The luck of the draw denied the Football Ferns the chance to play in their third cup final of the year on 21 October, as they bowed out of the Peace Queen Cup with a 0-0 draw against ninth-ranked England at the Suwon Sports Complex in the Korea Republic. The outcome was the third scoreless draw in a group which also boasted the host nation, and after the drawing of lots, it was the Koreans who emerged as group winners, although their joy was chastened by the fact that Australia, the Asian champions, await them in Saturday’s final. How the Football Ferns would have loved the change to avenge the two defeats the Matildas handed them in Auckland at the start of the year! That was the carrot dangling before them in their first clash at senior level against England, not to mention the prospect of becoming the first national team from east of Down Under to defeat the mother country. And there was the little matter of playing in their maiden Peace Queen Cup Final, to add to their mixed fortunes in both the Cyprus Cup Final and the OFC Women’s Nations Cup Final during the year. In the end, it wasn‘t to be, but it certainly wasn’t for the want of trying by the Football Ferns, who found themselves under plenty of English pressure during the opening half-hour. Kelly Smith and Eniola Aluko were the thorns in the Kiwis’ side throughout the first spell, but Jenny Bindon proved equal to the best they had to offer, even though on both occasions, England’s attacking duo shot from an offside position. Alex Scott and Laura Bassett both went close during the first half for the Lions, their efforts sandwiching a blocked Hayley Moorwood shot as the Football Ferns’ captain led her team’s response. The second spell was even more eventful, with both teams well aware of the outcome should the score remain 0-0. England’s best effort of the second spell saw Jessica Clarke graze a post with a header, to which New Zealand responded by bringing out the best in England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley. The custodian thwarted Rosie White in a one-on-one situation, then produced the save of the match to deny Football Ferns’ substitute Sarah Gregorius, as she looked to turn home a Ria Percival cross with a diving header. The closest either side came to breaking the deadlock saw substitute Betsy Hassett come within inches of crowning her return to national team action following an injury-enforced absence. Eight minutes from time, she thundered an eighteen-yarder against England’s crossbar - had that gone in … It didn’t, and so it was to chance that the fate of both teams and the host nation turned, with tournament rules decreeing that the drawing of lots be made to determine the group winner should teams boast identical records on the table after the conclusion of round-robin action. Sadly for New Zealand, their number didn’t come up. The draw concludes the Football Ferns’ activities for 2010, a year in which they have qualified for their second consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup Finals tournament, finished runners-up to Canada in the Cyprus Cup Final, and established a new record for the national team in going seven internationals without conceding a goal. Noteworthy wins or draws against Canada, England, France, Holland and Italy - five of the world’s current top fifteen women’s soccer-playing nations - since this tournament last took place two years ago emphasise the Football Ferns’ improvement in this period. While this development is not yet reflected in their FIFA ranking - New Zealand is currently 24th in the world, such has been their form that it really is only a matter of time before John Herdman’s charges achieve the sustained success against higher-ranked nations towards which they are continuing to work resolutely. Football Ferns:     Bindon; Percival, R. Smith, Erceg, Green (Hassett, 55); Moorwood, Hoyle, Riley; R. White (Kete, 86), Hearn, Wilkinson (Gregorius, 55) England:         Bardsley, Susi (E. White, 78), Scott, F. White, Unitt; Clarke, Bassett, Johnson, Asante; K. Smith (Williams, 85), Aluko (Yankey, 87)