A dramatic second half fightback from United Soccer’s National Women’s Soccer League team saw them record a 3-2 victory over a gallant New Zealand Under-17s Development Squad at McLennan Park on October 13, after the youngsters led 2-0 at half-time. After Stephanie Stephens had squandered a great chance to open the scoring for the North Harbour representatives in the fourth minute, Sara Clapham showed her opponent how it was done with a thumping close-range drive five minutes later, volleying home an Emma Humphries corner which the hard-working Jamie Hackett had forced for the Under-17s. Stung, United were quick to pursue an equaliser, with the hard-working Sarah Gibbs thwarted by Kimberley Lewis after Under-17 goalkeeper Alison Bradley had badly misjudged a back-pass situation. But there was a lack of fluency in both teams’ play, particularly that of the North Harbour combination, which, while it enjoyed the greater share of possession, did not look the likelier side to score during this period. That the Under-17s looked the more dangerous side on attack owed much to a defensive effort by United which looked anything but united in nature. Disjointed doesn’t even begin to do justice to the quartet performing in front of goalkeeper Rachel Howard - the impression gleaned was that they’d met each other five minutes before kick-off, and were discovering their strengths and weaknesses as they went along. That all four players concerned appeared in the same Takapuna team throughout the 2002 Northern Premier Women’s League campaign would have come as a complete surprise to anyone seeing them in action for the first time. Such a statement is a damning testament of their overall first half performance, and one United coach Billy Harris quite rightly took them to task on during the interval. Before then, however, United had conceded a second goal, and, but for Howard turning a Kirsty Yallop penalty to safety on the half-hour mark - Rebecca Simpson had felled Sarah Ropati in the area after an initial burst by the most impressive Emily McColl - it could have been worse. Instead, the hundred-odd spectators present were treated to an accomplished finish from Clapham, who cracked the ball past Howard without hesitation, following Hackett’s initial burst, which ruthlessly exposed United’s defensive frailties for all and sundry to see. Liz O’Meara took it upon herself to try and drag United back into the match before the interval, shooting wide of the mark just seconds after another effort by the speedy front-runner had been saved by Bradley. Four minutes before the interval, Ropati had the chance to make it 3-0 to the Under-17s, after Hackett had again created merry hell down the right - the striker, playing against some of her Takapuna team-mates, was having great fun at their expense. But with just Howard to beat, Ropati lifted the ball over the bar, leaving the Under-17s holding that dangerous lead at half-time, 2-0. United had already endured their share of problems just getting to the ground - their bus driver initially took them to Massey Park, the home of Papakura Rugby Club!! What with that, and being 2-0 down at half-time, there was only one thing to do - take to the field and perform like demons throughout the second half! One thing had changed before the interval, however, which was to play a significant part in their rousing comeback. Coach Harris replaced midfielder Rebecca Parkinson with veteran striker Gillian Thurlow, and it was her experience, allied to Elina Tito reverting to a central midfield role, which proved a telling factor in the final outcome. United hit the ground running from the resumption, and within 104 seconds, had dragged themselves back into the match. Concerted pressure, in which Thurlow, Tito, O’Meara and Gibbs were very much central figures, gained its due reward when Catherine Porteous volleyed home the goal which gave the United side renewed belief that all was not lost. Thurlow then twice went close just before the hour mark - Bradley produced a fine save low to her left on the second occasion

- while there were chances at both ends of the park soon after, Hackett and O’Meara the players most in despair at the sight of the ball missing the target. In the 65th minute, Jenny Cross, one of the two Whangarei-based players in the United squad, had what appeared to be clear-cut claims for a penalty turned away by referee Sam Tompsett, after the lively midfielder had gone down in the area under the challenge of Lewis. It led to yet more pressure from the team based north of Auckland’s Harbour Bridge, but not before Howard somehow kept out a glorious opportunity for Under-17 substitute Stacey Fraser, who found herself all alone in the penalty area with just the ‘keeper to beat in the 68th minute. Fourteen minutes from time, United’s game was summed up in one incident. Jen Kendall met a Gibbs corner to the near post with a delightful header, only for Sveta Hawke to clear the ball off the line. It landed at the feet of Thurlow, upon whom you would have put your life savings to level matters in this situation, had there been time to do so. Inexplicably, she sliced her effort wide of the mark, leaving the Under-17s to hang on to their 2-1 advantage, with the time for United to avoid defeat fast reducing. Ten minutes from time, Gibbs and Thurlow combined with Cross to present Tito with a great chance, but the midfielder shot straight at Bradley - would it be one of those days? "Not if I can help it!", said O’Meara, who took the bull by the horns seven minutes from time. Latching onto a Kendall pass, she tore at the Under-17s defence and evaded a couple of challenges before crashing the ball across the advancing Bradley and into the far corner of the net. 2-2, and all to play for. Having come from two goals down, United now had the bit between their teeth, and there was no way on earth they were going to let their hard work go to waste now. Sure enough, with four minutes left, they clinched the points. Kendall robbed the tiring McColl in midfield and supplied O’Meara with the ball. Thurlow was running through ahead of her strike partner, and the sphere duly arrived at the wily front-runner’s feet. The player who won the National Tournament for Auckland in 1995 coolly sized up the situation and slipped the ball beyond Bradley into the far corner of the net to secure a 3-2 win for a determined United Soccer combination, at the expense of an equally gallant Under-17 side, who will learn from this experience, make no mistake. "They’ll have to, very quickly", said stand-in coach, Dave Parkinson, afterwards. "In each game they’ll play in this league, they’ll come up against players who have more experience, and who will use that against them. "And while they are young girls, they still need to improve their on-field communications. These things will come, however, and this league will certainly help their progress in that regard". United Soccer mentor, Billy Harris, made no secret of his displeasure with his side’s first half display. "Our attitude wasn’t there in the first half - we weren’t mentally prepared for the match, and we didn’t use our size and strength to our advantage. We got it sorted out at half-time, and got stuck in to the task at hand in the second half. "Gillian Thurlow and Liz O’Meara  played well for us, while Elina Tito’s switch back to midfield certainly assisted our recovery - changing the line-up after going two goals down was crucial in the final outcome". United now endure the longest trip of any of the teams in the new league, as they head to Surrey Park, Invercargill, on October 19, for a clash with Southern Soccer (Otago-Southland). Meanwhile, the Under-17s head to Porritt Stadium on October 20, to take on Force Three (Waikato - Bay of Plenty). United:          Howard; Whittle, Porteous (Ebbett, 51), Simpson, Stephens (Heath, 82); Cross, Kendall, Parkinson (Thurlow, 37), Gibbs; O’Meara, Tito Under-17s:     Bradley; Flaxman (Hawke, 58), Campbell, Lewis, Hokai; Humphries (Fraser, 46), Yallop, McColl (Tegg, 87), Ropati; Clapham, Hackett Referee:     Sam Tompsett