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13/9/97
“A Team” Clinch Record Tenth Title In Style
by Jeremy Ruane
Auckland returned to what some consider to be their rightful place at the forefront of national women’s soccer at Mt. Smart Stadium on September 13, 1997, after whipping Wellington 4-1 in the final of the Bluebird National Women’s Soccer Tournament.
Victory meant a record tenth title for the Awesome Aucks, who, throughout, the week, proved their supremacy with a series of convincing displays, which arguably peaked with their 6-0 semi-final trouncing of Canterbury just twenty-four hours previously.
Not that this Grand Final performance was a case of “After the Lord Mayor’s show comes the muck cart!!” Far from it. The “A Team” went about their business like the well-oiled machine they are, and began to exert their authority on the team from the capital in the thirteenth minute.
That was the amount of time it took for Auckland to find the net, but Jill Corner was denied the pleasure of celebrating a twenty-five yard volleyed goal by referee Graham Whitford, who had spotted an infringement by Lyn Pedruco as she contested a Michele Cox corner with Catherine Hunt.
Amanda Crawford headed a Gillian Thurlow cross over the top two minutes later, before Jennifer Carlisle picked out Pernille Andersen with a clearance in the twentieth minute. The presence of the Dane had not been anticipated by Wellington, as the injury Andersen incurred in the round-robin game against Canterbury had seen her sit out the semi-final.
Indeed, she played the entire final in spite of not being fully fit. But the Dane served notice that this was one game she intended to play a major role in when, upon receipt of Carlisle’ clearance, she turned her marker and evaded the challenges of two more before hitting a screamer from twenty-five yards which appeared destined for the top corner of the net. But for the fine fingertip save pulled off by Therese Urlich, it would have made for a sparkling opening goal.
One wasn’t long in coming. Cox’s 25th minute corner was punched out by Urlich to Andersen, whose shot forced another corner. Cox this time picked out Maia Jackman, who headed inches over.
The resulting goal-kick was not cleared adequately, and Thurlow gained possession on the left. Her cross was flicked on by Amanda Crawford at the near post, the ball looping over the defence as it dropped by the far upright. Andersen ghosted in on the blindside of the defence and bulleted a header past Urlich into the net to open the scoring in the 26th minute.
Five minutes later, Andersen had a glorious chance to score a second, on receipt of Corner’s pass. With just Urlich to beat, she contrived to lift the ball over the advancing ‘keeper and over the crossbar - a great chance spurned.
By this stage, Auckland were in the groove, and when Cox whipped in another corner five minutes before the interval, they were queueing up to score on the far post. But neither Jane Simpson nor Terry McCahill could get the vital touch to give the “A Team” a two-goal cushion.
Right on half-time, however, this was established. Yet another Cox corner was the source of panic stations in the Wellington penalty area. The ball was partially cleared to McCahill, whose shot ricocheted off one of the many legs between her and Wellington’s goal. The ball fell to Crawford, who drilled a shot through the throng into the far corner of the net.
2-0 became 3-0 two minutes after the resumption, and you’ll go a long way to see a better example of flowing football at its absolute best. Crawford ignited the to this stage thoughtful approach play, sweeping the ball wide for Jackman. She ran on before crossing to the near post, where Andersen arrived at a great rate of knots to send the ball crashing into the net with her head.
In contrast to this fabulous strike, one of the most bizarre goals yet seen gave Wellington some hope in the 56th minute. Sacha Haskell threw the ball into the Auckland penalty area, and it bounced over the head of McCahill, then goalkeeper Yvonne Vale, before crossing the line.
Thurlow’s despairing lunge, in a vain attempt to clear the sphere, served only to send it crashing into the roof of the net, which gave the referee’s assistant, Trevor Bradford, the impression that it hadn’t crossed the line before she made contact. He signalled a goal, which referee Whitford duly awarded, and Wellington were back in it.
Not for long, however. From the kick-off, Auckland poured forward, and Pedruco hit the post with a header, the rebound of which cannoned to safety off Urlich. Six minutes later came the goal which capped off Auckland’s Silver Jubilee celebrations - their hosting of the tournament coincided with twenty-five years of women’s soccer in the province - in the desired manner.
It was similar in construction to its dazzling predecessor. Cox this time got the ball rolling, releasing Jackman down the right. She got to the byline before sending in a low cross which Pedruco flicked on into the path of Andersen. From point-blank range, the Dane made no mistake to claim the match ball, and give Auckland a 4-1 lead.
Which should have become 5-1 in the 66th minute. Crawford’s initial effort was blocked on the line. She regained possession and played the ball across the penalty area, Jackman eventually taking over. She picked out Andersen inside her, who hit a screamer from just inside the penalty area against the inside of the far post.
The ball rebounded straight back to the in-form striker, who hammered it into the opposite corner of the net, only for Mr Whitford to rule out the strike for an offside ruling against the Player of the Tournament, Crawford.
Wellington breathed a collective sigh of relief, as they did with four minutes remaining, when Cox was denied a deserved goal, following good work by Andersen on the left, by Bria Sargent’s goal-line clearance.
Not that it mattered greatly, for the “A Team” was far too strong on the day, so much so that, with the exception of the goal that wasn’t, Vale, Auckland’s goalkeeper, had little else to do. This owed much to a well-organised defensive platform, in which Simpson, McCahill, Carlisle and Corner were all instrumental.
The midfield combination of Cox and Pedruco was once again without peer, while the width offered by the lively pairing of Jackman and Thurlow was a tactic which, to the amazement of many, no other team in the tournament utilised to any great extent. Up front, of course, Crawford and Andersen were goalpoachers supreme, scoring six goals apiece in as many games.
When called upon, which was often, Melissa Wileman, Katrina Sharpe, Beth Clark, Melita Harrison and reserve goalkeeper Michelle Hodge slotted into the system without detracting from it in any way, an element of the squad system which gave the reunited coaching combination of Sandy Davie and Roy Cox plenty of satisfaction throughout what was a highly successful week for New Zealand women’s soccer generally, and Auckland women’s soccer in particular.
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Auckland: Vale; Simpson, McCahill, Carlisle, Corner; Jackman, Cox, Pedruco, Thurlow; Andersen, Crawford
Subs: Wileman, Sharpe, Clark
Scoring: P. Andersen (26, 42, 63), A. Crawford (40)