Forrest Hill-Milford United set up a rematch of the 2014 National Women's Knockout Cup Final at QBE Stadium in a fortnight by trouncing Cashmere Technical 6-0 at Garrick Memorial Park on August 27. "The Swans" will take on cup holders Glenfield Rovers, who were made to work hard for their 1-0 win over Upper Hutt City in the other semi-final at McFetridge Park, where Katie Rood's deadlock-breaking goal half-way through the second spell ultimately proved decisive. In Christchurch, a gusty southerly made things challenging for both teams, and slippery underfoot conditions from overnight rain didn't aid the cause either. But it was the visitors who adapted quicker to the elements, earning a free-kick on the edge of the area on the quarter-hour. Malia Steinmetz's low delivery was stabbed goalwards by Tessa Berger, but while Hannah Heggarty reacted well to deny United's captain on this occasion, she was powerless to prevent "The Swans" from opening the scoring sixty seconds later. A slick interchange between Saskia Vosper and Issy Coombes sent Sammi Tawharu haring through the offside trap, and the youngster raced on before calmly picking her spot beyond the isolated figure of Heggarty, who was powerless to prevent a quality finish. The goal rocked Cashmere, and they came close to falling further behind thrice inside the next ten minutes. Emma Rolston and Tawharu set up Tayla Christensen, who drilled one past the post in the eighteenth minute, while six minutes later the striker was denied by a fine save from Heggarty, who kept out a top corner-bound effort after Chloe Wilson and Coombes had combined to set up Christensen. In between times, "The Swans" uncorked a lovely flowing move. Coombes and Tawharu combined with Vosper, and while her progress was thwarted, Steinmetz stormed in to bust through the challenges of both Ashleigh Ward and Heggarty en route to the by-line, from where she rolled the ball into the stride of Tawharu. With Heggarty stranded, a second United goal looked a racing certainty, until Annalie Longo flew in to deny the youngster in the act of shooting and effectively keep her team in the contest. Cashmere grew in confidence thanks to their talisman's intervention, and also benefited from a 26th minute error from Catherine Bott. Mikayla Wieblitz instantly swooped on the ball and fed Longo, whose cross picked out the head of Monique Barker. Her header flashed past the post. Emily Couchman's resulting goal-kick went to Coombes, but Longo was onto her in a flash, and stripped the midfielder of possession just outside the area. She then did well to retain possession in the face of a Tessa Berger challenge, before lashing a shot straight at the grateful figure of Couchman. This was the cue for Cashmere to unleash a ferocious barrage of set-piece-sourced pressure on the United goal, as they looked to redress the balance on the scoreboard. Any number of wind-assisted free-kicks and corners, primarily taken by either Ward or Wieblitz, rained in on Couchman's goal, but United's defence held firm, albeit only just on occasions. The home team was only denied an equaliser three minutes before half-time by Berger's timely tackle, which thwarted Wieblitz in the act of shooting on the edge of the penalty area after Longo had once more caught Coombes napping and played in her team-mate. Their captain's lead inspired the visitors to press for a second goal before half-time, with a Bott drive ricocheting off a defender in the 44th minute after Steinmetz's corner wasn't cleared. Haggerty saved this effort, before producing a stunning save on the stroke of half-time to keep out another Christensen cracker, her latest effort once more bound for the top right-hand corner of the net from fully twenty-five yards. Given the strength of the wind, you somehow felt that Cashmere had to score at least twice before the half-time whistle, and failure to do so would prove costly in the second spell. That's exactly how things panned out. Just four minutes into the half, with "The Swans" now benefiting from the wind beneath their wings, fullback Chisato Nagahama picked out Christensen with a lofted ball forward which allowed the striker to control the sphere and beat an opponent almost instantaneously, then unleash another twenty-five yarder. Heggarty tipped this effort over the bar, but despite

her best efforts, was unable to prevent Steinmetz's corner curling into the net by the near post - 2-0 Forrest Hill-Milford, and Cashmere in trouble. Longo knew it, and straight from the kick-off mounted a rapier-like raid which ended with Monique Barker rounding the advancing figure of Couchman and whipping in a cross from the by-line which ricocheted off the fast-retreating Bott. She managed to hook the ball to safety before diverting it into her own net. That was the let-off United needed to keep their minds on the job, and after Coombes and Steinmetz had combined to reward Wilson's rampaging run down the left - the fullback shot straight at Heggarty, United increased their lead to nigh on unassailable territory in the 55th minute. Coombes released Tawharu down the right at pace, from where she swept a pass inside to Rolston. Her final touch of the game saw her steer the sphere across the harrowed figure of Heggarty and into the bottom far corner of the net - 3-0. This time, despite their best efforts, there was no way for Cashmere, and the silence of the natives was deafening as they watched the local champions being systematically dismantled by the team which finished fifth in the Lotto Northern Premier Women's League, but one which enjoys this level of intensity virtually week in, week out, not just once or twice a season. United made it 4-0 in the 68th minute, with Wilson the architect of the goal. Receiving a pass from Couchman, she swiftly sized up the situation and sent Christensen careering down the left in pursuit of a scintillating pass which tore Cashmere's defence wide open. "The Swans"' leading markswoman wasted little time in exploiting the situation to the fullest, scything into the penalty area before curling a gorgeous shot around the helpless figure of Heggarty and into the net via the far post. Cashmere somehow prevented a fifth goal twenty minutes from time, desperate defending denying Tawharu on two occasions and Christensen once in a flurry of action made possible by Vosper's rampaging run down the right. Heggarty had to be aware when a long-range free-kick from Bott reared up in front of her in the 76th minute, to which Cashmere responded with a late rally, culminating in a Wieblitz free-kick to the far post which Megan Shea headed past the far post nine minutes before full-time. "The Swans" made no attempt to rest on their laurels - they wanted to dip their bread. Seven minutes from time, they came desperately close to going nap when Coombes' corner was cleared as far as Tawharu, whose vicious hooked volley was headed off the line by Ward. Her tireless toiling throughout proceedings epitomised Cashmere's spirit, but this was ultimately no match for the vastly more rounded game of the visitors, who delivered a double whammy in the last couple of minutes to hit Technical for six. On both occasions, Christensen led the goal celebrations. Her first effort, in the 88th minute, saw her pounce on a loose ball, race into the box and artfully curl the ball around Heggarty for goal number five. Not content with a brace, the striker completed her hat-trick in stoppage time. Steinmetz - together with Coombes, the heartbeat of "The Swans"' display - surged through the inside-right channel into the penalty area before slipping the ball into Christensen's stride. The striker swerved past a defender before pulling the trigger, and while Heggarty got her hands to the effort, she could only look on in despair as the ball spun from her grasp and trickled agonisingly over the line to leave Christensen celebrating a hat-trick, and her seventh goal in the competition this season. It was a fitting note on which to conclude proceedings, and when no-nonsense referee Nadia Browning blew the final whistle soon afterwards, a delighted Forrest Hill-Milford United team celebrated their second Cup Final appearance in three seasons with undisguised glee - theirs was a job well done, something for which all in attendance will vouch. Cashmere:     Heggarty; Price, Messervey, Van Empel, Ward; Wieblitz, Alexander (Kench, 79), Longo; C. Barker (Elliott, 71), M. Barker, Shea FHMU:     Couchman; Nagahama, Bott (booked, 29), Berger, Wilson; Steinmetz, Rolston (Owen, 56), Coombes; Vosper (booked, 37) (Mittendorf, 76), Tawharu, Christensen Referee:     Nadia Browning