New Zealand's U-17 Women's squad gave themselves a massive confidence boost on the nineteenth anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster, as they steamrollered their Australian U-17 counterparts 4-0 at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. The win, in the first match of three the Young Football Ferns will play against the national age-group teams of their trans-tasman rivals this week as they continue their FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Finals preparations, is the biggest ever recorded by a New Zealand team against Australia, at any level. It certainly justified the confidence coach Paul Temple had in his squad leading into the series, for which the Young Ferns aren't even at full strength - outstanding talents such as Annalie Longo and Jessica Rollings are sitting out this tour as Temple takes the opportunity to run the rule over other players. As the result suggests, a number of them have taken their opportunity with both hands, and they and the coach are delighted with the outcome. “I`m really, really happy we've got a result, and a well deserved one at that”, declared a thrilled Temple after the match. “Overall, it was an excellent performance. We kept a very good shape throughout, stayed compact, put the Australians under pressure throughout the match and forced them to make mistakes. “I was extremely happy with our out-of-possession play, while in possession, we scored four, and hit the woodwork on six other occasions”. Sarah McLaughlin, Caitlin Campbell and two-goal heroine Hannah Wall each rattled the timbers twice as the Australians were put to the sword, Wall sparking the rout in the sixteenth minute with an accomplished finish, rounding the 'keeper upon receipt of a through ball from Campbell. Nadia Pearl doubled the Young Ferns' advantage in the 33rd minute, thundering home from the edge of the penalty area after the Junior Matildas had failed to clear a Campbell cross. The twice-capped Football Fern was employed in a new position in this match, and clearly relished it, as Temple explains. “We played Caitlin at right-back because we wanted to give her time on the ball and utilise her passing range. It worked really well, to the extent that she was our player of the day on a day when we had a number of good performances”. One of those was produced by Katie Bowen, who made her international debut on her fourteenth birthday, and combined well with Campbell on the right flank during her 67 minutes of action. “The highlight of the game was Caitlin's goal, in the 77th minute”, Temple enthused. “We played the ball out from the back, and she dribbled forward before playing a one-two with Claudia Crasborn. She then ran on before releasing Sarah McLaughlin down the right, and was perfectly placed when the cross came over to volley home from six yards - a great goal”. Five minutes later, Wall wrapped up the scoring by turning home the rebound following a McLaughlin shot. “Leading into these games, the only goals we scored against the Koreans came from a penalty and a free-

Caitlin Campbell - goalscoring fullback Charlotte Wood - vital one-on-one saves Hannah Wall - two-goal heroine Paul Temple - happy "gaffer"

kick - nothing from open play. That was something we targeted for this tour, and we achieved it today”, says Temple, who was well pleased with the reward this victory gave the squad in light of their efforts “when no-one's been watching them. “They've done a lot of work since the Future Stars series, particularly on their fitness. They've shown so much maturity off the pitch, and today was the ideal reward for all their hard work and dedication. “We were a much fitter and stronger team than the Australians”, whose squad included seven players from the Future Stars series, during which the Junior Matildas edged the Young Ferns 1-0. Revenge in this match was very sweet indeed for Temple and his team. “The girls looked so ready to play this game, and started strongly. In the end, we outwitted them and outran them as well - just too strong”. Maintaining that momentum is the new target for the Young Ferns, for whom Charlotte Wood made two vital one-on-one saves in this match, one when it was still 0-0. The `keeper - a late replacement for Danielle McFadyen, who broke her arm on the opening day of the season - was also among those looking on as an Australian penalty early in the second half soared over her crossbar. “It'll be nice to get the win on Thursday, when we play the U-17s again at 2pm NZ time”, says Temple, “but the result will take care of itself. “Of greater importance is the need to maintain our momentum, and improve on the areas we need to - we had a twenty minute patch in the second half when things got a bit loose in midfield, for instance”. The squad is relishing the environment in which they find themselves at the Australian Institute of Sport, where any number of Australia's sporting elite are currently preparing for the Beijing Olympics. “The whole experience has been hugely uplifting for the girls”, says Temple. “They've been dining with some of Australia's best track and field athletes, rowers … and the facilities are terrific. It's a truly fantastic complex, with everything you could wish for”. And a record triumph over the old enemy on their patch thrown in for good measure! Roll on Thursday. Young Ferns:     Charlotte Wood; Caitlin Campbell, Briony Fisher, Yumi Nguyen, Anna Fullerton (Megan Shea, 60); Katie Bowen (Lauren Murray, 67), Leah Gallie (Emily Cooper, 70), Nadia Pearl (Kate Loye, 80), Claudia Crasborn; Sarah McLaughlin, Hannah Wall Unused substitutes:     Victoria Esson, Jodi Curtis, Elise Mamanu-Gray Australia (from):     Teagan Allen, Nicola Bolger, Hannah Brewer, Sharni Brown, Caitlin Foord, Riarna Keane, Candance Sierras (NSW); Tara Andrews, Sarah Grist, Georgia Peterson, Madeline Searle, Emily Van Egmond (Northern NSW); Sally Thurston (QLD); Nicole Calder, Ashlee Faul, Lily Ryden, Ruth Wallace (SA); Adelyn Ayton (TAS); Brianna Davey (VIC); Jaymee Gibbons, Samantha Kerr, Sadie Lawrence (WA)