Tararua District football flourishing

Dannevirke’s KB Ford Sevens had an exciting even game against Woodville Caltex.

Pretty much all the action in the round-ball game was local last weekend when Pahīatua, Woodville and Dannevirke hosted football matches against other Tararua opponents.

It proves the growth of the sport is strong in the Tararua District with 17 teams from Pahīatua, Woodville and Dannevirke playing Saturday primary football in their combined competition on a home and away basis stretching the facilities but therefore still being manageable.

Woodville Service Centre Sevens also had a really close game against Dannevirke Visique.

On Saturday Woodville juniors had all their games at home and the club made it a bit special with a sausage sizzle and a good turnout of parents to watch their kids. It was a great exhibition of football showing the future of the game is strong in the Tararua District, especially in the senior game when Woodville had a really strong tussle with Pahīatua.

Early pressure by Woodville on the Dannevirke goal in the senior women’s match on Sunday.

All action as Pahīatua Hedge Cutting played Hutton Services of Woodville in the senior nine-aside competition.

The ladies competed in a very busy midfield with good skills on both sides.

Pahīatua had its Club Day on Saturday and once again it hosted a lot of junior games, even finding two teams to travel away.

The growth of primary football has been matched by the introduction of more adult teams with both the men and women fielding new teams in the last two years.

Dannevirke has a women’s team again after two years absence, building on its original core of players, and it hosted Woodville on Sunday which is a really new team. It was an intense match with Dannevirke winning 2-0 – a goal in each half which could have gone either way. Dannevirke currently tops the second division.

The highlight for Pahīatua this week was an emphatic 8-0 win over Woodville for the senior men. Pahīatua beat the Dannevirke Vikings last week which is also a very new team to continue its top-of-the-table spot in Division Three.

The two teams Woodville and Pahīatua (nines) and their coaches at the end of the match.

Dannevirke’s Rangers playing Division Two held Massey to a 3-3 draw away on Saturday while the Vikings struggled against Takaro, going down 6-1.

Regardless of results, it is great to see the sport of football is flourishing. Go out and watch.

Dave Murdoch is a part-time photo-journalist based in Dannevirke. For the past 11 years he has covered any community story telling good news about the district.