The South Island Women's League title is Dunedin City Royals to lose after sixth round action saw them storm three points clear at the top of the table, a result of ending Coastal Spirit's recent resurgence via a 3-1 win at English Park. "The Royals", who have yet to taste defeat in 2024, broke the deadlock seven minutes before half-time through Madi McLean, and doubled their advantage soon after the interval through captain Rose Morton. Belinda Van Noorden dragged Spirit back into the contest within minutes, but Morton struck again halfway through the second spell to finally snuff out Spirit's hopes of taking over at the top of the table. Instead, Dunedin enjoy a three-point lead over Cashmere Technical, who eventually overcame Otago University 3-0 at English Park twenty-four hours earlier to take the overnight lead in the competition. The students repelled the free-scoring home team until eight minutes into the second spell, when captain Lara Wall broke the deadlock. Two goals in five minutes inside the final fifteen minutes from Anna McPhie made certain of victory for Cashmere, who won this league last season. At Saxton Fields, Roslyn Wakari scored a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Nelson Suburbs to leave the beaten team firmly entrenched at the bottom of the table, while recording their maiden victory in the South Island Women's League. Giselle Rynvos gave Nelson the ideal start when scoring in the ninth minute, but within twenty minutes Jemma Wilson had turned the game on its head with a two-goal salvo which ultimately proved decisive for "The Ponies". Next Saturday's action sees all three games kicking off at 12.30pm. "The Royals" and "The Ponies" square off in a local derby at Tahuna Park, while across town at Logan Park, Otago and Coastal Spirit lock horns on a day Cashmere make the journey north to Nelson's Saxton Fields home. Before those matches, the first Morrison Mitsubishi Reta Fitzpatrick Cup semi-final takes place, with Halswell United and Selwyn United, who finished sixth and seventh respectively in the Mainland Premier Women's League earlier this season, locking horns on Wednesday evening at English Park from 7pm. Meanwhile, the Otago Daily Times Football South Premier Women's Championship is tantalisingly poised with three rounds remaining, with three teams - Queens Park, Dunedin City Royals and Otago University - all locked on fifteen points after seven rounds of action. The Invercargill-based club lead the way on goal difference, but face three trips to Dunedin to finish their campaign, the last of which is a potential winner-take-all title decider against "The Royals", although the students may well have something to say about that prospect. Details: Cashmere Technical 3 (L. Wall (53), A. McPhie (76, 81)), Otago University 0  HT 0-0 Coastal Spirit 1 (B. Van Noorden (54)), Dunedin City Royals 3 (M. McLean (38), R. Morton (48, 67))  HT 0-1 Nelson Suburbs 1 (G. Rynvos (9)), Roslyn Wakari 2 (J. Wilson (20, 29))  HT 1-2

It's as you were in the Central Region Premier Women's League, with Wellington United and Waterside Karori both winning by a margin of six goals as they remain a point apart with four rounds remaining, the last of which will see them go head to head in the final game of the season on September 7. "The Diamonds" hit Victoria University for six at Boyd Wilson Park, where the points were wrapped up inside the first twenty minutes. Bella Cartman, Hannah Pilley and Jemma Catherwood all scored during this period, the first-mentioned twice, to leave United on easy street. Second half substitute Natalie Olson made the most of her time on the park, scoring twice in the last twenty minutes to move to second in the Golden Boot race, her seven goals bettered by just one player, Nikki Furukawa. She netted her seventh and eighth goals of the season while leading "The Magpies" to a 7-1 mauling of Marist Palmerston North at Wakefield Park, Renee Bacon also bagging a brace for the reigning champions, who are hunting a third successive title. They had to come from behind to win this match, however, Melissa McKenna netting a fourth minute strike for Marist - red rag to a bull stuff, as it turned out. Kennedy Bryant, Kendall Pollock and substitute Rhianna Houghton also got in on the act as the travelling team endured their second 7-1 defeat on the road this season, the other one inflicted upon them by the league leaders. Six goals were also in evidence at Taradale Park on Sunday, when Taradale dished out a 6-0 drubbing to bottom-placed Seatoun, who are just a defeat away from relegation after this reversal. Kya Solomon led the charge with a two-goal salvo, supplementing the first half efforts of Megan Thomas and Sam Waru, while Caitlyn Turner potted a penalty after the interval, and Alissa Corbett put through her own net as Taradale surged into fourth place on the table. They are within striking distance of third-placed Petone, whose title hopes all but vanished at Onuku Taipari Domain, where they were held to a 1-1 draw by Moturoa, for whom Lilly Dowsing netted an equaliser deep in stoppage time after Libby Boobyer marked her hundredth appearance for Petone in fitting fashion, opening the scoring just six minutes into the contest. Next weekend's fare sees Taradale welcoming Petone to their Hawke's Bay home on Sunday, while Saturday's action sees "The Diamonds" entertaining Moturoa at Newtown Park on a day Seatoun welcome "The Magpies" to Seatoun Park, and the students make the trip over the Tararuas to Palmerston North, where Marist lie in wait at Arena Manawatu. Wellington United are just a win away from claiming the Capital Premier Women's League title for the third successive season after nearest rivals Petone lost 2-1 at Miramar Rangers, who are now the only team who can mathematically stop "The Sapphires" from clinching the title. Details: Moturoa 1 (L. Dowsing (90)), Petone 1 (L. Boobyer (6))  HT 0-1 Taradale 6 (M. Thomas (16), S. Waru (21), K. Solomon (49, 75), "oggie" (51), C. Turner (55 pen)), Seatoun 0  HT 2-0 Victoria University 0, Wellington United 6 (B. Cartman (6, 13), H. Pilley (15), J. Catherwood (21), N. Olson (72, 88))  HT 0-4 Waterside Karori 7 (N. Furukawa (9, 34), K. Bryant (17), K. Pollock (23), R. Bacon (45, 61), R. Houghton (66)), Marist Palmerston North 1 (M. McKenna (4))  HT 5-1