An Albany United player, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Herald their team was warned about the Waitematā side before they played them – and claimed they were “pretty scrappy” for the entirety of the match.
It’s understood the game was called off early by the referee before an altercation ensued between the two sides.
He alleged the player who sparked the scuffle was being held back but “managed to sneak out of the big huddle” and went and “king hit” the opponent he initially pushed.
“He dropped to the ground and then when he hit the ground, he just put a boot through his face and broke his jaw.”
The witness alleged the man who assaulted his teammate, who was the “smallest player on the pitch”, fled the scene “before any of us realised what had just happened”.
He claimed the referee tried to get the Waitematā players to stay at the park and wait for police, but they all left quickly.
His teammate was taken to hospital and underwent surgery for his facial injuries.
“I was angry at the time. Doing that and then running off, it’s just a f***ing cowardly way to do it.”
“Police will continue to take stern action against assaults on sports fields. This type of violent behaviour is unacceptable and we will hold people accountable for their actions,” acting Inspector Tim Williams said.
Waitematā Football Club president Conan McKinstry told the Herald he understood there was an altercation between the sides during the game, prompting the referee to call it off early, and the incident spilled over after the final whistle.
McKinstry confirmed the man was “immediately removed from the club” after the incident.
“He’s not welcome back at the club ... We’ve been dealing with police as best we can.”
He said Waitematā FC reached out to the injured player and Albany United shortly after the incident but was not aware of the outcome.
“Like a lot of places, there’s always a few incidents during the year, but nothing to the extent of this ... It’s been a very long time since I’ve seen an incident like this on a football field.
“We obviously take it very seriously. There’s no place in [sport for] it, especially with what’s going on around the world with bloody aggression in the sports place, it’s ridiculous.
“It’s meant to be a social place where you’re meant to have a bit of fun, but it seems to be getting a bit lost on people at the moment.”
A timeline from the match shows two red cards were issued by the referee, one for each team. It’s understood these were given in relation to the altercation.
Northern Region Football (NRF), the body that organises the competition, confirmed it was aware of the incident reported and would “fully co-operate” with police if asked.
“Any kind of assault in football is completely unacceptable,” acting CEO Carl Fenton said.
“We work together with our clubs to deliver a safe and enjoyable environment for people taking part, and the vast majority of games are played in good spirit, without incident.
“NRF investigates all reported complaints and our football disciplinary committee has issued lengthy bans for the most serious incidents this year.”
Fenton said the NRF’s disciplinary committee would review the incident in question and take “appropriate action” once the police investigation was completed.
Albany United have been approached for comment on the condition of its player.
The Herald understands NRF issued several bans to players across different competitions for similar incidents throughout the 2025 season.
Benjamin Plummer is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers sport and breaking news. He has worked for the Herald since 2022.
