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Massey University v. Coastal Spirit 230815 | Glenfield Rovers v. Massey University 200915
Glenfield Rovers v. Massey University 200915
Glenfield Comfortably Retain Prized Trophy
by Jeremy Ruane
Glenfield Rovers comfortably retained the ASB National Women's Knockout Cup at Trusts Stadium on 20 September, cruising to a 4-0 victory over Massey University to claim the trophy for the third time in five seasons.
Massey began the match brightly, Jane Barnett testing Pam Yates after just twenty seconds, before being denied by the goalkeeper in the fifth minute after being played through by Imogen Bos.
Rovers' response was to the point and direct - very direct, in fact. From a corner, no less, Estelle Harrison's set piece delivery arcing into the net without intervention from another party in the thirteenth minute of play, much to the delight of the scorer, who would later be named winner of the Maia Jackman Trophy, the honour for the Cup Final's star individual.
Massey were stunned by this setback, and looked to respond instantly. Amber Phillips picked out Barnett, who released the overlapping figure of Sarah Morton at pace down the right. Her cross for Rhonda Bridges was plucked off her head by Yates, who instantly ignited a counter-attack which featured Rebecca Burrows' cross-field pass to send Briar McNamara motoring down the right.
There was no one up in support when she delivered her cross, but when Rovers next attacked, in the seventeenth minute, Liz Milne's corner picked out Bridgette Armstrong, whose looping volley arced inches over the bar, much to the relief of on-looking goalkeeper Nicolette Adamson.
Rovers continued to press, McNamara pulling her shot across the face of goal after Jess Innes lobbed one over the top for her speedy team-mate to exploit. But this incident apart, there was little end product for all the holders' endeavours, and as the half wore on Massey looked the side more likely to score next.
To this end, Barnett was their key outlet. Her twenty-yarder, following a Siobhan Patterson pass, caught Yates' attention just shy of the half-hour mark, while nine minutes later Sarah Morton's superb work down the right culminated in her playing a one-two with the free-scoring striker, the overlapping fullback's enterprising raid culminating in a shot which beat Yates but flashed narrowly past the far post.
Two goals in as many minutes in the shadows of the half-time whistle killed the game as a contest. The first, in the 43rd minute, saw Belinda Van Noorden splendidly head home another Harrison corner.
Two minutes later, Burrows battered a twenty-five yarder towards the target. Adamson parried the effort, but was powerless to prevent Stacey Hallford from hammering home the rebound to put Glenfield 3-0 up and on easy street.
The students had to be first to score in the second spell, and they sought to do just that early on. Sarah Morton - Massey's best player on the day -
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intercepted a pass before linking with Bos and Bridges, who got the better of Yates in the area, only to be forced wide by the 'keeper.
Bridges' subsequent cross wasn't much chop, and Rovers promptly streamed downfield and earned themselves another corner. Once more, Harrison delivered quality, and once more Massey failed to clear their lines, Milne administering suitable punishment from three yards - 4-0, with just 53 minutes on the clock.
That effectively killed the contest, and Burrows came close to making it a nap hand for Rovers five minutes later. Robbing Jess Oulaghan on the edge of the penalty area, the midfield general unleashed an instant snapshot which Adamson grabbed greedily.
Seconds later, Van Noorden and Phillips tangled, with the ball breaking kindly for Innes, who unleashed a first-time screamer which careered past Adamson and crashed against the post before rebounding to safety.
Innes was involved again moments later, Van Noorden flicking on the midfielder's cross into the stride of substitute Sonja Bain, who sidestepped the challenge of Charlotte Gordon before letting fly. Adamson saved at the second attempt, her first attempt seeing the ball go between her legs.
That was Gordon's last contribution to the contest, the fullback having to be stretchered off after aggravating the knee injury which she carried into the final. Her team-mates' task now centred on trying to score a consolation goal, to which end Barnett went close twenty minutes from time, firing past both Yates and the right-hand post after Phillips had released her at pace.
After Bain and Innes had stung the palms of Adamson from distance, another Harrison corner twelve minutes from time had Massey at sixes and sevens - they really struiggled to cope with her deliveries all game long. This one picked out the head of Milne, but Rose Morton's intervention prevented Glenfield's captain from doubling her tally for the half.
Burrows went close soon after with a twenty-five yard curler, before Yates raced out to block at the feet of Bos in stoppage time, preventing Massey from securing the consolation goal they sought, and ensuring Glenfield would clinch the trophy for the second successive year, this time without conceding a goal in all the ties they played - the first the cup-winning side has achieved this feat since 2002.
Glenfield: Yates; Oosterhof, Milne Armstrong, Harrison; Jorgensen, Burrows, Innes; Hallford (Rood, 75), Van Noorden (Noyer, 85), McNamara (Bain, 55)
Massey: Adamson; S. Morton, Phillips, Oulaghan, Gordon (Wilson, 64); Green (Van Lienen, 69), R. Morton, Bos, Patterson; Barnett, Bridges (Gates, 87)
Referee: Anna-Marie Keighley
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