Eastern Suburbs lead the pursuit of the leading duo in the Lotto Northern Premier Women's League after comfortably overcoming the challenge of Hibiscus Coast 3-0 at Madills Farm on April 6. Sofia Garcia's early goal eased any nerves "The Lilywhites" may have had, and when Yukino Nishizono curled home a twenty yard free-kick eight minutes before half-time, "The Coasters" were contemplating the proverbial mountain-climbing expedition, particularly given they'd offered little in the way of an attacking threat throughout the first half. That tone continued into the second spell, with Suburbs clinching victory on the hour mark through Sammi Tawharu's acute-angled finish. The former age-grade international went desperately close to bagging her second of the game ten minutes from time via a sensational solo slalom, but her shot at the end of it swerved narrowly past the far post. Nonetheless, Katie Duncan's charges were too good for their opponents in this encounter, as were the frontrunners in their respective fixtures this weekend, with league leaders Auckland United maintaining first position by overcoming Ellerslie 3-0 under the Michaels Avenue lights on Friday evening. On a night when referee Yunjie Diao saw fit to brandish the yellow card four times, Alexis Cook broke the deadlock for the visitors ten minutes before the interval, a lead Ava Pritchard doubled on the hour before Cook struck again five minutes from time, lashing home a half-volley upon being picked out by Zoe Benson. West Coast Rangers stayed level on points with the title-holders after handing Tauranga Moana a 7-0 drubbing at Fred Taylor Park, where Lorna Selby broke the deadlock in the nineteenth minute. Three goals in six minutes in the shadows of the half-time whistle shattered Tauranga's resistance, Emily Lyon's double strike sandwiching a Minji Yun effort as the home team went crash, bang, wallop in fairly short order.

Sienna Higinbotham and Mackenzie Longmuir both joined in the fun with goals in the 54th minute - a case of wham, bam, thankyou M'am! - before Shannon Henson finally had reason to celebrate just before the full-time whistle ended another tough day at the office for the newly promoted visitors. Western Springs went into Friday night's clash at Fencibles United having had a wee bit of a bombshell dropped on them during the week by coach Maia Vink, who has unexpectedly tendered her resignation, citing personal reasons and a desire to be nearer her family. She'll be leaving "The Hoops" at the end of the month, but before then, you can guarantee she'll be determined to leave the club in the best possible place on the league table, something which a hard-earned 1-0 win at Riverhills Park will go towards. Kitty Jacob smacked home a tenth minute strike into the top corner on the occasion of her 75th appearance for Springs, who enjoyed the better of the exchanges against their cross-town rivals, who are making a slower than expected start to the campaign. Next weekend's action is spread across three days, with Seddon Fields the place to be on Friday night as "The Hoops" and "The Lilywhites" lock horns from 7.30pm, while Auckland and "The Coasters" do battle at Keith Hay Park from 6pm on Saturday. Sunday's fare sees "The Ponies" welcoming Rangers to Michaels Avenue for a 3pm duel, an hour after Tauranga and "Fencies" square off at Papamoa's Gordon Spratt Reserve, a match which both teams will be targeting for their first win of the campaign. Details: Eastern Suburbs 3 (S. Garcia (8), Y. Nishizono (37), S. Tawharu (59)), Hibiscus Coast 0  HT 2-0 Ellerslie 0, Auckland United 3 (A. Cook (35, 85), A. Pritchard (61))  HT 0-1 Fencibles United 0, Western Springs 1 (K. Jacob (10))  HT 0-1 West Coast Rangers 7 (L. Selby (19), E. Lyon (39, 43), M. Yun (40), S. Higinbotham (54), M. Longmuir (54), S. Henson (89)), Tauranga Moana 0  HT 4-0