The South Island Women's League reached the halfway mark on the weekend, with three points covering the top three teams after leaders Dunedin City Royals were held to a 1-1 draw by Cashmere Technical, for whom Denva Perrott's stoppage time equaliser snatched a share of the spoils after Nieve Collin looked to have pinched all three points for the visitors at Garrick Memorial Park. The goals only tell half the story, however - this match was lucky to go ahead at all! The Mainland refereeing appointments officer fell victim to Covid this week, and as a result, no appointments were made for this crucial encounter. Some quick ringing around at lunchtime on Sunday found three officials able to down tools and come running, with stand-in referee Mark Currie thoroughly enjoying this battle between the team from where he lives and the team from where he hails - well in, that man! The outcome of that match was exactly what Coastal Spirit had been hoping for, after they took the overnight lead in the competition by roasting Roslyn Wakari 6-1 at Ellis Park, led by a hat-trick from an unlikely source. Whitney Hepburn hasn't scored too many trebles in her career, but this one couldn't have been better timed as Spirit's revival of fortunes under new coach Kelly Almond continued apace. Holly Lyon, Mel Cameron and Trelise McEwan joined their goal-hungry midfield anchor on the scoresheet, with Sophia Body pulling it back to 2-1 on the hour as "The Ponies" enjoyed their best spell of the match. Otago University returned home from their trip to Nelson Suburbs with three points in the bag, goals from Aynsley Martin and Elise Jackson earning the students a 2-0 win at Saxton Fields which leaves Nelson alone at the bottom of the table. The crunch game in this weekend's sixth round of action takes place on Sunday, a top-of-the-table tussle at English Park twixt Spirit and "The Royals". Cashmere play Otago at the same venue twenty-four hours earlier, while the other clash on Saturday sees Nelson welcoming Roslyn Wakari to Saxton Fields. Details: Cashmere Technical 1 (D. Perrott (90)), Dunedin City Royals 1 (N. Collin (65))  HT 0-0 Nelson Suburbs 0, Otago University 2 (A. Martin, E. Jackson) Roslyn Wakari 1 (S. Body (60)), Coastal Spirit 6 (W. Hepburn (24 pen, 77, 90), H. Lyon (45), M. Cameron (68), T. McEwan 69))  HT 0-2

The first championship of the season was claimed on Sunday as Palmerston North United took out the Lotto Central Federation Premier Women's League title in convincing fashion from Whanganui Athletic, and set themselves up to play in the Central Region Premier Women's League in 2025. Neither Wellington United nor Waterside Karori is blinking in this season's race for the top prize in Central Region women's football, although "The Diamonds" had a close call on Friday night, squeaking past Petone 1-0 at Newtown Park thanks to Jemma Robertson's goal early in the second spell. Former "Diamond" Dani Ohlsson spurned a glorious chance to earn Petone a share of the spoils when squandering a penalty, while the visitors also hit the crossbar as United survived one of their strongest challenges of the campaign to retain their grip on top spot. A point behind them lie "The Magpies", who romped to a 5-1 win at Victoria University, Kendall Pollock and Nikki Furukawa scoring inside the first five minutes to put the visitors on course for victory, Tessa Brownlie halving the arrears halfway through the second spell. Three goals in twenty second half minutes from Jess Shilton, Furukawa and substitute Emma Kruszona made sure of the points for Karori, who remain a point behind Wellington with five rounds to play, including their likely title-deciding duel, postponed from last week. Taradale sprung a surprise by downing fourth-placed Marist Palmerston North 2-0 at Arena Manawatu, two goals in as many minutes from Laura Brassington and Caitlyn Turner wrapping up victory by the halfway mark in the first half. The victors remain level on points with Moturoa, who were involved in a ding-dong go with Seatoun at Seatoun Park before prevailing 5-3, having thrown away a three-goal lead as the bottom-placed team threatened to claim their first point of the season. The visitors were well in control at half-time courtesy an "oggie", Chantal Williams and Fernanda Toscani, but Seatoun dragged themselves back on level terms by the 62nd minute mark, another "oggie" supplemented by strikes from Samantha Miller and Gillian Furniss which threatened a huge upset - Seatoun have lost every game they've played this season. They went on to lose this one, too, Toscani deciding that today would be the day she would complete her first hat-trick of the campaign, one which keeps Moturoa ahead of Taradale on goal difference, with Marist just a point ahead of the pair of them in the battle for fourth place. In the first games in August, the students welcome Wellington to Boyd Wilson Park on Saturday, a day which sees "The Magpies" meeting Marist at Karori Park. Moturoa and Petone square off at Onuku Taipari Domain at the same time, while on Sunday, Seatoun make the trek north-east to Taradale Park. Details: Marist Palmerston North 0, Taradale 2 (L. Brassington (19), C. Turner (21))  HT 0-2 Seatoun 3 ("oggie" (52), S. Miller (57), G. Furniss (62)), Moturoa 5 ("oggie" (7), C. Williams (13), F. Toscani (41, 65, 70))  HT 0-3 Victoria University 1 (T. Brownlie (22)), Waterside Karori 5 (K. Pollock (3), N. Furukawa (5, 75), J. Shilton (66), E. Kruszona (85))  HT 1-2 Wellington United 1 (J. Robertson (50)), Petone 0  HT 0-0