2022 Women’s National League – Week Six Review (Part 2: The Federations)
Canterbury United Pride vs Southern United
The ol’ Southern Derby. Canterbury United Pride have been below their usual standards this season, stretched for depth by a few injuries and unavailabilities and also probably without the margin for error they’d otherwise be used to with these brutal Auckland sides around. They played all the four Auckland clubs in a row leading into this weekend and lost three of those games – conceding 13 goals whilst scoring only seven. Not great form... compared to Southern who conceded 13 goals in their first two games but then had clean sheet wins over Capital and Central and were really impressive against Eastern Suburbs even if it ended up in a 1-0 loss. For context, that 1-0 loss was away whereas the Pride lost 4-1 at home against the Lilywhites.
The only change Southern made from that Subs defeat was Margi Dias returning from injury. Nothing else needed to be modified – although they were again without Kennedy Bryant and Sarah Morton (though Emily Morison returned to the bench). The home side made one swap from the 4-1 loss to Northern Rovers with Petra Buyck getting a third start of the term and Britney-Lee Nicholson, still not quite her old self coming back from a serious injury last year, dropping to the bench.
Early chance at English Park for Southern as Margi Dias intercepted a pass across the backline but Jess Fuller then chose to shoot rather than return the ball to Dias and Una Foyle made a simple save. It was another giveaway by the Pride, Kendrah Smith with a heavy touch, that led to the move from which Jasmine Prince rattled the crossbar (with a crucial touch from an outstretched Foyle hand) after 12 minutes. Dias also stole in front of Smith to take the ball away on the edge of the box later on but her shot was too close to Foyle.
You can see the pattern there. Two teams focussed on their defence, a little short on numbers up front, keeping things compact and only really allowing things to happen when they instigated it themselves with mistakes. However as the half went on, the home side did begin to get more comfortable on the ball and some chances of their own emerged.
The first major moment was when Chloe Bellamy competed with Kelsey Kennard at the back post for a Frankie Morrow cross. Both had hacks at the ball and somehow it squeezed towards goal but Hannah Mackay-Wright, as usual, was in the right place to clear it away off the goal-line. Soon after, Rebecca Lake unleashed a belter of a shot from about thirty metres away which struck the crossbar on the dip. Both teams testing the woodwork so far. Then the best of the lot as Lauren Dabner slipped a mean reverse ball in for Morrow who showed strength to hold off Samantha Woolley but then shot just past the far post. Lake also headed over from a corner with half-time looming.
Goalless after 45, although the Pride did have to hang on against three consecutive stoppage time corner kicks to get there. Alana Gunn wasn’t loving it so she made two HT alterations: Mikaela Hunt on at CB for Kendrah Smith while Charlotte Mortlock, back from the U17 World Cup, swapped into the midfield for Lisa Evans. The home team feeling the pressure to make something happen.
Fuller had a crack for Southern after cutting past a defender but poked her shot wide. Mostly the same deadlock remained as the defenders continued to get the better of the tussles. The two Pride subs had added a bit but they needed more so with half an hour left on came Charlotte Roche... fresh from scoring a hat-trick for the youth team immediately before. Petra Buyck went off and could be seen icing her knee on the bench.
Hepburn had a shot deflected wide from a corner scramble. Bellamy won the ball and fed Roche on the run but she didn’t shoot first time and took it too wide, striking into the side netting. Chuck in plenty of corner kicks. Southern’s best efforts now were coming on the counter attack. There weren’t a heap of those but there was a golden moment with fifteen to go when Toni Power found Jasmine Prince on the run only for Una Foyle to make another great save. The best of the lot, probably... though Prince ought to have done better.
Lake won a header off a corner that was going in but for Margi Dias with the clearing nod from on the line... possibly the shortest player on the park with a clutch aerial win. Britney-Lee Nicholson also came on and she glanced a header narrowly wide after 84 mins. Time was ticking away but neither team was ready to count down the seconds yet. Hearts in mouths as Prince charged down a Foyle clearance but the ball went nowhere near the goal. Nothing to split them as the final whistle blew. The first 0-0 draw of the National League, men or women.
That did leave the return match in Dunedin in a funky place with both teams knowing that a few slight adjustments or slightly better execution could have won them the points here. Una Foyle was excellent for the Pride. Rebecca Lake also came up big on a few occasions, as well as looking to invigorate her team with her passing from the back. Frankie Morrow was their most persistent attacker. Ultimately they couldn’t break down a Southern team that seems to have very much figured out whatever was wrong with their usually solid defence in those first two games.
This meant Southern had only conceded once in four matches. Could they keep that up in a few days? Hannah Mackay-Wright was outstanding in a backline that had no weak links. Samantha Woolley’s work at left-back is definitely worth praise too. Rose Morton is always going to have a blinder when Southern play well, no difference here, whilst Margi Dias and Jasmine Prince regularly provided a spark and will be a bit bummed they weren’t able to convert any of those chances. Still, this was a better point for Southern than it was for Canterbury. Both teams ended the game on 7 points after 6 games, the Pride ahead on goal difference.
Central vs Capital
Massey University on a Saturday afternoon, that’s where you found Central taking on Capital... oddly Central in yellow alternate jerseys and Capital wearing black. Maybe the usuals were in the wash, dunno. Regardless, it was pretty nice timing for the two teams on the bottom of the ladder to be meeting as both were coming off their best performances so far. Capital drew 4-4 in a thriller with Auckland United, a late-gasp Pepi-Olliver Bell goal doing the trick there. Central may have lost 5-1 to Western Springs but that goal was their first of the campaign and after an hour it was 1-1 and they were right in the mix.
Good news for Capital was that captain Zoe Barrott returned from injury to partner Caelin Patterson at the back. Asha Strom also returned after missing two weeks while Dani Ohlsson was rewarded for a wonderful stint off the bench in the AU game with a start in the forward line. Central also welcomed back an important defender with Kate Bennett fit again, although they deployed her in midfield instead. Plus Tessa Hyland and Ashley Arquette each got back into the eleven. No Charlotte Lancaster because she’s been re-signed by the Wellington Phoenix on another scholarship deal. Glad she was able to sneak in three WNL games first. Arquette and Bennett were the only two non-teenagers in the line-up.
Now, brace yourself because you could get whiplash from the way this match started. Almost instantly Capital won a corner kick and from that corner... Rebecca Otte popped in the opening goal – looked like it might have been punched into her by Annie Foote though it’s hard to say.
There were 32 seconds on the clock when that hit the net. The second time this season that Central have conceded inside the first minute after Kelli Brown did the same to them for Northern Rovers. That game ended in a 9-0 defeat. This one, however, saw them equalise through Ashley Arquette in just the third minute of play. Maddi Hughes had put the pressure on Capital’s defence and stolen the ball, cutting inside the area and forcing a save from Molly Simons... then Arquette smacked in on the rebound. In off the post, perfect finish. Back on level terms already. Until the ninth minute when Pip Coakley couldn’t deal with a Dani Ohlsson cross at the back stick, turning it into her own net accidentally. Own goal. 2-1 to Capital and we weren’t even ten minutes into the match.
It was a relief to see Renee Bacon’s next attempt saved by Foote, simply because it offered a chance to catch a breath. Decent shot, decent save. An even better save followed from the subsequent chance Bacon had to drive one towards goal. Though Olliver-Bell absolutely should have scored when Otte’s cross found her unmarked about eight yards out. Just leant back too much with a bouncing ball and lifted it over the top.
Central’s pressing, led by Hughes, continued to pay dividends... although at the back they were becoming overly reliant on Jana Niedermayr being able to win headers and make clearances. So when she slipped over trying to cover a 2v2 attack it meant big trouble. Olliver-Bell squared to Renee Bacon... who slotted that thing inside the post with a ribbon on it. Sharp first-time finish. That POB-Bacon combo once again. Bacon with her first goal of the term (having scored bundles during the winter season). 3-1 after 27 mins.
It was almost four as Asha Strom aimed for the same corner yet Foote made a great diving save on the reach with her right hand. Then again, Holly Kleinsman went close to giving Central another as she turned back from the byline and drew Simons into an important save from close. After that it was Foote’s turn again pushing away a Bacon effort. There was no saving Bacon’s tap-in off an Ohlsson low cross after 38 minutes... but that was because she lifted it over the bar with an open goal beaming in front of her. The angle made it deceptive but a player of her quality ought to have scored that with her eyes closed.
And just because this game wasn’t crazy enough, Ashley Arquette scored a blinder of a goal for Central about a minute before the half. Shot or cross? Who cares. Central took five weeks to score any kinda goal so Arquette getting a double was reason for celebration no matter how it happened. Ideal placement either way.
Annie Foote did well again to get some kind of intervention to stop Renee Bacon from scoring inside the first minute of the second half... imagine that: if they’d conceded in the first minute of both halves. That fate was avoided and a Kate Bennett free kick gave them some inklings before Kleinsman had a useful penalty appeal declined. A heavy touch prevented Olliver-Bell from scoring at the other end but as long as it remained 3-2 this game was up for grabs. Heaps of clattering tackles flying in too.
Pepi-Olliver Bell wasn’t gonna make the same mistake twice, you know. Therefore with 58 minutes gone she burst onto the ball just ahead of Niedermayr then after Simons had saved her initial shot she calmly passed the second attempt into the open net on the angle. Her fourth goal of the campaign. The most of any player for a federation team.
From there the last half hour had the feel of an intense training game. Capital were chasing their first three-pointer of the term so they weren’t trying to make any silly mistakes while both teams understandably dipped into their bench options at recurring intervals given this was the first of two games in three days. Central tried to find a third but it didn’t happen. Capital might’ve scored a fifth but it didn’t happen. 4-2 the final score. Capital with that first notch in the win column while Central’s losing streak continues.
Central did score a couple goals, at least. Further progress. Kate Bennett did well in the midfield for them but the annoying thing is they sorta need a clone of her in defence still. The fourth goal was understandable yet the three before that all were preventable, caused by their own inexperienced errors. So it goes. Tessa Hyland did well offering some composure on the ball in the middle while the switch to three up front has really unlocked that press and given this team more to play for.
This meant Capital had scored four goals in consecutive games after only one goal in four matches beforehand. Olliver-Bell and Bacon continue to get amongst all that though Dani Ohlsson was their most prominent and reliable source in this match, love what she’s been up to recently. Asha Strom helped settle that midfield too. And they’d have the opportunity to try do it all over again roughly 48 hours later.
Southern United vs Canterbury United Pride
The first meeting ended in a goalless draw. Two evenly matched teams with renewed emphasis on defence ultimately kinda cancelling each other out. But with margins that fine it wouldn’t take too much for either to turn a tight draw into a close victory. That was the aim as the WNL’s two South Island representatives met for the second time in a row. Really ruthless turnaround from Saturday to Monday. Only one day off in between. We saw the Auckland teams struggle to back up after Friday night games and there was one less night’s recovery sleep for these ladies.
Southern made one change from the first meeting and it was a goodie as Kennedy Bryant returned after a couple weeks off - Bryant was at the heart of their two wins this season with her centre-forward-ness. Plus they actually had a full bench for once. Injuries had exposed their limited depth, no team making fewer subs than the Southerners to this point, but they had plenty of options this time around... including Shontelle Smith in line for a first appearance this season. One of the stars of the South-Central Series championship returning to the fold.
Canterbury United Pride made two alterations. Mikaela Hunt regained her starting spot at CB after a couple games out, doing a job off the bench in the Saturday meeting. Also Britney-Lee Nicholson swapped back in for Petra Buyck up top (Buyck still on the bench despite going off hurt in the previous match). ‘Twas a freezing Dunedin afternoon, the temperature still in the single figures. But we make do.
The Pride made a point of attacking from the opening whistle, charging forward and winning a few corners including one that Whitney Hepburn headed over the top. Hepburn would limp off with one of her boots in her hand after only seven minutes but did return to try run off whatever ailed her.
Canterbury tried a few long shots to no avail (the best being from Chloe Bellamy, getting Kate Hannay saving on the dive). There was an Ellena Firth cross after a wondrous pass over the top from Rebecca Lake that didn’t get the touch it deserved in the middle. Then Hepburn won another header from a corner but it hit the crossbar. Damn. There were also, at the other end, quite a few instances of Southern’s forward runners being able to access plenty of space. Especially Jasmine Prince and Toni Power on the right edge. One of those chances saw Firth with a clutch block to deny Margi Dias.
Speaking of clutch blocks... Kate Hannay somehow made two in a row to keep Nicholson from scoring. Parrying the first shot, six yards out and moving one way... then sliding a leg back in the other direction to save that one too. Marvellous work in goal. Also has to be said that the one-outs between Hannah Mackay-Wright and Frankie Morrow was a thriller, two high level competitors throwing everything at each other. Morrow was CU’s best on Saturday and MHW seemed zoned in on stopping her... which she more or less achieved.
Chuck in a Nicholson pass across goal that went a wee bit too deep, plus a great bit of keeping from Hannay shooting out to take the ball off Bellamy... and a blast off the post by Bryant in stoppage time (good feed from Chelsea Whittaker to set that up). Sum total of that was a third consecutive half of football between these two teams without a goal. Certainly not for a lack of trying though.
The Pride continued to be too eager to shoot from distance (although all it takes is one clean strike to change the game, to be fair). Ten minutes into the second half they threw on Charlotte Mortlock to try and aid things. Southern responded by giving a season debut to Shontelle Smith. Then this game really took a turn as Southern United finally busted the stalemate after 147 minutes between these two rivals. It was Margi Dias with a little curler in behind the defence which Hunt got a touch to but it only served to help the ball sit up nicely for Hannah Mackay-Wright, of all people, who had all the poise she needed to pick out the bottom corner.
Now Southern had a lead to defend, making them even more dangerous. We’d already seen them sit tight at the back and hit swiftly on the counter. That’d only become more pronounced as the Pride threw numbers forward.
On came Darsha Keogan and Petra Buyck for CU. Again Whitney Hepburn needed help with that injury she was carrying. Again she returned to the pitch to battle on, what a trooper. But then that counter attacking prophecy came true with twenty to play as Shontelle Smith’s boundless energy won her possession on halfway and she slid a well-waited ball in behind for Jasmine Prince to attack with her speed. Una Foyle did get a foot on the ball as Prince tried to get around her but Prince was able to regather and pop that thing into an empty net to make it 2-0.
Canterbury undertook the required actions. Getting that ball forward, taking risks. Mortlock was denied by a fantastically brave stop at close range by Hannay. A slick turn and draw and pass from Buyck served Jonelle Arthur running towards the left edge of the six yard box but she whipped her shot across goal and wide. They’d already subbed off Morrow and Nicholson so if something was gonna happen, Petra Buyck was likely to be involved. With 81 minutes gone, something did happen. Buyck worked space for a cross from out wide on the left and there was Chloe Bellamy to put it home from close. Time running down but now the Pride were back within range.
The effort plays from Southern were so impressive, the likes of Dias and Prince still making sprints to pressure the Pride build-up even at the end of this second game in a couple of days. We ticked into five minutes of stoppage time. Still the Pride seeking that one big chance that could salvage a draw. It never arrived. 2-1 to Southern United.
Gotta be realistic that the Pride aren’t the team they have been in the past. They haven’t won a game in which Kate Loye hasn’t played this year, her absence exposing a midfield/forward group otherwise relying a tad too much on younger and inexperienced players (the ever-dependable Whitney Hepburn aside). The likes of Bellamy and Buyck have been really good for them but as a unit they’re just not converting their chances well enough and it’s getting them into situations like this. If they’d been 1-0 up at half-time like they very well could have been then maybe it’s a different story. But we’re only halfway through the term. Heaps still to play for.
How about this Southern United team though? Had a tough time of it against a couple Auckland teams to begin with but in the subsequent five games they’ve won 3, drawn 1, and lost 1... with 7 goals scored and only 2 conceded. The loss was a hugely commendable 1-0 away at Eastern Suburbs. They’re undefeated against federation teams with another couple (home to Capital, away to Central) still remaining. Win those and they’ll surely get a top four finish. If they can sneak something off Northern Rovers (big ask) then they could yet finish third.
It’ll be a fascinating watch when they host Rovers next week, definitely wanna see how this recent defensive solidity translates. Kate Hannay’s introduction as goalie halfway through game two has been a boost. She had her best game of the season in this one, just a shame there was no clean sheet. Hannah Mackay-Wright was magnificent over both Cantabs games and even popped up with a goal here. Rose Morton is always good. Jasmine Prince was a difference-maker with her pace on the break. Kennedy Bryant’s hold-up play with those lay-offs and turns is ideal for a team that plays the way that Southern does.
Also without doubt Shontelle Smith’s cameo off the bench helped turn this game in Southern’s favour. Smith wasn’t initially in the squad for this National League so maybe they’ve convinced her to help the girls out with a few injuries lingering. Chuck her into this midfield full-time (if it comes to pass) and maybe they really will give Northern Rovers a run for their money. We’ll find out next week.
Capital vs Central
From the lush grass of Massey University on Saturday to the artificial turf of Petone Memorial Park on Monday. Capital made one change from the 4-2 win in Palmerston North and that was Nicola Ross being handed a first start of the campaign at fullback. They did welcome Jayden Watts back onto the bench after a few games off though. Meanwhile Central made two changes: Saturday’s double-goalscorer Ashley Arquette was missing which meant a starting debut for 15 year old Lilly Dowsing (after coming off the bench last time). They also welcomed back Lara Smith who’d hopped off a plane from India a few days earlier after being away at the U17 World Cup.
There was a glimpse of Central’s emergent pressing system as the game kicked off although maintaining that on a 48 hour turnaround was going to be sketchy. We then saw Pepi Olliver-Bell, playing through the middle now that Dani Ohlsson’s worked her way into the starting team, make a couple angled runs into space including setting up Ohlsson for the first shot of the afternoon. Asha Strom also stung the palms of Annie Foote with an effort from distance.
Foote will have been happy to get those two in her grasp after conceding within 32 seconds a couple days earlier. They were 2-1 down after ten minutes in that match but here that milestone passed by without any such drama... although Rebecca Otte went close with a fizzing shot past the post. Then a sharp low cross from Ohlsson which POB flipped goalwards but into the hands of Foote (those hands x Foote lines never get old).
This was the first time that Jana Niedermayr & Lara Smith combination was able to be employed and they made a clear improvement with their tidy positioning and anticipation. Two players who’ve both been to youth World Cups this year (JN with the U20s, LS with the U17s). However it’d be a lie to say that Capital weren’t the team looking way more likely. Ohlsson had a strong shot saved at the near post. Olliver-Bell headed over from a corner. Central did spark a few things through Holly Kleinsman though nothing with overt goal potential. Having said that, the longer the game remained scoreless the more it suited them.
Alas, they couldn’t quite get to the half-time break. Capital had deserved a goal and they got one via a smooth team move that saw POB drop in to collect the ball then shift it to Ohlsson on the left wing. She hit the underlapping of Rebecca Otte who squared for Renee Bacon’s clever run. All it took was a guided touch from Bacon and there ya go. 1-0 to Capital after 38 minutes (better than 32 seconds like on Saturday).
Side note: sunglasses on the bench is a mean summer footy vibe, dig that look…
The quest for Central then changed into making sure, at the very least, that they didn’t let this get away from them after the disappointment of conceding. Luck was on their side as Bacon tried one from range that Foote had to leap to parry upwards then as she fell back down onto the ground the ball unknowingly landed on her leg and bounced away. Could so easily have been an own goal. Bacon also blasted over before the break with heaps of space on the left taking advantage of a couple collisions having left Central’s defence stretched.
Two half-time changes for Capital with goalie Katia Brown and midfielder Sammi Preval given extended runs. Bit harsh on Molly Simons who was halfway to a first clean sheet of the campaign, so it goes. Yet it was Central who played the territory game nicely to begin the seconds. Keeping that ball in front of them... until Ohlsson got away on the break, not letting Smith pass back safely, and she rounded Foote only for Niedermayr to dash across with an essential tackle.
Niedermayr then headed a Tessa Hyland corner kick onto the crossbar. Finally all that Central positivity had led to a genuine chance but it didn’t quite work out. Lena De Ronde then missed a decent chance at the back post for Capital. It would have been pretty concerning for the home side that they weren’t getting much joy playing through the midfield – especially out wide where Furnell and Kleinsman were winning a lot of ball for Central on the squeeze.
Capital had a strong spell after that yet the Niedermayr/Smith combo was working nicely... likewise it’s pretty hard to find success against Zoe Barrott who was running the show at the back for the home side. Plus the fatigue factor was surely hovering around (not that you’d know it from the maximum commitment of those Central players). The best chance in the last twenty fell to Renee Bacon who beat the offside trap but waited too long to shoot and had her angle closed down. The best chance after the last twenty fell to Sydnie Williams in stoppage time with very similar instance running through after POB had set her up but the finish wasn’t good enough and Annie Foote made yet another save.
1-0 to Capital was the final score. The better team did win although Central might be a little happier in the aftermath. Capital’s finishing wasn’t clinical enough to put the game to bed and they struggled to control things in the second half. Still, two wins in a row for Capital. Can’t complain too much. That Ohlsson/Olliver-Bell/Bacon front three is really starting to get sizzling now and that end product should improve with the confidence of a few goals. Zoe Barrott was dominant at the back as per usual. A win is always a win.
If Central can keep that Niedermayr/Smith combo at the back with Kate Bennett in the midfield then there’s room for even more improvement. This was the best defensive performance of their season, the first time they held firm for ninety full minutes. They’d been building towards this with some strong sixty-minute showings against Southern and Eastern Sub only to get blown out later on. Here they never crumbled and also avoided the individual errors that cost them in the first match against Capital.
The workrate across the park was huge which is a great sign of the culture within that Central squad despite losing every game. Just gotta turn some of that fine work from the likes of Kleinsman and Maddi Hughes into cleaner shots. They missed Ashley Arquette in this match. Even then, if that Niedermayr header had been a couple inches lower then they might well be celebrating their first point. Hard to imagine them getting anything much from their remaining fixtures, these Capital games were their best chance of a result, but results don’t matter as much as progress does for Matt Calvert’s team and we’re definitely seeing plenty of that.
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