The Southern United Herald
Match18 Nov 2026
Southern United march on in the cup
Waitakere United are out and Southern United go through, 6‑5 the final word. The bracket opens up a little, and everyone allows themselves a look at it.
Match21 Nov 2026
Chastening afternoon for Southern United
A 1‑5 beating by WaiBOP United was the sort of result that empties a stadium long before the final whistle.
Match23 Nov 2026
Every point is an argument now for Southern United
Position 7 and 0 points, and the table gets read bottom-up in this part of town. The calendar has stopped being a schedule and started being a countdown.
Match18 Nov 2026
Stefan Garbett wins it after the whistle should have gone
123 minutes played. Stefan Garbett found the finish in time that only existed because of earlier delays, and Waitakere United went from a point to nothing inside one movement.
Player ratings23 Nov 2026
Both of them Ben Nelson's — 9.45
2 goals, and the second was the one that settled it. Marked 9.45, and he could have had a third with better luck at the near post.
Squad23 Nov 2026
Chris Tuiloma keeps Southern United in it on his own
Some afternoons a goalkeeper is the team. 8 saves, several of them the sort nobody expects to see stopped, and a scoreline that flatters everybody in front of him.
Squad23 Nov 2026
Stefan Garbett takes the match ball home
3 goals in one afternoon from one man. The other players were also present, a witness confirmed.
Market23 Nov 2026
Jai Payne puts it in writing
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at Southern United, and it is not being withdrawn.
Player ratings23 Nov 2026
Owen Kirwan, 17, steals the show — 7.88
Marked 7.88 at 17, in a side that makes no allowances for age. He did not need any, and he looked the least nervous man on the pitch.
In brief
- Squad Tempers go at Southern United
- Match Winston Smith among the goals in a wild afternoon
- Player ratings Stefan Garbett was on a different afternoon to everybody else