Wellington United, Waterside Karori and Petone are the three teams who have emerged as genuine title contenders after five rounds of action in the Central Region Premier Women's League this year. "The Diamonds" produced a five-star performance when ending Moturoa's unbeaten start to the campaign in some style at Onuku Taipari Domain, handing out a 5-0 mauling to the league newcomers, despite being under-strength. Jemma Robertson got them off to a flying start, while Hope Gilchrist netted in each half and the Natalies, Olson and second half substitute Brook, struck in stoppage time at the end of each half respectively. With the highly talented Hannah Pilley set to bolster their ranks this week, the table-toppers clearly have no intention of relinquishing their standing in the game in the capital. Title-holders Waterside Karori are hot on their heels after swatting Seatoun aside 4-0 at Karori Park, where Nikki Furukawa put the Nora Watkins Shield holders in front on the half-hour. A Renee Bacon penalty soon after the interval eased any remaining nerves, with Kennedy Bryant - on the hour - and a Samantha Miller "oggie" in stoppage time confirming "The Magpies"' winning margin. 4-0 was also the outcome at Petone Memorial Park, where the home team struck twice in each half to put Taradale to the sword, Sydnie Williams' seventh minute opener giving Petone the ideal start to proceedings. Phoebe Gray bagged a brace of goals, with Pepi Olliver-Bell wrapping up the scoring in the dying minutes. A thriller unfolded at Boyd Wilson Park, where three goals were scored inside the first seven minutes as Marist Palmerston North came from behind to down Victoria University 3-2, despite captain Nicole Baird's fourth minute opener for the students. Grace Smith and Ruby-Aroha Gurnick quickly turned the situation to the visitors' advantage, only for Sam Senior to draw Victoria level immediately after half-time. But Marist substitute Delaney Windelburn had the final say in the contest, netting the winner eight minutes from time to send the travelling team home happy and in fourth place, six points off the lead. Seatoun and the students meet at Seatoun Park on Saturday, with both teams seeking their first win of the campaign. The focus for many, however, will be on the two Kate Sheppard Cup ties in the central region, with Marist welcoming "The Magpies" to Arena Manawatu. Meanwhile, Petone will have the nation behind them as they face the challenge of Wellington Phoenix, whose entry in the Cup is inviting controversy aplenty, given they are fielding some players who are, to all intents and purposes, professionals who are contracted to ply their trade in a league run by a country in a different Confederation. Yet here they are, playing in what, until now, has been a competition contested strictly by amateur players and clubs, a status enforced by competition regulation 8.4.6. NZ Football has dismissed protests against the club's involvement in the Kate Sheppard Cup so far, citing that as their players' contracts are in limbo from May 9 until sometime in September, said players are free to play in the Cup. While this satisfies the regulations aspect of the equation, such important elements as the spirit and

integrity of the competition aren't satisfied - far from it! Throw in the fact Wellington Phoenix doesn't even compete in a local women's league competition … For mine, there's a point of principle here, and it is this - the entry into a national knockout competition, which was intended to be contested by amateur clubs, by what is widely recognised and regarded as a professional football club, is just wrong. End of. One suspects this wouldn't be the controversy it has become had Wellington Phoenix loaned out the players central to the issue to clubs for the period when their A-League contracts are in limbo. No one wants to deny the players involved game time. It's who they're playing for that's the nub of the problem. Alas, NZF are seemingly so eager to accommodate Wellington Phoenix's every wish that, on this occasion, they haven't acted in the game's best interests, and instead have unwittingly undermined their showpiece women's club competition by allowing a professional club to contest it. If Wellington Phoenix is the principled club they are reputed to be, methinks it would be a prudent gesture on their part to withdraw from the Kate Sheppard Cup forthwith for the reasons outlined above. (Probably won't happen, of course, but ...) The teams they've ousted to date, Wellington United and Seatoun, can then contest a play-off to determine which will face Petone for a place in the quarter-finals - controversy resolved, the competition's integrity restored, and lessons learnt by those who need to for future circumstances of this nature. Details: Moturoa 0, Wellington United 5 (J. Robertson (6), H. Gilchrist (39, 80), N. Olson (45), N. Brook (90))  HT 0-3 Petone 4 (S. Williams (7), P. Gray (34, 48), P. Olliver-Bell (89)), Taradale 0  HT 2-0 Victoria University 2 (N. Baird (4), S. Senior (47)), Marist Palmerston North 3 (G. Smith (5), R. Gurnick (7), D. Windelburn (82))  HT 1-2 Waterside Karori 4 (N. Furukawa (31), R. Bacon (52 pen), K. Bryant (60), "oggie" (90)), Seatoun 0  HT 1-0 While this weekend marked the start of the Football South Premier Women's League for the season, all eyes were on Aorangi Park in Timaru, where Canterbury Universities and Roslyn Wakari locked horns to see which team would join Cashmere Technical, Coastal Spirit, Dunedin City Royals, Nelson Suburbs and Otago University in this season's South Island Women's Championship. There was nothing between the teams until Sophia Body struck in the fifth minute of stoppage time - a Body blow, if you will! (Sorry, couldn't resist!) - to send the Dunedin team through to this season's showpiece South Island women's football league, which kicks off on June 22. Before then, Kate Sheppard Cup ties take centre stage on Saturday, with Cashmere welcoming Nelson to Garrick Memorial Park, while Otago and "The Royals" square off at, presumably, Logan Park - those venues weren't confirmed at press time. Details: Canterbury Universities 0, Roslyn Wakari 1 (S. Body (90))  HT 0-0