Close scorelines were de rigeur in the opening round of Central Region Premier Women's League action on the last weekend in April, with reigning champions Waterside Karori having to come from behind to earn a 3-1 win at newly promoted Taradale, for whom Caitlyn Turner opened the scoring at Taradale Park. "The Magpies"' second half revival was led by Nicola Ross, whose equaliser paved the way for further goals from Carena Oosterbaan and Renee Bacon in a round which saw perennial title challengers Wellington United ease past Seatoun 2-0 thanks to goals early in each half from Nea Blackham and Natalie Olson at Seatoun Park, where the home team were forced to make two substitutions before half-time due to injury. The match of the round saw late drama unfold at Petone Memorial Park before Petone squeaked past Marist Palmerston North 2-1. Phoebe Gray's goal late in the first half gave the hosts the edge until Melissa McKenna levelled things from the penalty spot two minutes from time. Marist were still celebrating their dramatic equaliser when Petone snatched victory from the jaws of disappointment, substitute Sydnie Williams delighting the locals, who just seconds prior were thinking that their charges were going to have to settle for a stalemate. That was the opening day fate of Moturoa and Victoria University, who battled out a 2-2 draw at Opuku Taipari Domain, where the students enjoyed a two-goal lead through Tessa Brownlie and Nicole Baird before being pegged back by two goals in as many minutes from substitute Danielle Lucinsky and Samoan international Lilly Dowsing. The clash of "The Diamonds" and "The Magpies" at Newtown Park on Friday night is the drawcard fixture in the second round this weekend, with Saturday's fare seeing Petone visit Seatoun, the students entertaining Taradale at Boyd Wilson Park, and Marist and Moturoa meeting at Arena Manawatu at the odd time of 11.30am! Details: Moturoa 2 (D. Lucinsky (73), L. Dowsing (75)), Victoria University 2 (T. Brownlie (15), N. Baird (70))  HT 0-1 Petone 2 (P. Gray (37), S. Williams (89)), Marist Palmerston North 1 (M. McKenna (88 pen))  HT 1-0 Seatoun 0, Wellington United 2 (N. Blackham (7), N. Olson (49))  HT 0-1 Taradale 1 (C. Turner (34)), Waterside Karori 3 (N. Ross (55), C. Oosterbaan (60), R. Bacon (90))  HT 1-0

Cashmere Technical are making every post a winning one in the Mainland Premier Women's League, Aimee Phillips' double hat-trick inspiring them to a 14-1 rout of Halswell United at Garrick Memorial Park. Anna McPhie helped herself to four goals and Annabel Gilchrist two as the title-holders hit their straps, with captain Lara Wall again among the goals as Rachel Brodie maintained her goal-a-game record for "The Hawks", who were four down when she spoilt Cashmere's plans of keeping a clean sheet. Canterbury Universities' perfect start to the season came a cropper at Saxton Fields, where Nelson Suburbs prevailed 4-2, scoring three goals in the first quarter of the contest to leave the visitors with a mountain to climb. Nelson were four goals to the good before the students responded, but those early first half strikes from Jasmine Barney, Geena Horne and Abigail Platt proved insurmountable. Gillian Morgan made it four before Beth Elliott and Jasmine Donald halved the deficit before the final whistle. Coastal Spirit scored a 6-0 win over Selwyn United at English Park, with five of the goals coming in the ten minutes before half-time. Laura Newman helped herself to a hat-trick, while Samantha Whyte struck twice and Whitney Hepburn also found the net as the perennial title challengers overcame the bottom-placed team. It gets no easier for Selwyn this Saturday - they visit Cashmere. Halswell and Nomads-Waimakariri United meet at Halswell Domain, while the clash of the round sees the students and Spirit squaring off at English Park. In Dunedin, a Hannah Mackay-Wright penalty seventeen minutes from time secured a 1-0 in for Dunedin City Royals over Roslyn Wakari in a well-contested encounter at Logan Park, one of the toughest challenges DCR have faced in recent seasons in the Football South Premier Women's League. Details: Cashmere Technical 14 (A. McPhie (6, 13, 44, 46), A. Phillips (15, 20, 32, 37, 50, 56), A. Gilchrist (35, 70), L. Wall (52), L. Altieri-Need (60)), Halswell United 1 (R. Brodie (26))  HT 8-1 Coastal Spirit 6 (S. Whyte (36, 42), W. Hepburn (41), L. Newman (43, 45, 58)), Selwyn United 0  HT 5-0 Nelson Suburbs 4 (J. Barney (11), G. Horne (15), A. Platt (22), G. Morgan (47)), Canterbury Universities 2 (B. Elliott (56), J. Donald (88))  HT 3-0