It was billed as a top-of-the-table clash in the Lotto Northern Premier Women's League, with the current leaders and competition runners-up in the last three seasons, Eastern Suburbs, welcoming the reigning champions, Glenfield Rovers, to Madills Farm on June 9. Both are far and away the most consistently performed teams in the league this season, and two of the very best in the country, with Rovers going into the match boasting an unbeaten record, while Suburbs' lone defeat came on Good Friday at McFetridge Park, a day they let in two of the three goals they've conceded this season. What unfolded was one of the most comprehensive and clinical displays by a club side in NZ women's football this decade, as Suburbs put Rovers to the sword to the tune of 6-0, a record defeat for Glenfield since the club rejoined the Premier Women's League in 2003. It was certainly a scoreline no one present envisaged seeing. "The Lilywhites" were on the front foot from the outset, Ava Collins surging through and lashing an angled drive across the face of goal. Three minutes later, they carved Glenfield apart, Hannah Pilley and Tayla O'Brien combining for Jade Parris to sweep home the opener past a wrong-footed Ashleigh Cox. Rovers, understandably, were stunned, but sought a swift riposte, Dayna Stevens and Helena Kelderman leading the charge. But the league's most miserly rearguard stood firm, Rebekah Van Dort and chums repelling all that Rovers could muster, while offering the constant threat of the counter-attack, such as they'd used to open the scoring. In the fourteenth minute, Pilley broke clear down the right and fired in a cross which Parris over-ran. Following in behind her was Lucy Carter, who unleashed a rising drive which crashed against the crossbar and rebounded to Pilley, only for Tessa Berger to intervene and prevent the winger from doubling Suburbs' lead. Three minutes later, Glenfield threatened to level the scores, the charging figure of Kelderman picking out Emma Turnbull with a cross which the recipient directed back to the supplier, whose shot was cleared by Van Dort. Following fine work on the left by Rachel Head - she had a massive game, but she wasn't the only white-clad player to whom this statement applies - which culminated in Pilley beating Cox in the air, only to guide her header just past the post, one of the fastest hat-tricks in the entire history of Lotto Northern Premier Women's League football graced this top-of-the-table tussle. In the 22nd minute, Van Dort played the ball forward to Carter, who released Parris through the inside left channel. Cox started to come off her line but hesitated, an error Parris exploited to the full with an inch-perfect pass into the stride of Pilley, who gleefully steered the ball home into an empty net. Straight from the kick-off, it was 3-0, Suburbs' dynamic duo, Parris and Pilley, creating merry hell once more. The scorer of the first goal unleashed a slide-rule pass into the stride of the game's second goalscorer, who slipped the ball past the approaching figure of Cox into the empty net beyond in the 23rd minute. It was 4-0 in the 25th minute, O'Brien this time leading the charge through the inside right channel before setting up Pilley to complete her quick-fire hat-trick in style. Straight from the kick-off, Liz Savage looked to lead a Rovers revival via a left wing raid, only for her cross to be scrambled clear by Head. It prompted another Glenfield attack, with Kelderman at its heart. She went down in the penalty area under Van Dort's challenge, but referee Aaron Day was right there,

and waved play-on. Estelle Harrison didn't need a second invitation, latching onto the loose ball and clipping it towards the far post, where Steven just failed to make contact with a full-length diving header. The momentum swung back towards Suburbs as the game approached half-time. Carter and Collins combined with O'Brien, who played the ball through for Parris to pursue. Cox hurtled out of her goal, and the pair collided near the edge of the penalty, with Carter steering the loose ball past the post of the untended net as it swiftly became evident that the goalkeeper wasn't getting up again quickly. A few minutes elapsed before Cox was back on her feet, but she only lasted until half-time, at which point Laney Strachan took over in dayglo pink twixt the sticks. But not before Emily Oosterhof had drilled a shot past Brown's right-hand post, Berger and Kelderman having combined to present the midfielder with the chance. The sight of a rookie opposition goalkeeper donning the gloves for the second half saw Suburbs' strike force collectively licking their lips prior to kick-off, the chance to dip their bread at Glenfield's expense very much part of their thinking. Sure enough, the home team were swiftly into their stride, Parris and Carter combining from a corner with a chance which Collins headed over the bar in the fiftieth minute. Two minutes later, Parris' corner saw Savage head the ball out to Collins, who headed it back into the danger zone. Kate Seatter rose above all-comers to power a header into the net, Strachan's brave bid to turn the effort to safety in vain - 5-0. Back came Glenfield, Kelderman leading the charge in her inimitable fashion. She forced a corner from which Kate Loye's delivery picked out freshly introduced substitute Meaghan Donnelly, whose effort was cleared off the line by Kate Carlton. That sparked a counter-attack, Seatter leading the charge before playing in Pilley, who shot straight at Strachan. Rovers' response to this saw Loye, Berger and Savage combine to present Harrison with a shooting chance, but from a distance which gave Brown scant cause for concern. Eleven minutes from time, Pilley's charging run through the defence was brought to a halt in stunning fashion by Strachan, who was behaving as if she was still a defender, as she tackled the speedster outside the area. Back came Glenfield, their desperation for a consolation goal evident for all to see. Six minutes from time, Brown blocked a Kelderman shot to safety after Loye had combined with substitute Suzy Jung. Loye then pinged in a corner which Savage headed over the top. But by the time this was taken, Suburbs had scored their sixth goal, substitute Hannah Hoeksema beating Strachan at her near post after Parris and Pilley had caused chaos on the left. There was still time for Kelderman and Carter to clash, the Rovers player retaliating in response to the rugged nature of the Suburbs' player's challenge, an incident which saw referee Aaron Day issue a yellow card to both players before blowing the final whistle on an extraordinary encounter, one which may well prove critical in deciding the destiny of this season's title, with Suburbs now four points clear. Suburbs:     Brown; Carlton, Robertson, Van Dort, Head; Collins (Gillion, 60), Seatter (Hoeksema, 74), Carter (booked, 90); Pilley, Parris, O'Brien (Byrne, 80) Glenfield:     Cox (Strachan, 46); McIntosh, Bultitude, Berger, Savage; Loye, Oosterhof (Jung, 53), Harrison; Kelderman (booked, 90), Stevens, Turnbull (Donnelly, 61) Referee:     Aaron Day