Western Springs completely turned the tables on Eastern Suburbs in a repeat of last season's National Women's League Grand Final at Seddon Fields, thumping the champions by the same 4-0 scoreline "The Lilywhites" dismissed "The Hoops" in that showpiece event in 2022. On that occasion, Sofia Garcia was well contained by the Suburbs rearguard. Ten months on, it's a wonder Springs didn't play a certain Alicia Keys song at the conclusion of proceedings, because with two goals and two assists, this girl was well and truly on fire in this match! The first half of this clash of the compass points was riveting fare, with the first shot in anger fired just forty seconds into the contest, Emily Lyon forcing a save from Angelique Tuisamoa at her near post after Suburbs raided down the left in response to referee Sarah Jones' first whistle. Charlotte Lancaster attacked down that flank again four minutes later, and upon spotting Tuisamoa off her line promptly let fly from thirty yards, an effort which flew narrowly past the far post with the 'keeper flailing in vain. The title-holders were determined to impose themselves on proceedings early on, and spurned a great chance to open the scoring in the seventh minute, the impetuosity of youth costing them on this occasion. The move started with Saki Yoshida pinging the ball downtown, allowing Lyon to take on the back-pedalling duo of Kitty Jacob and Jaedici Uluvili, who, with Lily Taitimu, was making her 100th appearance for "The Hoops" in this high-profile fixture. Zoe Benson was storming up outside Lyon, and a little pass into her stride would have put the age-grade international in on goal with just Tuisamoa to beat. Alas for "The Lilywhites", Lyon got greedy, and saw her shot blocked by Uluvili. This sparked a Springs counter-attack, Ela Jerez rampaging down the right before firing in a cross to the near post for Rina Hirano, who was making a welcome return to the hooped shirt after having had a battle with a bottle of white hair colouring - you certainly wouldn't miss her in a crowd! Suburbs' defence missed her completely, however, much to Springs' delight, which turned to dismay when Hirano's header hit the underside of the crossbar and back into the goal area, allowing the visitors to clear their lines from the home team's first attack. Back came Suburbs, Arya Blackler picking out Lyon, whose round-the-corner pass unleashed the pace of Lancaster. "Bomber" promptly let fly, but slashed wildly at the ball, sending it flying past the post from the edge of the penalty area when hitting target was the absolute minimum expected of her. The first sign that Garcia was well and truly in the mood for this match came in the twelfth minute, when she unleashed a raking cross-field ball from halfway inside her own half to send Jerez hurtling down the right, hot in pursuit. That she never reached it was due to a vital aerial interception by Aimee Atkins, who was playing out of position in this encounter, the sight of Kenya Brooke in a sling on the sideline not one which Suburbs fans will appreciate. Since the departure of the legendary Rebekah Van Dort at the end of last season, the imposing figure of Brooke has become "The Lilywhites"' defensive rock, and grown into the role well. However, losing Van Dort's successor at this stage of the campaign is a big blow for the reigning champions, make no mistake, and it was to become apparent how crucial that absence will be in this match. Atkins' intervention earned Springs a corner, which Arisa Takeda delivered to the far post. Springs claimed a handball before Garcia battered a volley over the bar from an acute angle in the thirteenth minute. The resulting goal-kick saw Suburbs work the ball downfield, only for the move to peter out. Tuisamoa gained possession, but very nearly lost it just as quickly due to a poor touch, prompting an instant response from Nicole Cooper. The goalkeeper rode her luck on this occasion - by the time she repeated this unwanted trick in the second spell, Springs were almost out of sight. One of the reasons for that was Tiana Hill, back from suspension for this clash. Receiving a pass from the well-performed Lara Colpi, the flying fullback fizzed in a scrumptious angled cross through the corridor of uncertainty which both Hirano and Garcia were just a stride away from turning home. Unperturbed, Hill raided down the right again in the nineteenth minute  before picking out Colpi, who jinked between two defenders before drilling a shot past the far post when a deft lay-off into the stride of Hirano may have earned Springs greater reward. After Brooke Bennett had grabbed a twenty-five yarder from Takeda, the Japanese fullback sent Jerez on another scorching right wing sortie in the 22nd minute. Suburbs were having immense trouble containing the youngster, who, after sweeping past two opponents, slipped the ball inside to Colpi. Her deflected shot was greedily grabbed by Bennett, whose next touch of the ball involved fishing and a net, the one she was defending. That's because Springs opened the scoring in the 24th minute. Takeda released Garcia down the left, and the striker wasted little time in making the opportunity count. Blackler and Yoshida were left trailing in her wake as Garcia galloped into the penalty area, where she gave Bennett the eyes before beating the 'keeper all ends up at her near post - a quality finish. Stunned by the goal, Suburbs sought a swift riposte, Benson playing Lancaster in off the left flank just two minutes later. The age-grade international's rising drive was tipped onto the bar by Tuisamoa,

prompting a scramble which Springs survived. On the half-hour, "The Hoops" doubled their lead. Colpi and Hirano combined with Garcia, who unleashed a wickedly angled cross which put Atkins in all sorts of bother, particularly with Taitimu and Jerez closing in for the kill. The makeshift central defender - she usually plays in the wing-back role, but in Brooke's absence, needs must - rose to head the ball, but succeeded only in guiding it over the head of Bennett and into the net for an "oggie". If Springs weren't in dreamland after that strike, they certainly were three minutes later as they uncorked one of the goals of the season to make it 3-0. Takeda worked one-twos with Taitimu then Hirano before picking out Garcia's angled run in behind. The striker outmuscled Blackler but was forced away from goal, only to stun Suburbs with a whipped cross through the corridor of uncertainty to the far post, where Jerez gleefully volleyed home from point-blank range - a scintillating strike, particularly in its construction. 3-0 could very easily have become 4-0 just two minutes later, with Garcia creating merry hell again, this time a raking angled pass which exposed Atkins to Jerez's pace once more. The youngster's shot was turned round the post by Bennett. Suburbs looked to get back into the contest through Benson, whose thumping twenty-yarder drew a fine diving save to her left by Tuisamoa in the 38th minute. Five minutes later, Springs' 'keeper punched an Atkins corner off Benson's head as the visitors looked to reduce the arrears before the interval. Springs enjoyed the early ascendancy in the second spell, Colpi leading the charge. In the 47th minute, she sent Hirano darting past three opponents through the inside right channel before being afforded a return pass on the edge of the penalty area which Colpi clattered a yard over the bar, if that. Three minutes later, the promising playmaker pounced on a stray pass from Blackler and instantly unleashed a thirty-five yard chip which had Bennett in all sorts of bother. Luckily for "The Lilywhites", the ball arced over the crossbar. Half-time substitute Sophia Dyer finally got the chance to unleash her murderous pace on her old club in the 55th minute, when pouncing on a stray pass by Uluvili. Lancaster was the beneficiary of her team-mate's toil, only to see her rising drive tipped over the bar by Tuisamoa. Springs tidied up from the resulting corner, only for Tuisamoa to prompt more palpitations when trying to be clever in possession in the penalty area. Once again, she got away with getting caught in possession, but only just, with Dyer, whose speed modes are fast, express and blur - any photographer will vouch for the last one! - mere inches away from embarrassing her former team-mate. Lancaster was doing her level best to drag her team back into the contest, and in the 65th minute let rip with another shot which drew a fine save from Tuisamoa, who plunged low to her left to frustrate the title-holders yet again. Cue a Springs counter-attack, Hirano and substitute Maia Lythe linking up with Garcia, who evaded two challenges before unleashing a fierce drive straight at Bennett in the 66th minute. That proved to be a range finder for the Colorado native, for sixty seconds later, Takeda and Jerez combined to allow Garcia to turn Blackler and send a fifteen yard piledriver sailing beyond the diving figure of Bennett into the far corner of the net - 4-0. It's a measure of how cleanly fought this contest was that referee Jones didn't award a free-kick to either side to punish foul play until the 69th minute! What's more, there were only four more free-kicks of this nature awarded before full-time - remarkable, a feat for which both teams deserve prolonged applause. Nineteen minutes from time, the crossbar spared Suburbs' blushes again. This time, Takeda delivered a corner to the near post which Hirano deftly back-heeled goalwards. The ball struck Ella Findlay and flew off her onto the woodwork, then cannoned down into the goalmouth, prompting a right scramble. Suburbs survived, and sought a consolation goal, Dyer the first to chance her arm in the 74th minute, directing a volley at full stretch past the far post after Hayley Miller made in-roads down the right. Another Miller cross eight minutes from time saw Tuisamoa pluck the ball off the head of  the incoming Olivia Erskine, who was denied in sprawling fashion by the goalkeeper in the 86th minute, Dyer and Miller having combined to create the opportunity. Back came Springs, Megan Lee beating one before seeing fellow substitute Celia Mayo steer one past the post in stoppage time, after which the former Football Fern's neat work in midfield unleashed Garcia at pace through the inside right channel. Bearing down on goal with just Bennett to beat, the hat-trick-hunting striker pulled the trigger, only to see her shot swerve narrowly past the far post. But Garcia had done more than enough for Springs' cause on this occasion, her outstanding personal contribution, in a game "The Hoops" had to win against the previously unbeaten "Lilywhites", earning the chocolates for her team, and knocking Suburbs off the top rung on the league ladder in the process. Springs:     Tuisamoa; Hill, Jacob (Dunn, 80), Uluvili, Takeda; Colpi (Lythe, 62), Taitimu, Innes; Jerez (Lee, 73), Hirano (Mayo, 73), Garcia Suburbs:     Bennett; Blackler, Yoshida, Atkins (Erskine, 62); Wong, Findlay, Benson, Mettam (Williamson, 73), Lancaster; Lyon (Dyer, 46), Cooper (Miller, 62) Referee:     Sarah Jones