Bottom-placed Central Football gave reigning National Women's League champions Canterbury United Pride an almighty scare at Massey University on 6 November, forcing the title-holders to come from behind to eke out a 3-2 victory thanks to a stoppage time penalty. Central have yet to pick up a point so far this season, and when Britney-Lee Nicholson broke the deadlock in the 25th minute, the expectation was that Canterbury would kick on to record a routine victory and climb to fourth place on the table. The locals had other ideas, however, as proven by Holly Kleinsman's equaliser four minutes later. And that's how things stayed until nineteen minutes from time, when Central took the lead for the first time in any match this season courtesy a penalty from early substitute Rebekah Trewhitt. Cat, meet pigeons. And Canterbury were in a right flap! But they kept at it, and were rewarded when Charlotte Roche - the leading scorer in the Women's National Youth League - netted the equaliser four minutes from time, having seen another effort ruled out in controversial circumstances moments earlier. Further controversy followed in stoppage time, Kate Bennett adjudged to have handled the ball, prompting referee O Zaing to point to the penalty spot for the second time in the game. Pride captain Rebecca Lake, who was harshly adjudged to have handled the ball resulting in Central's penalty, squeezed home her spot-kick under Annie Foote's dive to clinch the points for Canterbury, much to Central's disappointment. That Canterbury is now fourth is a result of outcomes elsewhere this weekend, primarily in the match involving their South Island rivals. A late leveller from Jasmine Prince earned Southern United a 1-1 draw with Western Springs in a ding-dong go at Logan Park, where Margi Dias squandered a great chance to put the home team in front by firing her 24th minute penalty past the post. United enjoyed other opportunities to break the deadlock during a scoreless first half, the best of them seeing Angelique Tuisamoa thwart Prince in a one-on-one situation nine minutes before half-time. "The Hoops" weren't without their chances in a lively first spell, most notably from Lara Colpi, but Sofia Garcia found the way to goal six minutes after half-time with a thumping strike into the corner of the net having been played in by Sammi Tawharu. A highly competitive affair with plenty of terrific tussles and battles within the battle ensued, before Prince pounced at the death to earn Southern a deserved share of the spoils, and leave Springs looking over their shoulders at cross-town rivals Northern Rovers. They're now five points behind their second-placed rivals after coming from behind to edge Auckland United 3-2 in a terrific tussle at McFetridge Park, the first half of which was incident-packed, to put it mildly. Emma Leaming opened the scoring five minutes into the contest, the United defender inadvertently slicing her attempted clearance into her own net after Jesse Barnard could only parry Danielle Canham's shot under pressure from Rene Wasi, whose pace caused Auckland problems all game long. The visitors equalised against the run of play in the eleventh minute, Manaia Elliott thundering home a twenty yarder into the far corner. Eight minutes later, Jess Philpot hit the bar with a free-kick as United, before Rovers created a flurry of chances, the pick of them Greer MacIntosh's 36th minute header from a Kelli Brown corner - it flew inches past the post. Back came United with half-time looming large, with Ruby Nathan rattling the angle of post and bar with a scorching right-footed twenty yarder in the 42nd minute. That proved to be a range-finder, for, two minutes later, she let rip from twenty-five yards with a left foot rocket which fair screamed into the

opposite top corner to put the visitors in front. Brown, who was booked for a reckless challenge in the first  half, came very close to being sent off five minutes after half-time for a similar challenge on Barnard. She clearly heeded referee Anna-Marie Keighley's final warning, and within two minutes channelled her aggression into the attribute of her game for which she's renowned - scoring goals. Her first effort was more by good luck than good management, Talisha Green's cross appearing to ricochet in off the striker, but her second goal, in the 68th minute, was typical Kelli Brown - defender done like a kipper, 'keeper beaten all ends up via an unerring twenty-yard finish into the postage stamp by the base of the far post. You don't stop those! Green was denied the goal her outstanding performance merited by Barnard's outstretched leg sixteen minutes from time, but Rovers contained United well in the second spell and emerged as deserving winners of this Kate Sheppard Cup Final rematch. There seems to be no stopping the Eastern Suburbs express, however, although AIM Services, the organisation responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of parks and reserves in Auckland, did their level best to do so by butchering all five football fields at the club's Madills Farm home. The grass on all five pitches has effectively been shaved off, leaving a barren playing surface with sand used to fill in any remaining holes. As a result, "The Lilywhites"' clash with Capital Football took place on a beach-like field, rendering quality football nigh on impossible. The wind which teams from Wellington seem to bring with them whenever they visit Auckland was also present, guaranteeing this would never be a game which reached great heights. The visitors only tested Brooke Bennett on a couple of occasions, most notably through captain Renee Bacon, but it was the home team which brought home the bacon in this contest. After a Nicole Mettam cross-shot had hit the crossbar, and Tayla O'Brien rattled a post with a header, the latter opened the scoring in the 33rd minute when heading home an Aimee Atkins corner. Two minutes later, Ella Findlay turned home the rebound after Molly Simons could only parry Zoe Benson's drive, while in the 65th minute - and, it must be said, against the run of play in the second half, Mettam made it three after O'Brien weaved her way through challenges in the penalty area before setting up her team-mate for a close-range finish. Next weekend's fare is punctuated by the wee matter of the Football Ferns' first home game for over four years, as they take on Korea Republic in the first of two matches at Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch on Saturday afternoon, the other encounter taking place on Tuesday evening at the same venue. Two NWL games are scheduled on Saturday, with "The Lilywhites" looking to put Central to the sword at Massey University, while Capital and Northern lock horns at Petone Memorial Park, a match which overlaps the international. Sunday's fare sees two very tasty north versus south affairs scheduled, with Canterbury welcoming "The Hoops" to English Park, while Auckland entertains Southern at Keith Hay Park. Details: Central Football 2 (H. Kleinsman (29), R. Trewhitt (71)), Canterbury United Pride 3 (B. Nicholson (25), C. Roche (86), R. Lake (90 pen))  HT 1-1 Eastern Suburbs 3 (T. O'Brien (33), E. Findlay (35), N. Mettam (65)), Capital Football 0  HT 2-0 Northern Rovers 3 ("oggie" (5), K. Brown (52, 68)), Auckland United 2 (M. Elliott (11), R. Nathan (44))  HT 1-2 Southern United 1 (J. Prince (90)), Western Springs 1 (S. Garcia (51))  HT 0-0