No room for complacency against Takapuna

Words: ACFC Media

Friday 11 August 2023

AUCKLAND, New Zealand - Auckland City FC will cross the Harbour Bridge to visit Takapuna on the North Shore in a top-versus-bottom Northern League clash on Saturday afternoon at Taharoto Park.

With only four rounds remaining the unbeaten Navy Blues remain on track to defend their Northern League crown as they sit at the top of the competition ladder ahead of Eastern Suburbs on goal difference.

Meanwhile Takapuna are in danger of relegation at the other end of the table, currently in second to last place, just above Manukau United with both sides on nine points after 18 rounds.

City and Takapuna have only met on three previous occasions with the Navy Blues coming out on top every time.

Their last encounter in Round 8 of the competition in early May at Kiwitea Street finished in a comfortable 4-0 victory for the home side thanks to a brace by Dylan Manickum and a goal each by Joe Lee and skipper Cam Howieson.

Despite City’s perfect head-to-head record against Takapuna and the 39-point difference that separates the two sides at the opposite ends of the table, Auckland City defender Adam Mitchell insists his side will not underestimate their hosts.

“Yeah we never take anyone for granted, you can see results in this league so we will have to keep pushing at the top,” he said.

“We are ahead of Eastern Suburbs on goal difference and they are going to come up behind us the whole way through so we take one game at the time, hoping for three points and hoping for another good performance,” added Mitchell.

Meanwhile the Navy Blues youngsters, who currently lead the Lotto NRFL U-23 Premiership table, will be aiming to stay on course in their title defence when they face their Takapuna counterparts on Saturday from 12:30pm also at Taharoto Park.

The Takapuna U23s side are fourth on the table, seven points behind the Auckland City U23s.

Ends

Match Details
Northern League Round 19
Saturday, 12 August 2023
Auckland City FC v Takapuna AFC
Taharoto Park, Kick-off: 3:00pm

AC SQUAD: 1-Conor TRACEY (GK), 2- Mario ILICH, 3- Adam MITCHELL, 4-Christian GRAY, 5-Michael DEN HEIJER, 6-Dan MORGAN, 7-Cam HOWIESON (c), 8-Gerard GARRIGA, 9-Angus KILKOLLY, 10-Dylan MANICKUM, 11-Ryan DE VRIES, 12-Regont MURATI, 13-Nathan LOBO, 14-Jordan VALE, 15- Aidan CAREY, 16-Joseph LEE, 18. Sebastian CIGANDA (GK), 19-Liam GILLION, 20- Emiliano TADE, 21- Adam BELL, 22-Tong ZHOU. 24-Joe WALLIS (GK), 25-Takuya IWATA, 26-Rayan TAYEB, 27-Stipe UKICH

COACH: Albert RIERA
ASSISTANT COACH: Ivan VICELICH
GK COACH: Enaut ZUBIKARAI
TECHNICAL: Adria CASALS
TECHNICAL: Jarrod WALLACE
LOGISTICS: Keith COTON
PHYSIO: Matt PAYNE