After just two rounds of action, no team in the Ford National Women's League is assured of boasting a perfect record at season's end after second round results left five teams locked on four points. With the clash of Southern United and Central Football postponed due to the inclement weather in Dunedin, the focus was on the North Island this week, with first round winners Wellington United and Canterbury United Pride drawing 1-1 at Newtown Park. The visitors will be frustrated that they didn't head home with all three points after enjoying the better of the first half exchanges - Kate Loye rattled the crossbar with one effort - only to be hit with a sucker punch on the stroke of half-time as Zoe Barrott headed home a corner. Canterbury were back on level terms soon after the interval, however, Anna McPhie levelling matters with a long-range free-kick, after which both teams had chances to claim all three points - visiting goalkeeper Amber Bennett produced a couple of vital saves late on to ensure her team headed home with a share of the spoils. Reigning champions Auckland United bounced back to winning ways by beating Eastern Suburbs 2-0 at Keith Hay Park, a result which was highly significant. "The Lilywhites" were the last team to beat United, 3-2 at Madills Farm on 1 October 2023, so this victory means a full calendar year has passed since Auckland last endured defeat, during which time they've played 41 matches, only five of which haven't been won. Only the woodwork prevented Charlotte Roche from putting United on course for victory in this match halfway through the first spell, and after Hannah Mitchell had pawed a Zoe Benson effort to safety, Kaley Ward broke the deadlock just after the half-hour mark to reward Auckland's attacking efforts. Roche doubled their advantage with a stylish finish on the hour, confirming a win which leaves Auckland, Canterbury, "The Diamonds", "The Magpies" and West Coast Rangers locked on four points after two rounds. There was a dramatic conclusion to the "Battle of the Westies" at Fred Taylor Park, where Emily Lyon and Shannon Henson had Rangers two goals to the good over Western Springs inside the opening half-hour, and on course for a solid victory. "The Hoops" had other ideas, however, Rina Hirano dragging them back into the contest soon after the interval before Arisa Takeda scored direct from a corner twenty minutes from time to set up a grandstand finish.

And this game delivered one! Three minutes into stoppage time, Bree Johnson steered home what looked like being a Rangers winner, but two minutes later, Amanda Everett snatched a point at the death for Springs, her last-gasp equaliser earning the visitors a 3-3 draw. Waterside Karori recorded the biggest win of the round, thrashing a poor Wellington Phoenix side 5-0. Renee Bacon wasted little time in opening the scoring, and when Tui Dugan doubled "The Magpies"' advantage before the quarter hour mark had passed, it was already a question of "by how many". Kendall Pollock duly despatched a third goal halfway through the half, and was gifted a fourth on the stroke of half-time by Wellington goalkeeper Aoife Gallagher-Forbes, whose ponderous play was predictably punished in a merciless manner. Bacon pigged out on yet another defensive blunder ten minutes into the second spell, after which Karori eased off the throttle - one wonders if that will come back to haunt them, should goal difference become a factor later in the campaign. Dip your bread, folks, dip your bread. While their senior team is wallowing in the National Women's League, Wellington Phoenix continues to make every post a winning one in the National Youth League, four goals in twelve second half minutes securing a 5-0 win over Capital Football in the local derby at Fraser Park. Eva Hall struck twice as Fencibles United swept aside Eastern Suburbs 4-0 in the East Auckland derby at Riverhills Park, while 4-0 was also the outcome at Gower Park as Western Springs put Melville United to the sword in a round which saw the postponement of the clash between Southern United and Central Football due to the inclement weather in Dunedin. A couple of sixth round matches took place during the week, with Phoebe Gray's goal eighteen minutes from time earning Capital the chocolates at Springs' Seddon Fields home, while Fencibles put reigning champions Canterbury United Pride to the sword at Riverhill Park, scoring twice in stoppage time to record a thumping 5-0 victory. Details: Auckland United 2 (K. Ward (32), C. Roche (61)), Eastern Suburbs 0  HT 1-0 Southern United v Central Football, postponed Wellington Phoenix 0, Waterside Karori 5 (R. Bacon (5, 54), T. Dugan (14), K. Pollock (23, 44))  HT 0-4 Wellington United 1 (Z. Barrott (45)), Canterbury United Pride 1 (A. McPhie (52))  HT 1-0 West Coast Rangers 3 (E. Lyon (13), S. Henson (26), B. Johnson (90)), Western Springs 3 (R. Hirano (49), A. Takeda (69), A. Everett (90))  HT 2-0