As we reached the halfway mark in the Lotto Northern Premier Women's League this weekend, one particular match prompted a few idle thoughts to spring to mind, thoughts which are worth contemplating by each of us. If you were to snuff it tomorrow, what would be your last memory of women's football? Would it be something you're proud of - your contribution to the women's game generally, for instance? Would it be a memory you'd be embarrassed by? Ashamed of? Or regret? If your last memory of women's football was the last game you played in, was it one in which you did your very best, or was it a game in which you and your team-mates could have done a heck of a lot better? Was it a game in which you performed up to your personal and collective standards? Or not? If your last memory of women's football was a game you watched, would you remember it for all the right reasons? Or was it one which left you frustrated and disillusioned, knowing all too well that those on the park are capable of doing far better but on this particular occasion, failed to satisfy the standards you've come to expect of them, standards they've fulfilled on previous occasions, thus leaving you feeling decidedly let down by their efforts this time round? Which brings me nicely onto the opening game of this eleventh round of action, one which prompted the above introduction and was decided by a last-minute "oggie" which was well in keeping with the error-strewn nature of the spectacle as a whole. Ellerslie's Petra Wedlake leapt to push a Maia Lythe shot skywards, then endured the misfortune of having the dropping ball ricochet off her into the net as she scrambled to get back to her feet, thus handing Western Springs an instantly forgettable 1-0 win at Seddon Fields. 1-0 was also the scoreline at Stanmore Bay Reserve on Sunday, as Hibiscus Coast added another scalp to their collection by lowering Eastern Suburbs' colours courtesy the eleventh goal of the season for the league's leading markswoman, Danica Urlich-Beech, struck halfway through the second half of a match which saw former age-grade international Ashleigh Cox on deck twixt the sticks for the home team. Across town at Riverhills Park, Auckland United benefited from one of their former starlets as Katherine Fulton put through her own net to set the visitors on their way to a 3-1 win at Fencibles United, who swiftly fell further behind when Alexis Cook doubled Auckland's advantage a minute later.

Millie Loxton halved the deficit for "Fencies" soon after half-time, but Chelsea Elliott restored the reigning champions' two-goal lead in the dying minutes to maintain their unbeaten start to the season, and their one-point advantage over West Coast Rangers. They came from behind to down bottom-placed Hamilton Wanderers 3-2 at Fred Taylor Park, where Lorna Selby had Rangers in front just ten minutes into the contest. Lily Brazendale and Stella Neems turned things round for "The Blue Army", however, only for Cat Smith to come off the bench and save the day for Andy Dunn's charges, for whom this was a bit of a scare. It was Wanderers' first league match without Derek Tieku in charge. He's taken his goalscoring talents to Auckland City, so Luca Vasori has taken charge of "The Blue Army"'s affairs, with former All Whites' coach Ricki Herbert alongside to lend his experience and wise countenance as the new gaffer learns the ropes. League action takes a back seat again next weekend as the latest round of Kate Sheppard Cup action kicks into gear, with quarter-finals places at stake. There are three all-Premier League ties, and that between "The Lilywhites" and Auckland enjoys top billing, solely on the rich history which their rivalry has generated going right back to the very first year of women's football in Auckland, 1973 - Auckland was known as Eden in those days. At this stage, that tie is taking place on Saturday, as is the clash of Ellerslie and West Coast Rangers, which is being played as part of a double-header at Michaels Avenue, with "The Ponies" hosting Onehunga-Mangere United in the Chatham Cup later in the day. The action kicks off on Friday evening with "The Hoops" and "The Coasters" doing battle at Seddon Fields, where recent form suggests a heck of a contest will be in store for the cup holders. The other tie takes place on Sunday afternoon, an all-Championship affair at McFetridge Park twixt Northern Rovers and Franklin United. Details: Fencibles United 1 (M. Loxton (52)), Auckland United 3 ("oggie" (9), A. Cook (10), C. Elliott (86))  HT 0-2 Hibiscus Coast 1 (D. Urlich-Beech (68)), Eastern Suburbs 0  HT 0-0 West Coast Rangers 3 (L. Selby (10), C. Smith (68, 84)), Hamilton Wanderers 2 (L. Brazendale (33), S. Neems (64))  HT 1-1 Western Springs 1 ("oggie" (90)), Ellerslie 0  HT 0-0