Havelock North Wanderers now at home on higher stage

Sydney Grant-Smith (left) embraces goalscorer Olivia Wallis during Havelock North Wanderers' win over Palmerston North United. Photo / Paul Taylor.

It hasn’t taken Havelock North Wanderers long to acclimatise.

No one at the club had much idea how the team would fare in the Central Football Women’s Federation League this season.

It’s a level Havelock North Wanderers haven’t played at for several years and the beginnings of this campaign weren’t awfully auspicious. Beaten 4-0 by Moturoa, from New Plymouth, in the first game of the season, the team wondered what they’d signed themselves up for.

But any fears they might be out of their depth were quickly allayed on Sunday, when Havelock North Wanderers beat Palmerston North United 4-1 at Guthrie Park.

Olivia Wallis scored all four, to ensure the side didn’t have to wait long for their first win at the higher echelon.

“The girls were much better for the experience last week,” coach Greig Grant-Smith said.

Wallis put them 2-0 up early and completed her hat-trick by halftime, as Havelock North Wanderers went to the break at 3-1. She added a fourth in the second spell to secure an emphatic 4-1 victory.

Havelock North Wanderers' Olivia Wallis completes a first-half hat-trick against Palmerston North United. Photo / Paul Taylor

“They took their opportunities really well and stuck at it for the full 90 minutes, which was really good given the girls are still adjusting to that level. It was a good result.”

And vindication of the club’s desire to give female players greater opportunities.

Havelock North Wanderers boast a number of girls’ junior teams, along with three more at women’s senior level. Moving this side up to federation level was as much about the future as the present.

“We wanted to create a pathway for aspiring players and this was the next step. The junior club’s really, really strong and if girls in Hawke’s Bay want to take their game further, this is another way for them to do that,” said Grant-Smith.