1994 Wellington ended Auckland's four-year dominance of National Women's Soccer Tournaments at Nelson on August 13, winning an enthralling final, 4-2. Playing the more direct, determined football, Wellington closed down Auckland's more cultured approach work, and created problems in key areas of the pitch which the defending champions couldn't counter. Wellington opened the scoring in the seventh minute through Lyn Warring, who slid to convert a miscued Rebecca Van der Vegt shot, after Sacha Haskell and Wendi Henderson had combined neatly on the left. The goals flowed in the second half. Warring headed home a Haskell cross unchallenged in the 56th minute to put Wellington two-up. Auckland pulled a goal back on the hour through Gillian Thurlow's speculative lob, which deceived Wellington 'keeper Gill Brown all ends up. Moments earlier, Brown had spectacularly turned away a cracking Amanda Crawford volley. A Wendi Henderson shot was deflected by Auckland's Sue Gregory over her team-mate, goalkeeper Yvonne Vale, for Wellington's third goal in the 68th minute, and the newly-crowned champions made certain of their triumph with a  fourth goal, to Kim Nye, a minute from time. Auckland pulled one back in injury time through Maria Wilkie, but it was not enough to deny Wellington their ninth National Women's Soccer Championship. Wellington coach, Nora Watkins, became the first female to coach a National Championship-winning squad. "I'm delighted", she remarked. "We've played well all week, gradually building up to today. "We wanted to make 1994 our year. Auckland area always a good side, take nothing away from them. They contributed to a marvellous game of football - one of the best games seen at a National Tournament since the competition began nineteen years ago". WELLINGTON 1994 National Champions

2001 Wellington clinched their first National Women’s Soccer Tournament title since 1994 when deservedly defeating Auckland’s "A Team" 2-0 at Bill McKinlay Park in Auckland, on the final day of the 26th annual celebration of women’s soccer in New Zealand. In front of a 600-strong crowd, which offered atmosphere aplenty, the Wellingtonians were far stronger and more focused on the day than the defending champions, whose best opportunities fell to Melanie Gooch in the first half. The pick of these saw the pacy striker through on goal with just Pam Yates to beat, but after rounding the goalkeeper, Gooch got it all wrong, and a glorious chance to open the scoring went begging. Otherwise, it was the team from the capital which held sway, the shackles they placed on the "A Team"’s attacking lynchpins, Amanda Crawford and Maia Jackman, rendering much of what the defending champions looked to create ineffective. At the other end of the park, "A Team" goalkeeper Yvonne Vale twice keeping her team in the match in the first half, saving at close quarters from impressive Wellington striker Michelle Keinzley on both occasions. The second spell was barely two minutes old when Wellington’s player-coach, Wendi Henderson, forced a corner, then headed Nicky Smith’s inswinger goalwards at the near post. Vale’s attempts to turn the ball to safety were in vain, however, the goalkeeper colliding with the post after the ball struck her en route to the roof of the net. Vale kept her side in contention soon after, saving from Keinzley, Henderson and Smith, as the Wellingtonians sensed that their first national title since 1994 was within their grasp. A spectacular Smith volley in the 65th minute only narrowly missed flying in by the far post, but after impressive "A Team" midfielder Lily Somerfield steered a Sue Taylor cross wide of the far post, the destiny of the title was confirmed. Henderson was again the key, her strong run through the northerner’s sluggish midfield culminating in a shot which Vale blocked with her legs twenty minutes from time. Keinzley, following up, steered home the rebound, signalling the end of the "A Team"’s four-year reign as national champions. "We have worked hard for this for the last nine weeks", player-coach Henderson said afterwards. "Nothing was going to stop us today - we were totally focused, and absolutely together as a team. A picture (left) of our 1994 triumph was central to our motivation - I wanted this largely young team to enjoy that feeling, and now they can".