It's as you were in the race for the Central Region Premier Women's League title, with the top three teams all recording victories as the second half of the season kicked off in earnest in mid-July. League leaders Wellington United got the ball rolling on Friday night, steamrolling their way past Seatoun 7-0 at Newtown Park, where the game was all but over as a contest inside the first seven minutes of play. That's the time it took for Misha Koyari and Natalie Olson to establish a two-goal lead for "The Diamonds", one which Hannah Pilley and Jemma Catherwood added to before the half-time whistle. Hope Gilchrist made it five on the stroke of half-time, and added a second just after the hour mark, by which time Samantha Miller had put through her own net as the bottom-placed team endured another tough night at the office. Hard on Wellington's heels are title-holders Waterside Karori, who got off to a flying start at Karori Park as Emma Kruszona opened the scoring against Taradale inside the first sixty seconds, a goal which sent "The Magpies" on their way to a 4-1 win. Remarkably, that was the only goal in the first half - that'll teach you for turning up late, eh? - but there was a steady supply of celebrations after the interval, with Nikki Furukawa doubling the home team's lead before Maddison Hughes halved the deficit on the hour. Molly Newton-Smith restored "The Magpies"' two-goal advantage eighteen minutes from time, before former Taradale starlet Kya Stewart came off the bench to net her fifth goal of the campaign, the previous four of which had been scored for the beaten team in this contest. In a round which saw Tessa Brownlie's late winner settle matters in the home team's favour as Victoria University upset Moturoa 1-0 at Boyd Wilson Park, Petone overcame a horror start to score a come-from-behind 3-1 win over Marist Palmerston North at Arena Manawatu. Melissa McKenna opened the scoring for the home team just two minutes into the contest, but the visitors gradually worked their way back into the contest and drew level half-an-hour later through Kate Marra. It was Danielle Ohlsson's double whammy soon after half-time which put paid to Marist's hopes of victory in this clash between the fourth- and third-placed teams, two goals in a minute which established an unassailable advantage for Petone and kept alive their now slim hopes of overhauling the top two in the race for the silverware. Talking of the top two, all eyes will be on their clash at Karori Park at high noon on Saturday, a match which will doubtless play a pivotal role in the destiny of the silverware this season. Don't anticipate many goals - both Waterside and Wellington have conceded just four goals apiece in their eight matches so far in this league campaign. The other games on the Sabbath see Petone taking on Seatoun at Petone Memorial Park, while Moturoa and Marist meet in a mid-table affair at Onuku Taipari Domain in a round which sees Taradale welcoming Victoria University to Taradale Park on Sunday afternoon. Palmerston North United were thwarted in their bid to wrap up the Lotto Central Federation Premier Women's League on the weekend when humbled 1-0 by second-placed Whanganui Athletic, who are now nine points behind the leaders with two games in hand. United hold the superior goal difference, however, and will all but secure the silverware this weekend should they win at New Plymouth Rangers. Meanwhile, in the Inter Football Capital Premier Women's League, Wellington United and the unbeaten Miramar Rangers meet at Newtown Park on Sunday in a match key to the title hopes of both teams, who are separated on the table by Petone and a six-point gap, with United having played a game more. Details: Marist Palmerston North 1 (M. McKenna (2)), Petone 3 (K. Marra (32), D. Ohlsson (52, 53))  HT 1-1 Victoria University 1 (T. Brownlie (84)), Moturoa 0  HT 0-0 Waterside Karori 4 (E. Kruszona (1), N. Furukawa (52), M. Newton-Smith (72), K. Stewart (85)), Taradale 1 (M. Hughes (60))  HT 1-0 Wellington United 7 (M. Koyari (5), N. Olson (7), H. Pilley (22), J. Catherwood (34), H. Gilchrist (45, 63), "oggie" (50)), Seatoun 0  HT 5-0

As in the Central League, so, too, in the South Island Women's League, where the usual suspects have quickly risen to the challenge presented by their perennial pursuit of silverware. None more so than Cashmere Technical, who blew Nelson Suburbs away at Garrick Memorial Park as they gave their goal difference an almighty boost. 10-1 was the outcome in this encounter, with the Mainland Premier Women's League winners leaving the bulk of the scoring duties to Emma Kench in the first half. She struck four goals, the first of which was matched by Sola Tsuruta's penalty before the yellow peril engulfed the Nelsonians with an avalanche of goals. Once Kench had satisfied her quota for the day, Margi Dias made it five on the stroke of half-time, and a further five goals followed, all netted by different markswomen. Anna McPhie, Lara Wall, Denva Perrott and Ava Herrick all chimed in before Lainey Altieri-Need came off the bench to wrap up the scoring thirteen minutes from time. One can only wonder what mayhem would have ensued had Annalie Longo and Aimee Phillips been party to proceedings. The former is in France with the Football Ferns, of course, while the latter is believed to be making a career move back to Auckland, where her teaching talents are in demand. Dunedin City Royals trail Cashmere on goal difference, scoring their fiftieth goal in all matches so far this season as they overcame a spirited Roslyn Wakari 3-0 at Ellis Park, where all the scoring came in the last quarter of the contest. Tahlia Roome finally made the breakthrough for "The Royals" halfway through the second spell, and substitute Charlotte Summers doubled their lead five minutes later before captain Hannah Mackay-Wright wrapped things up from the penalty spot in the shadows of the full-time whistle as Dunedin made it twelve clean sheets from as many games played so far this season - a record not to be dismissed lightly. A Mel Cameron brace either side of the half-time whistle earned Coastal Spirit a 2-0 win over Otago University at English Park, a result which sets Spirit up nicely for their key encounter with Cashmere at Linfield Park on Sunday morning. Also that day, "The Royals" and Nelson lock horns at Tahuna Park, while on Saturday, Logan Park hosts the latest Dunedin derby twixt the students and "The Ponies". Before those matches, Cashmere will be looking to reach the Reta Fitzpatrick Cup semi-finals when they take on Ferrymead Bays at English Park on Wednesday evening. Details: Cashmere Technical 10 (E. Kench (14, 35, 38, 40), M. Dias (45), A. McPhie (53), L. Wall (64), D. Perrott (71), A. Herrick (72), L. Altieri-Need (77)), Nelson Suburbs 1 (S. Tsuruta (26 pen))  HT 5-1 Coastal Spirit 2 (M. Cameron (41, 59)), Otago University 0  HT 1-0 Roslyn Wakari 0, Dunedin City Royals 3 (T. Roome (67), C. Summers (72), H. Mackay-Wright (89 pen))  HT 0-0