Last season's leading duo in the Lotto Northern Premier Women's League, Auckland United and West Coast Rangers, are making every post a winning one so far in this season's competition, with both teams recording 3-1 wins in contrasting fashion on the last weekend in March. Rangers laid down the gauntlet on Friday evening, a commanding first half performance propelling them to victory over an under-strength Western Springs at Seddon Fields, where "The Hoops" were undone by goals from a couple of Emily Lyon corners. Marissa Porteous headed home the first of them unchallenged in the twelfth minute, while Lorna Selby made the most of a superb delivery to crown a fine personal performance with the match-clinching goal on the stroke of half-time, seconds after seeing Liz Savage head off the line to prevent Selby from heading home another Lyon corner. In between times, Maisy Dewell battered a twenty-yarder past Angelique Tuisamoa after 32 minutes as Andrew Clay's side continued their solid start to the campaign. Springs weren't without their chances in the first spell, Savage, the outstanding Dara Mulrooney and Cleo Carmichael enjoying the pick of them, while Sienna Makwana's close range volley soon after the interval afforded the home team hope. They couldn't build on it, however, Savage and substitute Katie Rood going close to further reducing a deficit which could have been bigger had Minji Yun not headed wide following some splendid close control and a measured cross by Lyon. Neither team was well served by a sub-par refereeing performance from Pranil Gordhan, who made some at times bewildering decisions which frustrated both sides. It's the second week in a row he has taken charge of "The Hoops" - why? - and on neither occasion was he assessed, despite being new to a level which is quite clearly beyond his limitations. This, after all, is the best league in the country, one which now boasts potentially substantial rewards for the top team in the land, given the recent introduction of the FIFA Women's Champions Cup and the prospects that creates for the nation's champion women's club side, should they go on to win the OFC Women's Champions League title. Not to put too fine a point on it, the referees need to up their game. It's moved on from the way things were, now that the prospect of playing abroad exists for our leading teams. That means the expectations are higher, of players, of coaches, of clubs, and, crucially, of match officials, particularly where player safety is concerned. The Laws of the Game need to be consistently enforced, something which simply isn't happening with the mixed bag of volunteers who do their best in the NPWL each week. It's probably not out of order to expect our matches to be refereed by officials from the Dettol Northern Premier League men's competition, truth be told - it'd be a refreshing challenge for both them and us for starters! Madills Farm played host to a battle royal on Sunday as reigning champions Auckland came from behind to down Eastern Suburbs 3-1, with "The Lilywhites" giving their guests a stern examination of their title credentials. Katie Duncan's team was well up for this one, and took a deserved lead on the half-hour when Kenya Brooke forced the ball over the line from a Yukino Nishizono cross to the far post, Sofia Garcia ramming it home to make sure after Hannah Mitchell scrambled the sphere back into play. The ball was clearly over the line from the captain's header, however - 1-0 Suburbs.

But only for two minutes. Because last season's NPWL Player of the Year, Saskia Vosper, was afforded the freedom of Madills Farm as her opponents stood off her, and how she punished them, smashing home a twenty-five yarder to level the scores, although Nikki Whyte will know she should have done better in attempting to deny her. Danielle Canham, Rene Wasi and Ava Pritchard all went close to giving United the lead in the shadows of the half-time whistle, with the first-mentioned skying a glorious chance from four yards just two minutes after play resumed. Auckland weren't to be denied, however, Zoe Benson's inch-perfect pass inviting Pritchard to fire home in unerring fashion six minutes into the second spell. Suburbs' "ZB", Zoe Brazier, dragged "The Lilywhites" back into the contest, setting up a great chance for Garcia which Mitchell blocked superbly at close quarters halfway through the second spell, then winning a penalty twenty minutes from time, a great chance to set up a grandstand finish. Garcia sent her spot-kick soaring over the bar, however, and Suburbs were made to pay for her profligacy just three minutes later. The prospect of Benson scoring against her old club was almost written in the stars for this match, and with seventeen minutes remaining, she duly settled a riveting contest, one Suburbs will look back on and think what might have been. Two teams picked up their first point of the season on Friday evening, Hibiscus Coast and Fencibles United sharing the spoils in a 2-2 affair on the North Harbour Stadium Tigerturf, where sometime Football Ferns goalkeeper Anna Leat made her debut for "The Coasters" as an outfield player! Captain Jess Smith fired them in front with a free-kick after twenty minutes, but United's captain, Rosie Missen, levelled the scores twenty minutes later. Young Fern Mikaela Bangalan fired Fencibles in front on the stroke of half-time, but eight minutes into the second half, former Young Ferns captain Aneka Mittendorff restored parity to earn her team a point from an improved performance. Sunday afternoon saw Tauranga Moana taking on Ellerslie at Links Avenue, where Rebecca Burrows hit the woodwork twice in the first half for "The Ponies". With Maddi Ollington in fine form, the visitors kicked on after the interval and prevailed 2-1 thanks to goals from captain Anita Trudgen and substitute Kat Gow, with Briana Osborne netting a late consolation for the home team, who were much improved after their opening round rollicking. Next weekend's action sees Ellerslie and Auckland locking horns at Michaels Avenue on Friday evening, while venturing further east that night will allow you to take in the clash of "Fencies" and "The Hoops" at Riverhills Park. Sunday's fare sees "The Lilywhites" and "The Coasters" drawing swords at Madills Farm, while Rangers welcome Tauranga to Fred Taylor Park. A gentle reminder for those Sunday kick-offs - the clocks go back at 2am that morning, so don't be like the white rabbit in Alice In Wonderland … "I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date!" Details: Eastern Suburbs 1 (K. Brooke (31)), Auckland United 3 (S. Vosper (33), A. Pritchard (51), Z. Benson (73))  HT 1-1 Hibiscus Coast 1 (J. Smith (19), A. Mittendorff (53)), Fencibles United 2 (R. Missen (39), M. Bangalan (45))  HT 1-2 Tauranga Moana 1 (B. Osborne (84)), Ellerslie (A. Trudgen (54), K. Gow (74))  HT 0-0 Western Springs 1 (S. Makwana (52)), West Coast Rangers 3 (M. Porteous (12), M. Dewell (32), L. Selby (45))  HT 0-3