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In form Birkenhead eye up Navy Blues

Words: ACFC Media

Tuesday 12 July 2022

AUCKLAND, New Zealand - The games keep coming for Auckland City FC as they prepare to take on in form Birkenhead United at Beach Haven tomorrow night.

The Paul Hobson-coached side have gone nine games unbeaten since the middle of May with United scoring 29 goals and conceding just six in that period.

United also remain one of only two clubs in the Northern League to have beaten Auckland City FC since the decommission of the New Zealand Football Championship when they defeated the Navy Blues 4-3 on Shepherd's Park last year just prior to the season ending prematurely due to Covid-19.

The virus has provided United with something of their own blip after their Chatham Cup tie with Eastern Suburbs was postponed with both sides suffering personnel losses due to the virus.

The Navy Blues have been doing tough lately with five games in just 18 days, a compacted schedule made so by the OFC Champions League which gets underway in Auckland next month.

After the Birkenhead United game, Auckland City FC face North Shore United on Saturday, Manukau United on Tuesday and then Bay Olympic at Kiwitea Street just four days later.

City then travel to Dunedin to take on Dunedin City Royals in the Chatham Cup Quarter Finals and then get a short break of five days before facing former OFC Champions League winners Hienghen Sport of New Caledonia.

Tomorrow night's game kicks off at 7.00pm at Shepherds Park in Beach Haven.

Ends

Match Details
Northern League
Wednesday 13 July 2022
Birkenhead United v Auckland City FC
Shepherd's Park, Beach Haven
Kick-off: 7.00pm NZDT

AC (squad to be finalised from): 1. Conor TRACEY (GK), 2. Mario ILICH, 3. Adam MITCHELL, 5. Angel BERLANGA, 7. Cam HOWIESON (c), 8. Gerard GARRIGA, 9. Angus KILKOLLY, 11. Ryan DE VRIES, 12. Sam BROTHERTON, 13. Nathan LOBO, 16. Joe LEE, 17. Reid DRAKE, 19. Liam GILLION, 20. Emiliano TADE, 23. Alfie ROGERS, 24. Cam BROWN (GK).

COACH: Albert RIERA
ASSISTANT COACH: Ivan VICELICH
GOALKEEPER COACH: Enaut ZUBIKARAI
MANAGER: Keith COTON
ANALYST: Adria CASALS
TECHNICAL: Jarrod WALLACE
PHYSIO: Matt PAYNE

MATCH OFFICIALS
REFEREE: Nick WALDRON
ASSISTANT REFEREE 1: Charlie TSENG
ASSISTANT REFEREE 2: Reza AL RABEA

ABOUT BIRKENHEAD UNITED AFC
The club was established as Birkenhead in 1960 before it amalgamated with Birkdale in 1963 taking its current name as Birkenhead United. Since 1965, Birkenhead have mainly played either in Division 1 or Division 2 of the Northern League though they twice early on, made it into Premier Division in 1968 and 1970, only to be relegated again that same year. They also had one of their best early runs in the 1970 Chatham Cup, making it to the 5th round before losing to Eden 1–4.They wouldn't repeat that success in the cup again until 2010. Again going down in the 5th round, this time to Glenfield Rovers. Birkenhead started to see more success in the 2010s, with them again making the Premier Division in 2013 and they have stayed there since. They have just missed out on winning the division four times in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017.

HONOURS
NORTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION 1 2012
NORTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION 2 1980
CHATHAM CUP 2016, 2018

BIGGEST WIN (NORTHERN LEAGUE)
v. Mount Albert Ponsonby (H) 12-1, 2012

BIGGEST DEFEAT (NORTHERN LEAGUE)
v. Kawerau Town (H) 3-12, 1996

BIGGEST WIN (CHATHAM CUP)
v. Golden Gate (H) 12-1, 1999

BIGGEST WIN (CHATHAM CUP)
v. North Shore United (H) 1-8, 2001

PREVIOUS MEETINGS

NORTHERN LEAGUE

08.05.21 v Birkenhead United (H) 5-0 (Cam Howieson, Angus Kilkolly 2, Ilham Hameedi, Andrew Blake)
14.08.21 v Birkenhead United (A) 3-4 (Angus Kilkolly 2, Addison Stewart | Ardri McArthur, Luke Jorgensen, Alex Grieve 2)
30.04.22 v Birkenhead United (H) 3-0 (Cam Howieson, Angus Kilkolly, Emiliano Tade)

CHATHAM CUP
11.07.21 v Birkenhead United (A) 3-3* (Angus Kilkolly, Jordan Vale, Cam Howieson | Alex Connor-McLean 2, Sanni Issa)
*Auckland City FC won 3-1 on penalties

FORM

NORTHERN LEAGUE
26.03.22 v Auckland United (A) 1-0 (Luke Allport)
02.04.22 v North Shore United (A) 2-1 (Josh Turner, Sam Burfoot)
09.04.22 v Bay Olympic (A) 1-0 (Sam Burfoot)
15.04.22 v Melville United (H) 0-1
18.04.22 v Western Springs (H) 5-2 (Cameron MacKenzie, Nick Forrester, Jackson Woods, Levi Wilson, Luke Allport)
23.04.22 v Eastern Suburbs (H) 4-0 (Cameron MacKenzie 3, Chase Taylor)
30.04.22 v Auckland City FC (A) 0-3
07.05.22 v Takapuna AFC (H) 1-2 (Luke Jorgensen)
14.05.22 v Hamilton Wanderers (A) 2-1 (Jordan Toy, Corban Piper)
21.05.22 v Waiheke United (H) 5-3 (Chase Taylor, Dino Botica, Corban Piper, Nick Forrester, Curtis Hughes)
28.05.22 v Manukau United (A) 4-0 (Cameron MacKenzie, Levi Wilson, Nick Forrester, Jordan Toy)
04.06.22 v Auckland United (H) 1-1 (Jackson Woods)
11.06.22 v North Shore United (H) 6-0 (Corban Piper, Chase Taylor, Jordan Toy, Cameron MacKenzie, Luke Allport 2)
25.06.22 v Bay Olympic (H) 3-0 (Jackson Woods 2, Cameron MacKenzie)
02.07.22 v Melville United (A) 2-0 (Dane Schnell, Luke Jorgensen)

CHATHAM CUP
06.06.22 v Manurewa AFC (A) 2-1 (Luke Jorgensen, Dylan Hobson)
19.06.22 v Central United FC (H) 4-0 (Alex Connor-McLean, Sam Burfoot, Luke Jorgensen, Curtis Hughes)
09.07.22 v Eastern Suburbs (H) - Match Postponed due to Covid-19