An intriguing chapter was written in the history of the greatest rivalry in New Zealand women's club football on May 5, as Three Kings United edged Lynn-Avon United 1-0 in a typically close-fought local derby at Keith Hay Park. Only three of the players on the pitch throughout this Lotto Northern Premier Women's League encounter had been born when this fantastic rivalry was first forged by Eden and Avondale United, the respective predecessors of TKU and LAU, in 1993. So it was very much a case, in this 59th encounter between these rivals, of the next generation bidding to carry on the traditions set in stone down the years by what amounts to a virtual who's who of New Zealand's women's footballing luminaries. With a few exceptions, some noteworthy, the vast majority of players who have made ten or more "A" international appearances for the Football Ferns down the decades have played for one or other of these clubs at some stage during their careers. Indeed, some have graced the colours of both Uniteds. That is a measure of the massive influence these great rivals have had on NZ women's football over the years, one which continues despite the Chelsea-and-Manchester-City-like emergence of the Rovers - Glenfield and Claudelands - in recent seasons, a development which has, amongst other things, added a dash of variety to the annual race for the women's game's most coveted trophies. Lynn-Avon's pursuit of the silverware they used to collect with unmatched frequency has been hampered so far this decade by having to rebuild their Premier League team from scratch. Twice. This season's combination is their second attempt to recapture the glory days of the last decade, with the majority of the side still in their mid-teens. Young they may be, but they are learning the ropes quickly in this competition, and at the end of this game, few would have begrudged Lynn-Avon a point for their efforts. Instead, all three went to Three Kings, with the winning goal coming just eight minutes into the contest. Four minutes after Martine Puketapu had fired a Jessie Mathews cross past the near post, Jessica Rollings whipped in a wicked corner which Lynn-Avon failed to clear. Jasmine Pereira directed a looping header goalwards, and while Rachael Slocum got a hand to the ball, she was unable to direct it away from the target, the sphere bouncing over the line before Shivi Anthony, following in on the far post, made contact. Lynn-Avon responded swiftly, Ellie Jeurissen's ball in behind the defence being latched onto by Wyllowe Poata. She steered it back to Bella Kingi, whose cross was missed by Tina Kolose. That allowed new signing Sabrina Justen to latch onto the sphere, which she steered wide for Jeurissen before racing to the near post to meet the resulting cross. Sadly for the visitors, Justen's header flew well wide, prompting coach George Vale to mutter aloud, "Head like a biscuit tin …" The resulting goal-kick saw Pereira powering down the right at pace past two players, before pulling the ball back for Rollings. The ball went behind the winger, however, but that mattered not to the former Young Ferns star, who swivelled on a sixpence to unleash a rasping ten yard drive which Slocum superbly parried to safety. Puketapu twice went close in the next seven minutes, with Slocum racing out of her area to clear off the rampaging striker's toes soon after Eloise Morris had crowded her out in Lynn-Avon's penalty area. Cue the intervention of referee Pam Willis, who, along with her assistants, had what can most kindly be described as a day at the office best forgotten. A number of the decisions all three made prompted disbelief aplenty from players and supporters of both teams, and whatever brought about the obscure booking of Shivi Anthony in the twentieth minute remains one of life's great mysteries. The daft thing was, despite the rainy conditions, this was anything but a dirty game. But the booking took some of the edge off the contest for a fair few minutes thereafter, the players' efforts to play to their potential visibly hampered by an air of uncertainty arising from the officials' interpretations of this game's interactions. As this phase continued, Lynn-Avon grew in confidence, Deven Jackson leading the way as they gave as good as they got against a team boasting at least a couple of years' more experience. By the half-time whistle, they were well worthy of a goal, and should have had one four minutes before the interval. Milly Hawkins played a ball through for Justen, who was clearly offside. But referee's assistant Aggie Head hadn't kept up with play - not for the last time in the match, it must be said - so Justen ran on. Round Three Kings' 'keeper Emma Taylor she raced, leaving just daylight between her and the gaping goal twelve yards away ... BBC TV's "A Question Of Sport" show always has a video segment called "What Happened Next?". A portion of footage of a sports event is shown, then

Ellie Jeurissen Jessica Rollings Rachael Slocum Martine Puketapu Jessica Vale Shivi Anthony

the respective teams are invited to state their answer, before the footage is replayed, this time in its entirety. In this instance, logic suggests the answer would have gone along the lines of "She fired the ball into the empty net to equalise". Given the reality, you can guarantee Justen will be forever grateful that no cameras were rolling, for they would have captured her slicing her shot past a gaping goal. No question - Miss. Of. The. Season! Justen swiftly bid to make amends two minutes later, sending a shot sizzling narrowly over the bar upon receipt of Jeurissen's angled pass. And in the final seconds of the half, Liz Anton, after robbing Alice Hansen in midfield, teamed up with Jackson - a really good prospect, this lass - to slip Justen in between Kirsty Hayr and Kristen Molloy. Taylor raced out to block the shot and maintain her team's lead. The second spell was just two minutes old when Rollings delivered a nightmare free-kick from a goalkeeper's perspective - a whipped, swerving, acute-angled dipper, with the added complication of a greasy ball thrown in for good measure. Slocum, like most 'keepers faced with such a delivery, struggled to deal with the sphere as it arced in under her crossbar, Lynn-Avon's number one spilling the sphere, much to the delight of Hansen. But Slocum recovered incredibly quickly, somehow preventing the Three Kings' midfielder from prodding home from point-blank range - a terrific recovering save. It was the start of Three Kings' best spell of the match, Rollings spear-heading the charge with her off-the-ball movement, meaning she was popping up in all sorts of areas Lynn-Avon didn't want to find her occupying as she contributed to an array of attacks which the visitors were at full stretch to thwart. But thwart them they did, the first being a 52nd minute raid sparked by a one-two between Anthony and Pereira which saw the overlapping fullback whip in a low near post cross for Puketapu to hit first time on the run. Slocum produced another fine save, low to her right, to keep the ball out. Two minutes later, Lynn-Avon responded with a Jeurissen free-kick, referee Willis having once more bemused the masses with an obscure call. It mattered not to the deliverer, however, Jeurissen matching Rollings' earlier free-kick for quality. But how the ball managed to curl across the face of Three Kings' goal without anyone in a red shirt making contact defied logic. Hansen and Lynn-Avon substitute Anita Killip, with her first touch, exchanged efforts on goal around the hour mark, before Puketapu successfully pursued a lost cause down the right in the 63rd minute, startling both Jeurissen and Amy Barker in the process. The striker then picked out Mathews, who set up Kolose for a twenty-five yarder which Slocum grabbed. It wasn't long before Three Kings were pressing again, however, Rollings' deft flick playing in Pereira, whose shot on the stretch fizzed across the face of goal. Lynn-Avon had introduced Jessica Vale to the fray by this stage, and twenty minutes from time she stormed down the left before firing in a grass-cutting cross which Taylor should have gathered comfortably. But her hesitance almost proved costly, the 'keeper managing to save at the last second as Justen came hurtling in in an effort to finish off Vale's good work. That raid gave the visitors renewed hope that all was not lost, and they continued to probe a Three Kings side which offered plenty on the counter-attack, such as in the 83rd minute, when Mathews' quickly taken free-kick saw Puketapu pick out Anthony with a cross, the defender's shot flying narrowly past the far post. That was Three Kings' last threat - it was Lynn-Avon who would have the final say in this derby. Two minutes from time, Molloy thwarted Justen's progress, but the striker retrieved possession and picked out Vale, whose teasing cross-shot landed on the roof of the net. Then in stoppage time, lightning struck twice for Justen. Poata teamed up with Killip, who played a hopeful ball forward which Taylor was always favourite to get, even though it was outside her penalty area. Justen had given chase in the vain hope that an error might materialise, and sure enough, one did, with Taylor trying to be too cute in the conditions as she attempted a pass to Hannah Robert when a raking clearance was required. The sight of the 'keeper slipping over was heaven-sent for Justen, who was instantly presented with a loose ball and a gaping net into which to fire it first time. Alas, 'twas not to be for the newcomer, her effort slicing across the face of goal to the relief of a Three Kings team which held on for a hard-earned 1-0 win. Three Kings:     Taylor; Anthony (booked, 20), Hayr, Molloy, Robert; Mathews, Kolose, Hansen; Pereira, Puketapu, Rollings Lynn-Avon:     Slocum; Kingi, Morris, Barker, Coleman (Vale, 61); Poata, Anton, Jackson, Hawkins (Killip, 61), Jeurissen; Justen Referee:     Pam Willis