Lynn-Avon United continued their seemingly inexorable march towards a fifth consecutive Northern Premier Women’s League championship at Eastdale Road on May 30, but they were made to battle for the three points by a dogged Eastern Suburbs combination, before eventually prevailing 3-0. Early efforts from Jennifer Carlisle and Hayley Moorwood were capably dealt with by Suburbs’ ‘keeper, Ginny Tan, but it quickly became evident that finding a way through the visitors’ defensive web would not be a walk in the park - anything but! That said, United produced a fine move in the tenth minute which deserved a goal. Michele Keinzley and Kirsty Yallop linked up well, with the latter playing a lovely ball wide to Rebecca Parkinson. Her first-time cross to the far post found Amber Hearn arriving bang on cue, but the striker’s shot, at full stretch, was superbly saved low to her right by Tan - it was in for all money otherwise. Suburbs’ first raid, in the thirteenth minute, had them directing strong claims for a penalty at referee Pat Barrett. Tarena O’Neill’s through ball had sent Rebecca Tegg surging through, but as she entered the area, Terry McCahill’s international experience came into play, and the off-balance striker went down as she pursued the ball. The official was right there, and saw no offence, much to Suburbs’ despair. The visitors pressed again five minutes later. O’Neill played a one-two off the referee before sending the ball into Melanie Gooch’s path. She took the ball on before slipping Tegg through, with the striker’s shot flashing across the face of Ashleigh Cox’s goal and past the far post. United cranked up the tempo after these scares, but couldn’t find a way through a Suburbs defence in which Kimberley Lewis was outstanding, with Janet Groves and Melanie Hansen not far behind her. Lynn-Avon’s probing frequently fell foul of the central defensive duo, with Lewis ultimately succeeding in her quest to keep Hearn scoreless for the duration - a feat no other player who has marked the league’s leading goalscorer has achieved this season. United’s leading markswoman was having the devil’s own job shaking off the shackles imposed on her, but was temporarily able to discard them in the 33rd minute, when Moorwood sent her racing clear with a fine pass. Hearn’s driven cross was headed to safety by Groves, however, although had she missed, red-shirted players were queuing up to break the deadlock. After Yallop had chipped a twenty-five yard effort wide, following the creativity of Melissa Ray and Hearn, and the well-performed Stacey Fraser shot wide of the mark at the other end - Tegg and Gooch having teamed up to good effect once more, the deadlock was broken, two minutes before half-time. It was a crucial lapse in concentration which did for Suburbs. A tactical change saw United’s usual corner-taker, Parkinson, take up a near-post position as Dana Heiford delivered the set-piece. The unmarked striker swivelled to slam home the opening goal on receipt of McCahill’s near post flick. It was harsh on the visitors, whose stubborn tenacity had rather restricted United’s rhythm to this point. It was a pattern which was to continue in the second spell, initially from a counter-attack in the 52nd minute.

Hearn’s clearance from a Suburbs’ corner found Keinzley as the lone Lynn-Avon player in an attacking position, but a slick one-two with Yallop soon changed that situation. The youngster was flying upfield, along with Moorwood, whose dummy run as the charging figure of Keinzley played the ball inside split the defence, and gave Yallop an extra five yards in which to play. Her pass found Parkinson looming up on the right, but the scorer of the game’s opening goal was unable to double her tally with this off-target effort, struck a mere fifteen seconds after Fraser had been taking a corner at the other end of the park - it was a lightning-quick raid. Four minutes later, Lynn-Avon should have gone 2-0 up. Keinzley and Carlisle linked neatly on the left, with the former crossing for Moorwood. Her glancing header was blocked by Hansen, but the midfielder was onto the rebound in an instant, and pulled it back from the by-line. Dana Heiford had the goal at her mercy, but somehow contrived to hit the post - how did she miss?! Lynn-Avon’s pressure continued, Yallop forcing Tan to save superbly in the 63rd minute as she evaded a challenge in the penalty area. Four minutes later, Carlisle and Keinzley combined to present McCahill with a shooting chance, which was deflected to safety. But just as Suburbs were beginning to catch United on the counter-attack - Gooch and Tegg combined for O’Neill to send a twenty-five yarder flashing wide of Cox’s goal - the home team clinched the points. Thirteen minutes from time, Anne Tansell played the ball forward to Moorwood, whose off-the-ball running was once again a feature of Lynn-Avon’s raids. This time, Groves blocked her progress, but Yallop was on hand to slip the ball into Keinzley’s path. The striker crowned a top performance with a well-taken goal, swooping in where angels fear to tread to poke the ball past the advancing Tan and into the far corner of the net. As Suburbs reeled from this blow, a misunderstanding was pounced on by Moorwood, who promptly sent Keinzley scampering through once more. Tan this time won the race as she charged off her line to thwart the striker, who looked on with relief four minutes from time as Flora McLeod sent a twenty-five yard free-kick over the crossbar at the other end of the ground. The scoring was concluded a minute from time, and in terms of creative excellence, was easily the pick of the three. Moorwood picked up the ball inside her own half and set off on a surging run forward, playing a one-two with Rachel Doody en route. A peach of a pass sent Keinzley haring through once more, with the striker’s shot being turned onto the crossbar by Tan. But Yallop was following up, and duly wrapped up the scoring at Eastdale Road, the match having been switched to United’s alternative ground after their Ken Maunder Park home ground was vandalised by local boy-racers who couldn’t find a suitable race-track to use for their wheel-spins after hours!! United: Cox; Doody, McCahill, Ray, Robertson (Tansell); Parkinson (Heiford), Yallop, Carlisle, Moorwood; Keinzley, Hearn Suburbs: Tan; Moore, Lewis, Groves, Hansen; McLeod, O’Neill, Chong (Hemming), Fraser (Vincent); Tegg, Gooch (Gerrard) Referee: Pat Barrett