"We were up against a very efficient Takapuna side who are right in the crest of the wave at the moment, full of confidence and with some very good players. On the day we just had no answer, we could not match them. We were outplayed all over the park. Based on what I saw they'll go a long way towards winning the competition.
"In Auckland the melting pot is so big, there are so many players of quality, but you come down to a little village team like Ngongotaha and we are struggling.
"But again the guys kept going, despite the scoreline. The match fitness was a factor, the last sort of 20 minutes the legs were going and there's nothing I can do to accelerate that now, that base should be set before the season starts but it hasn't happened," Cane said.
He said, being 4-0 down at halftime, he told the players it was about pride and they did improve.
"Obviously we weren't going to win the game so it was about stemming the tide and I think we did that. The second-half performance was a lot more committed and we only conceded the two goals, but it was like chalk and cheese as far as the teams were concerned."
Ngongotaha face another long away trip to Northland in their next game.
NRFL Division Two results
Saturday, April 7
Franklin Utd 1-1 Onehunga Mangere Utd (HT: 0-0)
FRA: Kartik Kumar 52′
OMU: Sangster Crawford 50′
Albany Utd 2-0 Northland (HT: 1-0)
ALB: Gareth Clark 16′, Jack Hadfield 56′
NOR:
Te Atatu 0-7 Claudelands Rovers (HT: 0-3)
TAT:
CLA: Bailey Webster 16′ 85′, Owen Comber 24′, David Smith 34′, Luke Wassenaar 47′, Henry Stephen 72′ 88′
Takapuna 6-1 Ngongotaha (HT: 4-0)
TAK: Tommy Miller 19′ 23′ 25′ 44′ 54′ 75′
NGO: Yamil Casas 72′
Cambridge 0-3 Papakura (HT: 0-1)
CAM:
PAP: Cory Mackay 33′ 82′, Kevin Singh 71′
Bucklands Beach 3-3 Metro (HT: 1-2
BUC: Lucas Stead 22′, Scott Foster 52′, Joshua Smith 65′
MET: David Rayner 29′ 49′(Pen), Jonathan Workman 32′,
