Napier City Rovers' loss on the road to Miramar Rangers in Wellington on Saturday has all but ended their National League dream. Photo / Neil Reid
Napier City Rovers’ latest road trip to Wellington in the Central League proved to be a heartbreaker. Neil Reid reports.
Napier City Rovers’ hopes of extending their three-year run in New Zealand Football’s top-tier National League are all but over.
Saturday’s gutting 3-2 loss to Miramar Rovers in Wellington – and Western Suburbs’ 2-0 win over the Wellington Phoenix Reserves – has seen the points gap between fourth-placed Napier City Rovers and third-placed Western Suburbs blow out to five points on the Central League points’ table.
A top-three finish is required to make the National League; to be played in spring and summer.
And with just two rounds remaining, Napier City Rovers would have to win their remaining matches against Petone FC and Wellington Olympic, and hope Western Suburbs sensationally slip up and lose their last two games against relegation-threatened sides Upper Hutt City Football and Island Bay United.
The Bill Robertson-coached team have the potential to do the first part of that equation.
But the chances of Western Suburbs dropping their last two matches are highly unlikely.
Napier City Rovers were the only non-metropolitan based club who had qualified for the National League in the 2022, 2023 and 2024 seasons.
In 2023 and 2024, the nine other clubs came solely from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. In 2022, Hamilton’s Melville Rovers was also in the league.
But this year, it looks like the top tier of New Zealand domestic football will solely feature sides from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
It’s a bitter blow for Napier City Rovers, with qualifying again for the National League being one of the key goals for the side in 2025.
The pain of what not making the nation’s top league means was evident on Napier City Rovers players’ faces as they returned to their changing room at David Farrington Park after Saturday’s 3-2 loss.
Robertson’s team went into the match upbeat, coming off the back of three very impressive league wins over Upper Hutt, Island Bay and Waterside Karori.
They had also downed Miramar twice previously in 2025; dual 3-0 wins recorded in an earlier Central League clash at Bluewater Stadium, then a round-three Chatham Cup victory over Miramar in Wellington.
And they made a strong start on Saturday, with striker Eric Kostandini Ziu scoring in the opening minutes of the crucial clash from a Sam Lack corner.
Another very promising attack just minutes later saw Cameron Emerson brought down inside the penalty box.
But instead of Napier City Rovers being awarded a penalty – with replays later confirming the foul occurred inside the penalty box – they were given a free kick just outside the area that they couldn’t convert into a goal.
It was the start of an abbreviated and frustrating afternoon for the hard-working Emerson.
He had returned to the sheds at halftime with his team trailing 2-1 and having received a yellow card shortly before the break.
Referee James Berry then handed out a second yellow card to Emerson shortly after the break after the midfielder had slid in to try and tackle an attacker. Emerson was adamant he made no contact with the opponent.
The red card to Emerson – who has been one of his side’s best players all season – came as the side were trying to get level on the scorecard, having gone into the break after a deflection beat goalkeeper Harry Townsend to give Miramar the lead.
It was a cruel blow for Townsend, who had been strong in goal in the first half, including a miracle left-handed save from a close-range, goal-bound effort from Miramar.
He had then come close to saving the Miramar penalty which levelled the scores.
Miramar went on to score a third goal in the 65th minute to give them a 3-1 lead, although match footage later showed goalscorer Owen Smith appeared to be offside when the ball was played through to him.
Napier City Rovers struck back in the 87th minute – during a period when they showed domination despite being down to 10-men – via Benjamin Stanley.
On a day where the ramifications of the final result hugely counted against Napier City Rovers’ National League hopes, the continued return of Stanley from a groin injury that sidelined him for the majority of the Central League was a positive.
Napier City Rovers now have this week off as the Chatham Cup semifinals are being played.
Their final two Central League see them face Petone FC at Bluewater Stadium on August 24, then Wellington Olympic in the capital on August 30.
Inside the Rovers video series:
Episode 1: Match Fit
Episode 2: Teen’s Dream
Episode 3: New Beginnings
Episode 4: For Keeps
Episode 5: Kiwi Steve
Episode 6: Capital Punishment
Episode 7: Bouncing Back
Episode 8: The Centurion
Episode 9: The Running Man
Episode 10: Family Pride
Episode 11: On Target
Episode 12: Road Trip Blues
Episode 13: A-League Bound
Neil Reid is a Napier-based senior reporter who covers general news, features and sport. He joined the Herald in 2014 and has 33 years of newsroom experience.