The NZ U-18 Development Squad claimed second place in the ASB National Women's League on November 23, stunning incumbents Auckland Football 6-2 at William Green Domain to oust the one-time leaders of the competition from its play-offs phase. The three goals scored by the U-18s in the last five minutes of play ended Auckland's play-offs hopes, with Capital Football securing third place on goal difference from their arch-rivals. The margin? Those three goals … The U-18s were on the front foot from the first whistle, Tayla Christensen's teasing cross-shot leaving Ashleigh McNaughton in two minds just 140 seconds into the contest. The 'keeper punched clear on this occasion, but was soon in action again, saving from Martine Puketapu after Paige Satchell had capitalised on one of a number of sub-standard clearances by Auckland from the restarting of play. That effort proved to be a sight-setter for Puketapu, for when she was next in range, in the tenth minute, the U-18s opened the scoring. Rebekah Van Dort played the ball to Emily Cooper, who directed her pass straight to Satchell. The winger played the ball in towards Puketapu, who allowed her team-mate's pass to run behind her before swivelling and slamming an unerring fifteen-yarder beyond the diving figure of McNaughton, who quite rightly berated her team-mates for their inept play. Auckland sought an equaliser - they only needed a draw to claim second place - and only the bounce of the ball prevented Melanie Gooch from realising it in the fourteenth minute. Cooper then fired over a corner which Jess Verdon met with a bullet header. The ball fizzed over the bar in the 22nd minute, at which point referee Helen Mallon stopped play to allow both teams to take on water - 'twas easily the warmest day in Auckland so far this month, and allied to the heat which artificial turf pitches generate, the stoppage was well justified. After the break, the U-18s generally kept Auckland at arm's length as the home team sought parity. Indeed, they could have fallen further behind in the latter stages of the half, with Isabella Richards thrice threatening the target. Her first attempt flew high, wide and far from handsomely over the bar after Jade Parris - she's going to be some striker, this lass - and Emily Oosterhof combined on the right in the 38th minute. McNaughton smothered the midfielder's next effort, before Richards sent another one over the bar after Auckland's midfield allowed their rival to run through unchecked - cue more justified criticism from McNaughton. Emily Stotter endeavoured to make amends at the other end of the park in the 42nd minute, thrashing a twenty yarder over the bar following another Cooper corner. The resulting goal-kick saw Cooper swiftly regain possession for Auckland, and her pass to Sam Muirhead invited the striker to unleash an unerring strike at goal from the edge of the area. Kelsey Dzaferic, the U-18s goalkeeper, stood not a prayer as the ball sizzled past her into the back of the net, 1-1 the half-time score. The U-18s came out with renewed vigour in the second spell, knowing that only a win would suffice if they were to realise their semi-final ambitions. Within three minutes of the resumption, Daisy Cleverley and Richards had both seen shots blocked by Auckland's rearguard. Two minutes later, a Cleverley corner was cleared to Oosterhof, who angled a pass back to the playmaker. She darted along the by-line, evading a couple of challenges en route, before making the angle for a shot which arrowed between McNaughton and her near post - 2-1 young 'uns, who were well up for this. Melanie Gooch responded with Auckland's first shot which required saving. Dzaferic duly obliged, and sparked a counter-attack which featured a storming run down the right from Oosterhof. She got to the by-line and delivered a cross which

wasn't cleared, much to the delight of Puketapu, who lashed the loose ball towards the target. McNaughton saved it, then spilled it, the ball creeping over the line to give the U-18s a 3-1 lead, and leave the former Junior Ferns custodian wishing the ground would open up and swallow her right there and then. No earthquake was forthcoming, but if this scoreline stayed as it was, it would certainly rank as one of the shocks of the season, given Auckland were leading the competition at the start of the month, and their destiny was very much in their own hands at that point. Cooper and Stotter were determined to resolve the dilemma. The captain's corner was punched out by Dzaferic to the edge of the area, where the incoming figure of Stotter adjusted herself well to accommodate an awkward bounce and thrash a volley a foot over the bar - she deserved better fate. Sadly, it was Stotter's last act of note in the match, the knee injury which has dogged her in recent weeks forcing her departure from the fray with half-an-hour to play. And with her went a fair chunk of Auckland's attacking threat. The U-18s were swift to take advantage, Nicole Mettam's twenty-five yarder drawing a 63rd minute save from McNaughton, who was called upon again soon after as Christensen and Puketapu combined to release Satchell down the left. She got to the by-line before playing the ball inside, just out of reach of the goalkeeper, and just too far in front of the incoming figure of Parris - two more strides and it would have been game over! Instead, it was very much game on again in the 72nd minute. Out of nothing, Muirhead uncorked a cracking goal, a steepling twenty-five yarder which Dzaferic watched … and watched … then looked at in horror as she realised it was destined to arc over her head and under the crossbar, and there wasn't a thing she could do about it! 3-2. Now it was Auckland with the bit between their teeth. Three minutes later, they came desperately close to levelling the scores. Cooper pinged a free-kick beyond the far post, which wasn't cleared. Chelsey Wood was lurking with intent, and from six yards let rip. The net rippled, but the former Junior Fern had struck the side-netting - a real let-off for the U-18s. Oosterhof, with a low cross-shot which sped narrowly past the post, and Auckland substitute Lily-Rose Dyer exchanged efforts on goal in the next four minutes, before the U-18s made the only outfield change available to them, Jacqueline Hand their lone throw of the dice as far as substitutes were concerned, eight minutes from time. Talk about a Supersub! Within minutes, Richards had gone close from twenty yards, but the next time she had a shot on goal, Hand's left-wing raid was the catalyst. Her cross picked out the midfielder, who thrashed a drive under the dive of McNaughton and into the net beyond. 4-2 in the 86th minute, and Auckland now facing a task of Everest-like proportions if they harboured hopes of getting back into the contest. As things stood, they were still assured of third place on goal difference, but two further U-18 goals in stoppage time sealed both teams' semi-final fate. The first was inspired by Puketapu's right wing raid, her low cross being stabbed home by Hand, who reacted quicker to the incoming delivery than any of Auckland's defenders. 5-2 swiftly became 6-2, and again Puketapu was the architect. Released down the right by Mettam, she delivered a low cross to the near post for Richards. McNaughton blocked that threat, but was powerless to prevent Parris pouncing, the striker's unerring finish confirming the U-18s would host next Sunday's semi-final against Capital Football, and leaving Auckland to ponder upon what should have been. Auckland:     McNaughton; Verdon  (Molloy, 89), Windsor, Van Dort, L. Mettam; Stotter (Robert, 59), Wood, Cooper; Muirhead, Rawnsley (Dyer, 59), Gooch (Hetherington, 79) NZ U-18s:     Dzaferic; Oosterhof, Bunge, Anton, Christensen; Richards, Cleverley, N. Mettam; Parris, Puketapu, Satchell (Hand, 82) Referee:     Helen Mallon