New Zealand Northern League 2025
⚽️ Auckland FC Reserves vs. Western Springs AFC ⚽️
Sunday 12 May 2025
We were at Fred Taylor Park for the home game between the Auckland FC Reserves team and Western Springs AFC.
These are some of the AFC highlights I recorded during the game including the three Auckland FC Reserves goals.
This was a well-fought evenly-matched game with seven goals in total. It was quite entertaining.
As a bonus for this match, Auckland FC brought the Premiers’ Plate to the game so that fans could take a photo with it. Ange and I had already taken a photo of the Plate at the Auckland FC Player Awards night (with Steve Corica in it – more about that coming soon) but this time, we took a photo with our boys. Something that I noticed was that one of the members of The Port had stuck a Port sticker to the back of the Plate.
At first I (and someone else) had thought that nobody from The Port had come to the game. However, it wasn’t until half-time that I went upstairs to the bar (as one does) and there were some of the Port regulars having a drink and watching the game from the second floor. In another corner was Steve Corica with some other staff watching the match.
Auckland FC Reserves vs. Western Springs AFC Goals
Final Score: 3-4
The Auckland FC Reserves Goals were:
⚽️ 8’ Ralph Rutherford
⚽️ 54’ Finn McKenlay
⚽️ 81’ Finn McKenlay (Penalty)
The Western Springs AFC Goals were:
⚽️ 14’ Dawson Straffon
⚽️ 45’ Reid Drake
⚽️ 65’ Ry McCleod
⚽️ 89’ Ry McCleod
Yes, that Western Springs goal in the final minutes hurt.
Interestingly, Ry McLeod had come in off the bench in the 12th minute after Dhanush Chandra had come off due to an unfortunate early injury.
