Auckland’s pursuit of another Lion Foundation National Women’s League title  continued unabated on November 7, as they put Waikato-Bay of Plenty to the sword 7-0 at a gloriously sunny Crown Park in Taupo, despite fielding one of the most inexperienced teams in the province’s history. The "A Team" kicked off with six players in their starting line-up who had played two games apiece at most for their province. In light of this inexperience, Wai-BOP fancied their chances of causing an upset at this picturesque footballing set-up, but found themselves two goals down inside the opening quarter hour. Debutant Libby Williams - an eye-catching display - sparked off the eighth minute which put Auckland on the road to victory, withstanding the pressure of Jessica Rollings to lay the ball off for Ashleigh Cox to fire towards the half-way line. It was going out of play, but Melanie Gooch’s pursuit of the ball proved fruitful, flicking it back for Grace Vincent to send Rebecca Tegg surging through the inside-left channel with a probing thirty-yard pass which put the striker in behind the defence. Wai-BOP ‘keeper Jodie Fleming stood not a prayer - 1-0. Seven minutes later, the "A Team" doubled their advantage. Dana Humby’s superbly flighted free-kick from just inside the Wai-BOP half arced into the goalmouth. Fleming spilled it, and while the home team were able to scramble the ball out of the area, Vincent was lurking some twenty yards from goal, and promptly returned it with interest - 2-0. Wai-BOP’s response, straight from the kick-off, saw Rollings and the hard-working Nicole Stratford work a series of one-twos down the right, with the former ultimately laying the ball back for the latter to whip in a wicked cross beyond the far post. Ashleigh Cox came and missed it, but Rebecca Wall, under pressure, was unable to direct her volley into the unguarded net. Three minutes later, Caitlin Whitford got the better of Emily Cooper in midfield and pinged the ball forward. Humby’s hesitancy was pounced on by Brogan Mathieson, who darted into the penalty area before firing an inviting cross across the face of goal, only to find no-one in a red shirt up in support. In the 22nd minute, a wayward Katherine Robinson pass was swooped on by Jo Rombouts, whose deep cross found Cooper haring forward in support from midfield. She beat an opponent but sent her shot sizzling over the crossbar on this occasion. Three minutes later, Vincent went closer, pouncing on a stray pass from Naomi Courtney-Tennant to thrash a twenty-yarder goalwards. Fleming, at full stretch, just managed to get her fingertips to the ball to turn it to safety. Just after the half-hour mark, Robinson went close with a cracking twenty-yard free-kick which only just cleared Cox’s crossbar. Tegg led Auckland’s response, a slide-rule pass from half-way which sent Gooch galloping through the heart of Wai-BOP’s defence. As she attempted to round the advancing figure of Fleming, Stratford appeared from nowhere to whip the ball to safety. The defender was outstanding in a beaten team, and seconds after her heroics rampaged downfield on a powerful run from half-way before checking inside and letting fly a screamer from twenty-five yards. The dipping 38th minute effort beat Cox all ends up, only to crash back into play off the underside of the crossbar. Mathieson, following in like all good strikers should, then headed the rebound over the top of a gaping goal. After Tegg had fired narrowly past the post upon evading a couple of challenges, another surging Stratford run resulted in Mathieson racing through

Jo Rombouts (Auck) shields from Caitlin Whitford (WBOP) Grace Vincent (Auck) and Caitlin Whitford (WBOP) dispute possession Libby Williams (Auck) tracked by Jessica Rollings (WBOP) Briony Fisher (Auck) watched by Kerri Gerrits (WBOP) and Emily Cooper (Auck, obscured)

on goal with just Cox to beat. The ‘keeper promptly slipped - surely the striker must score! But no! Cox was able to smother the ball at the striker’s feet as she looked to round her - a glorious chance spurned. And how Waikato-Bay of Plenty were made to pay for it. Cox’s clearance resulted in a throw-in for Auckland in the 43rd minute. Williams’ delivery allowed Tegg to turn her marker, and the striker nonchalantly flicked the ball inside the near post of the wrong-footed Fleming. The home team attempted to get on the scoreboard straight from the kick-off, but Cox confidently plucked Courtney-Tennant’s twenty-five yarder from the skies, and sparked off another attack … and another goal. Tegg played Vincent in on the left, and her cross was turned home on the far post by the unmarked Stephanie Skilton. The half-time score of 4-0 increased just twenty-one seconds into the second half. Vincent pounced on a defensive blunder just outside the penalty area and sent a twenty-yarder sailing over the head of Fleming before the home team knew what had hit them. Seven minutes later, Tegg made it 6-0. Humby pinged in another precise free-kick which resulted in Gooch causing pandemonium in the heart of Wai-BOP’s defence. Ricochets and rebounds abounded until Auckland’s captain appeared on the scene and completed her hat-trick, prodding the ball home into an empty net. Rollings set off down the flank from the kick-off, slaloming through three challenges before unleashing a shot packed with frustration at Auckland’s goal. Cox smothered it, and gleefully plucked a rasping Kerri Gerrits drive from the sky on the hour as Wai-BOP kept pressing in the face of adversity. A string of substitutions and bookings - referee Gordon Campbell made some interesting decisions in this regard - broke up the flow of the game significantly over the course of the next twenty-odd minutes, in which time Tegg, Rollings - from thirty yards - and debutant "A Team" substitute Tayla Jane Heatherington all fired shots wide of their respective targets. Tegg then collided with Fleming eight minutes from time, as her pursuit of a raking Cox clearance went unrewarded, while Auckland’s ‘keeper was forced to save at the feet of Gerrits seconds later, after another Rollings-led raid down Wai-BOP’s right flank. The reigning champions wrapped up the scoring in stoppage time. Briony Fisher, Tegg and Cooper - impressive movement off the ball throughout - combined on the right, with the midfielder ultimately laying the ball back for the fullback to fire in an inviting first-time cross. Tegg’s striker’s instincts took over as she stuck out her leg and steered the ball wide of the stranded figure of Fleming into the corner of the net to complete an afternoon Wai-BOP will take some positives from, despite the scoreline. Auckland took the points, however, and will look to do so again when the teams clash at St. Kentigern’s College on 22 November in a NZ Women’s Challenge Cup fixture, the season’s first, and a match for which the holders should have some of their Football Ferns squad members available after next Saturday’s clash with Nadeshiko Japan in Saitama City, Tokyo. Wai-BOP:     Fleming; Shadbolt, Williams, Shadbolt, Robinson; Rollings, Whitford (Wood, 66), Courtney-Tennant (O‘Connell, 56), Wall; Gerrits, Mathieson (Pretswell, 46 (booked, 67)) Auckland:     Cox; Fisher (booked, 74), Humby, Lovitz, Williams; Cooper (booked, 87), Rombouts (Kolose, 81), Vincent (booked, 36); Skilton (Heatherington, 60), Tegg, Gooch (Mathews, 70) Referee:     Gordon Campbell