New Zealand's Young Football Ferns scored another pearler of a result at the expense of their Australian U-17 rivals at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra on April 17. Inspired by a stellar midfield display from Nadia Pearl, the Young Ferns followed up Tuesday's 4-0 demolition of their trans-tasman rivals by repeating that scoreline in today's match, against opponents who showed a marked improvement on their previous display. Not that the scoreline shows it. From the moment Lauren Murray's eight-yard header hit the net in the third minute, the Junior Matildas were on the back foot, and Sarah McLaughlin doubled the Young Ferns' lead twenty minutes later upon meeting a Megan Shea free-kick on the far post. At this point, Kiwi `keeper Victoria Esson produced the first of two crucial interventions to prevent the Australians from getting on the scoreboard by foiling a one-on-one opportunity. Cue a Young Ferns attack which Pearl instigated, and from which McLauglin made it 3-0 in the 33rd minute. Seven minutes later, the scoring was complete, Murray moving onto Pearl's defence-splitting pass to ensure a repeat of the visitors' record-breaking scoreline in their second match of the tour. The second spell saw both teams fail to alter the scoreboard, Shea's goal-line clearance denying the largely young Australian squad - the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Finals is their objective - the pleasure of a goal against the host nation of NZ 08. “Things went really well today”, declared delighted coach, Paul Temple, afterwards. “It was a much more even and tough contest, with Australia producing a much better performance, something which led to quite a tight game. “The difference was in our finishing - our predatory instincts were to the fore. We were exceptionally good in front of goal, very clinical, and took our chances well. “After Tuesday's result, we knew it would be a bit of a battle. We expected Australia to come out firing, and they didn't disappoint. But our out-of-possession play was great again. Our fitness and quality was in evidence, and there was plenty of energy throughout proceedings as well”. Individually, while there were several stand-out performances in Tuesday's encounter, one player stood head and shoulders above her peers in this match. “Nadia Pearl was our lynchpin today”, says Temple. “She had a great game on Tuesday, and really put her hand up this afternoon. “She set up two goals, and controlled the game in the first half, making a very strong claim for a central midfield berth in the process. She was everywhere. It

Nadia Pearl - a "pearler" of a game Lauren Murray - bagged a brace Sarah McLaughlin - two-goal heroine

wasn't just her play, either. She's taken the vice-captaincy role very seriously, and is proving to be an excellent leader on and off the park as well”. Temple wasn't too disappointed that his young charges didn't dip their bread in the second half, given they were four goals to the good at the interval. “I'm very happy with the win - 1-0 would have been fine, but 4-0 … the girls are buzzing! “We didn't want to be one-hit wonders, and went out intent on maintaining our consistency. To do so by recording back-to-back wins was really pleasing. If someone had offered me back-to-back 4-0 wins over Australia prior to this tour, I'd have bitten their arm off, never mind their hand!!” We're unlikely to see a scoreline `three-peat' on Sunday afternoon, however, with the Australian U-20s - the Young Matildas - providing the opposition in the final match of the Young Ferns' tour from 2pm NZ time at the Australian Institute of Sport. “They'll be quite keen to make amends for the U-17s, I'm sure”, acknowledges Temple. “They have a few Matildas in their ranks, most notably Tameka Butt and Kyah Simon, who has just been named in the Australian squad to face the USA later this month. “So we're under no illusions that it will be a really tough game. At the same time, it'll be a really good indication for us as to where we are now - I liken this match to our Future Stars encounters against the USA and Germany earlier this year, since when the girls have worked really hard on all aspects of their game, particularly their fitness. “We also go into the game with some confidence. It's important the New Zealand public knows that this team knows they can win games, as we've shown on Tuesday and again today. “To go out and get a positive result in Sunday's match will be really good indeed“. Young Ferns:     Victoria Esson; Caitlin Campbell (Anna Fullerton, 46), Briony Fisher, Jodi Curtis, Megan Shea; Elise Mamanu-Gray (Katie Bowen, 58), Emily Cooper (Kate Loye, 60), Nadia Pearl, Claudia Crasborn; Sarah McLaughlin (Hannah Wall, 72), Lauren Murray Unused substitutes:     Leah Gallie, Yumi Nguyen, Charlotte Wood Australia (from):     Teagan Allen, Nicola Bolger, Hannah Brewer, Sharni Brown, Caitlin Foord, Riarna Keane, Candance Sciverras (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)