The quarter-finalists have been found following the mid-June round of Kate Sheppard Cup action, with a couple of closer-than-expected scorelines materialising in the Central and Southern Regions. NORTHERN REGION Kate Sheppard Cup holders Western Springs found hitherto untapped reserves of confidence in their locker to hammer Hibiscus Coast 5-0 at Seddon Fields in the opening tie of the weekend, a stunning first half display which no one saw coming after what "The Hoops" had produced against Ellerslie at this venue just seven days previously in their Lotto Northern Premier Women's League clash. Virtually the same team was unrecognisable from that which had blundered its way through ninety minutes of totally forgettable football before winning via a last-gasp own goal which was well in keeping with the tone of the contest. This time round, the passes were zinging around the park - one particular move saw twelve passes stitched together without a hint of uncertainty in their play by the home team, who, once Rebecca Burrows drilled home upon receipt of a Sienna Vercauteren corner after twenty minutes, never looked back. The corner-taker had already seen one of her deliveries headed off the line. The next one she fired in, six minutes after the opening goal, doubled Springs' lead, despite Ashleigh Cox's best efforts to deny Vercauteren an "Olympico". Within a minute, Kitty Jacob had headed home from close range. Ten minutes later, Maia Lythe got in on the act courtesy a gorgeous pass from Cleo Carmichael, who wrapped up the scoring a minute before half-time, firing past Cox and in off the far post. "The Coasters" were shellshocked, understandably so, and emerged for the second half with the tie beyond them. Damage limitation was their ambition, and they achieved it, nearly bagging a goal themselves when Suzy Jung battered a shot against the post. But the visitors were a well-beaten team long before the final whistle, much to Springs' delight. The usual plethora of goals which are witnessed whenever Eastern Suburbs and Auckland United lock horns were all scored by the visitors at Madills Farm, as the reigning national and Oceania champions produced as comprehensive a 4-0 away win as you're likely to see. Things could have been different had Hannah Mitchell not produced a superb reflex save to deny Zoe Benson's close-range effort, but once Rene Wasi scored soon afterwards, United took control of proceedings, with Yume Harashima in fine form throughout. Wasi doubled Auckland's lead ten minutes into the second spell - she should have done so before half-time - while after Chloe Knott hit the crossbar with a lobbed effort, substitutes Angela Pivac and Ruby Nathan doubled United's advantage inside the final ten minutes. Across town at Michaels Avenue, Ellerslie's Kimberley Oosterbeek made her hundredth appearance for "The Ponies", but it was West Coast Rangers' newcomer Bree Johnson who was the star of this particular show, guiding her team to a 3-0 win by scoring twice, after fellow former Auckland United frontrunner Shannon Henson had opened the scoring early doors. Johnson's first goal, just before the interval, was controversial, however, referee Shawn Liu failing to bring a halt to proceedings after the ball ricocheted off him in the build-up. With Ellerslie expecting a drop ball, Rangers played to the whistle and reaped the rewards, rightly or wrongly. Sunday's fare saw Franklin United climb the last quarter-finals berth, overpowering an injury-hit Northern Rovers 4-1 in the all-Lotto Northern Women's Championship affair at McFetridge Park, where the home team was forced to make two substitutions before the half-time whistle, one of them goalkeeper Ivy Gensaya - the second successive week Rovers' starting custodian has had to leave the pitch before half-time due to injury. It was during first half stoppage time when the visitors took the lead, Maureen Fitzpatrick prodding home from close range following a Georgia Irvine corner, an earlier delivery from the same player having been cleared off the line by Jess Stevens. With Stacey Hallford having taken over twixt the sticks, Rovers sacrificed a key component of their midfield set-up, and that allowed Chloe Marthe to take charge of proceedings for Franklin, who doubled their advantage through Sarah Carpenter's close-range effort halfway through the second spell. Northern fought their way back into the contest, and were rewarded when Izzy Lomax struck six minutes from time, but straight from the kick-off, Carpenter restored Franklin's two-goal advantage, before Laura Johnstone sent a thunderbolt storming into the top far corner in stoppage time to confirm the South Auckland club's presence in the last eight for the first time in their history. Lotto Northern Premier Women's League action resumes on Sunday with Suburbs and United doing it all again at Madills Farm, while Fencibles United welcome West Coast Rangers to Riverhills Park.

"The Hoops" head to Porritt Stadium to take on Hamilton Wanderers' "Blue Army", while in the late kick-off, "The Ponies" and "The Coasters" have plenty to play for at Michaels Avenue. Details: Eastern Suburbs 0, Auckland United 4 (R. Wasi (24, 55), A. Pivac (84), R. Nathan (88))  HT 0-1 Ellerslie 0, West Coast Rangers 3 (S. Henson (7), B. Johnson (42, 57))  HT 0-2 Northern Rovers 1 (I. Lomax (84)), Franklin United 4 (M. Fitzpatrick (45), S. Carpenter (67, 85), L. Johnstone (90))  HT 0-1 Western Springs 5 (R. Burrows (20), S. Vercauteren (26), K. Jacob (27), M. Lythe (37), C. Carmichael (44)), Hibiscus Coast 0  HT 5-0 CENTRAL REGION Waterside Karori scored a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Marist Palmerston North at Arena Manawatu, where Melissa McKenna gave the home team a tenth minute lead which they retained until fifteen minutes from time, when a quickfire Nikki Furukawa double turned the tie on its head and sent the reigning Central Region Premier Women's League champions into the quarter-finals. They'll face Wellington Phoenix in the last eight as the professional club - quite how NZ Football allowed this glaring gaffe to happen defies logic - swept Petone aside 4-0 in front of a bumper 2000-strong crowd at Petone Memorial Park on Saturday morning. A brace of goals apiece from Ella McCann - her second a penalty just before half-time - and Manaia Elliott, one of five players on the park to have played in the A-League Women's competition for the club earlier this year, ensured the thirtieth season in which the Kate Sheppard Cup has been contested would continue to be its most controversial yet. Victoria University eased to a 4-1 win over Seatoun in their Central Region Premier Women's League cellar-dwellers tussle at Seatoun Park, with goals inside the first five minutes from Isla Robertson and Monique Rees setting up the students' victory. Samantha Miller reduced the deficit twenty minutes later by scoring Seatoun's first goal of the season, but Rees and Millie Lynskey ensured the visitors of victory, and left the beaten team contemplating the prospect of relegation - they've eight rounds left to avoid it. The remaining sixth round matches in the competition take place on Saturday, with Petone and "The Magpies" meeting in the match of the round at Petone Memorial Park. League leaders Wellington United welcome Marist to Newtown Park, while at Onuku Taipari Domain, Moturoa and Taradale lock horns after the latter make the 5.5 hour, 400 kilometre road trip from Hawkes Bay to Taranaki! Details: Marist Palmerston North 1 (M. McKenna (10)), Waterside Karori 2 (N. Furukawa (74, 80))  HT 1-0 Petone 0, Wellington Phoenix 4 (E. McCann (17, 42 pen), M. Elliott (49, 79))  HT 0-2 League details: Seatoun 1 (S. Miller (24)), Victoria University 4 (I. Robertson (3), M. Rees (5, 62), M. Lynskey (55))  HT 1-2 SOUTHERN REGION Cashmere Technical scored the biggest win of the weekend as they routed Nelson Suburbs at Garrick Memorial Park, Annalie Longo and Aimee Phillips employing their respective Football Ferns' experience to good effect by each netting twice in a 7-0 romp. Anna McPhie, Leanna Ryan and substitute Rosie Hayman also joined in the goalscoring celebrations as the Mainland Premier Women's League champions took their tally to 62 goals scored in the nine fixtures they've played so far this season, only one of which has been won by less than a five-goal margin. Meanwhile, at Logan Park, Dunedin City Royals required an extra half-hour in order to see off the persistent challenge of Otago University, the perennial Football South Premier Women's League champions prevailing 3-0 thanks to goals from Rosie Morton and substitute Katie Lewis, after the students' goalkeeper, Hayley Julian, put through her own net to open the scoring. The South Island Women's League kicks off on Saturday with "The Royals" taking on the under-new-management Coastal Spirit at Logan Park - former Football Fern Kelly Almond (nee Jarden) is embracing the challenge of restoring Spirit's mojo in the coming weeks. Across town at Ellis Park, Roslyn Wakari and Nelson Suburbs lock horns for the first time ever in senior level women's football, while on Sunday, Logan Park is the venue again, this time for Cashmere's trip south to take on Otago University. Details: Cashmere Technical 7 (A. Longo (15, 60), A. Phillips (23, 75), A. McPhie (24), L. Ryan (38), R. Hayman (84)), Nelson Suburbs 0  HT 4-0 Otago University 0, Dunedin City Royals 3 ("oggie" (95), R. Morton (96), K. Lewis (118)) aet  FT 0-0