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Rd 8
Shock Suburbs Loss Opens Grand Final Door For Rivals
by Jeremy Ruane
Auckland United and Southern United are in the box seat to make the National Women’s League Grand Final in a fortnight’s time, both recording eighth round victories while reigning champions Eastern Suburbs suffered a shock 1-0 loss to Ellerslie at Madills Farm, a blow which may well dash the beaten team’s hopes of consecutive Grand Final appearances.
It was one of those days for “The Lilywhites” in their local derby, with “The Ponies” choosing this occasion to score their first win of the season, Anita Trudgen’s goal on the half-hour deciding a contest which has given Suburbs’ rivals a huge boost.
Going into the weekend, one of those rivals was Western Springs, but they were fortunate to escape Keith Hay Park having conceded just one goal as Auckland attacked them from all angles in a surprisingly one-sided duel between two of the top four.
This game, too, ended with a 1-0 scoreline, Bree Johnson’s 25th minute strike propelling United to the top of the table, where they head Southern on goal difference after they polished off Central Football 4-1 at Massey University.
Amy Hislop topped and tailed the scoring for the travelling team, Mikaela Bouwmeester equalising early in the second spell before Abby Rankin and Jemma Wilson scored the goals which put Southern in an unassailable position on the scoreboard.
4-1 was also the outcome in the Wellington derby, with Waterside Karori enjoying the outcome far more so than Wellington Phoenix at Martin Luckie Park. Two goals apiece from Nikki Furukawa and Kaley Ward had “The Magpies” singing from the treetops, with Alyssha Eglinton’s stoppage time strike of consolation value only for the beaten team, who didn’t have the benefit of any Liberty A-League players in their starting line-up this week.
The rare sight – in women’s football, at least – of a red card was in evidence at English Park, where Wellington United edged Canterbury United Pride 2-1 after goals inside the first twenty minutes from
Jemma Robertson and Pepi Olliver-Bell.
Nicola Dominikovich halved the deficit on the hour for the Cantabrians, who had goalkeeper Una Foyle sent off twenty minutes from time for denying a goalscoring opportunity. “The Diamonds” were unable to build on their advantage against their numerically challenged opponents, who, by Canterbury’s standards, have had a season best
forgotten.
So to next week’s final round of action, with all five games taking place on Sunday afternoon. Auckland enjoy the early kick-off, knowing that a win at
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Wellington United will guarantee them a spot in the
Grand Final at Go Media Mt. Smart Stadium on Sunday, November 26.
Southern will fancy their chances of advancing to the Grand Final when hosting Ellerslie at Logan Park, while both Eastern Suburbs and Western Springs will be hoping for other results to go their way, as well as win their respective fixtures. “The Lilywhites” travel to English Park to take on Canterbury, while “The Hoops” host “The
Magpies” at Seddon Fields on a day Wellington Phoenix and Central lock horns at Fraser Park.
NB This round review is a lot less detailed than usual, for which I apologise. My mother took a bad turn on Saturday evening, and subsequently required hospitalisation. As you’ll appreciate, a
detailed round review was low on my list of priorities as a result, while this also explains my absence from the East Auckland derby at Madills Farm on Sunday, a match I would normally have attended and reported upon.
Details:
Auckland United 1 (B. Johnson (25)), Western Springs 0 HT 1-0
Canterbury United Pride 1 (N. Dominikovich (60)), Wellington United 2 (J. Robertson (5), P. Olliver-Bell (20)) HT 0-2
Central Football 1 (M. Bouwmeester (54)), Southern United 4 (A. Hislop (13, 85), A. Rankin (61), J. Wilson (71)) HT 0-1
Eastern Suburbs 0, Ellerslie 1 (A. Trudgen (30)) HT 0-1
Waterside Karori 4 (N. Furukawa (32, 48), K. Ward (61, 83 pen)), Wellington Phoenix 1 (A. Eglinton (90)) HT 1-0
There were no goals to be seen in the National Women’s Youth League’s Wellington derby, with Capital Football and Wellington Phoenix having
to settle for a point apiece in a round which saw Zara Erol-Watt and Holly Andrews score in each half as Central Football cemented their grip on second place with a 2-0 win over Southern United at Massey University.
Kate Berry struck twice as Fencibles United accounted for Melville United 3-1 at William Green Domain, while Putri Ardana led the way with a brace of goals as Auckland United eclipsed Western Springs 4-1 at Keith Hay Park to finish their campaign on a winning note.
The final round of action sees champions Canterbury United Pride hosting Fencibles United at English Park, while Central head to Wellington Phoenix on a day which sees “The Hoops” and Capital locking horns, and Melville making the long trip south to Dunedin to take on Southern.
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