The NZ Universities squad wrapped up their four-match visit to Auckland with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over a courageous Takapuna side who, despite not having kicked a ball in anger for four weeks, ran the students very close in a battle royal at Bill McKinlay Park. Universities, understandably, were into their stride very early on, having played a game a day plus daily training sessions since their arrival on Sunday evening. After Rachel Howard had saved a twenty-yard range-finder from Jamie Hackett in the third minute, Ruth Bourke and Hannah Light combined to engineer an opening for Leanne Tiffen seconds later. Only a reflex save by Howard kept the ball out, although it was one she knew little about. The New Zealand international was in the thick of things again in the eighth minute, producing a superb blocking save at close range to deny Jen Kendall, who had greatly benefited from the work of Hackett in busting two tackles before slipping the ball through. Slowly but surely, however, Takapuna got themselves on an even keel, with the ever-lively Anna Barlow leading the charge. A quick free-kick presented her with a chance in the tenth minute, but Fern Feaver, who had been unusually hesitant in coming out of goal to deal with the chance, blocked her effort, and looked on as Barlow’s effort from the rebound deflected to safety. Eighteen minutes in, the class of Nancy Campbell shone through as she broke up a Takapuna attack and coolly brought the ball out of defence before linking with Mariah Meagher. Her through ball down the left sent Liz Pearson storming clear, and the midfielder lured Howard out of goal before sending a cross beyond the goalkeeper. Fortunately for Takapuna, no Universities players were up in support this time round. Three minutes later, however, they were jumping for joy, celebrating a splendid individual goal from Hackett. Tess Murphy picked out the striker with a free-kick, and Hackett controlled neatly before somehow weaving her way through four challenges, prior to squeezing the ball past the advancing Howard and into the bottom corner of the net - a great strike, and given it was against her old club, a special one for the scorer to savour. Just shy of the half-hour mark, the students struck their second goal of the game, although an ankle injury to Takapuna’s defensive colossus, Rebecca Simpson, played a significant part in its realisation - it’s doubtful the chance would have arisen had the New Zealand international been fully mobile when it materialised. Simpson’s initial involvement came about when she challenged Light in midfield. Unfortunately for the defender, no-one had plugged the space she had vacated, and Light was able to slip the ball past her challenger to Hackett, who made full use of the gap. The pincer effect of Carolyn Simpson, Celia Frame and Howard proved suffice to thwart the striker this time round, but seconds later, in the 29th minute, no such luck. Takapuna had gifted possession to Universities within seconds of this raid, and Denbigh O’Keefe was leading the charge down the right. Rebecca Simpson was across to cover, but copped an accidental kick on the ankle as she made the tackle. The ball spun free to Light, who picked out Hackett in the penalty area. The striker evaded Frame’s challenge and rounded the advancing Howard before sliding home for 2-0. Straight from the kick-off, Francesca Marcellino pounced on an error by Campbell and let fly from twenty-five yards. Feaver was scrambling, but the shot flew wide, as Takapuna continued to struggle as a penetrative force, much as they did throughout the entire Northern Premier Women’s League season. Universities continued to enjoy the better of the exchanges, and in the 36th minute, Tiffen came close to netting a third goal for them. Bourke and Light had again combined in midfield, with the latter letting fly from twenty-five yards. Howard fumbled the shot, but managed to recover the ball just as Tiffen arrived on the scene. Five minutes before half-time, Murphy, the cornerstone of Universities’ defence, was in trouble, her quad muscles having tightened up to the point where free mobility was something of a chore. Consequently, when she was caught in possession by Kati Roti on half-way, there was no comeback for the students’ skipper, who looked on as Roti played the ball forward to Marcellino. Light checked her charge, but Roti had followed up, and let fly from twenty-five yards, but straight at Feaver. Three minutes later, Campbell again showed her class as she evaded a couple of challenges before laying the ball off to Murphy. Defying the pain, she surged into Takapuna’s half before threading a lovely pass through the defence for O’Keefe to latch onto. The midfielder’s angled cross-shot fizzed over the bar. Right on the stroke of half-time, Howard pulled off a marvellous save at the feet of Hackett, after Kendall, Bourke and Tiffen had prised open Takapuna’s rearguard down the left. With only the bare eleven available to them, including on-loan Glenfield Rovers’ player Allison Pratt, the North Harbour team’s players had to play through the pain barrier for the cause, with the likes of Hayley Stent, whose straining calf muscles were already crying enough after twenty minutes, operating largely on sheer courage, grit and determination for the bulk of the match. Takapuna coach Michael Kwok, in charge for the final time in this match, made a couple of key alterations at half-time to try and ease the burden, and this brought the ever-willing Steph Stevens far more into the action. Frankly, she was wasted in attack alongside Marcellino during the first half, but toiled like a Trojan up and down the right flank in the second spell, attacking and defending at will as Takapuna fought their way back into the game and proved a worthy match for NZU - while the national squad and Three Kings United had proven too strong for the students, and Bay Olympic

far inferior, these were two very well-matched sides, and it made for a memorable contest, especially its second half. Both goalkeepers were off their lines to foil forward forays within six minutes of the resumption, Howard denying Tiffen after Hackett had slipped her through, while Feaver frustrated Pratt in similar fashion, after Barlow had provided the pass. It was Lotto ticket time for Roti in the 52nd minute, as she got away with the defensive equivalent of blue murder! Having shepherded a ball through for Howard to gather, she got a huge shock when Hackett materialised from her blind side and latched onto the sphere on the edge of the goal area. Somehow, Howard and Roti managed to prevent the former Takapuna player from completing her hat-trick, although only they will know exactly how!! Five minutes later, Barlow cleverly mopped up a dangerous situation on the edge of her penalty area with the minimum of fuss, and set in motion Takapuna’s best attack of the match thus far. At its heart was Stevens, who received the ball from Barlow and proceeded to leave Meagher on all fours as she careered up-field, combining with Roti and Pratt while continuing her forward charge. The latter’s pass saw Stevens powering into the NZU penalty area, with Marcellino racing into the goalmouth anticipating the cross. It never reached her, however, Feaver reading the situation superbly to spectacularly pluck the ball from the air with aplomb. This raid was the catalyst for Takapuna’s best spell of the match, as within seconds, a fine sliding tackle from Campbell denied Pratt as she lined up a shot, while from the resulting corner, Feaver saved at the feet of Barlow, then spilled the ball loose. The midfielder was unaware of what was going on behind her, having leapt over the diving goalkeeper, so was unable to capitalise. Back came NZU, with Tiffen and Pearson combining neatly with Hackett on the left. After dribbling between two opponents, the last-mentioned’s cross was blocked, but fell perfectly for the incoming Kendall to hit in her stride. She never got a chance to, as Barlow executed the perfect tackle from behind to whip the ball away as clean as a whistle in the 63rd minute. Still the students pressed, Meagher sending Pearson to the byline, from where she delivered a low cross. Barlow was on hand, but this time was too casual in clearing the ball, allowing Pearson a second bite of the cherry. This time, she found Tiffen, who somehow scooped the ball over the crossbar from four yards with Howard to beat. In the 67th minute, Hackett loomed on the right to whip in a cross for Pearson, who was charging forward. But Howard was off her line in an instant to parry the chance to safety, Pearson hurdling the ‘keeper as Howard won the race for the ball. Eight minutes later, she was right behind a Tiffen drive, this some three minutes after Feaver, at the other end of the park, had thwarted Pratt as she charged through on goal. Ten minutes from time, attack turned into frantic defence for Takapuna, as a pass from Pratt to Carolyn Simpson saw the unfortunate defender execute the perfect air-shot! Tiffen couldn’t believe her good fortune, and played the ball through for the offside Hackett, whose shot was battered to safety by the focused figure of Howard. Two minutes later, Rebecca Simpson turned defence into attack with a super tackle to thwart Kendall, and set off on a forward run. Barlow took over, and linked with Roti before the ball was returned to Simpson. She played a fine one-two with Stevens on half-way, the return pass sending the defender into hitherto uncharted waters - leading the attack. On Simpson charged into the penalty area, Light unable to prevent her unleashing a cross-shot which flew over the crossbar. As Takapuna’s star defender raced back towards her position, NZU took a quick goal-kick and raided down the right, O’Keefe leading the charge. Her cross to the near post was measured perfectly for Tiffen, but the striker’s shot hammered the hoardings, and not the net as she intended. Six minutes from time, Takapuna gained the reward their industry and endeavour richly deserved. Roti split the defence with a through ball for Stevens to pounce on, but her cross was headed back to her by Light. Stevens laid the ball back to Barlow, who instantly uncorked the shot which, in a night match at Bill McKinlay Park, is, without question, the goalkeeper’s worst nightmare - a high up-and-under coming out of floodlights which are a pale shadow of their once luminous selves! Feaver stood little chance as the ball arced over her head and under the crossbar, much to Takapuna’s delight - 2-1, and a grandstand finish on the cards. The students were visibly flagging by this stage, and with the impetus with which the goal provided them, Takapuna poured forward in search of an equaliser. Twice Barlow and Marcellino combined, on the first occasion providing Platt with a chance, the second seeing "Pizza" cooking up trouble in the NZU rearguard. But Feaver was not to be beaten again, a fact proven by her save from Platt, and her anticipation of Barlow’s through ball for Marcellino, which saw the ‘keeper charging well out of her area to clear the threat a minute from time. Nigel Clement’s final whistle sounded soon after, clinching a 2-1 win for NZ Universities over Takapuna which they just about deserved, although the beaten team can be proud of their second half efforts in particular in what was a tremendous contest between two truly well-matched sides. Takapuna:     Howard; Stent, Frame, R. Simpson, C. Simpson; Pratt, Barlow, Roti, Hayle; Marcellino, Stevens Universities:     Feaver; Light, Murphy (Harris, 46), Campbell, Meagher; O’Keefe, Kendall, Bourke, Pearson (O’Neill, 77); Hackett, Tiffen Referee:     Nigel Clement