Northern Football claimed their maiden women's footballing honour when recording a 3-0 victory over Waikato-Bay of Plenty in a rain-soaked ASB National Women's Youth League Grand Final at Parrs Park on December 4, but their post-match celebrations were somewhat muted after the match was ended a minute earlier than planned. A collision on the edge of the penalty area between Northern goalkeeper Pam Yates and Wai-BOP substitute Brianna Stewart left the young attacker screaming in agony, and facing a lengthy time in plaster as she recovers from a compound fracture of her tibia. It was a sad and sobering note on which to end the match and the women's footballing year - certainly not what any of those present had anticipated. They had seen a good contest unfold, with both teams doing their best in the prevailing conditions - at times slushy, always wet, and with a down-the-ground wind which was worth at least a goal start to the team playing with it. Wai-BOP were first to enjoy the advantage of the elements, and played some cultured wet-weather football, although it was Northern who enjoyed the first chance when Katie Rood's diving header flashed across the face of goal in the second minute, on receipt of a cross from the ever-industrious Hannah Wilkinson. Holly Patterson stung Yates' gloves with a twenty-yarder six minutes later before Wai-BOP got into their stride with a twelfth minute move in which Kylie Jens and Patterson were prominent. The latter's cross flew just behind the head of Helen Collins, but dropped perfectly into the stride of Olivia Chance, who was only thwarted by Yates' save at her feet. Two minutes later, Jens headed a Sarah McLaughlin corner past the post before Hannah Carlsen and Rebecca O'Neill worked a one-two which saw the former's effort deflected to safety at the other end of the park. Throughout proceedings, referee Anna-Marie Keighley was faced with the age-old conundrum which invariably confronts match officials in rain-soaked conditions - letting play flow as much as possible or intervening every time an offence took place. By and large, she opted for the former approach, which worked on some occasions but not all in this match, much to the frustration of many. While play generally flowed, a lot of niggly stuff was largely allowed to go unchecked, save for the one occasion the yellow card was brandished, to Jens for a sturdy challenge on Claudia Crasborn. Caitlin Campbell, who celebrated the 100th goal of her career with a free-kick from similar range a week ago which earned Northern their place in the final, attempted to embark on her next century with a similar effort, but Naomi-Beth Carter proved equal to the task on this occasion. Kate Loye had a mixed bag of a game in Wai-BOP's midfield. She was only denied the chance to open the scoring by the excellent anticipation of Yates in the 21st minute, after surging onto an Olivia Chance pass, but was caught in possession six minutes later by Liz Milne, who didn't put a foot wrong throughout the first half. The fullback quickly turned defence into attack, supplying Wilkinson with a pass through the inside-left channel which the goal-hungry striker drilled towards Carter's near post. The 'keeper turned this effort to safety, and was grateful to see Libby Williams heading clear on the half-hour after Rood's pass to Crasborn had resulted in a teasing cross to the far post where Wilkinson was arriving on cue. Ten minutes before the interval, Wai-BOP contrived a well-worked opening after Sarah McLaughlin pounced on a poor clearance. She worked a one-two with Loye before slipping the ball into the stride of Patterson, only for the fleet-footed youngster to be denied by a superbly timed tackle by Milne. The visitors continued to press, with Chance and Loye combining on the left three minutes later. Caitlin Smallfield's attempt to tidy up their handiwork saw her sliced clearance career across the face of her own goal. Northern ended the half on the attack - Carter

grabbed Carlsen's twenty-five yarder, while Rebecca Burrows rattled the crossbar after more mayhem of Milne's making - but in between times they survived strong penalty claims. A glaring error by Yates was swiftly pounced on by Patterson inside the penalty area. But before she had the chance to capitalise, she found herself face-to-face with the turf as the goalkeeper and the ever-alert Megan Lee combined to avert the danger. Referee Keighley's indecision meant the home team could breathe easy as the scoreless first half concluded. With the wind now at their backs, Northern had the chance to impress their more direct style of play on proceedings, and did so in emphatic fashion. After Wilkinson had stung Carter's gloves from twenty yards, Campbell's 51st minute corner wasn't adequately dealt with by the 'keeper, and the ensuing scramble was only ended by Kate Carlton's goal-line clearance. Another Campbell corner, in the 53rd minute, proved the undoing of Wai-BOP. The ball was headed back to the supplier, who drove a cross beyond the far post. O'Neill rose to head the ball back across goal, where Wilkinson swooped to stab home from close range - 1-0. Northern maintained their concerted pressure - the game had been largely one-way traffic since the start of the second half - and were only denied a second goal on the hour when Rachel Porteous stepped in at the vital moment to deny Carlsen, after Wilkinson had made in-roads down the left. The last-mentioned ensured there was no way back for Wai-BOP in the 64th minute, and in the process confirmed her status as the ASB National Women's Youth League's Golden Boot winner. She met a Milne cross with a towering header which arced over Carter and into the far corner of the net - 2-0. Wai-BOP's 'keeper was to the fore in the next few minutes, punching clear off the head of the goalscorer before saving at the feet of substitute Steph Skilton, after Wilkinson had galloped away down the left upon being released by Rood's pass. Then, after Campbell had narrowly cleared the crossbar with a twenty-five yard free-kick, Burrows rattled the crossbar once more, this time with a controlled twenty yard effort after Skilton had led a left flank raid. Any hopes Wai-BOP harboured of mounting a dramatic comeback evaporated thirteen minutes from time, when Burrows' unerring fifteen yard finish left Carter beaten all ends up, after O'Neill's initial run and shot had been blocked by the hard-working Eileish Hayes. Soon after, Skilton spurned a chance to further increase Northern's lead when shooting straight at Carter, before the visitors finally managed to engineer a couple of opportunities for a consolation goal. Substitute Tessa Leong was the player afforded the chance on each occasion, the first of which saw Patterson's through ball leaving the youngster one-on-one with Yates. A tame inaccurate finish was not what the doctor ordered in the 82nd minute, but two minutes later, Leong had the chance to make amends. This time, Collins supplied the pass, but Yates read the situation admirably, racing well out of goal to hamper Leong's progress just enough to enable Lee to race back and tidy things up for a Northern team which went close again before the finish - Williams prevented Wilkinson from capitalising on Tayla O'Brien's pass. Soon after came a sound no-one wants to hear on any football pitch anywhere in the world. Northern's celebratory cheers were far more preferable, but they were understandably muted as the unfortunate plight of Brianna Stewart left all present feeling somewhat subdued. Northern:     Yates; Campbell, Smallfield, Lee, Milne; O'Neill, Carlsen (Knott, 87), Burrows; Rood (O'Brien, 79), Wilkinson, Crasborn (Skilton, 54) Wai-BOP:     Carter; Williams, Carlton, Hayes, Jens (booked, 18); McLaughlin, Porteous (Leong, 71), Loye; Patterson, Collins (Stewart, 85), Chance Referee:     Anna-Marie Keighley