A last-gasp winner from Kirsty Butland saw Mainland Football snatch a 2-1 victory over a gallant Football South combination at Dunedin’s Caledonian Ground on 6 December, in the final Lion Foundation National Women’s League Southern Conference fixture of the season. The Mainlanders dominated the early exchanges, with Sara Clapham volleying a Rachel Oliver corner narrowly wide just 75 seconds into the contest. Nine minutes later, another Oliver corner was pawed out by South goalkeeper Caitlin Fitchett, but only as far as Butland, whose volleyed piledriver cannoned to safety off the face of Laura Wallis, felling the defender in the process. Mainland scored the goal their early pressure merited in the twelfth minute. Aimee Phillips evaded three challenges on the left before linking with Laura Merrin, who swept past another rival before clipping in a cross towards the near post, where Ashleigh Ward unleashed an exquisite volley on the turn which completely wrong-footed Fitchett. The visitors continued to pile on the pressure against their younger opponents. Two minutes after the goal, Butland and Ward teamed up before Phillips took control of the situation and sent Ward waltzing through the defence. Only a timely tackle by Wallis prevented the striker from doubling Mainland’s advantage. After Clare Warner had hit the top of the crossbar with an in swinging corner, Clapham and Phillips combined in the nineteenth minute to present Warner with an opening down the right. The Mainland Premier Women’s League’s most prolific markswoman had given Annie Gilchrist the runaround throughout the early stages, but the fullback stood her ground on this occasion and thwarted the progress of the visiting captain. South were feeding off scraps throughout the early stages of the half, but every so often gave Mainland cause for concern, such as in the 22nd minute. Yolanda Ray’s persistence created an opening for Kate Stafford and Amelia Currier to exploit, but Butland recovered the situation to the visitors’ advantage. Three minutes later, Clapham’s clever ball forward beat the defence and put Ward in on goal with just Fitchett to beat. The striker should have done better than to hit the bar from a one-on-one situation - poor finishing. South cleared the rebound downfield, and squandered a glorious chance to equalise due to the lack of left-footed finishers in attack! Currier got the ball on half-way and instantly swept it across to Stafford. She had the chance to bury a left-footed finish, but opted to pass to Ray, who shot tamely wide when a left-footed strike would have at least given Noran Abaza, Mainland’s goalkeeper, cause for concern. The visitors continued to look for a second goal, with Georgia Goulding and Clapham combining to put Warner in down the right. Her cross picked out the fast-arriving Ward, but at full stretch she was unable to get a decent connection on her shot. The chance went begging, as did Mainland’s other openings in the minutes which remained, both of which came about as a result of quality corners to the far post from Warner. Mel Anngow, in the 34th minute, and Butland, eleven minutes later, both rose above all-comers to produce powerful headers, but were unable to direct them on target. Unlike Sam Muirhead in the 38th minute, as she missed South’s best chance to level the scores in the first half … from the penalty spot! In fairness, referee Jeff Clamp should never have awarded the spot-kick in the first place, because Currier went over Abaza as she saved at her feet - the ‘keeper never fouled the striker. Up stepped Muirhead, only to shoot straight at Abaza - a case of justice served, in more ways than one, for it would have been a travesty had Mainland not gone to the dressing rooms ahead on the scoreboard. They were the better team by some distance in the first spell. All that changed from the start of the second half, when South introduced substitutes Una Madden and Carena Oosterbaan to the fray. Instantly, the home team became competitive as an attacking force, with the latter taking just four minutes to make an impact on proceedings, her teasing corner being pawed around her own post by Abaza. Oosterbaan was in again two minutes later, this time after teaming up with Madden. Abaza advanced towards the striker, whose deft lob beat the ‘keeper but lacked accuracy. Abaza then dealt with an Elise Mamanu-Gray drive after South’s substitutes had combined again just shy of the hour mark, which prompted a Mainland counter-attack, led by Merrin. She played in Warner, who invited Ward to let fly, only for Wallis to step in front of the striker in the act of shooting. South scored a deserved equaliser in the 61st minute.

Ashleigh Ward (Main) takes on Bianca Roy (FS) Kate Stafford (FS) tracks the progress of Laura Merrin (Main) Aimee Phillips (Main) watched by Daytona Helm (FS) Clare Warner (Main) atracts the attention of Annie Gilchrist (FS) Georgia Goulding (Main) and Kate Stafford (FS) clash Aimee Phillips (Main) fends off Daytona Helm (FS) while maintaining control of the ball

Oosterbaan and Ray combined on the right to release Madden, whose near post cross was swept home unerringly by Kushla Glover, much to the delight of her team-mates - it was South’s first goal of the season. Immediately, Mainland set about restoring their long-held advantage. Oliver’s free-kick picked out the head of Megan Shea, but Fitchett stood firm, much like she had just seventy seconds into the half, when Goulding’s guided volley gave the ‘keeper plenty of cause for concern following Alice Pilgrim’s cross. In the 65th minute, Warner and the hard-working Phillips combined on the right, with the latter getting the better of Wallis prior to driving in a low cross, which was cleared straight to Warner. Her shot was parried by Fitchett, and Bianca Roy - a strong defensive display - cleared the danger, releasing Oosterbaan down the left in the process. Abaza grabbed her counter-attacking strike under the crossbar before launching another Mainland raid which Wallis defended poorly. Phillips swooped, and set up Warner, but the captain was again thwarted by Fitchett, this time at the expense of a corner. Oliver’s delivery was cleared to Warner, who drove a low shot through the crowded penalty area, only to see Fitchett right behind the ball as the sphere sped goalwards. South’s ‘keeper was beaten all ends up by Clapham in the 71st minute, however, only for the crafty midfielder’s thirty yard free-kick to crash against the crossbar. Back came South, led by Roy on a run out of defence which saw her beat two opponents before playing a one-two with Ray then linking with Oosterbaan, who swept past Shea before crossing towards Madden. The advancing Abaza and the retreating Oliver - as the banner said, she’s too young to retire! - combined to frustrate the substitute on the edge of the penalty area. Fifteen minutes from time, Mainland pressed once more, Ward getting the better of Wallis before slipping Warner in to deliver a cross. Goulding’s dummy presented Merrin with the chance to break the deadlock, but her shot careered across the face of goal. The resulting goal-kick saw Muirhead take full advantage of a slip by Butland and fire in a cross towards Glover. Abaza stood firm, but was looking on nine minutes from time as Madden motored through the inside-right channel and hit a shot in her stride which beat the advancing ‘keeper all ends up. Unfortunately for South, it careered past the far post as well. Cue a Mainland onslaught, something aided by the untimely substitution of Glover, who was again a driving force in South’s midfield. At that stage of the game - 1-1, and with both teams chasing a winner, it was a personnel change which South could ill afford. Moments prior to the change, Oliver headed wide after Clapham had picked her out with a cross upon receipt of a deep-struck Warner corner. In the 86th minute, Warner was in again, this time swooping on a poor Fitchett clearance. The ‘keeper made amends with a brilliant fingertip save at full stretch, then looked on as Gilchrist stepped in to prevent substitute Chelsea Bignall capitalising on the rebound. Seconds later, Merrin hit a shot on the run inches over the bar after being played in by Clapham, who had a sound game in the centre of the park. Two minutes from time, Warner shrugged off the attentions of Gilchrist down the right and fizzed in a low cross which Fitchett parried to seeming safety. Bignall had other ideas, however, only to fire the loose ball wide of the mark. Just when South thought they had done enough to secure a draw their second half showing merited, Mainland plunged a dagger through their southern rival’s heart via a ninetieth minute winner. Warner’s corner was tipped away by Fitchett, but only as far as Butland. Her shot was cleared off the line by Wallis, but South failed to further avert the danger. Butland was still hovering with intent, and this time made no mistake, unerringly thrashing home the winner from twelve yards to clinch a hard-earned 2-1 victory for Mainland. The victors now take on Auckland at Growers Stadium in Pukekohe on Sunday from 1pm in the one semi-final which has been confirmed to date. Details relating to the other semi, between Capital and Waikato-Bay of Plenty, have yet to be finalised, as is the case with South’s final match of the campaign, against the Young Ferns. South:          Fitchett; Helm, Roy, Wallis, Gilchrist; Stafford (Oosterbaan, 46), Glover (Mulhill-Larsen, 82), Mamanu-Gray, Muirhead; Ray, Currier (Madden, 46) Mainland:     Abaza; Pilgrim (Bignall, 76), Anngow (Shea, 58), Butland, Oliver; Warner, Clapham, Goulding, Merrin; Ward, Phillips Referee:     Jeff Clamp