Report by Jonathan Coles
On Sunday afternoon, Unicol Women lifted the Waikato Cup following a 1-0 win against Thames Women FC.
Two whole weeks had passed since Thames’ momentous comeback against Northern United Premiers, which secured their place in this year’s Waikato Cup Final. Thames had romped home in the league, winning the Division Two title by a seven-point margin. Another Division One team stood between them and a further piece of silverware: Waikato Unicol, who had enjoyed a strong league campaign themselves, finishing fourth and scoring 39 goals along the way. Galloway Park was the neutral venue chosen for the final, and as expected, a healthy crowd turned out to witness the final chapter of the 2025 season.
The opening exchanges were tense, the weight of the occasion clear as both sides chased the pivotal first goal. A lapse in concentration in the Thames back line saw the ball break to Francesca Kay in the box — the striker made no mistake and applied a calm finish to give Unicol the decisive early lead after just eight minutes.
Unicol continued on the front foot in the opening stages, working the ball wide and peppering the box with a series of crosses. Thames defended assiduously, with Brooke Douglas and Louise Hinds-Haye dealing with the danger well. Having ridden the early storm, Thames began to dominate the midfield, with Samantha Chamberlain dictating the tempo as they searched for a way back into the game. A swift turn and pass from Jess Rendall found the run of Keltie McManus, whose low shot was well saved by Amy Jenkins in the Unicol goal. Thames then created several chances down the right, with neat interplay between Beth Powell and Lydia Mahon producing a string of dangerous crosses that caused havoc in the box, but they couldn’t find the finishing touch.
The second half fell into a familiar pattern — Thames on the front foot, with their opponents soaking up pressure and poised for counterattacks. Long-range efforts from Samantha Chamberlain and Douglas rose just over the bar before a McManus corner was headed just wide of the far post. With time starting to slip away, Bryony Wayne kept Thames in the game as she reacted well with a smart save to keep Unicol at bay. Thames began to commit players forward, and captain Emma Hinds-Senior — who had led by example all game — floated a ball wide to Rendall, who burst past the defence. The cross caused a melee in the box, with the ball eventually rebounding off the bar and out of play.
Thames carved out several shooting chances in the final few minutes, but Jenkins produced a string of brilliant saves to keep Unicol’s noses in front. Unicol held on, surviving one final onslaught from the Thames attack. The referee’s whistle brought to an end a tight and tense encounter that ultimately went the way of Unicol, with an early goal proving the difference.
The match capped a remarkable season for Thames Women, who secured the league title and finished as cup runners-up — the club’s most successful campaign in recent history. The future is bright for Thames Women, with a committed young coach, a talented group of players, and a season in Division One ahead in 2026.
“Today’s loss was tough, especially in such a big final. It’s hard when you dominate but can’t find the net. Still, I’m incredibly proud of our team. We controlled most of the match, especially the second half, with shots just missing, hitting the bar, and their keeper making great saves. Their effort proved they fully deserved to be in the final,” said manager Xavier Brown.
“This season has been remarkable. Every player has worked hard, improving both individually and as a team. With promotion to Division One next year, I’m confident we’ll keep progressing and make another strong cup run.”
“A huge thank you to the squad for their hard work, to Ergin my assistant coach for his commitment and support, Emma my captain who has played every minute of every game and helped some of the new younger players, and to everyone at the club who helps behind the scenes, and our supporters who made it to away games to cheer the ladies and help us win crucial games at home. I’m unbelievably proud of these girls and excited to see what we can achieve next season.”
