The Matildas’ ability to mercilessly punish errors was at the heart of their 3-0 triumph over a vastly improved Football Ferns combination at Bill McKinlay Park on February 20, a match watched by a decent crowd on a gloriously sunny Auckland afternoon. The Football Ferns fielded four changes to the side which produced such a rusty effort at North Harbour Stadium three days prior, and matched their Australian counterparts stride for stride during long spells of this clash, in which the levels of passion and pride on show across the park couldn’t be faulted. But the West Islanders continue to hold the upper hand in this storied series, extending to twenty their winning sequence over New Zealand in this match, the first incident in which saw Anna-Marie Keighley marking her international refereeing debut by taking a tumble just five minutes into it - not the most auspicious of starts on the world stage, but at least she saw the funny side of the incident. Two minutes later, a timely Kristy Hill tackle thwarted Clare Polkinghorne in the act of shooting, after Servet Uzunlar and Lisa De Vanna had combined to slip their team-mate through the inside-right channel. After Jenny Bindon had grabbed a De Vanna drive, and Anna Green had headed narrowly past her own post in dealing with a dangerous Collette McCallum free-kick, the Football Ferns fullback let rip a teasing seventeenth minute cross-shot which Australian custodian Lydia Williams - one of three changes in the Matildas’ line-up - grabbed greedily under her crossbar. Three minutes later, the Football Ferns were opened up down their left by the pace of De Vanna, who swept past Abby Erceg on receipt of a McCallum pass before the combined efforts of Green and the recovering central defender forced the striker to check her run and lay the ball back for Kathryn Gill. The beanpole striker was looking up at the sky seconds later, then towards the referee in vain hope of a free-kick. Never in a million years, lass - when Hill cleans you out with one of her trademark uncompromising, bone-jarring, ball-‘n’-all tackles, you take your medicine and suffer in silence. It was a challenge which galvanised the Football Ferns’ resolve, and none too gently reminded the Matildas that a twentieth successive victory over their old foes was by no means a fait accompli. After Bindon had easily dealt with a mistimed Kyah Simon volley, Hill and Green combined to unleash Amber Hearn down the left on the half-hour. The powerful number nine had the back-pedalling Uzunlar twisting this way and that as she surged goalwards, but the defender stood her ground well and was able to block the striker’s twenty-five yard drive to safety. Seconds later, a Kirsty Yallop free-kick gave Williams cause for concern, but the ‘keeper, upon grabbing the ball, promptly sent De Vanna spearing downfield on the counter-attack, her pace eventually thwarted just outside New Zealand’s penalty area by Green’s covering challenge. Back came the Football Ferns, a delightful 32nd minute raid in which the hard-working Rosie White combined with Ria Percival and captain for the day Ali Riley - this a rare venture on Kiwi soil for the US-born-and-based professional - to produce a scintillating interchange of passes which culminated in a cross from Riley. Hearn, rising in between three defenders, deftly headed the ball across and into the stride of the versatile and vivacious Hannah Wall, whose vibrant performance deserved a goal. She came within a yard of getting it on this occasion, her rising twenty-yarder flashing past Williams’ right-hand post. Eight minutes before half-time, Australia were awarded a free-kick just outside the area which McCallum curled over the wall and towards Bindon’s top left-hand corner. The ‘keeper tipped the shot onto the crossbar, but the defenders in front of her reacted far too ponderously to the rebound, unlike De Vanna, whose touch invited Heather Garriock to mark her 115th appearance in green and gold with a goal from six yards out. The goal stunned the home team, and the visitors looked to swiftly build on their advantage. Five minutes before half-time, Garriock, Gill and McCallum combined to put the Kiwis under pressure, with Green’s attempt to head clear only diverting the ball into De Vanna’s stride. Hill stepped in to avert the danger, but another Australian raid, on the stroke of half-time, had consequences of an unwanted nature for the Football Ferns, with McCallum crudely taking out Percival, who cried out in pain as she took a blow to the knee from which she has only just returned to action following injury. After treatment, she returned to the fray, but her first attempt to kick the ball - the last of the half, as it happened - suggested that all was not as it should be, and she was replaced by Annalie Longo for the second half. A second half which started in the worst possible manner for the Football Ferns, as they yielded the game’s second goal. Uzunlar’s hopeful ball forward was allowed to bounce by the hesitant Erceg, and De Vanna stole in on the defender’s blindside to pounce, lobbing the sphere over the stranded figure of Bindon to double Australia’s lead. The home team reeled, and were dealt a second blow two minutes later when referee Keighley ignored claims for a stonewall penalty. White sent Longo spearing into the penalty area, where she looked to turn the ball inside her, where Hearn was arriving on cue. Half-time substitute Sally Shipard had other ideas, however, swatting the ball away with her arm and promptly clearing the ball as it fell to her advantage. Longo and her team-mates instantly appealed for a spot-kick, their unified cries embellished by the instant roar of the crowd as they witnessed the injustice.

Kristy Hill - uncompromising tackle Amber Hearn - powerful run Ali Riley - flying fullback Kirsty Yallop - measured passes Hannah Wall - versatile and vivacious Ria Percival - crudely taken out Katie Hoyle - tenacious

Those roars turned to howls of disbelief as the referee waved play on … what a goal from the penalty spot would have done for the Football Ferns’ confidence and self-belief at that stage in the game we can only but wonder. At least their work on employing the offside trap was paying off - the Australians were caught almost constantly throughout the second half as the back four more often than not timed things to perfection to thwart the pace of De Vanna and Simon, both of whom paid the ultimate price for their repeated failings on the hour mark - ruthless Matildas coach Tom Sermanni does not stand on ceremony when his charges under-perform. One of their replacements, Tameka Butt, made an instant impact upon her introduction, getting in behind the covering figure of Erceg to send a low cross fizzing across the face of goal, eight minutes before Garriock warmed the gloves of Bindon with a shot arising from the creativity of Uzunlar and the other front-running replacement, Samantha Kerr. In between times, Katie Hoyle, who was much more like her usual tenacious self in this match, played the ball forward to the much-improved Yallop, whose deft turn unhinged an opponent before a measured cross-field pass picked out Wall in space on the right. The youngster dashed inside and let fly, only to see a deflection take the sting from her shot and make life far easier for Williams than had threatened to be the case. Seventeen minutes from time, Wall’s corner was headed out by Shipard to substitute Betsy Hassett, whose shot through the crowd flew straight at Williams. Two minutes later, the Football Ferns were in again, this time thanks to the enterprise of White. The reigning Oceania Women’s Player of the Year caught Lauren Colthorpe napping just outside her penalty area, and the striker instantly looked to exploit the opportunity, dashing across field before linking with Yallop. Her slide-rule pass rewarded Riley’s run down the left, the weight on the ball allowing the flying fullback to whip in a first-time cross on the run to the near post, where Longo was arriving on cue. It was a difficult opportunity to volley goalwards, and the youngster’s attempt saw the sphere slice through the air a yard wide of the target. After Bindon had smothered an effort from Kerr, ever-willing Kiwi substitute Emma Kete surged through the middle nine minutes from time and was about to pull the trigger when Shipard stopped her in her tracks. White gathered the loose ball but was unable to direct an effort on target from the most acute of angles. Several players succumbed to cramp in the latter stages of the match, with the uneven playing surface doubtless contributing to their plight. The state of the pitch was an issue of considerable concern before the match - a great shame for the hosting University-Mt. Wellington club, who have made considerable efforts to improve their facilities generally, but really need to install an artificial surface if those efforts are to prove worthwhile. One of those to succumb was Yallop, and while both she and Erceg - for a cut - were receiving treatment on the sideline six minutes from time, the Matildas capitalised on the confusion in the temporarily short-handed Football Ferns line-up to conclude the scoring. Kylie Ledbrook and Garriock combined to get in behind Hill on the left, and the cross to the far post found substitute Leena Khamis completely unmarked to head home one of the easiest goals she’ll ever score - 3-0. It was particularly hard on the home team, whose performance certainly wasn’t reflected in the scoreline. Indeed, they twice went close to reducing the deficit before the final whistle. Hassett won the ball in midfield and squared it to Yallop in the 86th minute. Her last act of the match - she was soon to be replaced by Hannah Wilkinson - saw her reward Riley’s rampaging run down the left with another pass into the acting captain’s stride. Her teasing cross-shot crept inches past the far post - desperately unlucky! After Butt had fired across the face of goal following a through ball from Kerr, powerful running by Wilkinson gave the Matildas a new threat to deal with late in the match, with Uzunlar utilising impeding tactics to hinder the striker’s progress. The youngster kept on coming, however, forcing Williams to race out and save at the feet of both front-runner and defender in stoppage time. Of which there was plenty, given the numerous replacements and injury treatments during the half. Five minutes after the scheduled finish time, they were still at it, with the home team hot on attack. Wall’s corner wasn’t cleared, and Wilkinson, in the ensuing scramble, drilled a shot through the gathered throngs which Ledbrook cleared off the line. The ball struck the arm of a defender and ricocheted into Williams’ hands, prompting further penalty appeals. Again, referee Keighley was unmoved, this time with justification, and soon after blew the final whistle to conclude a match in which the Football Ferns’ much improved effort bodes well for their pending Cyprus Cup conquest. But they again failed to end the Matildas’ continued dominance of this fixture - they haven’t lost to their trans-tasman rivals since October 1994. New Zealand:     Bindon; Riley, Erceg, Hill, Green (Hassett, 57); Percival (booked, 24) (Longo, 46), Hoyle, Yallop (Wilkinson, 87), Wall; White, Hearn (Kete, 76) Australia:     Williams; Colthorpe (booked, 30) (Luik, 76), Uzunlar, Carroll (Shipard, 46), Kellond-Knight; Polkinghorne (Ledbrook, 69), McCallum, Garriock; Simon (Kerr, 59), Gill (Khamis, 76), De Vanna (booked, 58) (Butt, 59) Referee:     Anna-Marie Keighley