Over the past two decades, clashes between Auckland (formerly Three Kings) United and Eastern Suburbs have been arguably the most eagerly anticipated fixtures in northern region women's football, because they're invariably highly entertaining, goal-laden affairs between teams with a great pedigree in the women's game. That trend is continuing in the National Women's League, with the pair locking horns twice on Labour Weekend 2022, each encounter producing five goals. Suburbs scored all of them in the first fixture, but in the latest chapter of this storied rivalry, "The Lilywhites" came from behind to win a thriller 3-2 at Keith Hay Park on October 24, thus maintaining their perfect start to the NWL season, which has now reached the halfway mark. The tone for what followed was set inside the opening five minutes, with both teams twice going close to breaking the deadlock in this time. United had the wind at their backs in the first half, and also had fresh legs on the park, the return of the majority of their Young Ferns contingent a welcome boost for a side which is running on empty numbers-wise at present due to injuries. One of the returnees, Ruby Nathan, led a third minute charge which culminated in Bree Johnson buccaneering through the inside left channel, only to see Brooke Bennett block her shot with her legs. The resulting corner, taken by Nathan, was headed narrowly over by Georgia Martin. Suburbs retorted straight away with a terrific counter-attack, led by Erinna Wong down the right. She steered the ball inside to Tayla O'Brien, who threaded the needle with a sumptuous defence-splitting pass to play in Ella Findlay. With Aimee Feinberg-Danieli beaten, she somehow guided her first-time effort past the post - how did she miss?! Jade Parris was eager to make amends for the midfielder's blemish, and was in like Flynn from the resulting goal kick, slipping a shot past the advancing Feinberg-Danieli towards the target. Much to United's relief, Jennifer McMurray was racing back and cleared the goalbound attempt to safety. That's how these teams usually roll when they lock horns - close calls aplenty, often at one end then the other in fairly short order. That trend continued in the tenth minute when Bennett dodged a bullet, cheekily playing a one-two off the fast-closing figure of Johnson before gathering the rebound. Five minutes later, Nathan rampaged down the right at pace, her cross finding Johnson at full stretch through the middle. She guided her attempt inches past the far post, but from the resulting goal-kick, Johnson latched onto the ball and powered through the inside left channel once more before lashing a fiercely struck cross-shot towards the target. It proved too hot for Bennett to handle, the 'keeper fumbling the shot before desperately but unsuccessfully attempting to claw it back before it crossed the goal line. Referee's assistant Hayden Tutbury was Johnny on the spot to confirm the ball had done so, allowing referee Anne-Marie Keighley to award the opening goal, although 'twas wrongly accredited to Johnson post-match - these are "oggies" every day of the week! Suburbs sought a swift riposte, Aimee Atkins' driving run down the left culminating in O'Brien evading a challenge before seeing her shot well parried by Feinberg-Danieli. Martin was on hand to tidy things up. Back came United, who doubled their lead in the 22nd minute via a Nathan corner. O'Brien failed to clear the danger, and Manaia Elliott, arriving on cue on the far post, swept the ball high into the net to give Auckland a two-goal lead. Cat, meet pigeons. In terms of the NWL, the prospect of both unbeaten table-toppers dropping points in this seventh round was now very real, with co-leaders Western Springs having been held to a draw by Northern Rovers in the earlier encounter across town. Now with Suburbs losing … They wasted little time in looking to rectify that situation. Straight from the kick-off, Atkins sent Findlay galloping away down the left, from where she unleashed a drive which was gobbled up by Feinberg-Danieli. Back came United, Johnson sending Nathan racing through on a counter-attack, only for the Young Fern to be thwarted by a player who should have sported the silver fern at some stage during her career. Alas for Rebekah Van Dort, international recognition remains elusive, despite her being arguably / probably the best and certainly the most consistently performed defender in northern region women's football since 2015. Just after the half-hour mark, Saki Yoshida sent Findlay scampering down the left once more, this time working an opening in tandem with Atkins. The wingback fired in a cross which had the formidable figure of Parris as its target, but Feinberg-Danieli clearly had her own ideas on who would come up trumps as she charged out of goal in a bid to claim the ball. The collision was inevitable, but even when she was prone on the ground, Parris' attacking instincts saw her steer the sphere into the net with the most deft of flicked finishes. Alas for the striker, referee Keighley had already blown her whistle to stop play, as the goalkeeper had come off far worse for wear than her stronger opponent. Feinberg-Danieli's treatment included a concussion test, and while she was okay initially, as the saying goes, "Something's rotten in the state of Denmark", about which, more shortly. While their 'keeper was recovering her senses, Auckland employed attack as their best means of defence, with Maya Vince lashing a dipping thirty yarder narrowly over the bar ten minutes before half-time, following it up with a left wing raid in which she beat Wong before inviting Johnson to turn Arya Blackler and bear down on goal before battering a rising drive into the near post side-netting - a low percentage finish compared to the other options available to her. On the stroke of the interval, Johnson was at her exciting best again, taking on and beating opponents

at will before threading a pass through to Elliott, who was employed in an attacking role by United having been deployed as a fullback while on Young Ferns' duty. She was clipped as she approached the penalty area, but no foul was awarded, referee Keighley instead bringing a temporary halt to proceedings, and leaving many asking would United's two-goal lead be enough, given the wind that had been at their backs in the first forty-five minutes. There was another factor which reared its head within five minutes of the action resuming - Feinberg-Danieli was still feeling the effects of her collision with Parris, to such an extent that her afternoon was done. Auckland now had a real problem on their hands. Reserve goalkeeper Jesse Barnard was down on the teamsheet, but hadn't been able to get to the ground due to work commitments. So coach Mauro Donoso, with just two substitutes left to deploy, opted to introduce Issy Gerrand into midfield in place of Vince, who gamely took over twixt the sticks. Suburbs smelt blood, and within five minutes of Vince donning the gloves, she was fishing the ball out of her net. Aimee Barnard needlessly conceded a free-kick wide on Suburbs' left, from where Mettam, the victim of the foul, delivered the ball to the far post. O'Brien arrived bang on cue to net her eleventh goal of the NWL season - game on! "Lilywhites" coach Stephen Hoyle instantly turned to his bench, his triple substitution seeing Young Ferns Zoe Benson and Olivia Page introduced to the fray, along with Junior Fern Charlotte Wilford-Carroll, whose first contribution to proceedings invited Mettam to bear down on goal. Barnard, racing across in cover, cleared her lines ahead of a hesitant Vince, who wasn't certain about when to use her hands in such situations. Mettam took the resulting corner, which wasn't cleared. Findlay headed the ball down to O'Brien, who poked an effort narrowly past the post on the hour mark. Soon after, Benson, Mettam and O'Brien combined for Wilford-Carroll's benefit, only for Vince to intervene, grabbing the ball greedily. Wong was seeing stars soon after courtesy a clash of heads, and once play resumed, Findlay hurled her throw-in beyond Jess Philpot into the stride of O'Brien, who beat Vince at her near post only to see the sphere strike the inside of the upright and cannon back across the goalmouth. Page reacted quickest to the opportunity, only for McMurray to block her progress. Vince was quickly on the scene, and bravely saved at the feet of Wilford-Carroll, to the undisguised delight of her team-mates - congratulatory pats on the head and back abounded. Seventeen minutes from time, Suburbs drew level. Page powered down the right, hurdling the challenge of McMurray en route to a position near the by-line, from where she picked out O'Brien with a low cross. The league's leading markswoman misfired on this occasion, but that worked to Suburbs' benefit. Barnard and Vince both left the slowly rolling ball to each other, allowing Mettam to nip in and ram it home from close range - 2-2. If you thought that goal would signal the end of Auckland's resistance, you don't know the heritage of this fixture at this venue. Against the odds, they came storming back, substitute Emmelin Bowala combining with Johnson in the penalty area in the 77th minute. Bennett saved the latter's effort, but two minutes later she and her Suburbs team-mates were torn asunder by a scintillating United raid, sparked by Johnson's counter-attacking charge, which was ably supported by Nathan and Gerrand. The youngster delivered a sublime buffet ball to the far post which Elliott gleefully tucked home, only for Auckland's celebrations to be cut short by the offside flag. 2-2 it remained, with Philpot doing everything humanly possible to ensure there would be no alteration to the scoreline on her watch. O'Brien, in particular, bore the brunt of the Auckland captain's efforts, most notably in the 81st minute, when Philpot's spectacular hooked clearance culminated in the airborne defender flying into the striker in the penalty area. Penalty claims were forthcoming from Suburbs' ranks, but such a call would have been extremely harsh on Philpot, whose sole intention was on averting the danger. O'Brien just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time this time round. Unlike Benson five minutes later, Wilford-Carroll having rattled the crossbar in between times with a dipping twenty-five yarder. Bennett sent a raking wind-assisted clearance downfield which cleared all-comers, but Benson was onto the opportunity in a flash, and careered clear before caressing the ball beyond Vince to complete Suburbs' come-from-behind 3-2 victory. The game wasn't over, but for Findlay, it was, prematurely. She landed awkwardly after going in to challenge Penny Brill soon after play resumed, an incident which resulted in the Junior Fern being carried from the field looking rather the worse for wear, and reserve goalkeeper Kate Payne being introduced to the fray for the final minutes wearing a white shirt with a makeshift and improvised number two on the back - needs must! Suburbs had done enough, however, this victory over Auckland their seventh win from as many matches as they bid to become the first club to win the National Women's League, for so long a competition which was the domain of provinces then federations, but which will ultimately determine New Zealand's contender when the FIFA Women's Club World Cup eventually becomes part of the international women's football calendar. Auckland:     Feinberg-Danieli (Gerrand, 51); Barnard, Philpot, Martin, McMurray (Bowala, 72); Brill, Bradley, Vince; Elliott, Nathan, Johnson Suburbs:     Bennett; Blackler (Page, 57), Head, Van Dort (booked, 74); Wong (Brooke, 67), Yoshida, Mettam, Atkins (Benson, 57); O'Brien, Parris (Wilford-Carroll, 57), Findlay (Payne, 90) Referee:     Anna-Marie Keighley