Forrest Hill-Milford United recorded the biggest win of this season's Lotto Northern Premier Women's League in the competition's final fixture at Galloway Park on September 2, clobbering Claudelands Rovers 11-0 as the beaten club bid adieu to the country's foremost women's club league competition after a 24-year tenure. Relegated a month ago, a depleted Rovers side were no match for a "Swans" squad whose players were playing for places in next Sunday's NZ Football Foundation Kate Sheppard Cup Final. The visitors were swiftly into their stride, captain Chloe Wilson - an eye-catching display - picking out Sammi Tawharu with a pass which the striker controlled expertly before rewarding Jess McKimm's run. She shot straight at Andrea Betschart, who cleared the ball downfield with the aid of a Wellington-like wind at her back. That clearance created an opportunity for Rovers, as Aoife King under-hit her back-pass to Emily Couchman, allowing Summer Gunn to nip in and shoot towards the open goal. Sadly for Claudelands, the ball rolled agonisingly across the face of the target, allowing Wilson to mop things up and rally the troops by word as well as deed. For it was from her ninth minute free-kick that United opened the scoring, Jane Barnett combining with Tawharu to create an opening which Hannah Reddy swept home adeptly. After Kenya Brooke - a strong game - had headed over from Barnett's short corner routine, a brilliant run past four opponents by Wilson saw her link with McKimm to present Tawharu with a chance which Betschart saved at her near post. The 'keeper was right behind a Malia Steinmetz twenty-five yarder soon after, but was beaten all ends up by a Brooke bullet which sizzled past her, only to be cleared off the line by the retreating figure of Stella Neems. Soon after, "The Swans" doubled their advantage, Barnett belting the ball home after being played through by Reddy, whose flying header flashed past the far post in the 21st minute after a delightful move featuring Barnett, Tawharu and Milly McWhirter, whose gorgeous back-heeled pass rewarded Barnett's overlapping run and enabled her to cross first-time on the run. McWhirter and Wilson then combined on the right for Barnett's benefit. She chipped Betschart beautifully, only for the crossbar to come to Claudelands' rescue. Tawharu was unable to capitalise on the rebound, while McKimm curled an effort past the far post as United looked to pile on the pain for their relegated rivals. Goal number three materialised in the 27th minute. Brooke's barnstorming break down the left culminated in her picking out Barnett with a cross which the striker lashed home across both Betschart and two retreating defenders. The goalkeeper had her revenge six minutes later, denying Barnett what would have been a fourteen-minute hat-trick, then spilled a shot from the same player, the rebound from which fell invitingly to McKimm, who steered her effort past the post. After Betschart had tipped a Reddy drive over the bar following another break by Brooke, Stephanie Andrews-Paul blocked a Stacey Martin effort at close quarters - "The Swans" defender had come within inches of finding the top corner of the net a few minutes earlier. Cue another Betschart save, a fine reflex denial to

foil Reddy in the 41st minute. But the 'keeper was afforded no chance by the final two shots of the half, both of which found the net to give United a 5-0 lead at the interval. Barnett completed her hat-trick with the first one, Tawharu's through ball allowing her to stand up Andrews-Paul a treat before lashing the ball into the bottom far corner of the net. Then on the stroke of half-time, McKimm finally found the net, getting the better of Paige McCloskey to latch onto Barnett's fine through ball and bring up a nap hand for "The Swans", the catalyst for the visitors to rest Steinmetz, Tawharu and Barnett for the second spell. Within ninety seconds of the resumption of play, Brooke had made it 6-0 via a buccaneering run down the left before beating Betschart all ends up at her near post, a finish she repeated in the 69th minute, by which time United had not only added further to their tally, but survived a scare as well. That came in the 51st minute via a defensive blunder, upon which Katelyn Reeve pounced. Couchman was off her line in a flash to save splendidly at the striker's feet, thus foiling Rovers' best chance of a goal in the match, although the enterprising Olivia Hooper - she's quite a prospect, this lass - merited a goal for her fearlessness in the face of adversity. One run in particular, past three rivals, was simply audacious. After Reddy had sent one thundering past the post, normal service soon resumed, Martin thumping home a penalty on the hour after McKimm had been upended in the area. Two minutes later, half-time substitute Lily Jervis curled home a gem of a free-kick from the edge of the area. After McWhirter had shot at Betschart, who twice foiled half-time substitute Helena Wiseman before the debutant was thwarted by the offside flag nine minutes from time, United brought up double figures seven minutes from time. Jervis charged forward before spreading play wide to Wilson, whose cross picked out Reddy. Her lay-off was directed perfectly into the stride of Jervis, whose reward for continuing her run out of defence left Betschart beaten all ends up. Still reeling from that blow - just the sixth time Claudelands have conceded double figures in a Premier Women's League match in 24 years, the home team buckled straight from the kick-off and paid the price, with McKimm leading the celebrations after linking with Reddy for what turned out to be the final goal of the campaign. It was the eleventh of this match, thereby ensuring that Claudelands would bow out of the Northern Premier Women's League on a sad note, their final game marked by their heaviest ever home defeat in the 24 years in which they've graced the competition. One wonders if, like Lynn-Avon United - another club, incidentally, which enjoyed a 24-year tenure in the country's foremost women's club league competition - before them, they will ever grace the top flight again. Claudelands:     Betschart; Dore (Harvie, 70), Lelievre, Andrews-Paul, Neems; Hooper, McCloskey, Jones, Monteith, Gunn; Reeve FHMU:     Couchman; Wilson, Martin, King, Brooke; Reddy, Steinmetz (Ragg, 46), McWhirter; Barnett (Jervis, 46), Tawharu (Wiseman, 46), McKimm Referee:     Peter Caffell