Scoreless draws. They tend to cast images in your mind of a dull, boring, defence-dominated duel between two teams whose prime objective in the match is simply to not lose. Stop that train of thought right there. Because those of us who witnessed the ASB National Women's League encounter between the NZ Development Squad and Capital Football, on QBE Stadium's turf pitch on November 9, were entertained by one of the most exciting 0-0 draws you could ever wish to see. How on earth this game ended scoreless beggars belief! Right from the off, there was nothing defensive-minded about this match, as two young teams went hammer and tongs in an effort to stake their respective claims for the play-off place both are still well poised to realise after ninety minutes of enterprising attacking football. The fireworks commenced in the fourth minute. Kennedy Bryant's through ball sent Michaela Robertson racing away on the right. Liz Anton caught up with the pint-sized speedster, but Robertson evaded her tackle and set up Emily Morison for a shot which she sent skywards from twelve yards. The U-18s responded with the first - of several - woodwork-rattling efforts in this match. Daisy Cleverley picked out the charging Martine Puketapu with a pass which allowed the striker to instinctively let fly without breaking stride. From twenty-five yards, this sixth minute strike soared over Cushla Lichtwark, only to crash against the crossbar. Capital cleared their lines, and within two minutes struck the frame of the goal themselves. Former Junior Ferns starlet Julia Baldwin released Robertson with an absolute gem of a weighted through ball - any striker would relish receiving a pass of this quality in their stride. Issy Coombes was charged with the task of closing the quickie down, but Robertson's speed is not confined to her fleetness of foot. Speed of thought is every bit as much a part of her make-up, and it was via this that she completely outfoxed the covering defender before thrashing a shot beyond Emily Derlin, only for the post to come to the U-18s rescue. Unperturbed, Capital pressed again, Jayme-Lee Hunter this time the source of supply. The outlet remained the same, however, Robertson's pace a constant threat to the U-18s rearguard, who at times over the next ten minutes looked decidedly uncertain as they struggled to contain her. Robertson shot early and narrowly over the bar on this occasion, Capital's last clear-cut opening of note for a good fifteen minutes. This lull allowed the U-18s the chance to mount their case for the offence, with the Football Ferns' most recent international, Jasmine Pereira, denied by Ella Wilson's timely tackle in the nineteenth minute, after Tayla Christensen's cross-field ball had released the striker down the right. On the opposite flank lurked Paige Satchell, who in the 23rd minute set off on a forty yard run which culminated in a shot grabbed greedily by Lichtwark, a feat the 'keeper repeated six minutes later when Christensen chanced her arm from thirty-five yards. In between times, Tessa McPherson - quality defender, this lass - picked out Robertson with a pass which invited the pocket rocket to link with Morison. Coombes thwarted her progress, but Hunter was following up, and deserved better fate than to see her curling twenty yard strike crash against the crossbar. The U-18s instantly counter-attacked, with referee Mel Knight waving play on when Satchell went to ground in the penalty area under Hope Gilchrist's challenge. The ball was cleared to Christensen, who drove it back in to allow Puketapu to set up Nicole Mettam for a drive which fizzed past the post. In the 33rd minute, Cleverley released Emily Oosterhof on the overlap down the right. Her deep cross found its way to Christensen, her fellow fullback of a forward-minded nature, whose drive was well saved by Lichtwark. Capital's 'keeper clutched a Cleverley corner soon afterwards, and immediately ignited a counter-attack led by Emma Main, who went on to pick out Bryant with a cross. The midfielder's finish did not match the quality of the delivery she received. Derlin easily dealt with that chance, but was tested seconds later by a Hunter effort, Main again the provider. Upon saving it, Derlin threw the ball out to Christensen, who careered downfield before picking out Pereira. The striker evaded a couple of challenges before shooting across Lichtwark, only to groan in despair as the ball rolled agonisingly two inches past the far post. Lichtwark's resulting goal-kick gifted possession back to Pereira, who worked a slick one-two with Cleverley before thrashing a rising drive narrowly past the near post from an acute angle. This time, Lichtwark's goal-kick got no further than Mettam - accurate distribution, particularly of the kicked variety, is a genuine area of concern for a goalkeeper who ticks a lot of the boxes required of custodians on international duty. Mettam spread play wide to Oosterhof, whose cross was held up well by Puketapu before Mettam ranged up in support. Her twenty yarder narrowly cleared the crossbar as a shot from similar distance,

on the stroke of half-time, saw Lichtwark deny Bella Kingi the goal to break the deadlock. Compared to the first half, the second spell took a while to get going - eight minutes, in fact. It was also punctuated on numerous occasions by a string of substitutions, which broke up much of the game's momentum, however unintentionally. Despite these setbacks, however, chances galore continued to be generated. Bryant's pass saw Robertson unleash a shot on the run which Derlin tipped round the post in the 53rd minute. The resulting corner, delivered by Hunter, wasn't cleared, allowing Robertson to lob the ball back into the danger zone. Baldwin's header flashed over the bar from four yards out. Unperturbed by her narrow miss, the classy midfield general swiftly ignited another Capital raid, picking out Francesca Grange with a pass which allowed the fullback to fire over a cross. This was cleared to Main, whose unerring drive cannoned off the post from fifteen yards in the 55th minute. Capital continued to pound away in search of the breakthrough goal, with Derlin guilty of a glaring error in the 56th minute which, had anyone been following in, would surely have resulted in the deadlock being broken. The 'keeper misjudged a thumping drive from Main, who held off the challenge of Anton upon receipt of Hunter's pass. The ball cannoned off Derlin's chest and, much to the 'keeper's relief, bounced to safety - quite clearly, she should have held onto it. Back came the U-18s, Cleverley stoking the boilers with a pass intended for Puketapu. Gilchrist was taking no chances, however, clearing the threat as Lichtwark moved off her line in anticipation of the danger posed by the fast-closing front-runner. Main's corner was cleared to Christensen, who combined with Cleverley and Puketapu to slip the lively figure of Satchell - she of the unique running style - in behind the defence. The nippy winger was thwarted by Lichtwark diving to save at her feet in the 64th minute. Moments later, substitute Jacqueline Hand nearly scored with her first touch, her lobbed effort from Cleverley's corner arcing just past the far post, much to the relief of Lichtwark, whose facial expression betrayed the closeness of the opportunity. Capital responded via the well-performed Hunter, who sent substitute Renee Bacon racing down the left. Her shot streaked across the diving figure of replacement U-18s goalkeeper Ashleigh Emery and on past the far post, the signal for both teams to crank things up still further in search of a match-winning goal inside the last twenty minutes. The U-18s struck first, substitute Isabella Richards' twenty-five yarder in the 73rd minute being grabbed by Lichtwark, who was relieved to see Puketapu's drive rattle the fencing next to the goal seconds later, Kingi's interception allowing her to get the better of Baldwin before setting up the striker. Further pressure from the U-18s followed, Cleverley and Kingi combining to contrive a raid which saw Jade Parris, Puketapu and Hand queuing up to put the ball in the net. The last-mentioned directed her shot at the grateful figure of Lichtwark. Cue a Capital riposte, Baldwin its architect. Her pass released the ever-lively figure of Robertson, but she had to play second fiddle on this occasion, Emery's anticipation of the danger the striker posed allowing the 'keeper to save on the edge of the penalty area, twelve minutes from time. Emery's clearance downfield picked out Puketapu, who steered the ball back into the stride of Cleverley. She evaded a challenge before letting rip from twelve yards, only for Lichtwark to palm the danger to safety. Cue an avalanche of chances at both ends of the park in the final ten minutes. Kelsi Rutene went close with a twenty-five yarder for Capital, while fellow substitute Lucy Stotter sent one whistling over the bar seconds later after a fine move which featured Gilchrist, Bacon and Hunter. Back came the U-18s, Parris' drive being saved by Lichtwark, who, seconds later, kept out an Oosterhof piledriver which was bound for the top corner of the net. But Capital's 'keeper's best was still to come - a stunning reaction save low to her left to deny Hand at the death, after Puketapu's shot had been blocked following a short corner routine involving Cleverley and Parris. There was still time for a winner, however. Puketapu's desire to deliver it was denied by a splendidly timed tackle from Gilchrist in the penalty area in stoppage time, after which Capital screamed for handball as a Stotter stinger struck an opponent's hand, such was the visiting team's desperation to claim all three points. Referee Knight rightly ignored their appeals - the intent to handle simply wasn't there - and soon after blew the final whistle on this most captivating of scoreless draws. Quite how it remained so will forever remain a mystery. U-18s:          Derlin (Emery, 60); Oosterhof, Coombes, Anton, Christensen (Bunge, 81); Mettam (Richards, 57), Cleverley, Kingi; Pereira (Hand, 65), Puketapu, Satchell (Parris, 68) Capital:     Lichtwark; Grange, Gilchrist, McPherson, Wilson (Fibbes, 52); Bryant (Stotter, 74), Baldwin, Hunter; Robertson, Main (Bacon, 61), Morison (Rutene, 78) Referee:     Mel Knight