New Zealand Club Football Team Rankings - 28 July 2013

Well the dust has settled following another weekend of action and Cashmere Technical continue to lead the pack after a 1-0 away win over Tier 2 Palmerston North Marist in the Chatham Cup.  I’ve faced a bit of ribbing over the past few weeks – how can a Mainland team beat the best in NZ and Auckland sides not even feature that strongly in the top 10?  I accept that part of this is a function of the way the rankings are calculated, and Mainland teams play more games in their season, giving them the opportunity to accumulate more rankings points.  Another aspect of this is in league were there are perhaps only a few strong teams it is much easier to have a high ranking whereas in the NRPL, I'm reminded, 'there are no easy games'.  Or so the theory goes, but having said that my opinion of the NRPL is that it’s not a strong in 2013 as in recent years.  And have a look a the Cashmere Technical side if your interested - it's packed full of Canterbury Utd players.

Anyway, the Chatham Cup does provide the ability to compare leagues, and as such Wellington Olympic’s come from behind 3-2 win over Caversham AFC is indicative that the gap between the top teams in different leagues perhaps isn’t that great.  ‘The Greeks’ win sees them consolidate their #5 spot in the rankings, while Caversham AFC fall two spots to #4.  The upset of the round was Teir 2 Melville Utd’s home win over NRPL front-runners Birkenhead Utd, Birkenhead drop three places to #9.  And in the other Quarter-Final Waitakere City’s new look side demolished Onehunga Sports 7-0; they rise to #19 in the rankings - their fine run of form makes it seem very likely they will stave off relegation and, in my book, makes them favourites to win the Cup as well.

Elsewhere, Miramar Rangers enjoyed a fine 4-1 win over rivals Western Suburbs that sees them climb one to #3. Ferrymead Bays are up one as well to #6 following a 1-1 away draw at Nelson Suburbs.  And also edging up one spot to #7 in their run toward the NRPL title are with East Coast Bays with a hard-fought 2-1 win over relegation bound Manurewa AFC. Finally Dunedin Technical scored a big 6-1 win over FSPL strugglers Queenstown Rovers that lifts them to #9.

Next week’s league games sees some vital clashes.  Birkenhead Utd and Hamilton Wanderers face off in a game that will be key to the NRPL championship, and if East Coast Bays want to secure their place at the top of the NRPL they will have to get past an Ellerslie AFC side embroiled in a relegation battle.  In the CPL Wellington Olympic face a tough away game against Western Suburbs, and neither will it be plain sailing for Cashmere Technical who are at home to Nelson Suburbs.  Also in a relegation battle are Mosgiel AFC; they face FSPL leaders Dunedin Technical in what could also be one of the season’s defining games.

Ranking	Team	Points	Change
1	Cashmere Technical	1198.74	0
2	Roslyn Wakari	1182.96	1
3	Miramar Rangers	1182.63	1
4	Caversham AFC	1182.08	-2
5	Wellington Olympic	1181.07	0
6	Ferrymead Bays	1179.07	1
7	East Coast Bays	1176.62	1
8	Dunedin Technical	1175.50	1
9	Birkenhead Utd	1175.19	-3
10	Lower Hutt City	1172.60	0
11	Nelson Suburbs	1170.60	0
12	Wairarapa Utd	1168.67	2
13	Hamilton Wanderers	1163.75	-1
14	Western Suburbs	1163.43	-1
15	Western	1160.68	1
16	Green Island	1160.63	-1
17	Otago University	1158.69	0
18	Three Kings Utd	1157.02	1
19	Waitakere City	1156.86	2
20	Central Utd	1152.99	2
21	Petone	1151.13	3
22	Bay Olympic	1150.70	1
23	Napier City Rovers	1150.04	-5
24	Onehunga Sports	1148.93	-4
25	Coastal Spirit	1145.66	0
26	Northern AFC	1144.73	0
27	Halswell Utd	1139.85	0
28	Mosgiel	1137.37	0
29	Ellerslie AFC	1133.92	0
30	Upper Hutt City	1132.56	0
31	Invercargill Old Boys	1129.81	1
32	Queenstown Rovers	1127.55	-1
33	Nomads Utd	1122.27	0
34	Manurewa AFC	1120.74	0
35	Tawa	1119.29	1
36	Grants Braes	1117.89	-1
37	Wellington Utd	1114.60	0
38	FC Twenty11	1101.12	0

New Zealand Club Football Team Rankings - 22 July 2013

After a weekend of a high scoring and some surprise results, the dust has settled and the Rankings have had a bit of a shake up. Last week’s #1 ranked Cashmere Technical were one of the big scoring sides, and with a 7-1 thumping of Nomads Utd they ensure their lead at the top of the Rankings is maintained.  It’s hard to see the Christchurch side not finishing the season as the top ranked side in the land now, especially if they earn a semi-final spot in the Chatham Cup next weekend.  Bouncing back from last week’s loss and into the #2 spot are Caversham AFC, who put 10 unanswered goals past relegation bound Grants Braes.  Their FSPL rivals Roslyn Wakari are the new #3 following an incredible 7-1 demolition of the Week 6 #1, Green Island.

Amazingly in a game that you might have picked to have a few goals given the scoring talent on show, there were none!  Miramar Rangers and Lower Hutt City finished 0-0, meaning Rangers hold onto the #4 spot.  At #5, and up one, are Wellington Olympic who got their CPL title challenge back on track with a 4-1 win away at Wellington Utd.  Falling four spots to #6 are Birkenhead Utd, put to the sword 5-0 by Waitakere City in what sounded like the Roy Krishna show. Ferrymead Bays managed a 2-1 win over lowly FCTwenty11 to remain in #7, and just look at East Coast Bays on the charge and up three places to #8 after a 7-0 destruction of Central Utd – I didn’t see that coming either – as a result Central drop six places to #22.  Rounding off the top ten are Dunedin Technical, who threw a title lifeline to both Caversham AFC and Roslyn Wakari after been held 2-2 by Northern AFC, and Lower Hutt City whose recent good form continues.

League action is a bit disrupted this weekend with Chatham Cup Quarter Final games taking centre stage.  The pick of the bunch is Wellington Olympic versus Caversham AFC in my book – wish I could be at that one – but Melville Utd at home to Birkenhead Utd could also be a cracker.

Ranking	Team	Points	Change
1	Cashmere Technical	1191.80	0
2	Caversham AFC	1183.91	1
3	Roslyn Wakari	1182.96	2
4	Miramar Rangers	1180.24	0
5	Wellington Olympic	1179.24	1
6	Birkenhead Utd	1177.53	-4
7	Ferrymead Bays	1176.28	0
8	East Coast Bays	1174.34	3
9	Dunedin Technical	1173.06	0
10	Lower Hutt City	1172.60	-2
11	Nelson Suburbs	1171.12	-1
12	Hamilton Wanderers	1167.70	2
13	Western Suburbs	1165.82	2
14	Wairarapa Utd	1165.58	-2
15	Green Island	1162.10	-2
16	Western	1158.30	2
17	Otago University	1157.23	0
18	Napier City Rovers	1153.13	3
19	Three Kings Utd	1153.07	3
20	Onehunga Sports	1152.98	-1
21	Waitakere City	1152.81	2
22	Central Utd	1151.64	-6
23	Bay Olympic	1150.70	-3
24	Petone	1149.22	0
25	Coastal Spirit	1144.24	0
26	Northern AFC	1142.29	1
27	Halswell Utd	1141.27	-1
28	Mosgiel	1137.98	2
29	Ellerslie AFC	1135.27	-1
30	Upper Hutt City	1134.09	-1
31	Queenstown Rovers	1129.99	0
32	Invercargill Old Boys	1129.21	0
33	Nomads Utd	1124.64	0
34	Manurewa AFC	1123.02	1
35	Grants Braes	1120.33	-1
36	Tawa	1117.76	1
37	Wellington Utd	1116.51	-1
38	FC Twenty11	1105.54	0