The absence of an official referee failed to dampen Auckland's enthusiasm towards winning a record twelfth National Women's Soccer Tournament title on September 5, as they began their pursuit of the crown with an emphatic 6-0 victory over Northland at Christchurch's Burnside Park. It took the "A Team" just six minutes to find their rhythm, a Michele Cox corner being headed across the face of goal and wide by Maia Jackman, moments before Cox fired a first-time volley past the upright, after Amanda Crawford had shown fine skill in evading three challenges. After Sacha Haskell and Jackman had gone close with their respective chances in the tenth and eleventh minutes, the latter went closest yet when she beat Northland goalkeeper Misty Lee to a Jane Simpson cross from the right, only to be thwarted by impressive youngster Kim Wells' goal-line clearance. The resulting Cox corner was headed over the top by Jackman. Cox's corners were causing Northland all sorts of problems, a nineteenth minute delivery picking out Terry McCahill arriving at the near post. She headed a foot wide on this occasion, but it wasn't too much longer before this same combination engineered Auckland's first goal of the tournament. Jennifer Kelley and Crawford both went close in the interim, but in the 28th minute, Cox's corner to the near post was steered home by McCahill, and the "A Team" were on their way. Seven minutes later, they extended their advantage, fitting reward for Jackman's hard work down the right. After holding off two defenders, she laid the ball back for Haskell to drill in a low cross to the near post, where Crawford was on hand to open her account for the week-long tournament. Cox sent a searing twenty-five yarder a foot over the crossbar two minutes later, on receipt of a lay-off from Kelley, while right on half-time, Cox's corner was flicked down by McCahill at the near post. Lee reacted quickly to save at the feet of Tarah Cox, ensuring the "A Team"'s half-time advantage would be restricted to just two goals. Two minutes into the second spell, Tarah Cox sent Jackman spearing off down the right, from where she whipped in a low cross which Crawford met with the most deft of back-heels. Unfortunately for the striker, she failed to make true contact with the ball, and Lee was able to gather with ease. Auckland struggled to re-establish their game plan of getting ball to feet early in the half, as Northland proved doughty opposition for the tournament favourites. Both Tarah Cox and McCahill went close before the fifty minute mark had passed, while Amy Goaziou, in the 55th minute, headed the ball narrowly over the bar, after the Cox sisters and Haskell had combined to good effect. A further goal had to come, however, and in the 56th minute, it duly arrived, Crawford, in the shadows of the crossbar, prodding home Goaziou's driven low cross from the byline, after the American had combined with her fellow US Olympic Training Development programme graduate, Kelley. Auckland were delivering plenty of quality ball into the heart of Northland's goalmouth, most notably through attacks inspired by both Michele Cox and Kelley, but Wells was having an outstanding game, and her courageousness was an inspiration to her team-mates, who, in true Northland spirit, refused to lie down and die. The "A Team" rattled Northland's crossbar in the 67th minute, Crawford left to rue her ill-luck after Michele Cox had supplied Jackman with the ammunition required to deliver a cross to the near post. Moments later, Haskell and Kelley combined to provide Cox with a chance, which, after shrugging off the attentions of Karyn Ferguson, she was unable to convert, firing narrowly past the upright, as Auckland pressed for a greater return of goals to produce a scoreline more reflective of their dominance on the park. A fourth goal was inevitable, and Auckland struck in the 69th minute. Crawford completed her hat-trick in style, after Michele Cox, Haskell and Goaziou had linked to good effect, the last-mentioned's perceptive pass opening up Northland's defence, leaving Crawford to win the race for the ball, with Kelley and Rebecca Sowden in close attendance. A delightful first touch from Kelley was the highlight of a rapier-like 71st minute Auckland thrust, the American sending Jackman on her way with a made-to-measure flick, on receipt of Haskell's ball forward. Away went the speedster down the right, from where she whipped in a cross seeking the head of Crawford. Wells intervened yet again, however, much to Northland's relief. A fifth Auckland goal was scored in the 73rd minute by Crawford, her fourth of the match. This time, the spadework was done by Sowden, who gathered a Jackman throw-in and eased past a couple of defenders before picking out Kelley, who laid the ball into Crawford's path, and in by the far post the ball duly flew. Michele Cox, Kelley and Sowden combined on the left four minutes from time to engineer an opening for Goaziou, whose shot Lee proved equal to. But the 'keeper was rendered helpless two minutes later, as the same combination which opened the scoring concluded it in pretty much the same manner. Cox's corner to the near post picked out McCahill's head, and goal number six found the target. Kelley was denied by Lee in stoppage time, but 6-0 it remained, Auckland starting their quest to win the "National Champions" crown once more on the right note. "A Team":     Vale; Carlisle, McCahill, Haskell; Simpson (Sowden, 49), Kelley, T. Cox, M. Cox, Corner (Goaziou, 41); Jackman, Crawford Northland:     Lee; Fitchett, Mortimer, Wells, Roberts (Clark, 62); Ward (Proffett, 60), Ferguson, Neckelson, Oliver; O'Shea, Drake Scoring:          T. McCahill (28, 78), A. Crawford (35, 56, 69, 73)