CANTERBURY PRIDE vs CAPITAL

Once again for the folks at the back, there’s no final in the Women’s SCS... meaning that these last two weeks are going to be especially wild. This game might as well have been a semi-final: Canterbury Pride having come back into form with a couple of 5-0 wins over Central but still needing to win out versus a Capital team who bounced back strong with a 3-0 win over Southern a week ago.

This was also a historic game as it represented 100 years of women’s football in Aotearoa. The first inter-provincial game held in this country was Canterbury vs Wellington way back in 1921 with Canterbury winning it 1-0 thanks to a penalty in the opening half. Now here we are a century later. There was a function the night before this match to honour the occasion, coinciding with the Wellington Phoenix’s ALW debut, and then a nice little combined team photo before kickoff between the two teams. Right on.

As for the teams, it was no shocker that the Pride threw Annalie Longo and Whitney Hepburn back into the starting line-up. Plus there were two more changes up front with Nicola Dominikovich and Frankie Morrow in there. Dominikovich returning from injury while Morrow was making her first start of the South Central Series having played off the bench in all four previous games. Capital also mixed it up... but less deliberately. The two Olivias, Gibbs and Ingham, came into the eleven with two of last week’s goalscorers each missing: Emma Main and Jemma Catherwood. Not quite ideal.

There were a few too many ramifications for either team to worry about anything other than going out there and trying to get a win. And it was Capital who started off on the front foot. A give and go between Errington and Ward led to the first save of the match as Foyle was able to get her hands to Errington’s effort. A few moments where Rebecca Lake was able to step in with a crucial interception. Canterbury shifted up their shape against Central and it worked beautifully but this was a different test against a more experienced team and that back four was going to need to cover a lot of ground. Helped heaps having Whitney Hepburn back in the starting eleven though.

Gruelling game early on. Meikayla Hunt took a knock to the cheek that required a quick check-up while Kate Guildford at one stage injured herself taking a throw-in. Then Hunt went into the book for pummelling Anna Green as she tried to break down the left wing. Always gets toasty when the sun is out at English Park too so add that to the list.

We were twenty minutes into the match when Kate Loye collected the roll out from her keeper but instead of opening out she played it back inside towards Rebecca Lake who was instantly set upon by Kaley Ward. Lake was able to slide in and stop Ward’s progress in the box but she did so illegally. Penalty. Ward made it 1-0 to Capital from the spot.

Problem for the home side was that they were playing so much of the game in their own half. That high defensive line was getting turned around more often than liked and Capital were playing with good energy. Really crowding the Cantabs out down the wing and there was very little Annalie Longo on display in the first 25 mins. But they began to have more success at keeping possession after the goal and guess who popped up with an equaliser right on half an hour? Annalie Longo beating the offside trap and then shaping up on keeper Molly Simons. Fair play to Simons who’s had a really good season but nobody’s stopping Longo in that position. 1-1 and that was the quick response that the Pride needed. Onus back on Capital to respond to conceding the way that the home side had.

Which they did. A few corners, some tricky stuff from Errington. Then Ward slipped in Ingham whose shot was denied by Foyle, with Ward’s follow being fired off target. However nothing that could restore their lead as the two teams wandered back into the sheds all tied up.

An early giveaway at the back nearly put Ward in after Gibbs had intercepted a Hunt pass but Ward didn’t pull the trigger on her left and the chance evaporated. A few minutes later Hunt blocked a Ward shot on target with her face by the looks of it – she was taking a bit of punishment in this one but an important defensive intervention all the same. Concerning for the Cantabs how much they were being stretched at the back. Sure enough, in 50th minute, Ward was able to hold up a long ball from Anna Green and somehow avoided the challenges from Lake and Hunt to create room for a shot and at that point there was never any stopping her. 2-1 to Capital and their championship credentials were looking undeniable.

It was a surprise that Charlotte Mortlock and Kiara Bercelli lost their spots up top after very busy performances against Central. Well, Bercelli was swiftly up off the bench not long after Ward’s second goal – brought on alongside Freya Lodge-Whitham. That change meant a return of the back three, had to do something to not only stock the central defence but also to get the wide defenders further forward. And Bercelli was instantly into the thick of things with a couple runs in behind. Then again, so was Capital sub Samantha Whyte with a useful crack at goal that Foyle watched drift narrowly off target. She dragged another one close but wide from a Green feed too.

Quick break in proceedings to appreciate some goalkeeping tekkers from Una Foyle...

Marvellous. Now back to the show.

The switch up was working for the Cantabs in terms of getting them further up the field but a few times the final ball was lacking. That and the offside flag was making appearances for both sides. A brief injury break with twenty to go allowed each team a chance to regroup and get some fluids in, then on 75 mins came one of the moments of the entire match (potentially season) as Kaley Ward seemed destined to score running through with a hat-trick in sight... only for Una Foyle to somehow get a leg out and deny her. Incredible save to keep her team in the contest.

Needless to say that was massive. Because, ten minutes later, Whitney Hepburn spun out of pressure and played forward to Longo who slid Frankie Morrow down the line. Morrow’s cross took a deflection off the head of Kennedy Bryant and then soared off that bouncy turf and onto the crossbar... dropping kindly for Annalie Longo to tap in the equaliser. Super unlucky way for Capital to concede but they were digging themselves into trouble being unable to find an outlet with the ball when they had it. Too many offsides being a major culprit. The Pride kept coming at them and eventually something stuck.

A draw wasn’t much good for either side, setting up a desperate finish in which Lodge was denied at the near post by Simons at one end while Gibbs had a shot partially blocked into the arms of Foyle at the other. Then Gibbs had an even better chance on the overlap but again Foyle was more than up to the task. Longo struck a free kick into the wall... then instantly won another one securing the rebound (which avoided an overloaded counter attack going back the other way). Kiara Bercelli took the second free kick instead. And Kiara Bercelli did this...

Unreal. What a goal. (Pity the stream was a bit laggy but what can ya do?). The Pride were 2-1 down with quarter of an hour to go when their keeper made an incredible save then they scored twice including a direct free kick in the 92nd minute to win 3-2, keeping their title chances alive. Incredible. Give us another hundred years of games like this, please.

Capital were the better team for long stretches here. Kaley Ward was excellent. They defended great (despite all the changes to their backline across this short season). Helena Errington is fantastic. But maybe that extra punch of Emma Main was missing in terms of converting some of that into an extra goal or two.

The Pride dug in and battled through, went to the bench, changed formation, and ultimately had a little more of the finishing touch when required. Annalie Longo with her third brace in a row on the way to what’s probably gonna be an MVP award (although there are a couple other candidates). Hepburn was really good. Foyle was immense. And then 16 year old Kiara Bercelli did the rest for an amazing comeback. You just can’t ever count this team out, aye?

CENTRAL vs SOUTHERN UNITED

Righto then, that dramatic late win for the Pride meant that Southern travelled up to Palmy the next day in the knowledge that a win against Central would effectively set up a grand final against Canterbury on their own home turf in the final week, seven days from now. A draw or a loss wouldn’t do too much damage but it would bring Capital back into the hunt.

Headline of the team namings was that Central’s magnificent shot-stopper keeper Brooke Bennett was missing after going off last week; that meant 14 year old Sophie Campbell got the nod for her first start at this level having subbed on for BB last game. Otherwise they were unchanged from the side that did initially give Canterbury some worries for a while there last week before eventually getting blown out. Southern also with just the one change: Emily Morison returning to the starting team with Shontelle Smith not in the squad.

Central’s one goal so far this season came early on against Southern in the away fixture, Jessie Falloon doing the damage as her team started that one sharply and caught the Southerners off guard. Southern were clearly aware of that because they emerged with plenty of energy, seeking to get striker Amy Hislop involved as much as possible. But Central played them physically and were defending in numbers whether it was in their own area or pushing higher up the pitch... and history repeated itself as they took the lead in the 8th min. Great work from Rebekah Trewhitt down the right and then the cross found its way to Aimee Atkins who turned past her marker and stroked it in with the left. A mean bit of striking.

However, same as last time that lead didn’t last too long. Only three minutes in this instance. Southern were able to get down the other end and unleash a few shots, none of which had Campbell having to do anything much, but then maybe she could have attacked a Margi Dias shot that drifted across the goal to where it was intercepted by Amy Hislop and flipped over the line. Again, good striking. Staying aware to the opportunity and levelling the game up for her team.

This was also a matchup of the Morton sisters. A Central footy family but Rose is playing for Southern these days – anchoring their midfield while sister Sarah lined up at left-back for Central. Which unfortunately for her meant marking Margi Dias who was looking to twist and turn at every corner, though she was mostly managing to restrain her. An enjoyable battle. As it was when Hannah Mackay-Wright was able to break up a few Central forays forward. But one match-up that Central didn’t seem to have an answer for was Amy Hislop. 28 mins played and an HMW free kick lifted into the area was headed on by Hislop to make it 2-1. Strong flick of the noggin, too tall for the young Central defence to handle.

The comeback had been swift from Southern and now they didn’t have to feel as frustrated by Central’s back four’s continued knack of busting things up at the last moment with an interception or a tackle. Plus also it meant they could pace themselves a bit more on a humid North Island afternoon. Remember the Southerners have had multiple home games this season where the subs had to whip out a blanket to stay warm. This one was a little steamier.

Emily Morison had a shot on target straight after the resumption. A clever ball in from Renee Bacon deserved a touch but didn’t get one. Defence was still the name of the game though. Lara Smith and Devyn Crawford doing wonderful work to restrict Southern... whose own defence was well in their bag, winning the ball back decisively and spreading it forward again. Sophie Campbell dove confidently to keep Chelsea Whittaker’s shot out. However a knock to the foot for Trewhitt ended her afternoon an hour into things, so that was a bummer. Stella Warner on in her place; Southern also bringing on Lena de Ronde.

Thanks to that defence, Central were hanging in there enough to where they had to be wondering if they perhaps had an equaliser in them. Weren’t threatening very much but the odd long range attempt had potential. To be fair it’s quite hard to create anything when Rose Morton is winning everything in midfield. Southern had a close one after some sharp footwork from Dias took her past a couple defenders before squaring but Hislop’s shot lacked power and was easily saved. Then both teams went to their subs again with Ruby Anderson and Juliette Lucas on for Southern while Central chucked on Hannah Buzan and Melissa McKenna (and later Shannon Newlyn and Mackenna Chittenden to empty their bench).

Still it remained 2-1. Nervous times. A long shot from Sarah Morton dipped late on Aimee Simmers but she was able to make the adjustments. Into the last five minutes. Lena De Ronde won a gutsy turnover to put Margi Dias in a little space. Dias was almost tackled but was able to get it back off Crawford who slipped and Dias skipped past her to score, polishing off the game in the 87th minute. 3-1 the final score. Boots off from the substitutes. Rate that.

And so Southern take it into the final week with a three point lead on the ladder. A draw against the Pride is all they need although a loss would see them fall behind the Pride on goal difference. Not at their best here, Southern. Rose Morton certainly was and they got quality out of Dias and Hislop and their back four in particular, but against a team that wasn’t going to play expansively against them they did struggle to turn possession into chances throughout this match. Got what they needed regardless. Now it’s all back in their own hands in the final week.

Then for Central... that’s five defeats from five but they’ve had really nice spells in all of those games. They’re a team with good structure and commitment and they don’t get pushed around despite their youth. Sarah Morton’s made a difference in there. Smith and Crawford were very good in this match. The likes of Abby Rankin and Holly Kleinsman had some moments. No lack of talent there at all... it’s just a couple years too early for them to be turning games like these into wins. The last two years have seen Central lean all the way into their younger players and while the benefits of that aren’t seen in their results, you are seeing many of these players popping up in various national rep selections – not to mention Charlotte Lancaster with the Wellington Phoenix. Or Mackenzie Barry (who left Central before the full-on revolution but still counts, why not).

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