Auckland completed consecutive Lion Foundation National Women's League triumphs at Mt. Smart Stadium on December 3, downing Capital Soccer 3-1 in a hard-fought and entertaining Grand Final. It's the fourth time in the five-year history of the competition that the “A Team” have claimed the silverware, and as well as the National League title, the victory ensured they retained their grip on the Challenge Cup and the Roy Cox Shield, which is at stake whenever these two age-old rivals of New Zealand women's soccer clash. And clash they did in an at times bruising encounter between the country's best provincial combinations, who have met in all three National Women's League Grand Finals to date. Referee Leigh Perry was tested to the very limits of her patience by some of the events which unfolded, and on a couple of occasions, was found wanting. Plenty occurred before the first such instance, however. Such as inside the first ninety seconds, when Nicky Smith played the ball wide to Zarnia Cogle, who evaded the clutches of Petria Rennie and fired in a cross which Smith headed across the face of Auckland's goal. The “A Team” responded to this with repeated probes down both flanks by Maia Jackman in the first ten minutes, but over-hit passes and crosses meant it wasn't until the eleventh minute that the locals genuinely threatened Capital's goal. Kirsty Yallop's battling in midfield secured possession for the title-holders, with Sarah Gibbs - she had a whale of a game - the chief beneficiary. Her through ball saw Zoe Thompson sprint past Bria Sargent and around the advancing Aroon Clansey, only to run out of room as she endeavoured to pull the ball back from the by-line to Jackman, who was racing into the goalmouth to meet a cross which never materialised. This prompted a spell of end-to-end action, with Wendi Henderson playing the ball wide to Sarah Gregorius in the twelfth minute. She cut in and let fly, bringing a fine save out of Jenny Bindon, who instantly sparked a counter-attack. This culminated in a free-kick, which Auckland captain Marlies Oostdam flighted perfectly onto the head of Rebecca Tegg. The league's leading goalscorer powered home a header from six yards, but the “A Team”'s goal celebrations were curtailed by the sight of a raised flag, indicating offside. Zarnia Cogle then thundered a shot wide on the volley, before copping an earful from referee Perry for a clumsy off-the-ball challenge on Gibbs. Then a deeply struck corner from Oostdam found the head of Terry McCahill on the far post, the seasoned campaigner heading the ball into the goalmouth where an almighty scramble ensued, Jackman ending it by poking a shot narrowly past the far post. In the 25th minute, Jackman robbed Tonja Hinze in possession, Capital's midfield general clearly struggling with the knee injury she picked up just six days ago in the semi-final. Gibbs received her team-mate's lay-off, and promptly sent Thompson scooting through once more. Clansey was alert to the threat on this occasion, and raced off her line well to avert the danger. The ball was soon back in the hands of Capital's goalkeeper, who started to dribble with it outside her penalty area in the 26th minute - not a wise idea when the ever-vigilant Thompson is within striking distance, as Clansey swiftly discovered. The striker swooped, and the goalkeeper instantly knew she was in huge trouble. Her attempts to retrieve the situation saw her bring Thompson down via a means to which regular patrons to the home of the Warriors rugby league and Counties-Manukau rugby teams would be accustomed, but not those more cerebral followers of the round ball game who were present - and on a gloriously sunny Auckland Saturday, the attendance disappointed greatly. Referee Perry instantly pointed to the penalty spot to punish this professional foul, but to much astonishment, neglected to send off the perpetrator, meaning Clansey had the chance to atone for denying Thompson her goalscoring opportunity by saving Oostdam's penalty. The goalkeeper did so, but could only parry the effort back into the path of the “A Team”'s captain, who rammed home the rebound. Capital first responded to this setback in the 31st minute. Smith and Melissa Ray clashed heads, the visitors' jack-in-the-box striker coming off far worse when compared with the defensive lynchpin. But though she lay prone, referee Perry allowed play to continue, as Capital were in possession. Michele Clarke took full advantage in the confusion, and unleashed a teasing cross-shot which crashed against the crossbar. Gibbs cleared the danger, then sent Jackman storming down the left four minutes later. She cut inside the challenge of Tess Murphy - a tower of strength in defence for the visitors throughout - and let fly with a curling effort which cleared the crossbar by a foot. Oostdam came far closer three minutes later. Sargent crudely felled Tegg on the edge of the penalty area, giving Auckland's captain the chance to line up a free-kick. It was a belter, too, beating Clansey all ends up as it bounced down off the underside of the crossbar. But over the line? It came extremely close to doing so, but spun back into the goalmouth. Cue another scramble, with Yallop seeing her piledriver blocked, before Tegg's drive cannoned out for a corner. Rebecca Sowden's delivery to the far post caused Capital further consternation, but the outcome left Jackman beating the ground in agony and frustration - for the second time in eighteen months, she finds herself sidelined with ruptured medial ligaments of her left knee, after an opponent landed on top of her. Keen to seize the opportunity that the absence of one of Auckland's key players presented them, Capital pounded away in search of an equaliser before half-time. But the “A Team” defended resolutely in the face of opponents with new-found resolve, Ray thwarting Clarke's initial raid before the striker, after Henderson had gone close with a curling effort, was denied by the vigilant figure of Bindon, who hurtled off her line to clear as the former Auckland representative bore down on goal. Auckland's number one then made another fine save to deny Clarke, tipping her shot on the run onto the crossbar and out for a corner in stoppage time. The resulting set-piece saw Cogle's delivery pick out Henderson's head, the player-coach grimacing as her effort flashed across the face of goal. The half-time break allowed Jill Gilmore's charges to regroup, Jackman's injury-enforced absence meaning the onus fell on some of their other “big-game players” to rise to the occasion. Three in particular didn't disappoint, their goalscoring and goal-saving efforts pivotal in clinching back-to-back titles for the "A Team".

Did Marlies Oostdam's crossbar-rattling 38th minute free-kick go in? Looking on are Terry McCahill  (Auckland 4) and the airborne Aroon Clansey (Capital) Maia Jackman (Auckland) takes on Tess Murphy (Capital) Sarah Gibbs (Auckland) holds off Michele Clarke (Capital) Melissa Ray (Auckland) clears as Wendi Henderson (Capital) closes in Kirsty Yallop (Auckland) pursued by Patrice Bourke (Capital) Rebecca Sowden (Auckland) lays the ball off under the watchful eye of Nicky Smith (Capital) Zoe Thompson (Auckland) in full flight Petria Rennie (Auckland)

It took just eighty seconds for the reigning champions to hit their straps in the second spell, Gibbs slipping Tegg in behind the defence with a peach of a through ball. The striker made a meal of the opportunity, however, allowing Clansey to grab the sphere and send it hurtling back from whence it came. Smith was the recipient, and after evading the challenges of McCahill and Rennie found herself with just Bindon to beat. Before she could execute her shot, however, Ray appeared from nowhere to produce a goal-saving tackle, her lunge allowing Bindon to paw the ball to Rennie, who confidently dribbled clear. The last-mentioned sparked Auckland's next raid, in the 52nd minute. Rennie's header found Tegg, who linked with Sowden. Her through ball sent Thompson careering past Julia Baldwin, but the striker's volley flew over the bar. Seconds later, Sowden picked out Yallop, who sent a twenty-yarder flying past Clansey's right-hand post. It was Tegg's turn next, Gibbs and Yallop combining to put her goal-side of Baldwin. It wasn't the league's leading scorer's day in front of the target, however, as she dragged her shot wide of the mark. That profligacy was punished from the resulting goal-kick, and via a most unlikely source. Gregorius scooted down the right flank and cut inside before firing over a dangerous low cross. The retreating figure of Ray made a great recovering run, only for luck to desert her as the ball cannoned off her shin and into the net - 1-1. Auckland simply shrugged off the disappointment and carried on doing what they'd been doing prior to the equaliser. They were rewarded just six minutes later, as they regained the lead. Thompson and Baldwin battled for possession on the right, before substitute Emma Kete took over from her team-mate, and fired in a cross to the near post. Tegg pounced on it and unleashed a shot on the turn, only to slice her effort badly. It was, however, a great pass, for the ball was made to measure for Yallop, who deftly evaded Cogle before coolly slotting home to restore the “A Team”'s advantage. The scorer was in again seconds later, Yallop's twenty-five yarder flying a yard over the bar after Kete had powered inside from the left. The substitute then lashed a volley over the top on receipt of a splendid free-kick from Sowden in the 67th minute, before making the acquaintance of referee Perry seconds later, having extracted revenge on an opponent after Yallop had been caught late by an over-zealous challenge. Unperturbed, the blue-and-white machine rumbled on, Jenny Carlisle having now joined the fray. She linked with Tegg to send Thompson scurrying through in the 71st minute, the striker pulling the ball back for Yallop, who had Gibbs steaming up outside her. The overlapping fullback was invited to hit a cross-shot on the run, and her effort arced onto the roof of the net. Capital were under the cosh, but were far from out of the game, as a 76th minute raid suggested. Smith and Patrice Bourke - her battle with Sowden was a beauty - linked in midfield, Cogle the beneficiary of their interchange. The midfielder let fly with a vicious twenty-five yard strike which would have beaten most goalkeepers, its flight ensuring the ball bounced right in front of the committed custodian, making a save extremely challenging. Bindon, however, isn't New Zealand's number one for nothing, and produced a superb denial low to her right, holding onto Cogle's effort to dash Capital's hopes of an equaliser on this occasion, before sparking the move which dealt the Wellingtonians a mortal blow from which there would be no comeback. The goalkeeper's drop-kicked clearance in the 77th minute saw Kete take full advantage of the bounce to evade two challenges on half-way before unleashing the pace of Thompson on an over-committed Capital rearguard. The striker thundered through before thrashing the ball home past Clansey in thrilling fashion to give the “A Team” a 3-1 lead. The visitors responded with a right-flank thrust which culminated in a corner. Cogle's delivery picked out Smith, whose volley flew over the crossbar. Another raid soon after foundered on the unflappable figure of McCahill, who coolly dispossessed Clarke and averted the danger at a time when the striker held all the aces. Back came the “A Team”, who were keen to go right to the wire, just as they had when thrashing their arch-rivals in round-robin play. In the 84th minute, Sowden broke out of defence before teaming up with Gibbs and Tegg. The latter sent Thompson scampering through once more, with Yallop providing a tremendous supporting run from deep. The goalscorers' attempts to link up foundered on Clansey's anticipation of the cross - the `keeper smothered the danger well. In stoppage time, Auckland had the chance to extend their lead to 4-1 from the penalty spot, Yallop's through ball for Thompson leaving the striker with an open goal to aim at, only for last defender Murphy to send the striker sprawling. Referee Perry applied the spirit of the game approach once more, much to the relief of the perpetrator. As with the other penalty incident, however, another official may have been less charitable to the offending player, and immediately those directly involved and those looking on are left to wonder why the officiating fraternity don't apply the Laws of the Game consistently from game to game. Oostdam took on the responsibility of firing home from the penalty spot once more, but as with her first half effort, her execution was woeful, the ball's trajectory this time high, wide and far from handsome! Gibbs was next to take charge of proceedings, buccaneering down the left past two opponents before ripping a low cross into the danger zone. Capital somehow scrambled the danger away, after both Thompson and Yallop had seen their efforts blocked. But the “A Team” duo had inflicted enough damage on Capital, their second half strikes clinching a memorable victory over their arch-rivals for the champions, who, in winning all eight matches they played during the National Women's League season, proved themselves deserving winners of the crown in 2006. “A Team”:     Bindon; Rennie (Carlisle, 63), McCahill, Ray, Gibbs; Yallop, Sowden, Oostdam; Jackman (Kete, 41 (booked, 68)), (Hill, 84), Thompson, Tegg Capital:     Clansey; Murphy, Sargent (booked, 37), Baldwin; Gregorius, Henderson, Hinze (Carlson, 54), Bourke, Cogle (booked, 67); Clarke, Smith Referee:     Leigh Perry