Orange bibs win Manakau United mini-football tournament on Saturday

The first ever Manakau United FC mini football competition took place on Saturday afternoon, in typical summer weather at the Manakau School.


Seventeen players turned out to try and win the cup, and after the ground crew had mowed the edges and set out the cones the pitch was ready for the four teams to do battle.

A reverse age grading system was used, something that MIGHT need a bit of fine tuning in future as it was noticeable that the younger age of the two "bib" wearing sides definitely seemed to hold sway as the tournament went on.

The first stage was an hours football of group play - which saw six games played with various levels of enthusiasm - with the two sides wearing those lucky training "bibs" qualifying for the cup final by a clear margin.

The "plate" final saw the Black shirts outlast the tiring Green and Whites ... and scoop the prize for 3rd place - a nice cool magnum bottle of Stella Artois !

Third place is good - when the prize is a cool beer!

The Green and Whites after a tough day on the pitch

Meanwhile the Cup Final was 14 minutes of cut-n-thrust 4-a-side football - before the Manakau mini football competition was won by the Orange Bibs of Kimbal, Almo, Simon and Clive who beat the Green Bibs 4-2 in a hard fought final.

The victorious Orange Bibs  crouched below holding the prestigious trophy - and the Green bibs looking on standing above. 

Sat 17th March Five-a-side tournament at Manakau School.

WE don't have a match lined up this week - so instead we're running a five-a-side tournament at the Manakau School between 2pm and 4pm.

All players should get around 60 minutes football - and the weather looks like making it a pretty good day out too - so bring some ice for those post match beers - and possibly some sun tan lotion too.

If you want to take part - get down to the Manakau School by 2pm - we will draw out the teams and make a schedule - and get started by 2:30pm.

Bring your boots and playing strip - including your green and white team shirt - as well as a BLACK T-SHIRT to use as a change strip for some games.

2012 First Pre-season Football vs Waikanae on March 10th

It's March, and the nights are getting colder, which is good news because it means that the footie season is approaching - and Manakau United Football Club have our first round of pre-season games this Saturday, 10th March.

We will be sending two teams down to Jim Cooke Park in Waikanae on Saturday to face off against the Waikanae Geezers and the Waikanae Strollers.

After a quick tally after Wednesday night's training, we think that we can field two sides this Saturday - as long as everyone who has said that they are in actually turns up to play.

So we are meeting at the Manakau pub at 1:30pm to travel down - or see you at Jim Cooke Park at 2pm.

Kickoff should be at 2:30pm (ish).

2012 Pre-season kickabouts have begun

The 2012 Manakau FC training regime has begun.

But we are doing it slowly, starting with a gentle kickabout at the Manakau School  at 4pm on Sunday afternoons for 60-90 minutes.

Based on the general state of those that attended the first one last Sunday I can categorically state the Christmas was obviously good to the players with lots of cold ham cuts and Christmas pudding. Yes Kimbal, Jamie, and Chris - I'm talking about YOU !!

Now it's time to work those extra pounds off by chasing the football around.

So dig out those old boots - and be at the next kickabout :
 Manakau School - 4pm - Sunday 22nd January 2012.

2011 Sannazzaro Shield - Veterans win 3-2

Manakau Football Club 2011 Sannazzaro Shield Participants

Age and Experience proved to be more than a match for Youth in the Sannazzaro Shield match played to bring down the curtain on the 2011 Football season for Manakau FC as the Veterans outlasted the "kids" to win 3-2.

The players arrived at the Manakau Domain in a rather haphazard fashion, and as usual  it was mainly the "youngsters" who were late to the game, as evidenced by the pre-match photograph where experience was obviously to the fore.

A quick arrangement of the sides determined that the cutoff age for the two sides was about 31-32 years, and even then the "youngsters" were down to the bare minimum of 11 players and an empty bench.

That suited the Vets just fine and after a settling down period of play, James Wylie grabbed the only goal of the first half to give the Veterans a 1-0 halftime lead - while Vets goalkeeper Chris Georgetti saved a penalty from Atain Halley - after a dodgy refereeing decision.

In the second half the goals from Brian, and Jamie Lamplough gave the Vets a 3-0 lead before another Vets goal was ruled out - for a rather minor reason ... it was the referee who had provided the cross!

Towards the end the youngsters got a goal back via Mark Tiumalu-Faleseuga, and right at the final whistle the referee tried to balance the books awarding another dodgy, dodgy penalty which Atain this time converted.

A quick word with the referee ensured that the final whistle occured fairly shortly afterwards and the Veterans claimed the inaugural Sannazzaro Shield by a 4-2 ... ahem ... 3-2 scoreline.

Man of the Match : Vets goalkeeper Chris Georgetti

2011 Awards - Player of the Year - Paul Kulhavy

Paul Kulhavy dusted off the old football boots and got back onto the park, and #46 played a key role in the Manakau Hui Mai's midfield in 2011 - winning Player of the Year.

He wasn’t the fastest midfielder, but PK's skills lay in an ability to read the game, close off lanes, mark his man, and anticipate opposition plays, in order to make sure that Manakau dominated the centre of the pitch.

Although rarely seen in attack, PK did manage to get forward for corners and scored a couple of goals with his head when the opponents weren't looking the right way.

2011 Awards - Player of the Year - Ben Henry

Ben Henry had an outstanding football season in 2011 for Manakau FC's Hotel side and he was rewarded with the  Player of the Year shield at the recent awards night.

Ben was a fixture in the Hotel side throughout the season, and displayed an ability to strike from distance, typified by a stunning goal he scored from the edge of the penalty area against Levin at Donnelly Park in June.

A well deserved award for a top player!