The men’s National League Championship kicked off last weekend with Cashmere Technical storming to the top of the table after a 4-0 over Wellington powerhouse, and de facto reigning champions (although last year’s competition couldn’t feature the Northern League sides), Miramar Rangers. But stats speaking was that a shock? We’ve run the numbers on all the Championship sides regional games to check it out.

Average Points Per Game

Auckland City FC (22 games/61 points) – 2.77
Cashmere Technical (18/49) – 2.72
Christchurch United (18/49) – 2.72
Wellington Olympic (18/45) – 2.50
Birkenhead United (22/50) – 2.27
Auckland United (22/49) – 2.23
Miramar Rangers (18/40) – 2.22
Melville United (22/45) – 2.05
Wellington Phoenix (18/33) – 1.83
Napier City Rovers (18/28) – 1.56

Auckland City have the highest average points per game but Cashmere Technical and Christchurch United are joint in second place after both teams dominated the Southern League. Auckland City may have swept all aside in the Northern League, finishing 11 points clear of 2nd placed Birkenhead United, but Cash Tech and United finished an even further margin ahead in the Southern League, 13 points clear of 3rd place Nelson Suburbs. 
 

Things were much tighter in the Central League with Wellington Olympic only five points ahead of Miramar Rangers in 2nd. 


Average Goals Scored Per Game

Cashmere Technical (18 games/79 goals) - 4.39
Christchurch United (18/74) - 4.11
Wellington Olympic (18/71) - 3.94
Miramar Rangers (18/63) - 3.50
Auckland City FC (22/68) - 3.09
Auckland United (22/60) - 2.73
Birkenhead United (22/56) - 2.55
Melville United (22/55) - 2.50
Napier City Rovers (18/35) - 1.94
Wellington Phoenix (18/32) - 1.78

The two Southern League sides top the table after a strong season in front of goal. Cash Tech’s Garbhan Coughlan finished the season as the top scorer across all three regional leagues with 25, despite playing four fewer games than the Northern League sides.

Wellington Olympic had the third highest average goals per game, with 43% of goals coming from Gianni Bouzoukis (17) and winger/wing back Jack-Henry Sinclair (14). 

Average Goals Conceded Per Game

Christchurch United (18 games/12 goals) - 0.67
Auckland City FC (22/16) - 0.73
Wellington Olympic (18/15) - 0.83
Wellington Phoenix (18/17) - 0.94
Auckland United (22/22) - 1.00
Melville United (22/22) - 1.00
Miramar Rangers (18/19) - 1.06
Birkenhead United (22/24) - 1.09
Cashmere Technical (18/20) - 1.11
Napier City Rovers (18/28) – 1.56

This is where the numbers split for the Southern League sides and what tipped the balance in favour of Christchurch United winning the title with Paul Ifill's side only conceding an average of 0.67 goals per game vs Cash Tech’s 1.11. 
 

As Northern League champions it is no surprise to see Auckland City FC in 2nd but Wellington Phoenix in 4th is impressive compared to their average points per game. 


Average U20 Player Minutes Per Game

Wellington Phoenix (18 games/16,780 total minutes by U20s) - 932.22 minutes per game
Melville United (22/7,053) - 320.59
Birkenhead United (22/5,356) - 243.45
Miramar Rangers (18/3,828) - 212.67
Napier City Rovers (18/3,070) - 170.56
Cashmere Technical (18/3,069) - 170.50
Auckland City FC (22/3,691) - 167.77
Christchurch United (18/2,945) - 163.61
Auckland United (22/3,478) - 158.09
Wellington Olympic (18/2,648) - 147.11

It would be somewhat of a shock if Wellington Phoenix didn’t top the table for minutes by players under 20 considering the team is made up of their academy side but it is still impressive to see the playing time given to young players, one of the goals of the new National League. 

Melville United had the second highest number of minutes by players under 20 with Joshua Galletly, Campbell Brown, Oliver Colloty and Jerson Giraldo all regulars throughout the campaign. 

Article added: Friday 07 October 2022