Football: Bet your boots on Northland women

Michaela Ruddell in action for the highly successful Northland FC women's team. They took out the Auckland Football Federation/Northern Football Federation Conference League.

Northland FC's two top sides couldn't have more differing records this year; and it's the women coming out on top.

While the men's team have struggled throughout the 2016 season, the women have taken out the Auckland Football Federation/Northern Football Federation Conference League (AFF/NFF).

There was a tense wait in the final round where they needed Papakura City FC to lose their last fixture in order to win, but they needn't have worried.

Metro FC beat Papakura 2-1 to clinch the title for Northland FC.

Northland FC ended with a 14-win, 4-loss record to top the AFF/NFF on goal difference.

Fencibles United ended on the same points as the Northlanders, but it was Northland's superior attack that got them over the line.

Team manager Laurence Berry had nothing but praise for coach Carl Compaan and his ability to bring the team together.

"Northland FC employed Carl Compaan as coach partway through the 2015 season, our aim being to establish a strong team culture with clear aims," he said.

"The objective in that year was to achieve a top 4 placing which we did manage, coming in third, albeit quite a way behind winners Metro FC.

"Carl is a naturally cautious man and would not openly claim any higher aims for 2016, although on several occasions he did say to me that he thought his team might have a chance at top two.

"After a poor start to the season with three losses out of four games, the team started to click and trust in Carl and each other."

The AFF/NFF consists of teams from south Auckland up to Northland.

The home and away regional tournaments that all Northland FC squads participate in require Far North teams to travel to Auckland every second week, an arduous mid-winter journey.

Berry said that while Compaan would brush off praise, he was a great coach.

"He is a very good team builder who managed to make a team out of a wide range of ages and skill sets," he said.

"He has a prolific goal scorer in Nicole Stratford and a visionary defender in Alex Kelly, but the team's success was definitely their ability to work together and trust in Carl's leadership."

With the AFF/NFF title wrapped up, the team now turn their focus to the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Federation.

They will take on the winner of that title in a home-and-away series to see who gets promoted into the NRFL Premier League.