Western Springs continue to make every post a winning one in the National Women's League, third-placed Northern Rovers their latest victim after copping a 4-1 thrashing from "The Hoops" at Seddon Fields on 21 October, as Friday night football was introduced to the NWL season. The result leaves Ryan Faithfull's title-chasers eight points clear of Ben Bate's charges, who are no longer able to call upon the influential Michaela Foster following her pre-game transfer to Wellington Phoenix, with whom she is taking up an A-League Women scholarship in the 2022-23 season. Her departure leaves a big hole in Rovers' ranks, and they struggled to fill it in this match as "The Hoops" dominated proceedings in the first half, their first thrust arising from concerted pressure in the third minute. Sammi Tawharu, Rina Hirano and Arisa Takeda combined on the left before the fullback's tantalising angled cross into the corridor of uncertainty exposed Ellen Blount's hesitancy - "Should I Stay Or Should I Go?", as The Clash song goes. She opted to stay, and rode her luck, as Emma Pijnenburg, ghosting through from midfield, shot straight at her, spurning a glorious chance to open the scoring in the process. Four minutes later, Sofia Garcia sent a twenty-five yarder sizzling past Blount's right-hand post, after which things started to get a wee bit willing. The tone was set by Talisha Green, who cleaned out Maggie Pedersen near the touchline in the thirteenth minute, prompting referee Anna-Marie Keighley to award a free-kick. And only a free-kick, Rovers' captain dodging a bullet and at least a booking for a foul which has left Pedersen nursing a suspected ACL injury. The resulting free-kick from Takeda picked out the unmarked Lily Jervis, who directed her header straight at Blount. Rovers counter-attacked instantly, Kelli Brown their target up top. But the ball she chased was well anticipated by Angelique Tuisamoa, who capably dealt with Green's twenty-five yarder eight minutes later, Northern's only shot at goal of note in a half dominated by "The Hoops". Blount was the visitors' saviour in the first 45 minutes, smothering a Lily Taitimu effort before looking on with relief as Hirano hooked a volley over the bar before Pijnenburg pummelled a twenty-yarder narrowly wide. The 'keeper was then called upon to deny Takeda as Springs carved out a flurry of opportunities before the half had reached its halfway mark. In the 27th minute, Pijnenburg fed the overlapping Anija Irvine, Pedersen's replacement. The fullback delivered a delicious cross to the far post, and Garcia's eyes lit up at the prospect of heading home her fifth goal of the season. Greer MacIntosh had other ideas, blocking the attempt of the powerfully built striker, who gave Green a bit of payback for the Pedersen incident in a thunderous challenge soon afterwards, earning herself the first booking of the night. It should have been the third. As well as Green's tackle, referee Keighley could well have booked Brown by this time for a very naughty challenge on Jess Innes in front of the Springs dugout. "The Hoops" chose to fight fire with football, however, and carved out a delightful move in the 35th minute. Five players combined to great effect via scintillating one-touch passing. The ball was pinged around among Innes, Takeda, Garcia and Tawharu before Taitimu let fly from the edge of the area. Had her attempt been on target, it would have been a great goal. Back came Rovers, Brown their principle attacking weapon, ably supported throughout by the thrusting runs of Rene Wasi and, on this occasion, Danielle Canham. She sent Brown spearing through the inside-right channel, from where she delivered a dangerous cross across the face of goal. No one in a yellow shirt was anticipating it, however, which was the case again four minutes before half-time. Canham pounced on an Innes error, and Brown took the ball on, beating two before sending an angled cross zooming across the goalmouth - one of those occasions when the player who crossed the ball needed to be the one being crossed to … Right on half-time, Blount kept out a deflected effort by Innes, but nine minutes after the interval, Rovers' goal line was finally breached. Garcia swooped on a stray Wasi pass and instantly fed Pijnenburg, who speared through the inside left channel before switching play to Hirano on the right. Her cross wasn't cleared, allowing Pijnenburg to stride onto the ball and execute an unerring finish from ten yards. It was a goal Springs thoroughly deserved, but they only got to enjoy their advantage for two minutes. Straight from the kick-off, a Rovers attack saw Jaedici Uluvili stumble in untimely fashion while attempting to clear the ball, which allowed Brown to feed Angela Pivac on the right. Her cross picked out Canham, whose shot was

parried by Tuisamoa under pressure from Brown. Springs scrambled the ball to safety, or did they, for within seconds, Leanna Ryan was racing down the left, storming past all-comers before whipping in a cross to the near post. Brown, of all people to be left unmarked, wasted little time in despatching the equaliser past Tuisamoa - 1-1. Game on! "The Hoops" wasted little time in attempting to re-establish their lead. Irvine led the charge down the left before picking out Garcia, who directed a header across the face of goal. The ball was soon back in the mixer, prompting Blount to punch clear off the head of a team-mate. It dropped invitingly to Taitimu, who opted for a lobbed finish, only to see Rovers' custodian in position to grab the ball beneath the crossbar. Chelsea Elliott's long-range free-kick reared up in front of Tuisamoa in the 62nd minute, prompting the 'keeper to tip the ball over the bar. Canham sent a thirty yarder screaming a yard over the woodwork five minutes later, but in between times, Ryan's defence-splitting through ball sent Brown careering through the inside right channel and into the penalty area, from where she was denied her second goal of the game by Jervis' superbly timed tackle, executed just as the striker pulled the trigger - a terrific piece of defending. Back came Springs, their threat now enhanced by the introduction of "The Comeback Kid", former Junior Fern Georgia Brown, who is more familiar with tennis courts than football pitches these days, but showed she has lost none of her precocious blend of speed, skill, flair and instinctiveness when a size five sphere is the object of her desires. An Innes corner in the 68th minute was headed out at the near post, and eventually cleared beyond the penalty area. Lurking where she anticipated it would likely end up was Takeda, who sent it back from whence it cometh with interest aplenty - a ferocious twenty-five yard missile which was destined to slam into the back of the net until Blount, flinging herself to her right, produced a stunning save which drew applause from all sides. The resulting corner was cleared to Pijnenburg, who brought Georgia Brown into play. Her angled pass invited Taitimu to let fly once more, but again, her shot flew over the angle rather than under it - technique, Lily, technique. More Springs pressure followed, Garcia - if there's an NWL All-Star Team named for the 2022 campaign, you can pen her name on the list in indelible ink right now! - causing Rovers problems galore through the inside left channel before being taken out just outside the area. Referee Keighley played a terrific advantage, however, as Garcia managed to get a pass away to Hirano, who raced into the area before sent tumbling by Blount. The official was pointing to the spot as she was reaching for her yellow card - into the book when the 'keeper, and past her went the ball, as Takeda thrashed home the resulting spot-kick in the 72nd minute. Momentum was now with the home team, but Rovers rode out the storm and came back in equaliser-seeking mode once more. Frustrations were mounting, however - Kelli Brown's yellow card was long overdue - but Springs kept them at bay until the 83rd minute, when Canham pounced on a stray pass just outside the area and walloped a shot goalwards, only to see it smothered by Tuisamoa. The game was up for Northern in the 86th minute, with Garcia once more their bete noire. She took on all-comers via a storming run through the inside-left channel before drilling a cross to the near post. Stealing in to meet it was Georgia Brown, who afforded herself a belated 29th birthday present with a close-range finish to clinch the points for "The Hoops". 3-1 became 4-1 three minutes later, Innes picking out the top far corner with a delightfully flighted free-kick from near the edge of the penalty area to overcome their rivals for the second time this year, Springs being the only club to inflict defeat on the Lotto Northern Premier Women's League champions during the winter campaign. Rovers looked to reduce the deficit in stoppage time, Mackenzie Longmuir and Wasi both being denied by Tuisamoa, either side of some brilliant play by Canham, who evaded multiple challenges before seeing her effort flash across the face of goal. To the victor, the spoils, however, Springs' 4-1 victory propelling them eight points clear of Rovers, who'll be primed for revenge when these teams meet again on Labour Day, by which time one hopes that any feelings festering from this encounter - and there will be a few believing they have scores to settle - will have subsided. Springs:     Tuisamoa; Takeda, Jervis, Uluvili, Pedersen (Irvine, 15); Pijnenburg, Taitimu, Innes; Garcia (booked, 31) (Jo, 90), Tawharu (G. Brown, 67), Hirano  (booked, 58) (O'Connor, 90) Northern:     Blount (booked, 71); McConnell (Sheldon, 88), Elliott, MacIntosh, Green; Canham, Durham, Wasi; Pivac (Longmuir, 62), K. Brown (booked, 79), Ryan (Noble, 87) Referee:     Anna-Marie Keighley