Wellington Phoenix proved far too strong for an understrength Ellerslie combination at Michaels Avenue on September 23, prevailing 4-0 as both teams made their first-ever National Women's League appearance. "The Ponies" qualified for the national competition by clinching fourth place on the final day of the ultra-competitive Lotto Northern Women's Premiership, while Wellington were granted a spot in the NWL by virtue of their status as a feeder side to the club's A-League Women's team. Four members of that squad - Mackenzie Barry, Manaia Elliott, Emma Main and Zoe McMeeken - had a run-out for the "Ressies" in this encounter, with Katie Barrott's team bringing an additional weapon with them - a wicked cross-field wind - to make the Wellingtonians feel at home while on the road. Ellerslie had to make do without the services of Leigh Aitken, Cat Pretty and Anita Trudgen, three pillars of their side, for varying reasons, and the visitors weren't slow to take advantage, although they were a little too eager to make their presence known from the kick-off, with eagle-eyed referee Anna-Marie Keighley making a particularly unusual call inside the first ten seconds. Rare indeed are the occasions when the team kicking off is called offside, but a couple of players had encroached into Ellerslie's half of the pitch between the whistle having been blown and the ball kicked - a great spot by the country's foremost FIFA official, who awarded a free-kick to the home team on halfway. Alas for Ellerslie, it was one of few occasions in the match when things would go their way. Within sixty seconds, Wellington fired their first shot in anger, Petra Wedlake grabbing an Elliott drive after good work by Ella McCann to create the opportunity. Five minutes later, a Courtney Beale error let in Elliott, who cut inside before lashing a twenty-yarder across the face of goal. The defender made up for her blunder with a timely tenth minute tackle to deny Elliott in the act of shooting as she looked to capitalise upon Wedlake's hesitance, the 'keeper redeeming herself soon after with a save at close quarters from McCann, after a neat move featuring Marie Green - once of this parish, Lara Smith and Grace Bartlett. McCann should have scored from that chance, but made no mistake in the fourteenth minute as Wellington opened the scoring. Sienna Candy, daughter of former Junior All White Craig, sent Emma Main away on a barnstorming sixty yard run downfield, seeing off all-comers en route. The former age-grade international unselfishly set up McCann for a tap-on - 1-0. Wellington's deserved lead was prevented from being doubled by Wedlake in the nineteenth minute as she saved from Elliott, but the visitors were nearly back on level terms two minutes later when goalkeeper Charlotte Eagle - playing her second match of the day, having kept goal for the club in the National Women's Youth League encounter prior to this contest - fumbled Cilla Fa'afua's corner under pressure from Kimberley Oosterbeek. The visitors survived this scare, and doubled their advantage in the 24th minute when McCann rammed home from close range after Wedlake had

spilled a Main free-kick, gifting the striker the goalscoring opportunity. The 'keeper made amends soon after when tipping another shot round the post, but Wedlake made a right pig's ear of dealing with a thirty yard free-kick from Main nine minutes before half-time, the ball sailing over the 'keeper's head and into the net to put Wellington 3-0 up and on easy street. Both McCann and Elliott went close to increasing that lead before the half-time whistle, while eight minutes into the second spell McCann's bid to complete her hat-trick was grabbed by Ellerslie's goalkeeper, who looked on soon after as Candy fired one past the post after McMeeken's driving run into "The Ponies"' half from halfway. After McCann rattled the near post side-netting following Smith's driving run into Ellerslie's half, the home team was forced to scramble the ball to safety after an Elliott corner resulted in Wellington captain Ella McMillan battering a shot against the bar from close range in the 67th minute. Five minutes later, McCann sent one flying past the post before the fresh legs and fresh impetus provided by Georgie Furnell - one of four recently introduced Wellington substitutes - prompted a save from Wedlake in the 73rd minute. She was beaten again four minutes later in bizarre fashion, McCann completing her hat-trick with a wild twenty-five yarder struck while she was in mid-fall following a battle for possession involving three players from each team. The ball arced over Wedlake and dropped in under the bar to the delight of the scorer, who watched her strike hit the target while sitting on the pitch! Despite the best efforts of Britney Cunningham-Lee to fashion an opening for Ellerslie, there was no way back for them from this, and, indeed, their losing margin could have been greater still. Furnell forged her way past two opponents before drilling in a cross which Wedlake saved at the feet of Candy, while Bartlett battered a thirty-yarder past the post five minutes from time as Wellington looked to go nap. Ellerslie's goalkeeper made a fine save to her right to prevent McMillan from getting in on the act soon after, before the home team drew a rare save from Eagle in stoppage time, Oosterbeek's header forcing the 'keeper into action on receipt of a Hollie Leona free-kick. Wellington were worthy winners, however, and on this showing will cause problems for many of their rivals in this competition. They'll look to make the most of using their first team players in the early rounds of the NWL, because the chances to call upon the likes of Barry, Main, Elliott and McMeeken after round three will be few and far between. Ellerslie:     Wedlake; Beale, Oosterbeek, T. Hawes (Mosca, 82), Wright; Braga (Jessup, 62), Leona, Davison (Fillet, 82); Fa'afua (Barclay, 82), Cunningham-Lee, Gow (Godha, 32) Wellington:     Eagle; Smith, Barry (L. McMillan, 62), Green, McMeeken (Trewhitt, 72); Main (Furnell, 62), Bartlett, E. McMillan, Elliott (P. Hawes, 72); McCann (Greene, 81 (booked, 89)), Candy Referee:     Anna-Marie Keighley