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09/06/91
Cox Outstanding As Rangers Escape
by Jeremy Ruane
Michele Cox produced a powerhouse individual performance for Eden, as South Auckland Rangers escaped from Pollard Park with a fortunate point in the big showdown for outright leadership of Auckland’s Premier Women’s League competition on June 9.
The Gold Chick Poultry Farm - sponsored home side were without an unavailable Monique Van de Elzen, and one was left to ruminate on what might have been, had she been present to capitalise on Cox’s promptings.
As with most games between table-topping sides, there was a tentative opening stanza, until Cox decided enough was enough, and went about stamping her authority on proceedings. It was South Auckland, however, who created the first clear-cut opportunity, Donna Baker firing a dipping 25-yarder narrowly over.
Straight away, Eden retaliated, a probing Cox pass piercing the defence and sending Beth Clark away. Her shot was easily dealt with by Caz Hill, the first of several important saves which she was to make throughout the match.
At the other end, Michelle Townsley also earned praise for her exploits, the first of these seeing her tip over another rising Baker effort.
Cox, meanwhile, was perpetual motion personified. Hill had a harrowing time dealing with a constant stream of corners from the New Zealand international, and produced the save of the match to deny Cox a richly deserved goal, launching herself to her right to tip a ferocious left-foot volley away from the top corner.
There was no respite for Rangers in the second half, with Cox invariably a factor in anything Eden attempted. Efforts from Terry McCahill, Karin Jensen and Lyn Pedruco were all well thwarted by Hill, while at the other end, Baker broke away, only to be pressured by Townsley into firing over a gaping net.
The move of the match, though, came from Eden, a deft glancing header from Cox guiding a Pedruco through-ball neatly into the path of Jensen. With only Hill to beat, Rangers’ hearts were in their mouths, but Jensen fired tamely wide, and a goalless draw resulted.
For Rangers, Charlene Iofua and Leanne Jelleyman offered most support to Hill, while Townsley held her line well for the “Gold Chicks”. On this sort of form, though, the first name down on any team-sheet, not just Eden’s, must surely be Michele Cox.
Eden: Townsley; Wheeler, B. Cox, McCahill, Exler; T. Cox, M. Cox, Pedruco, Haskell; Jensen, Clark. Subs: Cooke, Walker
Sth Auckland: Hill; Salmon, Jelleyman, Parr, Stone; McMinn, Campbell, Iofua, Summerville; Baker, Muir
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