A scratchily performed Auckland combination did just enough to dash Soccersouth's Lion Foundation National Women's League play-off hopes on November 19, the “A Team” prevailing 2-1 in the first-ever women's soccer fixture to take place at Carisbrook. The local team have enjoyed their best-ever season in the five-year-old competition, and this is easily the best side from the country's southernmost federation to face the “A Team” in that time. They gave an exceptionally good account of themselves on this occasion and richly deserved the goal they scored, which earned by far the biggest cheer of the day. Auckland began in bright fashion, Marlies Oostdam and Rebecca Tegg both going close inside the opening ten minutes, before Rebecca Sowden had strong penalty by claims turned down on the quarter-hour mark, the midfielder being upended after a dazzling run left four opponents trailing in her wake. Soccersouth had also gone close in this time, Jenny Bindon being forced to make the first save of the match in the sixth minute to keep out Leanne Tiffen's header. Fifteen minutes later, the home team went close again, Jen Kendall's free-kick being met by Jamie Hackett, who set up a shooting chance for Una Madden which she prodded past the post. Auckland - Melanie Gooch in particular - had been falling foul of Nancy Campbell's well-marshalled offside trap throughout the first half, but got it right in the 32nd minute. Oostdam clipped the ball over the top for Gooch, who had the chance to lob the advancing Jessica Szajner. But the striker let the ball run on, and the goalkeeper saved unchallenged. Five minutes later, Sarah Gibbs picked out Tegg, who turned Campbell but drilled her low drive a foot past the far post. Seconds later, Szajner smothered a twenty-five yard free-kick from Oostdam, as the “A Team” upped the pressure. Five minutes before the interval, Zoe Thompson was charging down the right when her heels were clipped. Kristy Hill was in close attendance, and fired over a low cross which Tegg left for Gooch. Szajner saved with her legs, then grabbed a twenty-yarder from Gibbs which emanated from the predominantly left-footed defender's right peg. The `keeper's clearance was a poor one, which Oostdam pounced on instantly. The “A Team”'s captain lobbed the ball through for Tegg and Thompson to pursue. The league's leading goalscorer, who picked up a hand injury during this match, took charge of the situation and lobbed the advancing Szajner, only to watch in mounting despair as the ball bounced past the far post. Gooch, who spurned the last chance of the half when shooting past the closing figure of Szajner but across the face of goal in stoppage time, made amends just one hundred seconds into the second half, as she opened the scoring. Jenny Carlisle played the ball forward to Thompson, whose darting run through the inside right channel opened up the Soccersouth defence. Her deflected cross allowed Gooch to step in front of Szajner and turn the startled goalkeeper before ramming the ball home from inside the six-yard box. Seven minutes later, Gibbs, whose combination play with Thompson throughout this match was a delight to behold, set sail down the left flank once more before scything inside and across the retreating defenders. She looked up and spotted Oostdam ranging up in support to her right, and presented the ball on a plate to the midfielder, whose first-time right-foot shot on the run cleared

Jenny Carlisle and Jamie Hackett Melanie Gooch and Nancy Campbell Zoe Thompson gets away from Tessa Sievers Rebecca Sowden

the crossbar by a foot at most. On the hour, the “A Team” doubled their advantage by capping off the best move of the match with a stunning goal. Thompson had the ball on the left, and darted inside once Gibbs took over on another overlapping run. The full-back's pull-back saw Sowden arriving on cue, and she let fly with a vicious first-time volley from twenty yards which screamed into the top right-hand corner of the net - 2-0. Three minutes later, the title-holders produced a flurry of chances in a thirty-second spell which served to emphasise their dominance since the half-time whistle. Oostdam's header forward was touched on by Thompson for Gooch, who found herself one-on-one with Szajner to beat. The `keeper - Soccersouth's star performer - blocked superbly, then recovered to save with her feet as Tegg followed up. Thompson battled hard to regain possession, and fed Sowden, who linked up with Carlisle. Her low cross on the run picked out Thompson, who fired past the far post. After Madden and Tegg had exchanged shots on goal, the home team began to threaten as an attacking force once again, Auckland having visibly eased off the pressure as the game entered its final fifteen minutes. Mariah Meagher fired over a cross which Tiffen only just failed to make contact with via an acrobatic volley, while the generally inactive Bindon kept out a twenty-five yarder from substitute Kelly Brazier. In between times, Sowden had played a delicious through ball for Emma Kete, but Szajner had raced off her line in anticipation of the situation, and saved superbly at the substitute's feet. Five minutes from time, Soccersouth scored the goal their dogged all-round performance deserved. They had largely been restricted to non-threatening long-range efforts on goal prior to this moment, but this time round, produced a genuine threat from which they gained due reward. Substitute Tessa Simpkins got the better of Hill and fired over a cross which found Tiffen darting in between Terry McCahill - playing on the same ground her brother, Bernie, graced in an All Black international against Argentina in July 1989 - and Carlisle. The latter lunged desperately towards the ball, and got a touch on Tiffen's shot which diverted the ball over Bindon and into the top far corner. That set up a potential grandstand finish, but what chances which remained could have seen the “A Team” increasing their margin of victory. Flora McLeod squandered a glorious chance from point-blank range set up by McCahill and Thompson, while Kete and Hill both fired past the uprights in stoppage time. But Auckland had done enough to prevail 2-1, thus maintaining their perfect record - seven from seven - for the season, which ensures they will host the Grand Final. Soccersouth, meanwhile, have the consolation of this being their finest-ever season in the National Women's League, their final sixth placing a marked improvement on their regular “wooden spoon” finish. Soccersouth:     Szajner; Meagher, Rombouts, Campbell, Sievers; Tiffen, Kendall, Robertson (Simpkins, 53), Glover, Madden (Brazier, 67); Hackett Auckland:     Bindon; Rennie (Ray, 46), McCahill, Carlisle, Gibbs; Sowden, Hill, Oostdam; Gooch (Kete, 63), Thompson, Tegg (McLeod, 78) Referee:     Leigh Perry