Lotto Northern Premier Women's League leaders Auckland United made quite a statement at Madills Farm on June 23 as they handed their oldest rivals, Eastern Suburbs, a 6-1 shellacking to claim the Rennell Cup for the first time, following on from the 5-0 drubbing United dished out in the Kate Sheppard Cup at this venue eight days ago. This time around, defensive blunders gifted Auckland five of their goals, Suburbs paying dearly for the absence of captain Kenya Brooke with a rearguard display which offered little resistance to the pace-laden penetration which Rene Wasi and Alexis Cook provided United throughout proceedings. The former was gifted the first goal just five minutes into play, and should have scored a second in the 27th minute, only for Talisha Green to steal the glory with a decisive finish. Cook made it three three minutes later as United exploited the rustiness of the recalled Erinna Wong to a Suburbs' back-line which sorely missed the presence of Ella Findlay, who transferred to Western Springs during the week. The acquisition from Fencibles United of the exciting attacking talent which is Zoe Brazier is some compensation for the departure of one of their most consistent performers, but the problems continued for coach Katie Duncan after half-time, Nadine Robberts' clearance cannoning off Danielle Canham and ricocheting into Suburbs' net for a fourth United goal before the hour mark. Zoe Benson reduced the deficit with a fine free-kick halfway through the second spell, but Auckland swiftly restored their four-goal advantage, Suburbs' defence parting like the Red Sea as Wasi stormed through to net her second goal of a contest which saw the scoring wrapped up in fine style by substitute Yume Harashima, a stonking twenty-five yard screamer which slammed into the top far corner eight minutes from time. It's the first time since July 2011 that "The Lilywhites" have shipped at least five goals in successive home matches. Glenfield Rovers did the damage that season, 5-1 in the Premier Women's League Knockout Cup, then 5-0 in league action a week later.

Remarkably, Suburbs remained in third place despite this result, a result of fourth-placed Fencibles being rolled 3-0 by West Coast Rangers at Riverhills Park, where second half goals from Bree Johnson and Shannon Henson - the league's co-leading scorer - supplemented Mackenzie Longmuir's opener just after the half-hour mark. For the second time this season, Ellerslie and Hibiscus Coast fought out a scoreless draw, this time at Michaels Avenue, with neither "The Ponies" nor "The Coasters" giving the scoreboard operator reason to replace the zeroes next to the teams' names during the course of the contest. Parity also prevailed at Porritt Stadium, where Hamilton Wanderers twice came from behind to hold Western Springs to a 2-2 draw, captain Maddi Ollington earning "The Blue Army" a share of the spoils eleven minutes from time after strikes from Arisa Takeda and Sydney Sparks sandwiched Lily Brazendale's equaliser in a five-minute flurry of goalscoring action just after the half-hour mark. The little matter of a top-of-the-table clash on Thursday evening highlights the Matariki weekend round of action, with Fred Taylor Park the place to be to see Rangers and United draw swords for the first of two successive encounters between them - they also meet in the Kate Sheppard Cup a week later. "The Hoops" host Fencibles at Seddon Fields on Friday at 1pm, while Sunday's fare sees "The Coasters" and "The Blue Army" squaring off at Stanmore Bay Reserve, while "The Ponies" and "The Lilywhites" resume their rivalry at Michaels Avenue. Details: Eastern Suburbs 1 (Z. Benson (67)), Auckland United 6 (R. Wasi (5, 69), T. Green (27), A. Cook (30), D. Canham (57), Y. Harashima (82))  HT 0-3 Ellerslie 0, Hibiscus Coast 0 Fencibles United 0, West Coast Rangers 3 (M. Longmuir (33), B. Johnson (68), S. Henson (75))  HT 0-1 Hamilton Wanderers 2 (L. Brazendale (34), M. Ollington (79)), Western Springs 2 (A. Takeda (32), S. Sparks (37))  HT 1-2