Western Springs edged closer to confirming a place in the National Women's League Grand Final on November 18, coming from two goals down to edge past Auckland United 3-2 at Seddon Fields, where the two teams produced a brilliant game of football - easily the best seen in the competition this season. There was little hint of what was to unfold in the early stages of the match. United engineered the first opening in the fifth minute when Bree Johnson released Ruby Nathan through the inside left channel. Lily Jervis raced back to retrieve the situation, but when she eventually attempted to clear the sphere, the ball ricocheted off Nathan towards goal, prompting Springs' skipper to yell "Grab it!" at Angelique Tuisamoa, as the striker looked to capitalise on the opportunity. "The Hoops" counter-attacked immediately, twice appealing for handball in United's penalty area in a twenty-second spell, the second of which was certainly worth looking at twice. Emma Leaming blocked a cross with her thigh, the ball rebounding up onto her outstretched arm and down, allowing her to clear it, thereby affording her an advantage from the situation - in other words, penalty, harsh though it may seem to award one in such circumstances. One of the most disappointing aspects of this National Women's League has been the seeming lack of responsibility referees have been willing to take where fouls and incidents as described above are concerned. At times, it's as if the match officials are just "going through the motions", as it were. Referee Sam Clement added himself to the growing list of officials to whom this charge applies, allowing play to continue as if nothing had happened on this occasion. Later in the game, bookable offences such as hauling a player back by the arm - Johnson on Emma Pijnenburg - were only punished by a free-kick, while taking the easy way out when determining a goalscorer - about which, more later - offered further evidence of this "relaxed" approach in action. This is an issue from this writer's perspective because the players deserve far better. The vast majority of those contesting this match have been attending training sessions since mid-February, and playing most weekends since the end of March, and will continue to do so for another month until the conclusion of this most demanding of years in NZ women's club football. Do you think they appreciate it when, having put in all that blood, sweat and toil over such a lengthy period of time, they encounter officiating which effectively does those efforts a disservice? What makes it worse is that match officials receive a stipend for their services, pitiful though it is. It's more than what each player gets, however … in other words, if you're being paid to perform to a certain level, no matter the amount, you perform! Or, as long-time Central United stalwart Paul Posa succinctly puts it, "It doesn't cost a penny to have a professional attitude". Back to the action. After Manaia Elliott had stung the gloves of Tuisamoa from twenty yards, the culmination of a move started by as perfect a ball right up the touchline from Jess Philpot as you could ever wish to see - normally such deliveries end up swerving out of play for a throw-in, United coach Mauro Donoso introduced his tactical ploy which befuddled Springs for the rest of the half. Having started with their usual 4-3-3 set-up, the flank players reverted to wide midfielders, while Alosi Bloomfield moved forward into an attacking sweeper role behind Nathan, who was charged with defending from the front. The strategy effectively nullified one of Springs' key starting plays - the ability of Jervis and Jaedici Uluvili to bring the ball forward from defence. And to a lesser extent, the ability to play through midfield as frequently as preferred. In a nutshell, this tactical switch was the making of this Friday night thriller, as it prompted both teams to play above their usual solid standard in their efforts to find a way to win. While Springs were wondering which way to turn in a bid to rediscover their attacking mojo, United gained the upper hand, the flank players supplementing Nathan's industry to keep "The Hoops" very much on the back foot. Elliott was the beneficiary of Nathan's efforts in the seventeenth minute, outpacing Arisa Takeda to deliver a cross to the far post which had Johnson's name written all over it until Tuisamoa pawed it away. Seconds later, Johnson shot straight at the goalkeeper after more Nathan toiling, this time through the inside left channel. Springs responded by finding a way to get balls into Jess Innes and Pijnenburg, both of whom served up some sumptuous angled through balls as a result. That delivered by the latter in the 22nd minute invited Lara Colpi to come in off the left flank and draw a solid near post save from Rivalina Fuimaono. Three minutes later, Sofia Garcia's angled run in behind the defence was rewarded by Innes' inch-perfect pass, which prompted the goal-getter to unleash an angled shot across goal. It flew narrowly past the far post, the same upright towards which Takeda delivered a long-range angled cross in the 27th minute. Garcia only just failed to get on the end of it. In between Garcia's close calls, Fuimaono was in Lotto ticket-buying territory - she dodged a bullet big-time! She came off her line to thwart Colpi, but the ball broke kindly for Sammi Tawharu, who invited the Young Ferns' starlet to chance her arm again, this time without Fuimaono's not insignificant presence between her and the goal. Instead, Philpot was the obstacle who stood between Colpi and glory, and the defender blocked the shot superbly, the rebound going straight into the grateful gloves of Fuimaono, who could only look on as the attack played out. Springs had the ball in the net in the 29th minute, only for Tawharu to be adjudged offside. United responded by opening the scoring from the resulting raking clearance, which Springs' defence allowed to bounce - a crucial error. For Nathan was onto it in an instant, and scooted past Uluvili before fizzing a low cross into the six-yard box. Tuisamoa was a raging hot favourite to get to the ball first, but Johnson's fierce determination saw her win the race and bundle it home - 1-0. Springs were stunned by this setback, and nearly went two goals behind seven minutes later - only Tuisamoa's full stretch fingertip save prevented Nathan's fifteen yard chip from finding the target. After Fuimaono had saved at the feet of Rina Hirano - Pijnenburg's through ball the source of the chance, Jervis' vital intervention diverted Johnson's twenty-five yard piledriver narrowly past the post on the stroke of half-time, United's leading markswoman having been picked out by Philpot. The visitors continued to enjoy the attacking edge early doors in the second spell, Penny Brill's super through ball sending Johnson thundering through the inside left channel. Jervis' clever covering run eliminated the angled shot to the far post from the striker's range of options, prompting a near post effort which Tuisamoa was well placed to deny. Sophie Bradley - one of many in black who impressed in this match, particularly compared with their previous performance - was next to unleash Johnson down the left, and her angled 53rd minute ball found Nathan running onto it. The striker's first-time drive sizzled inches past the far post, with Tuisamoa beaten by the effort.

"The Hoops" threatened through Hirano soon after - Fuimaono saved her shot at the second attempt, but the 56th minute saw another significant change take place in the game, this time on the personnel front. The home team introduced Lily Taitimu to the fray to counter the problems Bloomfield's advanced presence was causing them. At the same time, the Samoan international, who is nursing an injury at present, was withdrawn from the fray - advantage Springs. Before they could make it count, however, Bloomfield's replacement, Maya Vince, gave the home team something else to think about - a second United goal in the 63rd minute. Without a second striker to cover their runs, Jervis and Uluvili were free to roam once more, and Springs' skipper duly did so on this occasion, only for her ball forward to be cut out by Leaming. Instantly, the fullback picked out Nathan, who uncorked a sublime first-time pass with the outside of her right foot into the stride of Vince. The midfielder's run from deep wasn't picked up by anyone in a hooped shirt, and Springs paid the price, Vince squeezing the sphere past the advancing figure of Tuisamoa, the ball rolling slowly but inevitably over the line, despite Uluvili's despairing efforts to beat a hasty retreat and deny the substitute her goal. Cat, meet pigeons! Trailing 2-0 was not in the script as far as second-placed Springs was concerned. This was very much a must-win game for Ryan Faithfull's charges, as doing so would leave their Grand Final ambitions very much in their own hands with three rounds remaining. Any other result would leave the door ajar for Northern Rovers to capitalise … The usually dynamic Sophia Dyer had been a very much subdued figure so far in the contest, but in the final half-hour of play she was a completely different animal - an attack-minded juggernaut who lit up the right flank with her pace, passing and movement. Her 64th minute angled ball in-field towards Garcia was splendidly dummied by the striker, who was well aware that Colpi was darting in behind her. She nudged Philpot aside in her eagerness to latch onto the ball, unleashing a shot which ricocheted off Fuimaono to safety. Soon after, Philpot blocked a Hirano shot after clearing the ball straight to the striker, while, twenty minutes from time, Jenna Dodd was caught in possession in the centre circle, allowing Garcia to thread a pass through for Colpi. Georgia Martin had other ideas, however - she was immense in defence for United, and won everything in the air which was directed her way. Which is why Innes directed her 72nd minute corner well out of reach of the defender, arcing her delivery beyond the far post to where Garcia was lurking with intent. Her well-struck shot couldn't possibly have crossed the line without human intervention, and a United defender unwittingly obliged, the ball ricocheting off her into the roof of the net for an own goal, not one for Garcia, as referee Clement incorrectly deemed it. Match officials clearly need some training on what constitutes an own goal. As a basic rule of thumb, would the ball have crossed the line from the original attempt on goal without a defender making contact with it? If yes, credit the goal to the player whose shot it was. Otherwise, it's an "oggie"! Very simple, very straightforward, very hard to get wrong. And yet … United were still reeling from having their lead halved when it was wiped out entirely just two minutes later. Colpi outpaced Philpot down the left before picking out Pijnenburg, who powered past two opponents before pummelling a fifteen-yard missile across Fuimaono and into the far corner of the net - 2-2, and a grandstand finish now a racing certainty! Sure enough, both teams delivered in spades on this front. Straight from the kick-off, Vince tested Tuisamoa with a twenty-yarder, to which Springs responded via a lovely move sparked by Jervis' ball forward and ignited by Garcia's superbly timed run and first-time cross from the by-line for Hirano's benefit. Fuimaono had other ideas, however, and saved well at the striker's feet. Back came the visitors via Philpot, whose free-kick from way out on the left flank - any further out and she'd have been in MOTAT territory! - curled and dipped viciously before cannoning off the top of the crossbar. Springs retorted instantly, Innes' twenty-five yard rocket leaving Fuimaono standing, only to crash off the back stanchion. Cue Philpot again, racing out of defence onto a loose ball in the centre circle, from where she brought Elliott into play. Tuisamoa saved her shot, and an acute-angled attempt by Nathan seconds later, after Philpot and Johnson had combined to play in their team-mate. This was one of those contests where neither side deserved to lose, but in the 86th minute, fate delivered United a fatal blow - their fourth odd-goal-in-five loss in eleven National Women's League matches, and this a goal you would never have expected to see decide such a compelling contest. Dyer threw the ball into Garcia, who turned in-field before letting rip from twenty-five yards. Fuimaono had it covered, but inexplicably let it through her legs, the ball rolling over the line before she had a chance to recover it. The sight of the goalkeeper lying prone on the turf, wanting the ground to open up and swallow her, contrasted starkly with the scorer's wild celebrations, Garcia's sheer exuberance on show for all to see. The match-winning goal certainly made amends for her pre-match miss of the season. The perfect air-shot was executed after planting her balancing leg too close to the ball, sending the sphere towards the corner flag and leaving Garcia in a heap in the penalty area, looking skywards and hoping no one had noticed, one observer in particular … Oops! In the minutes remaining, United lay siege to the Springs goal, desperate to rescue the game. Jervis' untimely stumble in the penalty area gave Johnson a sniff of goal, only for Dyer to spare her skipper's blushes with a vital clearance. Issy Gerrand then combined with Johnson to present Nathan with a shot which she sent screaming across the face of goal, before Springs briefly killed the clock with an unusual tactic - twelve players on the park! "The Hoops" made two stoppage time substitutions, but only one of those being withdrawn had made her way off the park before play resumed. As a consequence, Helena O'Connor earned herself the rare distinction of being booked for entering the field of play without permission. Seconds later, the final act of the game played out. Philpot launched a free-kick into the heart of Springs' penalty area, where virtually every player on the pitch was now located. Cue an almighty melee, but the home team cleared their lines. Cue the final whistle, signalling the conclusion to what was a brilliant game of football! Springs:     Tuisamoa; Dyer, Jervis, Uluvili (Kemp, 90), Takeda; Pijnenburg, Hirano, Innes (O'Connor, 90 (booked, 90)); Garcia, Tawharu (Taitimu, 56), Colpi (Mayo, 86) Auckland:     Fuimaono; Philpot, Bradley (Bowala, 80), Martin, Leaming (Gerrand, 77); Brill, Bloomfield (Vince, 56), Dodd (Fulton, 77); Elliott, Nathan, Johnson Referee:     Sam Clement