Auckland's "A Team" continued their quest to regain the crown of Lion Foundation National Women's Soccer League champions at Trusts Stadium on October 30, as the previously unbeaten New Zealand Under-19 Development Squad found themselves on the wrong end of a 3-0 scoreline against opponents whose focus and intensity, in the first half in particular, gave the young guns a new benchmark to aspire to. Having comfortably accounted for all-comers in their four matches preceding this one, the Under-19s were quietly confident of adding the "A Team"'s scalp to that of Mainland Soccer, Soccersouth, Capital Soccer and Waikato-Bay of Plenty. But their more experienced rivals had other ideas, one of which was employed when Auckland last faced New Zealand representative opposition, in the form of the 2002 Under-17 squad. "We are not going to be embarrassed by these young pretenders!" was the mindset back then, and a 7-0 romp in the "A Team"'s favour was the outcome. Three years on, and this rare chance for club-mates to take on club-mates at representative level prompted the theory to be applied once more. While the scoreline was different, the effect wasn't, and you could see some of the Under-19s visibly wincing as the final whistle prompted a cheer from the Auckland dug-out, the youngsters knowing full well that some of their more senior club-mates will enjoy a wee bit of mileage from this result. (Nothing could be more certain!!) No-one epitomised Auckland's professional approach to this match more than captain for the day, Maia Jackman. Despite playing on the left wing for the first time in her career, and then only playing half the match, those forty-five minutes saw her produce one of those performances she tends to reserve for big-match occasions - the Under-19s simply had no answers to her. It was Jackman who fired the first shot in anger in this match, in the seventh minute. Kristy Hill won the ball in midfield, and Grace Vincent sprayed the ball across to her captain, who cut in from the left and let fly on the volley. Ashleigh Cox produced a fine fingertip save to avert the danger. Dana Humby whipped in the resulting corner to the far post, and how Auckland failed to capitalise defied explanation. Instead, they were hit on the counter-attack by the pace-packed Under-19s, with Ria Percival and Renee Leota teaming up to great effect until the offside flag came to Auckland's rescue. Their response was to open the scoring in the eleventh minute. Jackman swooped on the unsuspecting Emma Harrison just inside the youngsters' half of the pitch, and raced downfield, skipping past Petria Rennie with some nifty footwork before cutting inside and picking out Rebecca Tegg. The striker's shot was blocked, but the rebound fell perfectly for Rebecca Parkinson, who unleashed a cracking shot beyond Cox's despairing dive into the bottom far corner of the net - 1-0 "A Team". The goal clearly stunned the youngsters, and while they reeled from the setback, Jackman pounced on a Leota lay-off and sent Michele Keinzley spearing through between defenders. The combined efforts of Kimberley Lewis, Cox and the impressively performed Hannah Rishworth managed to thwart her on this occasion, but Keinzley would gain her revenge later … Meantime, she had more work to do in the seventeenth minute, arising from another intervention by Jackman. Pam Yates' raking clearance was headed through by the number seven for Parkinson to pursue. Rishworth stepped in to temporarily avert the threat, for her clearance was pounced on by Keinzley, who promptly powered past Lewis before curling over a gorgeous cross which had Cox flapping like the proverbial windmill, the 'keeper's poor positioning being exploited to perfection. Tegg will never score an easier goal - 2-0. Kirsty Yallop isn't the sort of individual who meekly accepts second-best, and together with Katie Hoyle, she set about wrestling back some semblance of control in midfield so the Under-19s would have a platform on which to build some attacks of their own. While Auckland complained about a handball offence by Hoyle - where, ladies, was the intent? - the Lynn-Avon United midfielder wasted little time in linking up with club-mate Percival in the twentieth minute. The fifteen-year-old's shot was smothered by Yates, who was solidly performed throughout her half of action, commanding her area very well. She was called upon again moments later, combining with Humby and Sarah Gibbs to thwart Helen Collins, after Hoyle had prompted the opening. Then it was Yallop's turn to feed the youngsters' attacking spearhead, Collins opting to hit this 22nd minute chance early. The ball fizzed over the crossbar. Back came the "A Team", with Gibbs and Hill playing a one-two on the left which prompted a hanging right-foot cross from the predominantly left-footed fullback. Tegg brought the ball down beautifully before turning and laying the ball back for Keinzley, whose rising fifteen-yard drive cleared the crossbar by a foot at most. It was a Three Kings United benefit on the half-hour, as the Gibbs - Hill combination sent Jackman surging between Rennie and Rishworth into the penalty area. Only a despairing tackle by the latter thwarted her club-mate's progress on this occasion, but at the expense of a corner. Humby whipped it in, and again the Under-19s cleared their lines promptly, and launched a counter-attack. This time, Leota and Percival had Collins for company, and the ball hit the net as a result. But the offside flag again favoured Auckland, much to the disappointment of a fair few of the 150-odd - and counting - watching on the concrete terracing. The work of Yallop and Hoyle was proving beneficial to the youngsters, and they were beginning to gain the ascendancy heading towards half-time. Percival sent a cross-shot flashing past the far post on receipt of a fine cross-field ball from Hoyle in the 38th minute, but in stoppage time at the end of the half, any hopes

Maia Jackman and Emma Harrison Melanie Gooch and Kirsty Yallop Katie Hoyle and Kristy Hill Dana Humby and Sarah Gregorius Sam Selwyn Poppy Binning and Nicole Stratford Rebecca Parkinson and Julia Baldwin Sarah Gregorius and Melissa Ray

the Under-19s harboured of mounting a comeback were dealt a devastating blow. Stacey Fraser pounced on a loose ball on the right flank and picked out the well-performed Keinzley, who was lurking near the edge of the Under-19s penalty area. She swivelled and shot, but connected poorly, only to look on in disbelief as her miscued effort bobbled its way past the embarrassed figure of Cox, who flailed in vain at the ball as it crept agonisingly slowly past her and over the line beside the post. The scorer, well conscious of her good fortune, sheepishly accepted the congratulations of her team-mates, as the distraught figure of her Auckland goalkeeping team-mate in last year's National Women's League Grand Final quickly came to the conclusion that The Douglas Field is not her favourite big-match venue. There were substitutions aplenty at half-time, with Auckland, who were shy of four regular starters through injury, affording themselves the luxury of resting three New Zealand internationals from the start of the second spell. The three who carried on - Gibbs, Humby and Melissa Ray - formed the core of the back-line, and the last-mentioned in particular ensured that their young rivals were afforded little change from the opportunities they did manage to create in the second spell. The first of these came in the 54th minute, with Nicole Stratford taking on "A Team" debutants Hannah Valentine and Poppy Binning down the left. The former held up the winger, but Sam Selwyn was on hand to continue the move. Her cross, intended for Collins, was headed out by Humby to Sarah Gregorius, whose drive was tipped over the bar by Stephanie Puckrin. The resulting corner, taken by Stratford, saw Collins power her header just past the far post. Auckland took their time getting going again in this half, and it was only upon Margot Bowker going close upon catching goalkeeper Bianca Mori in possession in the 66th minute that the blue-and-white machine started to grind through the gears. Within seconds, they were afforded another opportunity, Maggie Lankshear giving the ball away near the edge of her penalty area. Melanie Gooch said thanks very much, and weaved past two opponents before letting fly. Mori tipped her effort round the post for a corner, which Humby delivered right into the zone. Ray rose highest of all, and directed her header inches over the bar. Back came the youngsters, with Stratford picked out by Selwyn as she loped down the left in the 69th minute. With Valentine out of position, Ray came across to cover, and forced Stratford onto an ever-decreasing angle as she homed in on the target. Unperturbed, the youngster let fly, and her rising drive narrowly cleared the crossbar. Stratford was again the outlet for the Under-19s six minutes later, turning Valentine before racing down the left and cutting inside into the penalty area, from where she let fly with a low shot which Puckrin tipped round the post. The well-performed goalkeeper then pawed Stratford's corner to safety. Another showdown between the winger and the goalkeeper followed in the 78th minute, as a sliced clearance by Humby was pounced on by the lively Stratford, who raced into the penalty area once more. Puckrin ensured she went no further, racing off her line to save bravely at the youngster's feet. Two minutes later, the Under-19s tried the right flank as a means of attempting to prise open Auckland's rearguard, and enjoyed mixed fortunes. While Rennie and Leota teamed up to good effect, the latter's cross for Gregorius saw the striker's effort crash into the sidenetting. Cue a series of end-to-end raids, sparked by Leota finally breaching the "A Team"'s well-marshalled offside trap. But the fifteen-year-old shot straight at the advancing figure of Puckrin, who was very mindful of the fact that Auckland began the game with a duck-egg appearing under the A on the league table, and she had every intention of ensuring it remained there long after the conclusion of this match. The goalkeeper sent the ball sailing downfield, with Tegg setting up Vincent for a shot which the young midfielder directed narrowly past the post. This prompted a flurry of raids towards Mori's goal, with the 'keeper saving from both Gooch and Parkinson as the "A Team" looked to finish with a flourish. They weren't to add to their tally, as it transpired, although they did maintain that much-sought-after clean sheet thanks to another save by Puckrin in stoppage time. Yallop unleashed a twenty-yard screamer which took a deflection en route, but the goalkeeper was right behind the shot, and smothered it gratefully, job done. The Under-19s will take a great deal from this match, one which represented exactly the sort of challenge they need as they embrace the road to Russia, via Samoa. Indeed, it's fair to say this result will be of far more benefit to this squad than other scorelines of recent vintage, as it will aid the players' realisation of the level they must aspire to in order to begin to be a competitive force in Moscow in ten months' time. For the "A Team", with their injury situation and the changes they made during the game, didn't play to their full potential for the full ninety minutes. But Jackman, Keinzley, Ray, Gibbs and company imposed themselves on proceedings enough in the first half to ensure that they would not be embarrassed by their young pretenders, and can enjoy a few laughs at the expense of their less experienced club-mates come pre-season training time next year. Auckland:     Yates (Puckrin, 46); Hui (Valentine, 33) (Jackman, 82), Ray (Hui, 76), Humby, Gibbs; Keinzley (Binning, 46), Hill (Parkinson, 79), Vincent, Jackman (Gooch, 46); Tegg (Fraser, 33), Parkinson (Bowker, 46) (Tegg, 79) NZ U-19s:     Cox (Mori, 46); Rennie, Baldwin (Erceg, 46), Rishworth, Lewis (Selwyn, 46); Harrison (Longo, 25), Yallop (Harrison, 46) (Yallop, 68), Hoyle (Lankshear, 46), Percival (Stratford, 46); Leota (Gregorius, 33), Collins (Leota, 63) Referee:     Matthew Cooke