Eastern Suburbs regained a share of the Lotto Northern Premier Women's League lead at Madills Farm on June 17, but to describe their 3-2 win over Papakura City as extremely fortuitous is being kind, make no mistake. For large chunks of this match, City were the more dominant side, and they can justifiably feel more than a bit miffed that they didn't get something out of this encounter against opponents who lost two of their defensive pillars, Kate Carlton and captain Rebekah Van Dort, to injury during proceedings. Both face a quick recovery time if they are to make the NZ Football Foundation Kate Sheppard Cup tie between these teams at the same venue in six days' time, a match which should be well worth the admission money and then some if this encounter is any indication. As was to be expected, Suburbs began on the front foot, Jeongwon Shin testing Meripa Seumanutafa from twenty-five yards in the sixth minute as "The Lilywhites" started with a hiss and a roar, a mood increased in volume six minutes later when Sophie Leidh inadvertently headed a Leah Mettam corner to the near post into her own net. Papakura were understandably disappointed at conceding so early, but it wasn't too long before they were gaining the upper hand over opponents who were missing their Future Ferns Development Programme contingent for this match, a group who will aid Suburbs' cause in six days' time. In the seventeenth minute, good work by Chloe Marthe on the left culminated in the ball breaking for Becky Hawker, who brought her front-running partner back into play. Marthe's shot was smothered by Corina Brown, making her long-awaited return to the first team after a lengthy injury absence. Gaining heart from this, City continued to press, with Hannah Kraakman, Sarah Fromont and Britney Cunningham-Lee particularly prominent during a period of City pressure which was punctured by some Jade Parris brilliance in the 24th minute. Suburbs' leader of the line latched onto a clearance near half-way and instantly turned defence into attack for the home team, taking on and beating two opponents before completely outfoxing Marlies James en route to a spot some twenty yards from goal, from where she let fly. Seumanutafa was right behind the effort, as she was a Shin twenty yarder on the half-hour, which followed good work by both Yeongha Kim and Hannah Pilley as Suburbs relied on the counter-attack to attempt to unbalance their more dominant opponents. For City were well on top during this phase of the game, and in the 27th minute came desperately close to equalising. Kraakman, once of this parish, cut in from the left and unleashed a superb dipping twenty-five yarder which had 'top far corner' written all over it. Brown had other ideas, however, and produced an absolute "worldie" to keep Suburbs' lead intact, a stunning full-length fingertip save which diverted the ball onto the bar and to safety - unquestionably one of the saves of the season so far, and even more impressive when one considers its executioner had been out of action for so long! City kept on coming, but found Brown in unbeatable form, saving at the feet of Marthe just after the half-hour as Cunningham-Lee created more havoc on the right, a feat she repeated in swashbuckling fashion in the 33rd minute, with Mettam among the Suburbs players left trailing in her wake before she unleashed a shot which Brown gobbled up greedily. The home team was rather hanging on as the half drew to a close, with City enjoying the upper hand in a match in which, it's fair to say, most would have expected to be a routine home win. Routine this was anything but! But twenty seconds after the resumption of play, Pilley broke down the left and slipped the ball inside to Parris, who, despite being tripped, managed to keep her feet and deliver a cross which Kim contrived to head over the bar from six yards! Back came City, with Steph Skilton combining with Leidh to release Marthe down the left. She scooted past Lizzie Ellis before picking out Hawker with a cross which was laid back into the stride of Kraakman. Brown was right behind her twenty yarder, and a shot from further out seven minutes later after Kraakman, upon receiving Leidh's throw-in, turned Shin to engineer the space from which to let fly. Parris retorted for Suburbs, her scheming runs not appreciated by team-mates who, if they worked the double one-twos which Parris was intent upon,

would have opened up City's defence on at least three occasions. But the playmaker wouldn't be denied. After her ball, intended for Kim, had been headed out by Leidh to Charne Van der Walt - she sent the sphere soaring over the bar, Parris stood over a free-kick on the left, awarded for Cunningham-Lee's rugged foul on Mettam - not the last of such ilk, it must be said. This 66th minute incident had dire consequences for City, as Parris delivered an absolute "buffet ball" of a free-kick, right into the heart of the goalmouth. Molly Bryans - back home from the USA on her scholarship break - was one of three Suburbs players steaming in to get on the end of it, and guided the ball home via her abs from point-blank range. 2-0 swiftly became 3-0, although this time there was an element of "Keystone Cops" about what unfolded. After Bryans and Parris had combined to release Pilley through the middle - Jayden Watts thwarted her every step of the way, Parris latched onto a loose ball in the centre circle and instantly released Pilley through the offside trap. Seumanutafa charged out of goal and won the race for the ball with the striker, only to drive her clearance into Pilley's body. The ball could have rebounded anywhere, but much to City's dismay, and the sheepish scorer's pleasure, it ricocheted straight towards the untended target, bouncing into the net to, surely, wrap up the points for the home team. That double whammy was extremely harsh on Papakura - there was no way they were three goals worse off than their opponents on this display. But there was still time to redress the balance, and they set about doing just that. Sixteen minutes from time, Cunningham-Lee's charging run ultimately brought Marthe and Georgia Irvine - City legend Shaun's daughter - into play. Her pass found Jasmin Elson in acres of space on the left, and left her with just Brown to beat. But the 'keeper once more made herself impassable, blocking the shot well, then looking on with relief as Marthe's follow-up attempt crept past the post. Gaining heart from the trouble her driving runs were causing Suburbs, Cunningham-Lee set off on another one in the 76th minute, and this time rewards were to be had. Her cross saw Erinna Wong's attempted headed clearance rebound off the incoming figure of Marthe into the net, despite Brown's attempt to pull off a reflex save. 3-1 swiftly became 3-2, another all-conquering Cunningham-Lee cavalry charge culminating in a cross which drew a shriek of despair from Kate Seatter as she inadvertently turned it into her own net with twelve minutes remaining. Cue a grandstand finish, with City pounding away in search of the equaliser which their performance fully merited. But Brown was not to be beaten a third time, denying their best effort, from Kraakman, in the 89th minute after a lovely move featuring Skilton, Marthe, Leidh and Elson. Corners were forced, one of which saw Cunningham-Lee's attempt headed off the line by the strategically placed figure of Ellis as Suburbs hung on for dear life! They looked to counter-attack, with Shin's thirty yarder, which she sent blazing over the bar, as good as a relieving clearance for the home team, who had one more trick up their sleeve. It came in the form of Parris, who, not for the first time, found herself on face-to-face terms with the turf as she was taken out of play twenty-five yards out from goal. With the last kick of the game, she uncorked another fine free-kick which was destined for the bottom right-hand corner of the net until Seumanutafa flung herself to her right to tip it to safety. The final whistle saw the contrasting emotions of both teams very much in evidence - pure relief for Suburbs, undisguised disappointment for City, who will wonder how they got no return from a game to which they gave so much of themselves. The good news for the visitors is they don't have very long to wait for redemption. Next Saturday, at Madills Farm at 1pm, these teams will do it all over again, this time with a place in the NZ Football Foundation Kate Sheppard Cup quarter-finals at stake. On the evidence of this match, it's a tie well worth seeing! Suburbs:     Brown; Carlton (Wong, 26), Ellis, Van Dort (Van der Walt, 52), Mettam; Shin, Seatter, Bryans; Pilley, Parris, Kim (Whitley, 77) Papakura:     Seumanutafa; Fromont, Skilton, James (Watts, 62), Leidh; Cunningham-Lee, Butler (Wooles, 58 (booked, 83)), Elson, Marthe; Hawker (Irvine, 70), Kraakman Referee:     Riley Greenbury