Reigning National Women's League champions Canterbury United Pride brought an end to the unbeaten run of 2022 league leaders Eastern Suburbs on 20 November, prevailing 2-1 in decidedly wet conditions at William Green Domain. "The Lilywhites" had the ball in the net inside three minutes of this contest, only for the offside flag to curtail Deven Jackson's celebrations. Straight from the resulting free-kick, Canterbury made their intentions clear, Frankie Morrow getting in behind Rebekah Van Dort before picking out Charlotte Roche, who steered her shot past the near post. The visitors continued to hold the upper hand, with Darsha Keogan going close after pouncing on Rachel Head's attempted clearance. Then the heavens opened, accompanied by the odd peel of thunder around and about as Auckland was subjected to the sort of torrential downpour one expects to see when in the likes of Apia, Nuku'alofa and Suva, but which have becoming increasingly commonplace in and around 37 degrees south in recent years. Suburbs came alive in the rain, Jackson lashing a fifteen yarder narrowly past the post before Saki Yoshida's low cross was cut out by Rebecca Lake, who was simply immense at the heart of the visitors' defence - an outstanding personal performance. Those around her were inspired by their captain's efforts, and those of Chloe Bellamy, who relished the chance to take on opponents whom she encountered regularly throughout the winter season when sporting the colours of West Coast Rangers, and Whitney Hepburn, who was at her rock-solid best at the heart of the Canterbury midfield unit. Hepburn it was who sparked the move from which the scoring was opened in the twentieth minute, picking out Petra Buyck with a pass which allowed the winger to stand up Erinna Wong and slip the ball into the unmarked Charlotte Roche, who punished Suburbs' carelessness by curling a shot around Brooke Bennett from the edge of the area into the far corner of the net. The goalscorer, who led the goal charts in the National Women's Youth League competition with ten goals, came close to doubling her tally for the game two minutes later when volleying narrowly past the post after Hepburn had combined with Jasmine Donald on the right. Suburbs sought an equaliser, and nearly got one in the 24th minute. Jackson sent the overlapping Findlay flying down the right, from where she fired in a cross with Tayla O'Brien's name on it. Lake had other ideas, and cleared the danger upfield, but only as far as Olivia Page, who strode onto it and thumped a thirty yard volley goalwards which Una Foyle was forced to turn to safety. Back came United, Buyck leading the charge down the left on the half-hour before delivering a cross which found its way to Keogan. She played in Roche, whose hesitance in pulling the trigger saw her swiftly closed down. The striker returned the favour, and Keogan went close with a twenty yarder. Suburbs started to get up a head of steam after this close call, and when they equalised in the 39th minute, it came as no surprise. Buyck gifted the ball to Yoshida, with linked with Nicole Mettam to send Jackson dashing through on goal. She took on two opponents before finding a gap from which she sent a shot arrowing past Foyle's dive right into the corner of the net - 1-1. The home team kept on coming after this, and after twice being thwarted by Lake's fine defending in one-on-one situations, O'Brien eventually engineered an opening from which the league's leading markswoman was able to let fly on the stroke of half-time. Foyle parried this effort, then saved Jackson's follow-up with her legs. The rebound fell to O'Brien, whose shot was cleared off the line by Kendrah Smith. This time, the ball fell invitingly for Aimee Atkins, whose ferocious fifteen-yarder was deflected over the bar.

From the resulting corner, Rebekah Van Dort hit the outside of the post with a shot which deceived Foyle. The subsequent goal kick saw play switch to the other end of  the park, where Findlay gifted possession to Bellamy. She instantly sent Morrow motoring down the right, before she cut inside and sent the ball soaring over the bar with the last meaningful kick of a closely contested first half. The second spell was just as keenly contested, and got off to the best possible start for Canterbury, as they scored from their first attack. Lara Wall stormed down the left at pace to force a corner, which Morrow delivered into the danger zone. Hepburn came flying in with a headed effort which was blocked, with Bellamy beating Bennett to the rebound and blasting a shot goalwards. O'Brien blocked this on the line, but from the resulting scramble, Bellamy squeezed the ball home to the delight of her Canterbury team-mates, while Suburbs protested in vain to referee Riley Greenbury that Bennett had been fouled in the seconds prior to the goal being scored. 2-1 to the visitors, then, and their hosts nowhere near their usual dominant selves on a surface which better suited Canterbury than it did Suburbs, who would have played this game at their Madills Farm home had Auckland Council's Parks team not butchered the pitch beyond recognition. 2-1 nearly became 3-1 in the 58th minute, Findlay racing back to block Roche's shot after Bellamy, Morrow and Keogan had unhinged Suburbs' rearguard. The home team looked to respond just after the hour mark, Mettam and Jackson combining to present Yoshida with a shooting chance, the ball cannoning to safety off the face of Hepburn - she'll be feeling that one tonight! After substitute Charlotte Wilford-Carroll sliced a shot wildly wide after the defensive wall did its job blocking a Jackson free-kick, Van Dort, Mettam, Wong and Jackson combining to present Mettam with the chance to chip Foyle from twenty-five yards. The midfielder measured her 67th minute effort to perfection, but the goalkeeper arched backwards and just tipped the ball over the bar. Six minutes later, Wilford-Carroll sent Jackson steaming down the right, through the offside trap. She looked to present Juliette Lucas with the chance to equalise, but Wall came from nowhere to cut out the danger. The Lotto Northern Premier Women's League Golden Boot winner squandered a glorious chance to equalise seven minutes from time, as Suburbs wound up the pressure on a Canterbury defence which was being splendidly led by Lake. They were in trouble on this occasion, however, with Nicole Cooper's pressure on Foyle forcing a hasty clearance, upon which Wong pounced. She instantly picked out Jackson, who drew the defence before setting up Lucas for the sort of chance she gobbles up for breakfast - six yards out, 'keeper to beat, nothin' but net! Not this time, however - she skied it, a woeful finish which left one with the impression that today would be Canterbury's day. The league leaders continued to pound away, Foyle saving at the feet of Cooper before Wilford-Carroll sent a shot soaring over the bar after Jackson and Cooper had combined to good effect. That was their lot, however, and after Bennett had grabbed a Lisa Evans attempt - Bellamy got away with a clear handball in the build-up - then splendidly saved a first-time volley from Britney-Lee Nicholson, Bellamy having scampered clear down the left to engineer the opening, the final whistle brought Suburbs their first taste of defeat this season, much to the delight of the outgoing champions, who were deserving winners on the day. Suburbs:     Bennett; Findlay, Head, Van Dort; Wong, Yoshida (Lucas, 70), Page, Atkins (Wilford-Carroll, 62 (booked, 90)); Mettam (Cooper, 70), Jackson, O'Brien Canterbury:     Foyle; Donald, Smith, Lake, Wall; Morrow (Evans, 76), Keogan (Firth, 67), Hepburn, Bellamy, Buyck (Mortlock, 67); Roche (Nicholson, 76) Referee:     Riley Greenbury