Napier City Rovers’ National League qualification hopes might be over – but they’re determined not to end 2025 on a downer.
The dream of reaching New Zealand Football’s top-tier National League for a fourth-successive year was extinguished last Saturday when rivals Western Suburbs topped Upper Hutt City Football to claim an unassailable lead over Napier City Rovers on the Central League points table.
Four teams from the Central League qualify for the National League; the Wellington Phoenix Reserves and the three other top-finishing teams.
In 2025, that will be the top three of champions Wellington Olympic, second-placed Miramar Rangers and third-placed Western Suburbs.
Napier City Rovers can’t get any higher than their current fourth place going into Saturday’s final-round clash against Wellington Olympic in the capital; with the Wellington Phoenix Reserves currently in fifth place.
While the match could be viewed as a dead rubber, it is still a game where Robertson’s men are determined to give it their all and end their season on a huge high.
“They’ve won the Central League title five times on the bounce,” Robertson said of Wellington Olympic.
“But we certainly don’t fear them.
“We’ll go down with the approach of zero pressure, try and finish the season strong and get a result away from home.
“It’s a good opportunity to test ourselves against the champions and see what we can come out with before we all get a break for the summer.”
The sides have clashed twice previously this season.
They posted a 1-1 draw at Bluewater Stadium in earlier Central League action.
Wellington Olympic then knocked Napier City Rovers out of the Chatham Cup with a 3-2 win in the fourth-round.
They were both results that Napier City Rovers can look back and rue, given some of the dominance they were able to exert in each match.
“Both those games I felt we had really good moments, really good spells in, and could have easily won them both,” Robertson said.
“The games [against them] have been tight.
“I think they’ll be expecting a tough game.”
The last time the two clashed in Wellington – in the final round of the 2024 National League – Napier City Rovers won 3-2; a result unlikely to be forgotten by Wellington Olympic players who played that day.
It’s not only bragging rights that Napier City Rovers will try and secure on Saturday afternoon.
So too is the O’Brien Shield; a coveted challenge shield where the holder puts it up for grabs when hosting other Central League sides.
Wellington Olympic have held the shield since mid-2024.
“It’d be nice to tick that off if we can pick that up and then we hold that going into 2026,” Robertson said.
Both sides go into Saturday’s final-round Central League clash on the back of convincing wins last weekend.
Wellington Olympic secured the 2025 Central League with an emphatic 5-0 win over relegation-threatened Island Bay United.
Napier City Rovers farewelled Bluewater Stadium for the season with an impressive 5-1 win over Petone FC.
Stephen Hoyle scored in his final match for the club before taking up the head coach role with the Newcastle Jets FC A-League Women’s team, while midfielder Adam Hewson scored a double in his best match of the season.
Other goals came via Mason Johnson and Sam Lack; the latter continuing his hot goal-scoring form in 2025.
“It was a good performance, particularly in the first half,” Robertson said.
“We came in with a plan on how to hurt them, we changed our shape to try and exploit them, and it and it worked really well.
“I’m pleased for the boys to finish our last home game with a big win. It was also good for everyone who has supported us all year too, to see us put a good performance in on the last one at home.”
The positives continued, with Robertson able to give game time to everyone on his substitutes bench.
With the result locked up, that included bringing on 16-year-old goalkeeper Liam Doran to make his first-team debut.
“He’s been with us all season in a training capacity and playing for the reserves, so it was good for him.”
A huge positive was the return of Benjamin Stanley to the starting XI; a position he hasn’t been in since the final match of the 2024 National League.
The skilful, strongly built and speedy forward has missed the majority of 2025 after suffering a groin injury. He started last Sunday after two earlier returns to action off the bench.
“He’s had a significant injury for most of the season and it’s been a lengthy rehab, which is still ongoing given the nature of the injury,” Robertson said.
“He has to still manage his load and make sure he’s fully rehabbed. But he got a good 60 minutes under his belt and I’m sure he was pleased about that. It was good to see him back.”
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.