Western Springs and Lynn-Avon United will fight out the Lotto Northern Premier Women's League championship for 2008, after reigning title-holders Three Kings United were effectively eliminated from calculations on May 25. Going for a three-peat of titles, Andrew Clay's charges were conquered 1-0 by arch-rivals Lynn-Avon United in an epic cup-tie-like clash between these great rivals, who produced the best match of the season so far in New Zealand's foremost women's club-based league competition. Dene Gilmore's charges squandered a perfect opportunity to open the scoring just fifty seconds into the clash of the titans at Keith Hay Park. Amber Hearn timed her run to perfection to breach Three Kings' offside trap, but with just Aroon Clansey to beat, blazed her shot wide of the target - a glorious chance spurned. That miss lit the fuse on a gripping contest, which saw quarter neither taken nor given. A fair few uncompromising challenges were going in left, right and centre in the early stages of proceedings as a typical local derby unfolded, the quality of football in this period marred by stray passes aplenty, be they overhit or simply given straight to an opponent. There was plenty of composed play from both sides, however, with plenty of confidence in possession in evidence from a number of players who've sported the silver fern in recent times. It's a reflection of how closely contested this match was that, after Hearn's first minute aberration, another twenty-two minutes elapsed before a goal came under threat. The opportunity fell Three Kings' way, with Anna Green breaking up a Lynn-Avon attack and instantly picking out Zoe Thompson with a crossfield pass. The speedy striker took on Sam Selwyn and Melissa Ray before being forced to check her run. Merissa Smith was in support inside her, and duly received Thompson's pass, then accelerated past Katie Hoyle before thrashing a twenty-five yarder just past the far post. Three minutes later, another Three Kings chance materialised. Nicole Stratford's free-kick on half-way was played short to Rebecca Sowden - she had a cracking game! On receipt of this pass, she switched play to Betsy Hassett, who, not for the first time nor the last in this match, gave Jenny Carlisle the runaround before whipping in a cross for Thompson. Ashleigh Cox anticipated it well, however, and was security personified under the high ball. Just before the half-hour mark, the home team had a great chance to open the scoring. Hassett was in an impish mood throughout the first half, and on this occasion played the ball wide to Smith before moving across to support the striker, who, meanwhile, was taking on Lynn-Avon's defence single-handedly. It took three of them to curtail her progress, with Selwyn paying the ultimate price for her contribution, in the form of a game-ending injury. But Smith still had possession, and slipped a pass inside to Hassett, who was completely unmarked near the penalty spot. Had she pulled the trigger instantly, a goal looked odds-on. But taking that extra touch proved costly on this occasion, as it gave Dana Humby the chance to step in and clear the danger. Eight minutes before the interval, Three Kings spurned another chance to break the deadlock. Thompson's willingness to chase and harry as the first line of defence earned due reward on this occasion, as she nicked the ball off Humby and sent Annalie Longo scampering through, with Hoyle in hot pursuit. The Young Ferns' star turn raced into the penalty area, and cleverly turned the chasing Hoyle before pulling the ball back for Thompson on the edge of the area. Her drive swerved past the far post, maintaining the scoreless scoreline. Five minutes later, Lynn-Avon partially cleared a Sowden free-kick, the ball falling to Stratford. She picked out Green, whose clever lob over the advancing defensive line sent Hassett scurrying through with Cox racing out of goal in anticipation of the threat. The `keeper spread herself well but Hassett flicked the ball past her, only to find the impressively performed figure of Ray on hand to avert the danger. Both goals survived scares in first half stoppage time. Sarah Gibbs and Thompson combined to present Hassett with the ball some twenty-five yards out from goal in the first instance, and she cut inside both Carlisle and Hoyle before picking out Thompson with a pass. The striker, with Ray at her back, turned the defender smartly and laid the ball off to Smith, who was a yard too close to her fellow front-runner. The extra space would have enabled her to let fly despite the attentions of Humby and substitute Rachel Doody, whose combined presence crowded her out on this occasion. The ball was cleared to Hayley Moorwood, who, in the centre circle, flicked the ball over Green and dashed round her opponent to gather it before laying the ball off to Sarah Gregorius and storming off downfield in anticipation of a return pass. It duly arrived, but Clansey - a sound performance - had read the situation superbly and was able to clear her lines. Only as far as Gregorius, however, but from wide out on the right, she snatched at the chance to shoot into an untended goal, the ball flying wide of the mark to bring an enthralling first half to a close.

Emma Kete (LAU) Merissa Smith (TKU) Sarah Gregorius (LAU) Nicole Stratford (TKU) Jenny Carlisle (LAU) Rebecca Sowden (TKU) Hayley Moorwood (LAU)

The second spell was every bit as good to watch, and play in. In the early stages, Three Kings continued to apply the pressure which had seen them ahead on points at half-time. A Green corner five minutes into the half careered across the penalty area, just too far in front of Kristy Hill for the outstandingly-performed defender to capitalise upon. Two minutes later, Carlisle fouled Longo just outside the penalty area, and Sowden's delivery to the far post found Cox flying through the gathered throngs to punch clear. This sent Lynn-Avon into counter-attacking mode, with Kirsty Yallop picking out Emma Kete, who got the better of Hill and Hannah Rishworth before directing her twenty-five yarder at Clansey. Seconds later, the goalkeeper grabbed a thirty-yard free-kick from Yallop under her crossbar as the visitors began to turn the screw. Moorwood was the instigator of the next attack, killing a high ball instantly before laying it off to Gregorius, whose through ball invited Hearn to dash through. Hill cut her off in her prime with a peach of a tackle, clearing the ball as wide as she could in the process. But lurking in the area concerned was Hoyle, whose cross found Gregorius darting through the inside-right channel into the penalty area. Hassett was right on her heels, and did enough to force the speedster to slice her shot wide of the mark. On the hour, Kete picked out Yallop, who switched play with a lovely ball wide to Hoyle. Hearn raced through onto her pass, and cleverly outfoxed Hill on the edge of the penalty area, only to undo all her hard work by blazing wildly over the bar - by her standards, a bad miss. Five minutes later, Thompson gathered the ball on the right by the touchline, turned Humby superbly and raced away from her. With Moorwood now taking up the chase, Thompson showed her international team-mate a clean pair of heels, which Moorwood clipped just outside the penalty area. Cue a yellow card from referee Phillip Lawrence, who handled proceedings extremely well. Three Kings made a right dog's breakfast of this free-kick opportunity, but fared better twenty minutes from time when Green sent Hassett clear of the offside trap on the left. She swept round Carlisle before crossing low to the near post, where Ray was on hand to clear her lines. Three minutes later, Rishworth came desperately close to breaking the deadlock following a Green corner. Lynn-Avon scrambled the ball to safety, and launched a counter-attack which saw Moorwood, Gregorius, Hoyle and Yallop team up to good effect initially. The last-mentioned played the ball through to Hearn, whose lay-off to Gregorius allowed her to race into the penalty area. But Lynn-Avon's Sarah G had to defer to Three Kings' Sarah G this time round, Gibbs having stepped in smartly to clear. Thirteen minutes from time, the deadlock was finally broken by Lynn-Avon, who took full advantage of Three Kings' lone defensive lapse in the match. Yallop slipped the ball through the inside left channel for Kete, who raced into the penalty area with just Clansey to beat. The `keeper pulled off a fine parried airborne save, but Kete was first to react to the loose ball, and steered it home into an empty net to open the scoring against her former team. The goal put a different slant on things, particularly from Three Kings' perspective. Having already replaced with Smith with Lauren Murray, they proceeded to introduce Roseanne Cox into the fray, surprisingly - given they were now chasing an equaliser - at the expense of Longo, with ten minutes remaining. With just a reserve goalkeeper in Charlotte Wood left on the bench, the sight of Green going down under Carlisle's challenge two minutes later was just what the doctor didn't order, and it meant the home team would complete the match with ten players on the park. Suffice to say, this opened up the game a bit more from Lynn-Avon's perspective, and they went in search of a second goal during the time which remained. Gregorius sent Kete scampering past Rishworth down the right in the 83rd minute, and her cross picked out Hearn, whose acrobatic volley flew wide under pressure from Stratford. Two minutes later, Ray's interception saw Gregorius and Kete combine once more. Hoyle and Yallop also contributed to proceedings before Kete slipped a pass to Hearn which allowed the striker to let fly. She did so, tamely - easy pickings for Clansey. Kete and Gregorius combined once more in stoppage time, with the latter providing the cross which invited Moorwood to let fly. Sowden, however, had other ideas, and stepped in to divert the shot to safety. Yallop's corner was cleared, and it was now all or nothing for Three Kings, with Gibbs leading the charge down the left. Her efforts forced a corner, which Sowden fired into the goalmouth. Ray's header out under pressure found its way to Kete, and as she set off downfield, referee Lawrence blew the final whistle of a captivating contest between these great rivals, with Lynn-Avon prevailing at Keith Hay Park for the first time since 2005. Three Kings:     Clansey; Stratford, Hill, Rishworth, Gibbs; Smith (Murray, 67), Longo (Cox, 80), Sowden, Green, Hassett; Thompson Lynn-Avon:     Cox; Carlisle, Ray, Humby, Selwyn (Doody, 30); Gregorius, Moorwood (booked, 66), Yallop, Hoyle; Hearn, Kete Referee:     Phillip Lawrence