Auckland women’s soccer captain Tara Cox hasn’t scored many goals over the years, and very few of them have been match-winners. But on September 12, 1998, at Masterton’s Hullena Park, she struck the most important goal of her career - with her nose - to ensure her province’s retention of the National Women’s Soccer Tournament title. Auckland’s 1-0 win over Wellington was, as the scoreline indicates, a closely fought affair, with the cream of the capital’s crop causing concern aplenty in the camp of the defending champions, who were denied nine of their first-choice players due to their involvement with the SWANZ, the national side having taken part in round-robin play as part of their preparations for the upcoming Oceania Women’s World Cup qualifying series. Those given the opportunity to fill the boots of their more celebrated provincial colleagues took their chances with aplomb. Rebecca Sowden, of University, was named Under-19 Player of the Tournament, while goalkeeper Stephanie Puckrin, of Lynn-Avon United, picked up the Goalkeeper of the Tournament prize for her efforts between the sticks throughout the annual week-long event. Three Kings United’s Marlies Oostdam, who delivered the free-kick from which Cox nosed home the winner, went desperately close to winning the Player of the Tournament award. But it was her clubmate and provincial captain who stole the headlines in the final, steering Auckland to the trophy with a display of relentless endeavour in midfield, as well as her new-found scoring touch. The 27-year-old lawyer has scored just twenty goals in all competitions in the colours of Mt. Wellington, Eden and Three Kings United since making her Premier League debut in 1985, with just one of

those being a match-winner, in 1990 against West Auckland. Auckland-wise, she had found the target on two occasions prior to this tournament, but perhaps there was a hint of what lay in store for Wellington in the final when she netted the winner against Canterbury in round-robin five days beforehand. Deja vu abounds as a result of Tara’s match-winning achievement in the final. Her mother, Barbara, was Auckland’s captain in the 1984 final against Wellington, a match in which she also scored the only goal. And the victorious coach on both occasions was Sandy Davie.