Promotion hopes on a knife edge

19 Sep 2024 • By Roy Pilott

Cambridge men’s Northern League Football target is 90-minutes and a trip to Waiheke Island away.

Cambridge keeper Wade Vincent is at full stretch as Waiheke’s Ramon Linder gets between centrebacks Jack Portegys and Thomas Walters. This shot went wide. Photo: Roy Pilott

A 1-nil win over the islanders has Cambridge ahead in this home and away promotion play off – but Jordan Shaw’s squad travels to Waiheke United knowing their opponent will be confident.

Cambridge will send minivans north for Saturday’s second leg – knowing a traditionally hostile South American welcome awaits.

It’s a huge weekend for the club. On Sunday its women’s team – also vying for promotion to the Northern League – start their own home and away play off against Onehunga in Auckland.

Saturday’s match, in awful weather at John Kerkhof Park, threatened to boil over at any time late on – it actually did on the sideline.

The game ebbed and flowed to such a degree that as much as the hosts could have won 3-0 – they grazed the crossbar twice and missed a couple of golden opportunities – this match almost ended in a draw.

Jack Connor’s fifth minute strike sealed the win in a predictably feisty game which saw referee Andy Holdsworth show seven yellow cards – and one to Shaw.

That came late on as the two benches began heckling and eventually it became a spot the ball contest as Waiheke became frustrated when spare balls on the sideline disappeared at throw ins.

Both side had late chances, and even if home fans would have wanted more than a one goal margin, they were relieved to hear Holdsworth’s final whistle.