Auckland United and Central Football made light of having to relocate from Keith Hay Park to Seddon Fields to ensure this eighth round National Women's League fixture took place on 30 October by producing a good old-fashioned goal-fest, United prevailing 9-3. Heavy rain rendered Keith Hay Park's number two ground unplayable - the number one pitch is being readied for FIFA Women's World Cup-related activities - so it was upon Seddon Fields for the second time this weekend that the NWL fraternity converged, with the delayed kick-off time allowing the rain to clear. But for the efforts of Central goalkeeper Annie Foote, Auckland could easily have amassed double figures in this contest, the visitors having no answer to the pace and movement of Ruby Nathan and Bree Johnson, who, between them, repeatedly carved out chances, the first of them within twenty seconds of the kick-off. The Junior Fern sent the pacy number nine powering down the left from where she whipped in a cross which flew narrowly over the head of Manaia Elliott, arriving on the far post. Within minutes, the Young Ferns captain had unleashed a stinging drive which Foote turned away well, seconds after the 'keeper had looked on with relief as Sophie Williams' curling twenty-five yarder arced narrowly past the far post. While the first half saw plenty of action in the Central penalty area, the visitors weren't without their chances, the first of them materialising in the tenth minute. Ashley Arquette charged down the left before linking with Maddison Hughes, whose run through the inside left channel resulted in a fierce drive being struck straight at Jesse Barnard. That didn't go down too well with the women in black, Johnson in particular. She careered down the left before cutting inside two players and letting fly. Foote parried her shot, with the rebound just going past the incoming figure of Elliott. With their next attack, Auckland opened the scoring. Emma Leaming's work on the left invited Nathan to pick out the bottom left-hand corner of the net from the edge of the penalty area - 1-0 after twelve minutes. Within seconds, Johnson had gone close to doubling that lead, Foote parrying her effort. Elliott couldn't get her shot away after latching onto the rebound, but compromised by inviting Nathan to let fly. Jana Niedermayr blocked her goalbound effort to safety. Back came Central, in doing so squandering a glorious chance to equalise. Hughes sprung the offside trap and drew the chasing defenders before setting up Holly Kleinsman, who, with just Barnard to beat, steered the sphere past the far post - a bad miss, and one which United punished ruthlessly. But not before Foote had foiled them on three occasions, the 'keeper smothering a Nathan effort, grabbing one from Elliott, while tipping one over the bar from Sophie Williams in between times. But she couldn't keep United at bay forever, and in the 21st minute was beaten all ends up by a gorgeous twenty yard curler from Nathan, who had time to line it up and execute the shot to perfection. The chances kept on coming for Mauro Donoso's charges. Nathan was denied her hat-trick by Foote, who then tipped a teasing twenty-five yard chip from Johnson onto the crossbar. Aimee Barnard then chanced her arm, but the 'keeper used both of hers to frustrate the fullback, before Central launched another raid. This one resulted in a free-kick, Georgia Martin fouling Kleinsman just outside the area. Tessa Hyland wasted this set-piece opportunity, but made amends with her pinpoint corner, the head of Niedermayr being picked out perfectly. The defender's goalbound effort was blocked by Martin, allowing United to breathe easily again. It was only a matter of time before Johnson found a way past Foote, and she realised it in the 29th minute, despite the 'keeper's best efforts to prevent the striker from tapping in Nathan's cross. And after the Young Ferns' striker went close after cutting in past Niedermayr seconds later, Johnson bagged her second of the match in the 32nd minute, Elliott's driven cross ricocheting into the net off her heel - 4-0. Martin was having a mixed bag of a game in defence, given the illness-enforced absence of her usual partner in crime in this area of the park, Jess Philpot. That was no excuse for the wayward back-pass she played in the 39th minute, however, much to Kleinsman's delight. Sophie Bradley hurtled across to force the striker into a hurried shot which rattled the near post side-netting. Foote did superbly to keep out a Nathan effort five minutes before half-time - she could only have seen it coming through the crowd at the last possible second - then denied the striker again a minute later, having kept out a Johnson drive in between times, the striker having latched onto a headed pass from Williams before weaving her way past three opponents. Two minutes before half-time, Johnson completed her hat-trick, crowning a fine interchange of passes which was ignited by Leaming, the fullback having

almost been caught in possession by the tireless Georgia Furnell. Williams, Johnson and Nathan were swiftly key components of the raid, with the last-mentioned's shot being parried by Foote straight into Johnson's stride … Central offered greater resistance in the second half, and twice went close to reducing the arrears within two minutes of play resuming. Hyland's free-kick picked out Kate Bennett, whose header flashed past Barnard's right-hand post. United made a pig's ear of the resulting goal kick, so much so that Stella Warner was quickly able to play in Hughes while details of the previous attack were still being noted. With Barnard to beat, the striker went for glory, but skied her attempt from ten yards. That scare roused United into action, Elliott and Johnson working a one-two which resulted in the former slamming a shot into the abs of Lara Smith, who understandably took a couple of minutes to recover from this body blow. When Elliott next fired a shot in anger, 'twas the spiders nesting in the top corner of Foote's net which were scurrying for cover, the striker's twenty yarder prompted by an interchange between Jennifer McMurray and Nathan on the left. This 61st minute goal was one of few highlights in a thirty-minute spell dominated by substitutions, two of whom made an instant impact for United. Maya Vince and Issy Gerrand were quickly into their work, the latter working a one-two with Nathan before drilling in a cross which Bennett nearly turned into her own net. Foote spared her team-mate's blushes, then turned a Johnson shot round the post after more good work by Gerrand down the right. Johnson then had a goal ruled out by the offside flag in the 74th minute, the catalyst for a final fifteen minutes dominated by goals. Vince bagged the first of them, an unerring 75th minute finish into the bottom right-hand corner of the net after Elliott and Emmelin Bowala had teamed up to good effect. Seconds later, Jenna Dodd - a welcome return following the ankle fracture she suffered against Canterbury United Pride three weeks ago - won the ball in midfield and invited Johnson to chip Foote, a feat the forward accomplished with aplomb. Just like that, it was 8-0. And after Foote and Barnard had exchanged saves - the former rebuffed Bowala, the latter foiled Furnell - Central's goalkeeper produced a superb point-blank range denial to deny Johnson her fifth goal of the game, after a scintillating move featuring Vince, Bowala and Gerrand. The goal of the game came in the 82nd minute, and it's a racing certainty to be Central's goal of the season. Hyland's corner to the far post wasn't cleared, but Niedermayr's reaction to the dropping ball wasn't one you expect of a central defender - a stunning, swivelling hip-turn volley which careered high into the net from twelve yards. A fabulous finish! Inspired by the goal - and why wouldn't they be, given its quality - Central had the bit between their teeth. They should have had a second two minutes later, Hughes firing wide of an open goal after being startled by Barnard's clearance, which gifted possession to the striker. They did have a second inside the next sixty seconds, however. Vince's stray pass was pounced on by Aimee Samson, who sent Furnell storming down the right. She showed McMurray a clean pair of heels before picking out Lilly Dowsing with a low cross which the substitute confidently steered back across Barnard and into the net - 8-2. Anyone who thought that would be the end of the scoring had another thing coming - two, actually! Both remaining goals came in stoppage time. United forced a corner, which Nathan whipped right into the heart of the goalmouth. Unfortunately for Foote, she fumbled the sphere into her own net - after her outstanding exploits in limiting United to single figures, she didn't deserve to have "oggie" next to her name in the final analysis. Central promptly went up the other end and scored their third goal of the game with virtually the last kick of the ball. Pip Coakley and Dowsing teamed up on the left flank to deliver a cross which wasn't cleared. Kasey Cavell latched onto the loose ball and worked a one-two with Hughes before tucking the ball home by the far post to wrap up the scoring in this decidedly lively encounter - 9-3 is not the sort of scoreline you see produced in too many football matches in this day and age. Auckland:     J. Barnard; A. Barnard (Gerrand, 66), Bradley, Martin, Leaming (McMurray, 56); Brill (Vince, 66), Bloomfield (Dodd, 56), Williams (Bowala, 69); Elliott, Nathan, Johnson Central:     Foote; Chittenden (Samson, 46), Niedermayr, Smith; Furnell, Hyland (Scott, 83), Bennett, Warner (Coakley, 61); Kleinsman (Cavell, 83), Hughes, Arquette (Dowsing, 56) Referee:     Beth Rattray