2023 Women’s National League – Week 2
Western Springs vs Ellerslie AFC
Friday night lights at Seddon Field, shimmering off those little black pellets that they stick in the artificial turf. Actually on this particular night it was more like shimmering off the falling raindrops which got bigger and heavier as the game went on. Umbrella weather in Tamaki Makaurau. Ellerslie beat Western Springs about a month ago, a 2-0 win with Britney Cunningham-Lee scoring both goals. Since then Springs have won the Kate Sheppard Cup and they also won 8-0 away against Central in round one whereas Ellerslie lost 4-0 at home to the Wellington Phoenix Reserves. Contrasting fortunes to set this one up.
It was too soon for U16s reps Ela Jerez and Charli Dunn to return for Western Springs... as it was for all of that Oceania champs squad with the exception of Alyssha Eglinton for the WeeNix. Springs did make two changes from the hiding they gave to Central: Jaedeci Uluvili returned to restore that excellent Uluvili/Jervis CB pairing. Megan Lee also had a go on the right wing with Lara Colpi not involved. For Ellerslie they welcomed back captain Cat Pretty as their defensive midfielder (her presence was definitely missed against a possession-heavy Wellington Phoenix side in week one). Vibha Gohda also got a start on the wing after a bright cameo last time while Anita Trudgeon came in at left-back.
It took Western Springs less than a minute to take the lead against Central. Here they were a lot more sluggish: it took them a whole two minutes and forty-eight seconds before Liz Savage ripped a low drive across the keeper and inside the far post. Bit too much room to shoot... but then Savage creates her own room so that’s quite harsh to say.
Most of the harshness was being supplied by Western Springs. They got this game going like a riot with Savage and Garcia both having further chances while Ellerslie, much like how they started last week, were having trouble getting out of their own defensive area. Lily Taitimu should’ve done better with a headed chance off a corner. Sammi Tawharu had an effort parried away. All of this was inside the first dozen minutes, by the way, leading up to when Lily Jervis volleyed in at the back post from another Jess Innes corner kick. This time Taitimu (one of the shortest players on the pitch) left it for her much taller teammate, ducking down so as not to get in the way. They had a cheeky laugh about that amongst the celebrations. 2-0 to Springs after 12 minutes – these were terrifying portents for the Ponies.
And yet as the chances continued, the goals did not. Then after awhile the chances weren’t happening so regularly either. Trudgeon even got Ellerslie in a few attacking spots, while Pretty began to make her presence known in the middle. Britney Cunningham-Lee’s touches were basically all with her back to goal but there were more of those than in the Nix game. Of course there was luck involved, with Springs having a wicked volley from Megan Lee disallowed for offside (the first of several offside goals this particular evening) and to be honest some of that WSAFC finishing did not match the quality of the build-up play that led to them. But fair play to Ellerslie because after 12 minutes it looked like this could be a similar score to what Springs ran up in round one then all of a sudden it was half-time and the score remained 2-0.
The Ponies moved BCL wide left to start the second spell, an area she’d been drifting into anyway in search of the ball. But while they may have steadied the ship, they weren’t looking like scoring either. Cat Pretty had a couple of long strikes but that was about the sum of it. Jaedeci Uluvili delivered a commanding game at the back. Only a Springs mistake was capable of breaking them and that just wasn’t gonna happen. Finally that third goal arrived in the 63rd min. Maia Lythe had literally just been subbed on and she hit a super low ball across goal for Sofia Garcia to tap in at the back stick. 3-0 to Western Springs.
That was all there was. Savage should have won a penalty when she was tripped up in the area yet the referee applied the subconscious mercy rule and let it slide. Garcia and Lythe both had goals disallowed for offside (the latter was a pretty dicey one, perhaps given for Garcia interfering off the ball – either way it overturned a cracking finish from Lythe who had a really nice impact). All the while the rain got heavier and heavier until finally the game ended and everyone could get the hell out of there for a blanket and a warm beverage.
Decent mahi on a Friday night for Western Springs, scoring three and having three more disallowed for offside. They’ve scored 11 goals and conceded none and yet it still feels like they’ve been kinda wasteful. Sofia Garcia already has five goals to lead the way in the scorer’s charts. Liz Savage has two goals and three assists. Good things happen when those two area heavily involved. Meanwhile Ellerslie have scored zero and conceded seven in a pair of defeats and it’s rather obvious that they need to start games a whole lot better than they have been doing. 3-0 down after 36 minutes against the Nix. 2-0 down after 12 minutes against Springs. However they only conceded once each in much more even second halves on both occasions. They’ve got the capacity. They just need those ninety minute performances rather than the 45-60 minute ones.
Western Springs 3-0 Ellerslie AFC
Goals (Assists)
3’ | WS| 1-0 | Savage (Tawharu)
12’ | WS | 2-0 | Jervis (Innes)
63’ | WS | 3-0 | Garcia
Wellington United vs Central
It’s a stink one for Central but every team that faces them is expecting to win and win comfortably. As the season progresses and their young team gets more time together they’ll grown to be more competitive but unfortunately this isn’t a very long season. And Wellington United needed a win. Their last three games had come in three different competitions and they’d won none of them. A draw with Waterside Karori in the last Central League game handed the title to their rivals. A loss to Western Springs in the Kate Sheppard Cup final meant silver medals not gold ones. Then a draw with Waterside Karori to begin the WNL meant no sweet revenge on that particular occasion.
Copious changes for Wellington United at Newtown Park. The back three went out the window in favour of a 4-3-3 variation that saw Hope Gilchrist remain as a CDM. Just like the cup final, the Diamonds were without Sarah Alder and Francesca Grange so just like the cup final Lilian Davies came in at RB. Cara Chung also got a start in the midfield while Natalie Olson and Jemma Robertson returned in attacking positions. Molly Simons in goal. That’s five alterations from last week. Central also made quite a few swaps with Aimee MacNee in at centre-back, while Megan Thomas and Marina Ishimoto also were also promoted – Ishimoto having played off the bench last week in that ignominious 8-0 defeat to Western Springs.
The 8-0 wasn’t going to be repeated but damn when you’re backing up from a loss like that you at least hope you can hang on at zeroes for a bit. What you really don’t want is another sign that the gods aren’t going to treat you as their pet... like when a defensive giveaway saw Jemma Robertson line up a long shot that took a looping deflection off MacNee and bounced in for 1-0 inside of five minutes. Yeah sure try not to give the ball away in those areas. But that’s such a rough way to concede when the confidence is already sketchy.
It’s not like the Diamonds were slicing them to pieces though. Central’s defensive shape was pretty solid and they caused a couple of hiccups on the press. Hope Gilchrist had some nice moments for WU, with thumper from miles out that Heck palmed to safety and also a back-post header from a corner that she ought to have gotten on target but didn’t. Not a lot else in the first twenty mins... though that soon became a very different story. Robertson missed a great chance due to a heavy touch before Pepi Olliver-Bell, who’d set the move up, struck the post with the goal at her mercy (albeit a tricky point-blanker). Some brave defence on display from Central. Also a bit of luck balancing out when GK Leonie Heck’s parry off a POB cross spun past the far post. Then an excellent save from Heck to keep Natalie Olson out after a sharp run down the left edge.
All the while Central kept it close at 1-0. Actually, if Grace Smith’s long shot had been about half a metre to the right then they’d have hit the sheds at 1-1. That one happened about two minutes before half-time after she’d picked off an errant pass and then aaaalmost tied things up. Even still, they’d come through the tough stuff to have the benefit of a heavy breeze blowing towards the goal they’d be attacking the rest of the way, just one mere moment of magic away from getting even.
It’s not easy to threaten goals when you defend in a 4-5-1 shape but Central’s midfield block did contest plenty of passes and Mikaela Bouwmeester was a menace up top, working hard despite her isolation. They got a few things going through the dribbling speed of Ruby-Aroha Gurnick up the left as well... and Sarah Swinbanks wasn’t far away with a strong header on the end of a corner kick. Wouldn’t say that Central had them on the ropes but nerves were kicking in for Welly Utd – although those would’ve been eased if Olliver-Bell had shot either side of Leonie Heck with a fortuitous chance that fell her way on the hour.
But then Central’s Grace Smith had to leave the game after taking a football to the side of her head at close range, gotta keep it safe with those head knocks but Smithy had been leading the charge for Central from midfield. The Diamonds had already brought Sammi Preval on to try and shift that dynamic. And guess what? It was Preval who hit a gorgeous switch of play to send Natalie Olson into the area from the left on 71’ and, with Heck caught lagging at her near post, Olson provided the goal that Welly Utd needed to finally get a bit of control going. Liv Deane then scooped one over the top with the opportunity to make it threes. But Pepi Olliver-Bell eventually took care of that, dashing in behind towards a Gilchrist chip over the top and beating the keeper to the ball to score. Good reward for Olson and Olliver-Bell who were WU’s best threats all game with their rapid running.
Much improved from Central to only lose 3-0 in a game which was arguably closer than that sounds. They did lose their way as feared after Smith went off but up until that stage they were throwing cats amongst pigeons. Neither team seemed to have the finishing to match the build-up but eventually the Diamonds did find reward for their superior ability to stretch the field. Hope Gilchrist was awesome in that holding midfield role. Already mentioned the creative industry of POB and Olson (Olson played for Central during the South-Central Series year but went to school in Wellington). With Central we’re still in the learning phase with a lot of fresh players and one who stands out already is Ruby-Aroha Gurnick who was doing similar things to Olson on the opposite side just with less opportunity. Players who can dribble at pace are always worth attention.
Wellington United 3-0 Central
5’ | 1-0 | WU | Robertson
71’ | 2-0 | WU | Olson (Preval)
81’ | 3-0 | WU | Olliver-Bell (Gilchrist)
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Wellington Phoenix Reserves vs Southern United
The WeeWahiNix could hardly have expected a better National League debut than their 4-0 win away against Ellerslie. Southern United were also better than expected with truly competitive 1-0 loss at home against defending champs Eastern Suburbs. This week it was Southern who had to do the travelling as they met the Nix Reserves at Fraser Park. No senior team players for the Nix, not even the scholarships, as the ALW squad are currently in Australia for preseason. That led to five changes for Katie Barrott’s team with Rebekah Trewhitt in at right back, Libby McMillan at left-back, Kyra Elder in midfield, Georgie Furnell on the left wing... and also Alyssha Eglinton straight back in there after returning from the U16 Oceania Championships where she was one of Aotearoa’s best guiding them around the park from central midfield.
There were three changes for Southern as well, though nothing as notable as losing a bunch of professionals. For them it was more subtle with Freya Partridge-Moore, Marisa Porteous, and Jemma Wilson getting amongst it. The three players who dropped out (Roome, Woolley & McCormick) were all on the bench. Just a bit of sneaky rotation... and also a change in formation. Porteous joined Toni Power and Hannah Mackay-Wright in a back three with Wilson and Partridge-Moore as wing-backs. Abby Rankin was able to play further forward as a result, supporting striker Amy Hislop along with Margi Dias.
Southern United are a very solid, structured team that know exactly how they want to play, and with a few smart additions this year they’ve added more slick possession stuff into the mix. If the Phoenix were going to lose a bit of precision without their pros then this is exactly the kind of team that could punish them for that. And... yeah, that’s what they did. Seventh minute and a poor free kick was followed by a less than ideal cross out wide (from Partridge-Moore) but Marie Green couldn’t complete her clearance and Amy Hislop snuck in front of goalie Charlotte Eagle to head home for the visitors.
It wasn’t like Southern were swarming them with copious shots at goal but SU were definitely enjoying more of the action. They were rushing in and winning the ball, taking advantage of their extra physicality against a young Nix team. The back three were emphatic. Welly Nix barely took the ball over half-way, granted they did have some occasional pressure-easing passing moves in their own side of the field. Southern lost Jemma Wilson to an injury so Tahlia Roome replaced her. But there was nothing overwhelming... until Southern scored a quickfire double late in the half to stamp their authority. Kendrah Smith’s goal was a beauty from distance. Amy Hislop’s second was a brilliant header from a deep cross off the boot of Power. Two really well-taken goals and suddenly 1-0 had become 3-0. Log that in the books as a great half of football from the Southerners.
It was Charlotte Eagle’s turn to shine early in the second spell, making a brilliant one-handed diving stop to deny Hislop before also thwarting Partridge-Moore from a 1v1 (covering for a defensive giveaway by one of those in front of her). However that only lasted as long as the 59th minute when Hislop pressed E.McMillan off the ball in the penalty area then cut back for Margi Dias who found the bottom corner for 4-0. Then soon afterwards it became five when Smith charged forward and fed Hislop with her back to goal about ten yards out. Hislop flicked a touch into the arm of Marie Green and then converted the penalty kick herself. Mark that up as a hat-trick for Amy Hislop... who also set up the other two goals. Doesn’t get much more influential than that.
The penalty was unlucky but it came about at a time when Southern were basically claiming squatter’s rights in the Welly Nix half. Luckily for them, Southern subbed off Hislop and FPM soon after the fifth goal so it didn’t get any worse - although Shania McIntosh did hit the post, seemingly with a slight deflection as it led to a corner kick. The Nix also had Ella McMillan to thank for that as she produced a couple more lunging blocks. Great attitude from the captain with her team five goals down. Both teams unleashed the substitutes in those latter stages... SU even swapped goalies for the last ten. There ya go.
Southern United are always good defensively (okay, almost always) but they don’t usually serve up these sorts of home-cooked attacking meals. It did stem from defence. They pressed from the front and they rushed from the back. Mackay-Wright set a tone stepping up and closing down the Nix on half-way. Partridge-Moore and Power were excellent getting forward from the wing-back spots. Needless to say that Rose Morton and Kendrah Smith were a powerful dual force in midfield – while Smithy also scored a blinder of a goal. But of course it was Amy Hislop who took things to the extreme with her skilful hold-up play and opportunistic finishing. She’s back from the States having added a few more strings to her bow and now looks like one of the nation’s premier strikers. Southern were just too aggressive, too physical, and too sharp for a young WeeNix team to handle.
But that’s not to say that there weren’t a few Nixers who come out of that game with reputations enhanced. The experience is important no matter what happened... but Ella McMillan was class in midfield last week and class in defence this week, while some of Charlotte Eagle’s saves in that second half were straight off the top shelf. The Nix’s big win last week had a lot to do with the first-teamers that were available, especially an irresistible performance from Emma Main. They didn’t have that this week and suddenly they looked like a youth team. But that’s what they are. And there have been valuable lessons to take from both those matches.
Wellington Phoenix Reserves 0-5 Southern United
7’ | SU | 0-1 | Hislop (Partridge-Moore)
37’ | SU | 0-2 | Smith (Hislop)
39’ | SU | 0-3 | Hislop (Power)
59’ | SU | 0-4 | Dias (Hislop)
66’ | SU | 0-5 | Hislop [pen]
Canterbury United Pride vs Waterside Karori
Having the two Wellington clubs meet in week one was a nice touch but it didn’t really tell us much about how they’ll match up against the rest of the competition. Nor did Wellington United winning by a few spare goals against Central. Bless ‘em, but Central are going to lose most if not all of their games this year. They’ll have one or two surprises in them – they did last time with a win over Southern United – but while they do have a few more veteran leaders around the group this time, and spread out up and down the spine of the formation too, they perhaps also don’t quite have the same prodigious level of young talent as in the past... very much not helped by the Welly Nix Academy scooping up Bex Trewhitt, Georgie Furnell, and Lara Smith (you may have also noticed Amelia Simmers, Freya Partridge-Moore, and Abby Rankin doing great things for Southern Utd... all ex-Central players).
Point being that this game was the first proper barometer for either of the two Capital Football clubs. Waterside Karori travelling down to Christchurch, fresh from a draw against WU, to face the once mighty Canterbury United Pride who themselves lost 4-2 away to Auckland United last time. Bit sloppy against the pace and directness of AU. Bit of a rebuild going down in their squad having also lost a bunch of key players to the Welly Nix in recent times (in this case to the first team rather than the ressies: Longo, Lake, Taylor, McMeeken, Fraser, Whinham, van der Meer).
Three changes for Alana Gunn’s Pride team. Jayda Stewart, a member of that World Cup bronze medallist NZ U17s team who now plays internationally for Samoa, got a go on the wing, while Chloe Bellamy also swapped in for Charlotte Mortlock in the attacking midfield spot. Then also the expected change with midfield enforcer Whitney Hepburn back in the XI having really steadied things for them when she came on last week (all four goals were conceded before she was subbed on).
Waterside Karori also made a couple of changes that felt like improvements courtesy of a couple names you probably recognise: one was Renee Bacon, the other was Saski Vosper. Bacon is a proven WNL gunner who scores and assists and gives great dynamic energy. She was only on the bench last time so they’re automatically better with their number seven starting up front alongside Kaley Ward. Vosper was recently released from the Wellington Phoenix and might have surprised a few folks popping up in this line-up. She did play a lot alongside Sarah Morton in FFDP stuff once upon a time which might explain it. Vosper was the left wing-back in a 3-5-2 formation.
Both teams took turns on the attack in the first ten minutes, with a mistimed Stewart header from a corner the closest thing to a chance. But you could see the potential with space to be exploited out wide at both ends. That was one of Canterbury’s main issues last week with Bree Johnson torching them up the left wing and now they had Saskia Vosper to deal with. They were doing okay though. Avoided conceding an early goal. Anna McPhie was getting into some good areas, able to play a little further forward in midfield with Hepburn there as cover. Against AU, the Pride conceded in the 4th, 14th, 22nd, and 33rd minutes. Basically every ten minutes. This time they got past that point without being broken at all... thanks to a truly remarkable save from Una Foyle to keep Vosper out...
Finish could’ve been more clinical but that shot still beats most keepers. However the amount of space she’d found was a huge concern and the Wharfies slowly began to carve out more moments like that from the marble slab that was this football match. Ward eyed up a wonder goal from range after a quick-trigger through ball from Kennedy Bryant (standard KB activities). That one fizzed wide while the deep free kick that Bacon tried to score from ended up in Foyle’s grasp. Nikki Furukawa guided a side-footed wide at the near post.
It felt like WK were a little too inefficient in those final moments but were otherwise well on top. Eventually someone will answer if you keep knocking at the door and a few minutes before the half-time whistle, Furukawa smacked a curling dipping shot from the edge of the box that foiled Foyle and gave the Wharfies the lead.
The Pride wanted to be direct with counter-attacking intent. Yet the WK defenders were aggressive in stepping up and stopping them from doing so. There was one time, soon after that goal, when Dominikovich beat keeper Alisha Perry to ball with a header but Sarah Morton was in the right place at the right time to do the right thing and clear it off the line. So CUP altered the plan slightly by bringing on last year’s top scorer Charlotte Roche for Stewart at the break – someone who can play with her back to goal for some added variety.
How’d that go for them? Four minutes later Roche had equalised. It was a poacher’s effort from a corner kick after McPhie’s header had been blocked on the line. Roche was lurking like a striker ought to, there to poke home from inside of six yards. Charlotte Roche started the last five games of last season and scored in all of them (eight goals in total). She didn’t play in round one which means she’s now scored in six consecutive National League games. Her presence made an immediate difference, going toe to toe (and shoulder to shoulder) with those tough WK defenders... and if it weren’t for a scrambling save by Perry to deny both Roche and Bellamy from close range then the Pride would’ve been ahead.
There was a similar scramble soon after, which led to WK goalie Perry getting injured and having to be replaced by Annie Foote (another ex-Central player... also an ex-Canterbury player which is where she’s actually from). So it was that, with twenty minutes remaining, this thing was poised at 1-1 with the Pride looking the likelier threat as they hurled in corner kick after corner kick. Quite the turnaround... except that it didn’t last. Kaley Ward forced Foyle into a few more sharp saves, one from a free kick and one from a run into the area. Neither went in but that did allow Waterside to get back upfield where they wanted to be and the next time that Ward got into a position like that she took it wide and cut it back to Vosper instead... whose shot was deflected over towards Furukawa who got the final touch. Possible question mark over the offside. Referee and assistant did have a chat about that. Goal awarded.
Canterbury did what they could to respond by whipping a few tough crosses into the area. But injury breaks and substitutions kept them from being able to get any rolling momentum going and in the 88th minute the Wharfies ran away and scored a third – Kaley Ward crossing smartly towards Furukawa who had only the keeper to beat and made no mistake of it. This was a week for hat-tricks across both leagues and Nikki Furukawa wasn’t being left out. All that focus on the left wing-back and it was the right wing-back who bagged a treble.
Then, just to rub it in, because a couple of injury stoppages had stretched the game out, the Wharfies went and scored again in the ninth minute of stoppage time. Ward with another pinpoint cut-back. Kennedy Bryant with the first-time slash into the bottom corner from 18 yards. That was smooth. That was also the last kick of the game. The scoreline flattered Karori but they always seemed to have more of an edge when they needed it. 4-1 the final score. The Pride have lost both games conceding four in each... but they were on the brink of getting something from this one at the 75% stage. Never quite finished loading. Surely Charlotte Roche has gotta start next week against Central.
As for the Wharfies, that’s a rock solid team they’ve got. Morton leads the way from the back, she had another dominating afternoon here. Furukawa’s hat-trick certainly didn’t go astray, nor did the hat-trick of assists from Kaley Ward – the American showing a creative touch way beyond her goal-scoring reputation. And an undercover star within that win? Look no further than Margot Ramsay in the midfield. Ramsay was an emerging player in Auckland a few years back, going to the qualifying for the U17 World Cup wave when we ended up finishing third but not making the final squad. Her older brother is Oscar Ramsay who is one of the key players at Western Springs – Margot is in Wellington at Vic Uni, as you might’ve guessed. She had a great game sweeping around the park and making consistently smart decisions.
Canterbury United Pride 1-4 Waterside Karori
41’ | WK | 0-1 | Furukawa (Ward)
49’ | CU | 1-1 | Roche
77’ | WK | 1-2 | Furukawa
88’ | WK | 1-3 | Furukawa (Ward)
90+9’ | WK | 1-4 | Bryant (Ward)
Eastern Suburbs vs Auckland United
Our lone Sunday game this round was a rematch of a men’s fixture from a day earlier. There it had been Auckland United hosting Eastern Suburbs with a battling 1-1 draw the outcome. Here it was Eastern Suburbs welcoming their guests to Madills Farm as the top two teams from the NRFL Premier division standings went head to head. Lilywhites coach Stephen Hoyle had played (and set up the equalising goal) in that men’s game on Saturday. Still no Tayla O’Brien for that lot but they did offer a debut to ex-Wellington Phoenix player Charlotte Lancaster, while Emily Gillion also made her first start for the club after impressing off the bench in their 1-0 win down south last week. Loooong trip all the way to Dunedin and back in a single day. This time they had the comforts of home to fall back upon.
Auckland United were coming off a high-scoring win over Canterbury, inspired by an excellent Bree Johnson performance. They made four alterations to that team. Aimee Hall in as goalkeeper. Jess Philpot returned in central defence, also wearing the captain’s armband. Yume Harashima got a start in midfield. And Poppy O’Brien likewise on the right wing.
As with many of the FIFA+ streams to date, this one was marred by some initial gremlins that caused them to miss the kickoff. Thankfully it wasn’t much longer before the problems were solved because Auckland United wasted no time at all against the defending WNL champs. They were directly onto the attack, winning a free kick on the left edge. Harashima’s cross didn’t find a taker but the loose ball fell to Rene Wasi who swung a leg and dispatched that thing into the bottom corner inside of two minutes. Don’t even worry about it.
That was quite a start. Wasi scored twice last week and she almost had two in four minutes here dashing in behind with some lightning pace after Johnson had sent an early ball through. Johnson also had a couple runs of her own, including one that she sliced wide off the left boot with the keeper to beat. Some wasted chances there but it was clear that Eastern Suburbs were struggling against the pace of those United forwards.
Thing is, Suburbs have some decent forwards of their own and they soon made them pay for their profligacy by tying things back up after Aimee Atkins’ deep cross was nodded back over by Erinna Wong and then guided home by Nicole Cooper. But then guess how long it took for United to respond? The answer is about seven seconds... at least from the point of kickoff. Wasi touched it back to Maisy Dewell who struck a beauty of a long ball over the top and what do ya know that pace in behind did the trick again and this time Bree Johnson buried it for 2-1.
It didn’t really affect things but United were playing with ten while those two goals were scored after Maya Vince had painfully rolled an ankle. O’Brien dropped in to cover her at right back before Penny Brill was subbed on after Johnson’s goal. And that wasn’t all for the injuries: Manami Nishio also wandered over to the bench and had to be replaced by Holly Rennell after twenty minutes, meanwhile Suburbs captain Nicole Mettam got some treatment but was okay to continue.
The Lilywhites thought they’d levelled it up again on 22’. Everybody thought they had as Hall came out for a free kick into the mixer and didn’t claim it, leaving Saki Yoshida to nod a looping header over the line. But that got disallowed... presumably for an offside on the initial cross. Could’ve maybe been a perceived foul on the keeper too. Dunno but it didn’t count. Suburbs were settling into some better field position around that time, although the threat of the counter attack remained as did the threat of AU’s set pieces, apparently, because after scoring their first from the scramble following a dead ball cross they almost did the same again when Johnson had two attempts, one blocked by Yoshida and the other quite brilliantly saved by Brooke Bennett.
Subs managed to limit those piercing runners largely by combating them further up the field, with the industrious work of Charlotte Wilford-Carroll again catching the eye. They were able to find space out wide themselves but were too reliant on hopeful crosses when they got there. Still 2-1 to AU at the break so Suburbs made a change to sure up their midfield: Ella Findlay on for Gillion. That certainly helped them defensively but they were still losing and needed goals so ten mins into the half they also swapped out their wing-backs with Annie Byrne coming on at RWB and Zoe Benson at LWB.
Yoshida missed a big one heading over from a corner. Benson also volleyed high from a Byrne cross. Hall made a lunging one-handed save from a cracking Mettam strike. The Lilywhites were recycling one attack into the next but time was ticking by and a second goal wasn’t arriving. Up the other end, Wasi did have one chance to sprint and Johnson had a deflected shot from distance but Kenyah Brooke was on top of all that. Then Nicole Cooper scored. Yeah, it had to happen eventually. A snapshot volley that looped into the bottom corner. Tidy placement. And you could tell from the reactions that Eastern Suburbs weren’t happy with merely drawing level. They were in it to win it. So Nicole Cooper went and did it again for a third time...
Love that drop of the shoulder from Lancaster – whose shoulders are usually used for flattening defenders. Clever ball across the six yard box too but that backheeled finish from Cooper through the legs of Harashima? That’s the chef’s kiss right there. What a way to win it. What a way to bring up your hat-trick as well.
Suburbs thus made it three wins from three against United this year, having to come from a goal down with a dozen mins remaining but getting the points all the same. They struggled against the pace of AU’s forwards to begin with yet steadily limited those passages and took more control in the second half. It wasn’t flawless but it was the kind of win that the best teams are able to manufacture. Two weeks in and the only two teams with perfect records are last year’s finalists.
Auckland United will be gutted to let it slip. They didn’t have as many clean chances after that first twenty-odd minutes of blitzing action however they defended pretty well and got close enough to taste it. Those first half injuries contributed, taking out a couple of starters and also using up two of their three substitution windows which left the rest of them to battle through fatigue down the stretch. All six of United’s goals have been scored in first halves. They lost some midfield punch when Chloe Knott and Marisa van der Meer returned to the Wellington Phoenix and without Chelsea Elliott this game, so to also lose Nishio early in this game was a bit of an issue. That and also the exploits of Agent Cooper.
Eastern Suburbs 3-2 Auckland United
2’ | AU | 0-1 | Wasi
14’ | ES | 1-1 | Cooper (Wong)
15’ | AU | 1-2 | Johnson (Dewell)
80’ | ES | 2-2 | Cooper
86’ | ES | 3-2 | Cooper (Lancaster)
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