Northland FC women concede late against Manukau United to draw 2-2

Northland FC's women's team will be getting a stern message from their coach Alan Witt (right) this week about closing out games. Photo / File

Northland FC's top women's team were about five minutes away from their sixth win of the season on Sunday before a late goal to Manukau United ended the game 2-2.

The game, played Mangere Centre Park, started poorly for the visitors as Manukau scored from a contentious penalty after 12 minutes. Northland were able to gain ascendancy afterwards and it showed as winger Paige Ihaka combined with Abby Wright to level the score with 15 minutes left in the first half.

Returning to the field after the break, the visitors found their rhythm as they dominated possession and territory from the outset. Striker Bee Witt-Green latched onto a stunning through-ball from Caitlin Alabaster to score Northland's second goal 15 minutes into the second half.

As the game clock ticked down, Northland couldn't find a third goal to finish off the game and they were punished for it as Manukau scored a well-taken header with five minutes to go to draw the game.

"We played really well, to be fair we were all over [Manukau], but they played very deep and didn't allow us to get in behind them," Northland FC coach Alan Witt said.

"We played down the channels really well, we played to feet. Abby Wright ran her heart out and crushed defenders with Bee [Witt-Green], up until the last 15 minutes."

With four first choice players missing for the game, Witt said the team missed their experience when it came to the final moments trying to hold Manukau out.

"[Manukau] were not making any chances, they weren't really in the game but slowly their mindset changed, we were slowly dropping deep and obviously invited them in."

The team next play away to Te Atatu in a knockout NFF Women's Federation One Cup semifinal. Northland's premier women's competition results saw Onerahi beat Kamo, 4-0, Madhatters beat Bay Cosmos, 1-0, and Kerikeri beat Tikipunga, 11-0.

The Northland FC men's teams could have used with some composure this weekend as both the first and reserve teams lost to Manurewa AFC's equivalent teams on Saturday in Manurewa.

The first team suffered a heavy 7-0 defeat in the late game on Saturday after the reserves lost 5-4 from leading 4-2 with 20 minutes to go.

Northland FC first men's team coach Owen Liiv said perhaps his side went into the Manurewa fixture overconfident after good performances in recent weeks.

"They set themselves up, we didn't train very well this week and it goes to show that the whole thing is a process," he said.

"I don't think we were right mentally, I don't think they were ready for it."

Northland conceded their first goal through a contentious penalty after 16 minutes and then found themselves 3-0 down 11 minutes later. While Liiv was disappointed with the performance, he hoped his side would lift the standard against a dangerous Metro FC team at Tikipunga Sports Park this coming Saturday.

Northland's premier men's football teams had their first taste of Stafford Choat Cup football this weekend. Tikipunga's premier team lost 2-1 to division one's Bream Bay, FC Whangārei's premier team beat division one's Kamo, 2-1, Kaeo-Inter beat division three's Kaitaia United, 5-2, Kerikeri's premier team beat Ngunguru's division one team, 3-1 in extra time, Onerahi's premier team beat division two's Madhatters, 3-0, Madhatters' premier team beat Kaikohe's division one team, 5-1 and Tikipunga's division one team beat division one's Kerikeri, 5-2.