Eastern Suburbs hold all the aces in the race to host the National Women's League Grand Final after trouncing fellow previously unbeaten rivals Western Springs 4-2 at Seddon Fields in their eagerly awaited top-of-the-table tussle on the last weekend of October. The scoreline flattered "The Hoops", who were a distant second to "The Lilywhites" in terms of intensity, desire and sheer hunger for victory - make no mistake, Stephen Hoyle's charges wanted this game very badly, and set about proving the fact from the very first whistle. They could have scored at least three goals before Tayla O'Brien finally opened the scoring on the quarter hour. Deven Jackson rattled an upright - and also had a second half goal disallowed - before doubling Suburbs' lead on the half-hour. Far too few players in hooped shirts stood tall in the face of adversity, but chief among those who did was Emma Pijnenburg, who came close to levelling the scores just prior to Suburbs' second goal, and worked numerous openings with Lara Colpi, who impressed upon being introduced for the second half. Three minutes after the break, however, the home team were three goals down, Charlotte Wilford-Carroll rattling home a twenty-five yarder. And after the visitors carved out numerous other openings, O'Brien tucked home her thirteenth goal of the season halfway through the second spell to ensure this game was all over bar the shouting. Springs had other ideas, however, Colpi pulling one back fifteen minutes from time before Arisa Takeda curled home a sumptuous second twelve minutes later to halve the deficit. Those goals only added some respectability to the scoreline, however - Springs were well beaten by a Suburbs side which, having won all eight games they've played to date, is just three wins away from confirming a Grand Final berth. The chasing pack will be hoping that Springs' first loss of the campaign won't be their last, meaning their own Grand Final ambitions aren't mere pipe dreams. Reigning champions Canterbury United Pride are among those who still harbour hopes of a shot at the silverware a week before Christmas, and kept those prospects alive with a 2-1 win at Capital Football. All the scoring came in the second spell at Petone Memorial Park, Rebecca Lake tucking home a penalty twenty minutes from time after Lisa Evans was felled by Molly Simons, who was rounded by Chloe Bellamy with seven minutes remaining after Petra Buyck had done the donkeywork to double Canterbury's lead. Sammi Preval pulled one back late on for the home team, but Canterbury held on for their eleventh win over Capital in the last thirteen clashes between two of the three provinces which ensured the establishment of women's football in New Zealand fifty years ago, Auckland being the other. Meanwhile, Southern United and Northern Rovers fought out a 1-1 draw at Logan Park, a result which serves the cause of neither team well. Hannah Mackay-Wright's penalty five minutes before half-time for the home team was cancelled out by Danielle Canham's strike for Rovers eight minutes after half-time. A winner was sought by both sides,

but neither could muster one, meaning Springs hold a seven-point cushion over third-placed Northern with six rounds remaining. In Sunday's final fixture, Auckland United handed Central Football a 9-3 mauling in a match transferred to Seddon Fields after heavy rain rendered Keith Hay Park's number two field unplayable. Central goalkeeper Annie Foote made ten first half saves to stave off the locals, but the visitors had no answers to the pace and movement of Ruby Nathan and Bree Johnson. The Junior Fern bagged the first two goals of the game before the pacy number nine scored a fourteen-minute hat-trick to bring about the 5-0 half-time score. The visitors offered more resistance in the second spell, but Manaia Elliott made it six in style on the hour before a further six goals graced the final fifteen minutes of the match. Maya Vince and Johnson put Auckland 8-0 up before Jana Niedermayr - a terrific volley - and Lilly Dowsing, five minutes from time, reduced the arrears. Foote had the misfortune to fumble a Nathan corner into her own net in stoppage time - the 'keeper didn't deserve that fate after her sterling efforts to keep the score down. But Central responded straight away, Kasey Cavell wrapping up the scoring with virtually the last kick of the game to give the visitors something to savour from their lengthy travel-laden day. Expect fireworks aplenty at McFetridge Park on Guy Fawkes Day as Northern and Auckland lock horns, while Southern welcome Springs to Logan Park that day. On the Sabbath, Suburbs take on Capital at Madills Farm, while Central and Canterbury draw swords at Massey University. The final round of the National Women's Youth League saw Rosie Hayman's goal sixteen minutes from time earn champions Canterbury United Pride a 1-0 win at Capital Football, ensuring they won the league with a perfect seven-from-seven record. Auckland United finished in second place, but didn't kick a ball in anger this weekend, their clash with Central Football being cancelled after flight cancellations rendered the visiting team's trip to Keith Hay Park untenable. Western Springs and Eastern Suburbs shared eight goals in a thriller at Seddon Fields, in which "The Hoops"' Maia Lythe and "The Lilywhites"' Zoe Brazier both scored twice. That allowed Northern Rovers to overhaul both their cross-town rivals as they saw off Southern United 4-2 at Logan Park, Zara Pratley's brace for the home team not enough to deny Rovers a third-placed finish. Details: Auckland United 9 (R. Nathan (12, 21), B. Johnson (29, 32, 43, 76), M. Elliott (61), M. Vince (75), "oggie" (90)), Central Football 3 (J. Niedermayr (82), L. Dowsing (85), K. Cavell (90))  HT 5-0 Capital Football 1 (S. Preval (90)), Canterbury United Pride 2 (R. Lake (69 pen), C. Bellamy (83))  HT 0-0 Southern United 1 (H. Mackay-Wright (40 pen)), Northern Rovers 1 (D. Canham (53))  HT 1-0 Western Springs 2 (L. Colpi (74), A. Takeda (87)), Eastern Suburbs 4 (T. O'Brien (15, 68), D. Jackson (30), C. Wilford-Carroll (48))  HT 0-2