Forrest Hill-Milford United staked their case for a third-placed finish in this season's Lotto Northern Premier Women's League at McLennan Park on 22 August, coming from behind to down Papakura City 3-1 in a rescheduled fixture hosted by the South Auckland club, despite it being the "Swans"' home game. United began brightly under the lights, with Keely Taylor forced to keep out long-range efforts from Lily Jervis and Vegas McCarroll inside the first five minutes before looking on with relief as Hannah Reddy's eighteen-yarder sizzled past the far post, following a slick interchange between Talisha Green and McCarroll. Britney Cunningham-Lee was already causing problems for Papakura, however, her determination and willing running turning many an 30-70 situation into a 50-50 challenge, with her opponent knowing all too well that "BCL" was on their case and wasn't going away. It was the youngster's through ball which gave 'Kura their first glimpse of goal in the match in the eleventh minute, Emily Couchman dashing out to prevent Chloe Marthe from capitalising upon the opening, of which more soon followed. Marthe - an eye-catching performer for City throughout the season - mistimed a shot on goal soon afterwards, but in the thirteenth minute Cunningham-Lee picked out Becky Hawker with an angled pass, only for the winger to be muscled off the ball in the area by Green, whose campaign in United's black kit has been a fine one. After Marlies James had sent Cunningham-Lee down the right to whip in a cross which no-one in a striped shirt had anticipated, the "Swans" went desperately close to opening the scoring in the seventeenth minute. Green and Ava Pritchard combined on the right before Jervis was brought into play. She linked up with Chloe Knott, who cleverly set up Reddy for a shot which cannoned off the base of the far post. Jervis latched onto the rebound and picked out Knott, whose twenty-five yarder flashed narrowly over the bar. Pritchard just cleared the crossbar with an effort from closer in three minutes later, before Marthe produced a super through ball at the other end which invited a penetrating run from Cunningham-Lee, only for Abbey Venmore to step in at precisely the right moment and avert the danger. But only briefly, for from the resulting throw-in, City took the lead. Marthe received the ball and delivered a teasing cross to the near post which saw Hawker and Kenzy Cooper tangling for possession. The ball dropped invitingly for Cunningham-Lee, who rarely misses when just eight yards out and with the goalkeeper to beat - 1-0 after 21 minutes, although United were more than a little miffed, with Cooper having been impeded by Hawker in her attempts to clear the cross. Referee Beth Rattray consulted with her assistant, but neither official had seen any offence - what you can't see, you can't give! Knott bore the task of dragging United back into the contest well, her first thrust a delicious through ball for Jervis to latch onto, only for Taylor to swiftly anticipate the danger and clear her lines, sparking a City counter-attack with Hawker and Marthe running the channels as Cunningham-Lee powered through the middle, at least until she was stopped in her tracks by Greer MacIntosh's textbook block tackle. On the half-hour, the already relegated side pressed again, Cunningham-Lee and Marthe combining for Brenna Yuksel, racing forward from deep. She spread play wide to Hawker, whose lay-off invited Marthe to let rip from twenty yards. Couchman did well to parry the effort to safety, with Green clearing the rebound before Cunningham-Lee could pounce. Ten minutes before half-time, United had an equaliser ruled out because Green's corner had curled out of play before arriving at the near post. The fullback's next delivery, three minutes later, saw Pritchard only just fail to get on the end of it, but the speedster's next involvement would impact the course of the match. Three minutes before the break, Pritchard took on James, who jockeyed the winger before mistiming her tackle just after Pritchard had passed the ball. Down she went, and as she was in the area, referee Rattray had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, from where Knott unerringly thrashed the ball past Taylor precisely into the bottom corner - a textbook penalty to level the scores. Taylor kept out a long-range effort from Alaina

Grainger before the half-time whistle, while after it, Sarah Fromont - rock-solid in defence - cut out a delightfully weighted Jervis cross intended for Reddy two minutes into the second half. Three minutes later, United hit the lead via an unlikely source. Pritchard galloped away down the left onto a Venmore pass and made her way in-field along the byline before drilling a cross into the goalmouth. The unfortunate Jess Peckett knew nothing about it as the ball struck her and cannoned straight into the corner of the net - 2-1 United, via an "oggie". That was the cue for the "Swans" to lay siege to the City goal, particularly following the FFDP-enforced withdrawal of Cunningham-Lee - oh, how I wish that programme would work in tandem with this competition for the good of the women's game, and not follow an agenda which is, at best, mis-aligned. Knott was central to much of United's enterprising play during this spell, initially by cutting out a Liz Takerei pass and picking out Pritchard a second later. Her low angled cross was flicked on by Reddy for Jervis, who steered the ball narrowly past the near post at full stretch. Seconds later, Taylor pulled off a fine close-range save to thwart Knott after Jervis and Reddy had combined for the playmaker's benefit, while on the hour, City's 'keeper produced a stunning reflex save to keep her line intact, after Green's corner had taken a vicious deflection goalwards. Another Green corner soon afterwards saw Knott lob the ball into the danger zone. Venmore headed this opportunity over the top, while Pritchard saw her shot from eight yards blocked by Fromont in the 63rd minute, seconds after Renee Wasi had been introduced to the fray. The unrelenting waves of black-shirted attacks continued, Taylor denying Reddy in the 64th minute following Pritchard's delightfully angled pass into the striker's stride, while a minute later, Knott sent Wasi marauding down the right, from where she whipped in a cross to the near post. Pritchard fired wide with Fromont applying more than a little pressure - were VAR in operation, this may well have seen a spot-kick awarded. After Wasi had curled an effort over the top, the rare sight of Couchman in possession came about courtesy a long-range 72nd minute free-kick from James, whose lengthy involvement in the country's foremost women's league - over 27 seasons, on and off - is drawing to a close. She has been an outstanding servant of the women's game since making her debut for Eden in 1993, representing her clubs, province and nation with distinction. Truth be told, she's probably still good enough to go around for another season or two, using her experience and that cultured left foot to guide the young pretenders. Indeed, she probably would do, but as a mother of two herself ... you'll be missed, "DutchyMar"! Back came United, James' attempt a timely reminder that their lead was precarious, despite their dominance. Pritchard curled one just past the far post after Knott had picked her out twelve minutes from time, while three minutes later Wasi's twenty-five yarder dipped too late to dip under the bar, after Fromont had foiled another Forrest Hill-Milford raid seconds prior. Five minutes from time, the "Swans" should have sealed the deal after Fromont tripped Reddy in the area as she looked to latch onto Knott's pass. Pritchard grabbed the ball - she was determined to score from the spot - but her heart must have plunged into her boots at the sight of Taylor diving to her left to save the penalty. 2-1 it remained, but for a matter of minutes only. It was Wasi at her swashbuckling best which broke City's resistance, the youngster rampaging through four challenges in the 89th minute before unleashing a shot which Taylor parried, straight into the stride of Pritchard. This time, she didn't miss. There was still time for Wasi to have a goal ruled out by the offside flag before the final whistle brought an end to this highly entertaining tussle between two teams who'll do it all over again at the same venue on Sunday afternoon, for the final time this season in both cases. FHMU:     Couchman; Green, MacIntosh, Cooper (Wasi, 62), Venmore; Grainger, McCarroll, Jervis; Pritchard, Reddy, Knott Papakura:     Taylor; Reeve, S. Fromont, James, Peckett; Takerei, Yuksel (L. Fromont, 74), Blyth; Cunningham-Lee (Irvine, 46), Marthe (Adams, 62), Hawker Referee:     Beth Rattray