FC Tauranga Moana moved inexorably closer to the Lotto Northern Women's Championship and, with it, promotion to the Lotto Northern Premier Women's League on August 18, thrashing Central United 8-1 at Links Avenue as the top three teams in the competition carried on their winning ways. Ella Golding, Briana Osborne and Abi Witney-Collins each scored twice in the one-sided encounter on home turf, with second half goals from Ruby Holland and Miah Smith - a penalty - sandwiching the consolation goal Anita Gross provided Central, whose recent burst of winning form came to a grinding halt at the hands of the champions-elect. Onehunga Sports remain line astern in second place after snatching a dramatic 2-1 win at Northern Rovers, where Tessa Blakeborough secured victory at the death after her first half penalty had been cancelled out by Ivy Calonne's equaliser on the hour. The inclement weather in the Waikato saw Melville United's clash with Franklin United transferred to Ashurst Park, where the visitors hit the ground running through the league's leading markswoman, Britney Cunningham-Lee scoring twice in the first half as she spearheaded a 4-1 victory for the travelling team. Her efforts sandwiched a Chloe Marthe strike - she's been in fine form in recent weeks - while substitute Renin Yousif wrapped up the scoring ten minutes from time after Laura Bennett dragged Melville back into the contest with a belter soon after half-time. Birkenhead United moved into fourth place on Friday evening, overcoming Manukau United 3-0 under the Shepherds Park lights. A first half brace from Morgan Herbst - the second came from the penalty spot - put the home team on course for victory, three points which were confirmed by Abby Chad's goal halfway through the second spell. That was the first of two games "Birko" are playing on home turf under the lights, with the second taking place on Thursday evening as they entertain Franklin in a rescheduled fixture, three days before they square off again, this time at the Drury Sports Complex. The game of the round takes place at Waikaraka Park, where "The Green Machine" lock horns with the league leaders - a Tauranga win will all but confirm them as champions. Elsewhere, Central welcomes Melville to Kiwitea Street on a day Manukau entertains Northern at Walter Massey Park. Details: Birkenhead United 3 (M. Herbst (25, 39 pen), A. Chad (67)), Manukau United 0  HT 2-0 FC Tauranga Moana 8 (E. Golding (8, 45), B. Osborne (17, 86), A. Witney-Collins (36, 46), R. Holland (47), M. Smith (90 pen)), Central United 1 (A. Gross (66))  HT 4-0 Melville United 1 (L. Bennett (51)), Franklin United 4 (B. Cunningham-Lee (5, 36), C. Marthe (17), R. Yousif (80))  HT 0-3 Northern Rovers 1 (I. Calonne (59)), Onehunga Sports 2 (T. Blakeborough (16 pen, 89))  HT 0-1