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Rds 01-03
Tauranga The Team To Beat In Championship
by Jeremy Ruane
FC Tauranga Moana - a collaboration of the resources of the clubs in the Bay of Plenty region - are making every post a winning one in the Lotto Northern Women's Championship so far this season, with three wins from as many matches to their name, the only team boasting a perfect record at this early stage of proceedings.
They began their campaign in fine style, Kerri-Ann Jones' hat-trick clinching a 3-1 win and WaiBOP bragging rights over Melville United on a day Alexandrea Ape-Paia's goal twelve minutes from time earned Birkenhead United a 1-0 win over last season's runners-up in this competition, Onehunga Sports.
The spoils were shared at Walter Massey Park, where Central United, after leading through a Steph Trowill goal - she was to become the latest member of the "ACL Club" in this match, came from 3-1 down to hold Manukau United to a 3-3 draw.
Franklin United grabbed the close-season transfer headlines as they secured the services of Lotto Northern Premier Women's League Golden Boot winner Britney Cunningham-Lee, and she was on target as they overcame Northern Rovers 5-2 at McFetridge Park.
Jax David led the charge for the visitors with a first half brace as the newly relegated side began life in the Championship against opponents who were reduced to ten shortly before the final whistle, United substitute Shaelyn Mills being dismissed for violent conduct five minutes from time.
Franklin netted another nap hand a week later, with Manukau put to the sword at the Drury Sports Complex, Sarah Carpenter leading the way this time with a double on a day Taylor Bell's goal six minutes after half-time earned "The Green Machine" Central Auckland bragging rights as Sports edged Central 1-0 at Nixon Park.
Tauranga repeated their first round 3-1 win, Birkenhead their latest victims, although the home team had to come from behind to do so after United's Imogen Hunt gave the visitors a fifth minute lead at Links Avenue, while across the Kaimais, all the scoring came in a six-minute burst halfway through the second half at Gower Park, where Melville and Northern fought out a 1-1 draw.
Rovers enjoyed their first win of the campaign in the third round, but would have preferred to beat Central on the park rather than by default, with the injury- and absentee-hit United unable to field a team.
Melville and Birkenhead also didn't kick a ball in anger, a waterlogged pitch forcing the postponement of their clash at Gower Park. Two
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games did take place, however, and both were laden with goals.
Onehunga spread the goals around as they mauled Manukau 7-2 at Waikaraka Park, where former silver fern wearers Sivitha Boyce, Pip Meo and Holly Patterson were all on target for "The Green Machine", the last-mentioned twice in a week which saw her turn thirty.
Meanwhile at Drury, Tauranga underlined their Championship-winning prospects with a 4-3 win over Franklin, who, despite "BCL"'s best efforts - she struck twice, succumbed to three first half goals in a seven-minute burst around the half-hour mark.
The Bay of Plenty combination will fancy their chances of going four from four when Central visit Fergusson Park on Sunday, while Melville entertain Franklin and Birkenhead welcome Manukau. In a Friday night affair at Becroft Park, Northern take on Onehunga.
Round One details:
Birkenhead United 1 (A. Ape-Paia (78)), Onehunga Sports 0 HT 0-0
FC Tauranga Moana 3 (K. Jones (2, 49, 65)), Melville United 1 (S. Tiller (20)) HT 1-1
Manukau United 3 (M. Brothers (17), A. Porter (32), T. Fitzpatrick (34)), Central United 3 (S. Trowill (15), A. Gross (40), S. McDougall (47)) HT 3-2
Northern Rovers 2 (I. Calonne (45), L. McLean (46)), Franklin United 5 (J. David (4, 39), G. Irvine (28), B. Cunningham-Lee (49), M. Fitzpatrick (57)) HT 2-3
Round Two details:
Central United 0, Onehunga Sports 1 (T. Bell (51)) HT 0-0
FC Tauranga Moana 3 (K. Jones (16), M. Smith (60), K. Mori (78)), Birkenhead United 1 (I. Hunt (5)) HT 1-1
Franklin United 5 (G. Irvine (16), S. Carpenter (20, 59), B. Cunningham-Lee (46), C. Setchfield (67)), Manukau United 0 HT 2-0
Melville United 1 (F. Hussain Ali (73)), Northern Rovers 1 (I. Calonne (67)) HT 0-0
Round Three details:
Central United 0, Northern Rovers 3 ("oggies")
Franklin United 3 (B. Cunningham-Lee (39, 71), "oggie" (58)), FC Tauranga Moana 4 (K. Jones (25), I. Ganley (30), A. Hamelmann (32), A. Witney-Collins (53)) HT 1-3
Melville United v Birkenhead United, postponed - waterlogged pitch
Onehunga Sports 7 (H. Patterson (12, 42), "oggie" (23), S. Boyce (34), R. Fisher (47), T. Blakeborough (69), P. Meo (87)), Manukau United 2 (M. Brothers (16), A. Porter (52)) HT 4-1
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