Eight goal thriller in top-of-table clash

Results by North Force age-grade teams in Auckland football competition last weekend were as follows.

BOYS. 16s, North Force 4 Ellerslie 4 (3-0): A high-scoring affair between the top two teams in the 16th Metro championship at Tikipunga. North Force coach Chris Douglas said the homeside - missing star midfielder View Rungpao - started off with a hiss and a roar and were 3-0 up at halftime, and credited the side's Kaitaia 'keeper Dylan Rogers for making some absolutely outstanding saves in this first spell.

The score went out to 4-1 in the second half when Ellerslie struck a shot which bounced off the goalline and out but was ruled over by the linesman. It proved a turning point, perhaps the Force players allowing the decision to upset them, Douglas noted, while giving Ellerslie impetus to score two more goals to level and then go about seeking the matchwinner.

"The last 10 minutes we had to defend really well." The other Far North player to put in a notable performance in the game was midfielder Liam Nash from Kerikeri, named his side's POTD.

Both sides were left at the top of the table with 21 points apiece, the Force remaining ahead thanks to a better for/ against aggregate, 37/16 to Ellerslie's 41/27; the side also has a game in hand over Ellerslie. The North Force 16s' next game is against East Coast Bays (6th out of 10 teams) on Sunday, July 20, in round 13 of a total of 18.

13s, Ellerslie 5 North Force 0: North Force convincingly beaten by the top-of-the-table Ellerslie in round 5 (of 11) in the 13th Conference. The result leaves NF second to bottom, 11th, with the next game against bottom side Albany Development on Saturday, July 19.

14s, North Force 1 Three Kings 0: North Force leaping to second (out of nine teams) with this hard-fought win over Three Kings (now in 5th) on Saturday in round 12 of 18 of the 14th Conference league. The competition resumes with round 13, also on July 19, when the Force lads host bottom-of-the-table Oratia.

GIRLS. 15s, Fencibles United 3 North Force 3: A six-goal thriller with the North Force girls 15s able to take away a valuable away point from round 12 (of 16) in the Girls 15 Grade Premier championship. The result leaves the Force in 5th place out of eight teams, and ready to host the Norwest Force (4th) in a mid-table clash on July 19.

13s, North Force v Three Kings United POSTPONED: No action for the North Force girls 13s now sitting in 5th place in the AFF's Championship Girls 13th Grade Premier championship. The side's next game is against (9th, and second-to-bottom) East Coast Bays Patterson in round 6 (of 9) on July 19.