not had that this year," Roberts declared.

There was something to smile about on the trip home though.

"Derek Fagan had to run off the pitch with 20 minutes to go because his girlfriend went into labor," he said.

But while they missed the gifted player, the arrival of a baby boy at least gave the team something to take home from the disappointing day.

Meanwhile the Kamo club added the Northland First Division title to their premier league championship when the Kamo Reserves thrashed Bream Bay Reserves 9-1.

Kamo stalwart Colin Myers said the squad were happy to complete their catchup matches without a slip-up to finish the season unbeaten.

"The win was a good squad effort... and I think the key to the title was a hard fought draw against Tikipunga away in the middle of the season," he said.

Myers said a good combination of youth and experience helped lift the title with Sam Walker and Sammy Oso providing the bulk of the goals.

Tikipunga Pet Essentials finished three points behind Kamo in second place. They improved as the season progressed but it was Kamo's consistency throughout the season which saw them bag the title.

The Tikipunga side warmed up for their date with the Kamo Premier team in the Stafford Choat final next weekend with a 5-1 win over FC Reserves. Tikipunga finished 12 points clear of Madhatters Blue, who pipped Kerikeri Jerkovich by a point to take third place.