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Rd 9
Auckland And Southern Secure Grand Final Spots
by Jeremy Ruane
Auckland United and Southern United will contest the National Women’s League Grand Final at GoMedia Mt Smart Stadium next Sunday after both
won their final round fixtures in the competition’s premiership phase, meaning last season’s Grand Finalists, Eastern Suburbs and Western Springs, had to settle for third- and fourth-placed finishes
respectively, despite winning their final fixtures.
The Uniteds began the round in the box seat, which meant their destinies were theirs to determine – Suburbs and Springs needed those above them on the table to lose to have a shot at Grand Final glory.
Auckland was first to clinch their Grand Final berth, battering Wellington United 4-1 at Petone Memorial Park, with the visitors responsible for all the goals scored in an at times testy encounter. Bree Johnson’s goal four minutes before the interval separated the sides at half-time, but it wasn’t until twenty minutes from the end that Ben Bate’s team made certain of a first-placed finish.
Suya Haering scored the goal which clinched United’s victory, and while Talisha Green put through her own net soon after, Chelsea Elliott – with a stunning long-range free-kick - and “Supersub” Kate McConnell made certain of the outcome to leave United on the brink of the National Women’s League – Northern Premier Women’s League double.
Southern secured their spot in the Grand Final by overcoming Ellerslie 3-0 at Logan Park, where two goals in five first half minutes just after the half-hour mark from Margi Dias and Kendrah Smith put United on easy street, their victory confirmed by Amy Hislop’s stoppage time penalty.
Those results meant that Eastern Suburbs’ dramatic come-from-behind 3-2 win at Canterbury United Pride had no influence on the final outcome – third place was their lot for 2023. Zoe Benson gave “The
Lilywhites” the lead six minutes before the interval, but Chloe Bellamy drew the home team level deep in first half stoppage time.
When Whitney Hepburn put Canterbury ahead five minutes into the second half, it was alarm bells time for the visitors, but they fought back well, Emily Lyon levelling the scores twenty minutes from time, before Charlotte Lancaster clinched all three points for the visitors in the eighth minute of stoppage time.
Western Springs also produced a stunning comeback, overhauling a two-goal deficit to sink Waterside Karori 3-2 at Seddon Fields, “The Hoops” scoring two of their goals in stoppage time to complete a remarkable turnaround.
Trailing to Kaley Ward’s early – and hotly disputed – penalty, anything Springs attempted foundered on the imperious Saskia Vosper, who produced a defensive masterclass upon which “The Magpies” produced a convincing performance.
The visitors were given a scare before half-time, however, Ela Jerez’s crossbar rattler resulting in a goal from Sammi Tawharu which was ruled out by the offside flag. But they rode out the storm and
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doubled their advantage in the 56th minute, half-time substitute Jade Morrissey making an instant impact after brilliant work by Renee Bacon to set up the opportunity.
The visitors should have wrapped it up soon after, but their failure to do so left the door ajar, and Sofia Garcia led the charge through it, her 72nd minute goal being her ninth of the campaign, enough to earn the talented striker the Golden Boot.
“The Hoops” weren’t satisfied with the one goal, however, and pounded away in search of an equaliser. Their hopes were nearly sunk late on, but the offside flag denied Nicola Ross what would have been a certain winner for Waterside.
That let-off saw Springs redouble their efforts, and they were rewarded twice in stoppage time, Lara Colpi scoring direct from a corner before Jerez pinched all points in decisive fashion for the Kate Sheppard Cup holders deep in stoppage time, much to the dismay of the Central Region Premier Women’s League champions.
In the match on which nothing rode in terms of a top-two finish, a Sarah Swinbanks own goal earned Wellington Phoenix a 1-0 win over Central Football in a match which could have seen either team finish
bottom, had Ellerslie won their final fixture.
NB Written in honour of my mother, who died early on Saturday morning, 18 November.
Details:
Canterbury United Pride 2 (C. Bellamy (45), W. Hepburn (50)), Eastern Suburbs 3 (Z. Benson (39), E. Lyon (70, C. Lancaster (90)) HT 1-1
Southern United 3 (M. Dias (32), K. Smith (37), A. Hislop (90 pen)), Ellerslie 0 HT 2-0
Wellington Phoenix 1 (“oggie” (28)), Central Football 0 HT 1-0
Wellington United 1 (“oggie” (78)), Auckland United 4 (B. Johnson (41), S. Haering (69), C. Elliott (84), K. McConnell (90)) HT 0-1
Western Springs 3 (S. Garcia (72), L. Colpi (90), E. Jerez (90)), Waterside Karori 2 (K. Ward (9 pen), J. Morrissey (56)) HT 0-1
Canterbury United Pride wrapped up their championship-winning National Women’s Youth League campaign in the manner to which they’ve become accustomed this season, Katie Pugh’s goal earning a 1-0 win over Fencibles United and ensuring the title-winners avoided defeat throughout the campaign.
They finished six points clear of Central Football, who copped a 4-1 hiding from Wellington Phoenix at Fraser Park, where the promising talent of Sienna Candy struck twice in the first half, during which
four goals were scored, three of them in a five-minute spell before the quarter hour mark had elapsed.
There was a goal-fest at Seddon Fields, where Capital Football came from behind to down Western Springs 5-3, while Georgia Kennedy struck
twice as Southern United came from behind to edge Melville United 2-1 at Logan Park.
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