14 SEP 1998 , Edition 2, Page 18.
Cambridge and Melville a couple of late bloomers
By: ANDERSON Ian
Melville United and Cambridge may be among the few sides unhappy that the lengthy Northern League soccer season coming to an end.
Both teams have struck excellent form late in their respective campaigns in division one and two.
Melville could now finish mid-table if they win their final match of the season against Ngaruawahia United in a fortnight after coming from behind on Saturday to beat a desperate Waitakere City side in Auckland.
Graeme Jones opened the scoring with a penalty but the visitors trailed 2-1 at the break before an own goal and strikes from Daniel D’Souza and David Watson sealed Melville’s win and consigned Waitakere to relegation.
The result meant Melville have lost just once in nine matches, while Cambridge’s record is slightly more impressive.
Their 3-all home draw with Te Atatu means they’ve lost just once in 11 matches and can still avoid the drop.
Ngaruawahia’s fallibility in front of the goal returned to plague them in their scoreless home draw with Oratia United in division one.
The Chatham Cup semifinalists had netted consistently of late but failed dismally at the weekend to convert a hatful of chances created.
Ngaruawahia hit the post, the crossbar and missed a couple of sitters in a match they should have won to move closer to securing third place in the league this season.
Instead, that will now rely on how they fare in their final two matches — away to third-placed Takapuna City and then the Melville clash.
Claudelands Rovers stayed fifth in division two after a 1-all away draw with West Auckland while Matamata Swifts appear destined to finish third in division three.
Andre Bos extended his club’s goalscoring record for a season with his 22nd while John Van Gog’s third penalty in as many weeks helped Swifts to a 2-0 away win over Pukekohe.
But promotion rivals Navy also won and look guaranteed of second behind Taupo, who had to fight to head off Waikato Unicol 2-1 away.