A couple of shocks punctuated last sixteen action in the Delivereasy Kate Sheppard Cup this weekend, with Northern Championship side Franklin United ousting Premier League Ellerslie while Dunedin City Royals' nine-year unbeaten run in the city was ended by Otago University. "The Royals" have pretty much been perennial quarter-finalists since 2013, back in the days when they were known as Dunedin Technical. Only once in that time have they failed to make the last eight. Make that twice, Grace Raymond's goal halfway through the first half at Logan Park earning the students a 1-0 win and a maiden appearance in the quarter-finals of the national knockout competition, while leaving their arch-rivals stunned, given DCR defeats are rare birds at the best of times. Otago's reward for their historic triumph is a tie with Cashmere Technical, who romped into the last eight thanks to a 4-0 rout of Nelson Suburbs, with all the goals coming in the first half at Garrick Memorial Park. Addison Buck got the ball rolling before the Kate Loye show rolled into town, the former Football Fern - one cap is a travesty for a player of her talent - helping herself to a hat-trick, just the fourth of her career. In the Central Region, a repeat of last year's quarter-final is in store after Waterside Karori and Wellington Phoenix recorded contrasting victories in their respective ties. The latter edged Wellington United 1-0 on a dreich Friday night at Newtown Park, where a hard-fought affair between two well-matched sides was settled by Sienna Candy's goal halfway through the second spell. Meanwhile, "The Magpies" scored a come-from-behind 3-1 win over Miramar Rangers, in a match transferred to Petone Memorial Park. Crystal Phillips opened the scoring from the penalty spot for Miramar just before the half-hour mark, but Kya Stewart levelled things up in the shadows of the half-time whistle. Karori captain Renee Bacon proved to be the difference between the teams, her second half double firing "The Magpies" into the last eight for the third time in four years. They'll be looking to make the semi-finals for the first time since 2011, the only occasion they've reached the last four. Franklin made the quarter-finals for the first time last season, and they've backed up in 2025 by producing the shock of the round in the northern region. Ellerslie was stunned 1-0 at Michaels Avenue, the Premier League side succumbing to Sarah Carpenter's twelfth minute strike as "The Ponies" fell to Championship opposition on home turf. Ellerslie were denied a goal by the offside flag early doors, then found Theresa Fitzpatrick in unbeatable form twixt the sticks. She was saved on a couple of occasions by the crossbar, while Maddi Ollington went close a handful of times, but close doesn't cut it in the Cup - "The Ponies"' hopes of a third quarter-final appearance in five years were dashed. Across town at Madills Farm, Eastern Suburbs turned around the league result of a week ago when downing Western Springs 2-0, with last season's beaten finalists' hopes well and truly dashed when Charli Dunn was sent off for a professional foul on the hour mark after taking out Cema Nasau as she

bore down on goal. "The Lilywhites" did the damage early in this one, Vicky Neuefeind scoring direct from a corner in the second minute before Fijian international Nasau unleashed a screamer via the crossbar twelve minutes later to leave "The Hoops" with a mountain to climb, one they failed to scale. Cup holders Auckland United made no race of it in the other all-Premier League tie, thrashing Tauranga Moana 8-0 at Links Avenue. Once Rene Wasi opened the scoring after five minutes, there was only going to be one outcome, and she went on to complete a hat-trick, her third coming early in the second spell. Chloe Knott chimed in before the interval, while after it, United blew Tauranga away with a four-goal salvo in as many minutes. Substitute Talisha Green netted in the 69th minute, and her goal was swiftly followed by a Zoe Benson brace, her strikes coming either side of an Alexis Cook effort as the visitors eased into the quarter-finals. They are joined by West Coast Rangers, who came from behind to down Lakes 10-2 at Fred Taylor Park, where the home team only led by the odd goal in five at the interval. The visitors gave a great account of themselves in the first spell, opening the scoring through Charlotte Tremain in the thirteenth minute, a goal completely against the early run of play. Taylor Vujnovich had already had one disallowed before equalising six minutes later, and she netted a second ten minutes before half-time, a strike swiftly supplemented by Mila Morles after Marissa Porteous' header had been tipped onto the bar by Lakes goalkeeper Haley Watts. On the stroke of half-time, Lakes reduced the deficit via Freya Lord, who had the misfortune to put through her own net in the 64th minute, five minutes after Vujnovich had restored Rangers' two-goal advantage, completing her hat-trick from the penalty spot. The contest then turned into the Lyon and Laney show, as the duo scored the remaining five goals between them. Both Strachan's goals were headers from Emily Lyon corners, and sandwiched a twenty-five yard thunderbolt from the half-time substitute, whose second goal was set up by Strachan before Lyon completed her hat-trick seven minutes from time. Details: Cashmere Technical 4 (A. Buck (11), K. Loye (17, 37, 38)), Nelson Suburbs 0  HT 4-0 Dunedin City Royals 0, Otago University 1 (G. Raymond (23))  HT 0-1 Eastern Suburbs 2 (V. Neuefeind (2), C. Nasau (14)), Western Springs 0  HT 2-0 Ellerslie 0, Franklin United 1 (S. Carpenter (12))  HT 0-1 Tauranga Moana 0, Auckland United 8 (R. Wasi (5, 33, 52), C. Knott (43), T. Green (69), Z. Benson (70, 72), A. Cook (71))  HT 0-3 Waterside Karori 3 (K. Stewart (43), R. Bacon (55, 84)), Miramar Rangers 1 (C. Phillips (27 pen))  HT 1-1 Wellington United 0, Wellington Phoenix 1 (S. Candy (68))  HT 0-0 West Coast Rangers 10 (T. Vujnovich (19, 35, 59 pen), M. Morles (37), "oggie" (64), L. Strachan (67, 74), E. Lyon (68, 76, 83)), Lakes 2 (C. Tremain (13), F. Lord (45))  HT 3-2