2025 Women’s National League – Week 9
Canterbury United Pride vs Central Football
Sorry to say this but we’ve come to the end of the Women’s National League. This was the final round of the regular season (with just the grand final next week to follow)... and the first two teams to fold up their calendars and begin their holidays were Canterbury United and Central. Both would have been happy to get it over with – lots of goals conceded between this pair over the previous eight weeks. But the Pride did bag a win against Petone last time out so they had a bit of momentum as they neared the finish line. Frankie Morrow returned to captain them with Sophie Hawkins also in the eleven. Otherwise unchanged from last time. Central made three alterations with Maire Walker, Jacqueline Broughton, and Ruby Gilbertson all back in the side. Ideally they would have been chasing their first win of the season at the final attempt... but before they could even ponder that they had to chase their first goal.
The Pride took the pressure off themselves with that win last week because they were having fun out there. Against a team that they could control possession against, they pushed high and were looking to combine in the attacking third. Not settling for shots from distance but really getting Margi Dias and Kate Loye involved and seeking that extra pass. Albeit, their first goal did come from a long range whipper as Loye laid the ball back for Tsumi Higuchi who swung her boot through the thing and curled it past Chloe McGregor in goal from twenty yards. Dias almost added a second but she couldn’t get onto a pass in behind before McGregor did. So they tried the same ploy again from deeper, allowing more room to run into, and this time Dias did get there between defenders and goalkeeper to poke home. Not even fifteen minutes deep and already the result was beyond Central’s reach... though there was still that first goal to seek.
Broughton put a snapshot wide after 20 mins, that was promising for Central. But then McGregor misjudged a cross from Frankie Morrow that accidentally snuck inside the near post and, three mins later, Morrow scored another when she ran onto a flicked header from Dias and produced a very sharp finish. Yet again this extremely youthful Central side was under the pump. Canterbury aren’t on the level of teams like Auckland United or Wellington United though. They connected with some lovely one-touch combinations in the midfield but there were also a lot of overhit through balls and misplaced crosses (only one of which ended up in the goal). Hence Central at least managed to hustle through to the break without further damage – albeit they did get lucky when Dias beat two defenders near the byline before chopping in and shooting off the post.
Mackenzie Butler came on for Jorja Horn at half-time... Butler is actually a Christchurch native who moved up to Palmy for university. But before Central had even touched the ball in the second half, Higuchi had already hit the crossbar, a chance she probably should have scored after meeting a low cross from an overlapping Claudia Wilson. She must only like the difficult ones because the next chance she got, she took a beautiful first touch to pluck a Loye cross out of the air and then lashed it into the roof of the net from a deceptive angle. Higuchi’s second of the day... and Loye’s third assist. That was all she needed so the veteran Loye (who has been outstanding these last couple weeks) took her rest just before the hour, replaced by Holly Lyon.
Just before that happened, McGregor nearly made a blunder with a long shot from Darsha Keogan. She dropped it through her hands but managed to regather before it crossed the line. McGregor is on U15s futsal teamlists from as recent as last year so that’s a clue as to how young she is. The fumbles are pretty common... but that’ll come right with more confidence and experience. She’s got a good frame for a goalie and makes solid decisions, looks to be a very promising keeper in the making. But she did get beaten for a sixth when Margi Dias followed up her own initial attempt with a diving header for 6-0 with half an hour still remaining.
There would be more where that came from. An accidental handball, off the knee into the arm, allowed Frankie Morrow to complete her hatty from the penalty spot on 70’. Then Higuchi flipped in her own hat-trick goal from a deep curling delivery from Morrow. And with ten to go, Morrow released Holly Lyon up the left wing, who angled infield and launched a shot that bounced just in front of McGregor and crept past her for nine. Being the last game of the season and all, the Pride cleared their being including a debut for Shiloh Jenkins and a rare chance for Hayley Julian in goal. It got a bit disjointed from there and Central were able to get into position for a few long shots... but nothing that could break the duck. Canterbury still wanted that clean sheet and they kept sweeping and sliding and getting feet in the rest of the way. 9-0 final score. Game over and season over.
That was a vintage result for the Pride. Not quite a vintage performance but they won’t care, they scored more goals in this one fixture than they did in all the other eight combined. Two hat-tricks. Gotta go back to Charlotte Roche late in the 2022 season for the last Pride player to score three in a game and they had two of them. Frankie Morrow scored in that Roche match (a 7-2 win against Auckland United back when Manaia Elliott and Ruby Nathan were still with AU, one year before they began their dynasty). Morrow and Loye have been a notch above all season and both absolutely feasted here – Morrow with three goals and three assists, Loye with three assists. Higuchi got three-for. Dias two goals and an assist. They got solid shifts from the likes of Lily Fisher and Darsha Keogan carrying on from last week. On the whole, this was a poor campaign from Canterbury United, quite possible the federation team’s worst ever. They were rebuilding on top of a rebuilding year, with a very inexperienced squad that wasn’t quite ready for the National League. But they finished strong to at least put daylight between themselves and the bottom couple places on the ladder.
Meanwhile Central just went an entire season without even scoring a goal. They were doomed from the start with a squad that should have ben playing National Youth League and while there’s value in seeing where the level is at for these girls to aim for, you have to feel sorry for them being put in a situation where they got thrashed every week. Zero goals scored, 69 conceded. That is admittedly one fewer than they allowed in 2022... but then that was a 14-game season and this one only a nine. Nope, even by Central standards this was a shocker. With the league expected to go fully club-based in 2027, you have to wonder if there’ll even be a Central Football team next year (to be honest, NZF ought to step in if they can’t muster up a more competitive approach than this, it’s just not a good look). But within the struggles there are always some silver linings. Tegan Andrews-Paul, Caitlyn Byrne, Scarlett McIvor, Mackenzie Butler... some very handy prospects coming through Central Football this year. Those are names we’ll hear plenty more of in the coming years.
Canterbury United Pride 9-0 Central Football
Goals (Assists)
8’ | 1-0 | CU | Higuchi (Loye)
13’ | 2-0 | CU | Dias (Morrow)
25’ | 3-0 | CU | Morrow (Loye)
28’ | 4-0 | CU | Morrow (Dias)
49’ | 5-0 | CU | Higuchi (Loye)
60’ | 6-0 | CU | Dias
70’ | 7-0 | CU | Morrow [p]
75’ | 8-0 | CU | Higuchi (Morrow)
80’ | 9-0 | CU | Lyon (Morrow)
Wellington United vs Auckland United
Auckland United confirmed their top spot last week with the win against Southern United. What’s more, it was announced during the week that they’ll be hosting the grand final, with the usual venue of North Harbour Stadium being shunted “following feedback from the Clubs on a desire to bring the finals closer to their communities”. Kinda makes it sound like Auckland United just asked nicely if they could keep it... but once they moved the two finals to separate days it probably made North Harbour (or Mt Smart or any stadium) untenable. Keith Hay Park it shall be instead.
These were the two highest scoring teams in direct competition and it was also a possible preview of next week’s final if Wellington United could spring an upset against a team that was undefeated in their previous 26 Women’s National League matches, including two grand finals. 23 wins and 3 draws in that span, scoring 76 goals and conceded just 11 of them. Unreal. Although Auckland United did have a different complexion to them here, choosing to rotate things around for what was in their case a dead rubber. That meant starts for Kris Molloy, Ava Pritchard, Emma Rolston, and Ellie La Monte. Cool story about Ellie La Monte, their Aussie wing import... turns out she was born in Napier. Hell yeah. But the real excitement came from seeing NZ U17 World Cup reps Ariana Vosper (right-back) and Piper O’Neill (defensive midfield) in the eleven.
Wellington United did their rotating last week against Central so were back at full capacity here, including Blair Currie returning between the sticks, Carolyn O’Reilly making her first start after three sub appearances (she’s only recently back from a long term knee injury), and Natalie Olson playing potentially her last game for the club (at least for a wee while). She’s linking up with the Thailand national team for the upcoming international window, hopefully to make her debut, and is expected to play in the Aussie NPL next year. Sounds like there could be a whole lot of player turnover at the Diamonds, all the more reason to make the most of this match.
Having made a habit of conceding early goals at the start of the term, there were shades of that unhappy Wellington United trait inside of a minute when Rollo flicked a header in behind for La Monte who blasted over the top. On the one hand, WU’s defensive record has been waaay better over the past month but on the other hand that may only have been because they were playing weaker teams. This would be the real test... and you know what? The Diamonds settled nicely after that initial scare. They were battling away in midfield and looking to unleash the front three... just not quite getting the passes to stick. But the tempo was excellent, helped by the fact that the referee was letting some pretty chunky challenges go without whistles. Don’t mind it, don’t mind it.
Despite the 69 goals in 16 games between these two teams, chances were of limited supply... although there was encouragement both ways with AU swinging a few set pieces into the area and Laskey slicing wide for WU. Alder wasn’t far off either when she ripped one over the bar after her initial free kick had hit the wall. AU defender Alaina Granger did brilliantly to cut out a Maggie Jenkins cross. Hannah Mitchell then dove to save Laskey’s header from the resulting corner. Meanwhile Auckland were finding their supply lines to Rolston blocked out but Currie did have to make a nice save from a Kiara Bercelli free kick. We’ve seen both Bercelli and Laskey score wonderful free kicks this season. Not this time though. A proactive Mitchell also did great to shut down a Natalie Olson 1v1 (after a through ball from Jenkins, of course).
Auckland United were in a serious battle... but that’s nothing new for this team. They were also in a serious battle when they beat West Coast 1-0 thanks to a debatable 77th min penalty, and when they needed an 88th min equaliser to draw with Eastern Suburbs, and even in the 2-0 win over Southern last week which was goalless at the break. This game wasn’t goalless at the break though, not after Amelia Abbott gave the Diamonds a shining lead in stoppage time when she absolutely lashed a screamer into the top corner after Summer Laskey had shown an excellent touch to hold up a Blair Currie Bomb. Incredible strike.
That might have shaken up the Aucklanders because on came Dani Canham and Jess Philpot at HT... then again it might not have because Alaina Granger and Chloe Knott coming off suggested that those were pre-planned changes. Again there was an incredible chance for AU very early in the half, this time as Bercelli chipped a wicked reverse ball for Rollo who couldn’t keep her balance as she volleyed high. But again that early chance wasn’t a foreshadow. Wellington United needed this win much, much more and you could sense it with every kick.
Laskey’s pace set up a disallowed goal (Olson was offside as she bundled it over the line) as Wellington continued to pepper the area with crosses, really swarming Auckland with their press. On came Annalie Longo and Shev Edwards to try and solve that issue... and one of Longo’s very first touches was to whip a free kick on target, which Currie bobbled but she regathered under pressure. But this not-quite-full-strength AUFC side were missing something vital. Welly Utd were so focused, so committed. Not a lot of chances for them either... but they already had their goal so they weren’t bothered. The respective goalkeepers continued to gather up anything that came too close and the match wound down into completion. The final whistle blew and with that Auckland United had suffered their first WNL defeat since October 2023.
This wasn’t necessarily going to be enough for Wellington United, they knew that from the start. Even with the win they still needed their buddies at Petone to get a result against Eastern Suburbs the following day. But this outstanding team effort kept hopes alive for one more night, as well as giving them something major to finish the season with. That made it five wins in a row for the Diamonds with three consecutive clean sheets (this one considerably more meaningful than the ones against Petone and Central). Can’t fault any of them but Amelia Abbott was magnificent, Zoe Barrott had a blinder, Maggie Jenkins still kept everyone on their toes even in a rare game without any goals or assists for her, and Summer Laskey was immense on that left wing. Jenkins (15 goals) will soon have a Golden Boot trophy to show for her efforts.
Auckland United have come close to slipping in a few games recently and here with a couple of key players absent (Yume Harashima was the one they missed the most, though Rene Wasi and Zoe Barrott would have helped them heaps) they finally found a hurdle they couldn’t get over. But they’re still going to the grand final to try win a third title in a row so what’s the big deal?
Wellington United 1-0 Auckland United
45+1’ | 1-0 | WU | Abbott (Laskey)
West Coast Rangers vs Wellington Phoenix Reserves
The win for Wellington United on Saturday effectively eliminated West Coast Rangers 24 hours before their game even kicked off. They needed to win by 15 goals to catch the goal difference of the Diamonds and not even Central have lost by that much this year, while WCR themselves hadn’t scored more than five in any other match. The ship had sailed and that was down to three games which got away from them, only one of which needed to be a win for them to be in reach of the top two: there was the 1-0 smash-and-grab loss to Petone, the dramatic 1-0 loss to Auckland United, and the 0-0 draw with Eastern Suburbs last week.
Nevertheless, Rangers picked their best available eleven as they aimed to finish on a positive note – the only absentee being the suspended Marissa Porteous after her red card last week. Lorna Selby replaced her, slotting in on the left-wing with Kailey Short captaining in MP’s absence. Ella Dorward (RB), Tessa Huntington (CB), Laney Strachan (CB), AJ Ujdur (CM), Sienna Higinbotham (CM), Kailey Short (LB/RW), and Shannon Henson (RW) all started every single game for Rangers. Seven ever-present starters... the most of any team.
On the Wellington Phoenix side, this was an away game on the same day that the first team were in action but they were spared the services of Ela Jerez for her second start (having been a late scratch last week – she seems to have had a few injuries lately). The only other change from the 3-2 win against Western Springs was match-winner Maisy McDonald in to start at right wing-back... with no sign of Grace Barlett because she was on the bench for the A-League side, first ALW matchday squad for her. Fine reward after a strong few months for both the WeeNix and the NZ U19s - Bartlett followed the example of Lily Brazendale who made her ALW debut last week and was also on that same bench. Sure there’s an injury crisis at the Wellington Phoenix (feels like there’s always an injury crisis there) but that’s what academy depth is for.
To the surprise of nobody, Rangers were keen to use their physicality as an advantage, trying to take this game by the scruff. Emily Lyon was giving troubles... but the Nix were also having a few moments via Jerez wriggling out of pressure. She drew a really good save with a crack from the edge of the box and was also eyeing up some mint through balls. It ended up with some pretty promising possession for the Nix across the initial twenty-or-so minutes and already WCR were running out of time to score their 15 goals. Alyssha Eglinton broke into the area but Tessa Huntington came swooping over with a crunching (and perfectly timed) challenge to stop her from scoring. Otherwise it was pretty evenly matched once WCR saw off that initial spell. Rangers had an advantage at set piece time. The Phoenix had an advantage from open play with their fluid passing. It all seemed to balance out.
But then right as it seemed it’d be scoreless half-time, Anjelina Ujdur lifted an awesome long pass over the defensive line from inside her own half and Shannon Henson was on it in a flash, lifting the ball over Brooke Neary to put Rangers ahead. Ujdur was playing a little deeper in the absence of Porteous and she looked great there, getting stuck into everything and moving the ball well. As for Henson, scoring goals is simply what she does. She’s the two-time reigning NRFL Premiership Golden Boot after all.
One down and fourteen to go? Probably not because five minutes into the second half, Holly Robins hit a ball over the top every bit as smooth as Ujdur’s one and Maisy McDonald collected it, switched back onto her right boot, and curled in a superb finish. Another big goal for the 18yo. Then the Nix nearly did it again straight after, this time it was Candy going long with the pass and Poppy O’Brien running on... but Campbell got out of her area and tackled her.
Katie Pugh and Natalie Young, two more U17 World Cup reps, were thrown into the action after 56 mins for the Nix. Rangers also had an U17 World Cup rep on the bench in Taylor Vujnovich and she wouldn’t have to much longer for her introduction (nor Leila Butler), the coaches giving a few top young prospects an extended run with the season’s end in sight. Add in a few injury stoppages and even more substitutes (including Jo Peel, the backup keeper for WCR – her second sub appearance after also getting a late spot against Central two weeks back) and pretty soon it felt like last day of school vibes. All that remained was whether or not there’d be a winner. Phoebe Hawes played a remarkable ball through for Pugh but Peel closed her down just in time. Laney Strachan powered a header on target from a Lyon corner and somehow Neary made a save equally as impressive as the one Peel had just made. Rangers then put the ball back in the area where Olivia Curgenven almost snuck it through until some combination of Neary and Mackenzie Greene got rid. Nobody was stopping Emily Lyon from here though...
See, that’s why Emily Lyon’s got so much hype. All afternoon she’d been creating chances for others, especially with those inswinging corners (from both sides with both feet)... then five minutes into stoppage time something decent finally comes her way and she buried it without hesitation. Note the AJ Ujdur long ball assist for the second time in the match. But that wasn’t the winning goal, no way. All those injuries meant there was still time for Alyssha Eglinton to almost chip Jo Peel from miles out and then, from the corner kick, Eglinton leapt up highest at the back post to bunt in an equaliser. Rightio. Call it a draw then.
Another positive result for the WeeNix following on from last week. In their previous two WNL campaigns they managed a combined 8 points from 18 games. This season they took 11 from nine. Excellent progress achieved by some really exciting young players. Maisy McDonald was a star in this one, not for the first time either, with a goal and assist. She was really getting stuck in (including with a little of the niggly stuff, gotta love a youngster who doesn’t back away). Holly Robins was great again – her height certainly helps with the defensive stuff but it’s her ability on the ball, stepping up and threading passes, that makes her so valuable. Shout out to the Amber De Wit/Alyssha Eglinton pivot which started three games together and all three came with happy outcomes: 6-0 vs Central, 3-2 vs Springs, 2-2 vs WCR. Might be the last time we see it because ADW is heading off to university in America next year but that’s where the likes of Natalie Young and Libby McMillan will get their opportunities. Plenty more to be written about this WeeNix season in the coming weeks. Very good things are happening there.
In all honesty, that’s probably a game that Rangers would have won if they’d held back on a few of those substitutions. So it goes... they didn’t have anything to play for and that experience will prove valuable for those who got it. And it’s not like they lost. After that sloppy defeat in week one against Petone, only Auckland United (a team they’ve gone back and forth with all season) were able to beat this side. They’re NRFL champs. Just banked a top-four finish in the National League (improving on last year’s efforts in every regard: wins, points, goals scored, goals conceded). And this is still a relatively young team with room to grow – they’re going to stick around, best believe it. Hopefully that includes the likes of AJ Ujdur and Leila Butler, both of whom are kiwis who’d been playing in Australia.
West Coast Rangers 2-2 Wellington Phoenix Reserves
45+3’ | 1-0 | WCR | Henson (Ujdur)
51’ | 1-1 | WP | McDonald (Robins)
90+5’ | 2-1 | WCR | Lyon (Ujdur)
90+7’ | 2-2 | WP | Eglinton (McDonald)
Eastern Suburbs vs Petone
As far as Eastern Suburbs were concerned, it didn’t actually matter what happened in those other games because they only ever needed to win their game in order to join Auckland United in the decider. Home against second-to-last placed Petone, who’ve been struggling to score goals but do have a pretty decent defence (not nearly as good as Suburbs, mind you – who’d only conceded three in their last six). No two ways about it: this was a game that Eastern Suburbs were always expected to win.
To that end, they were largely unaltered from the battling 0-0 against WCR which put them in this position – just two injury enforced changes with Charley March in for Emily Pilbrow and Tayla O’Brien getting a start up top for Ruby Nathan as they kept with the ol’ faithful back three. Nathan was fit enough for the bench at least, as was Sammi Tawharu returning after a month out. On the other side, Petone were without top scorer Renee Bacon (2 goals in 6 games) and Nicola Ross (who only ever played three games for them). Those two were WNL loanees from Waterside Karori so you cannot say they didn’t try to boost their attack, it’s just that the fates decreed otherwise. However, they did have Jazz Shailer, a good young midfielder, back from suspension and Emmy Lantz also got a start in the frontline.
It might have been fun for Petone to know they could be the spoilers for some Central League solidarity. At least it gave them something to play for. With these kinds of games, it’s all about milestones. Get through the first 15 minutes unscathed. Then the next block and then the next block. The longer the Lilywhites went without scoring, the more the tension would rise – and Petone’s best attribute is how well they sit deep in that compact back four. O’Brien had a good chance from a corner after five minutes but she couldn’t keep her header down. Later TOB would glance another header across the face of goal from a super Mettam cross. That was an even better chance but nope, still scoreless, thus the first 15 minute block was ticked off.
Petone’s wingers were really trying to stretch their legs into the outside channels behind the ES wing-backs. Never seemed to get enough numbers in support but it did give them an outlet to apply some pressure. Far from being one-way traffic, it was actually quite evenly balanced apart from the times when O’Brien was leaping for headers... her the third one, six yards out off balance from a corner, was wonderfully saved by Aoife Gallagher-Forbes. Fourth time was the charm though. TJ Anderson long throw, Tayla O’Brien guided header. The sighs from Wellington United headquarters were heard all the way up the North Island as Eastern Suburbs took the lead after half an hour.
Emmy Lantz and Phoebe Gray combined for the latter to whip one on target straight after so 1-0 wasn’t necessarily going to be a safe lead (remember they had to win, a draw was no good for the Lilywhites). Kenya Brooke went down hard prior to that Gray shot and had to be replaced – Ruby Nathan was the one summoned, braving through her sore ankle, with the Lilywhites going to a back four since they didn’t have a natural defender on the bench. Ella Findlay could have dropped deeper but where’s the fun in that? AGF made another top save against Anderson on the run and it was 1-0 at half-time. 45 to go for a place in the final.
A second goal would probably do the trick except O’Brien flicked her fifth clean headed shot of the match over the top (off another long throw). Suburbs weren’t doing a whole lot from open play aside from some TOB and Neuefeind long shots... but the throws took care of all essential duties. Just before the hour ticked past, TJ Anderson hurled yet another throw into the danger zone and with Tayla O’Brien winning every single damn header the law of averages told that she’d eventually put another one away. She did. Copy and paste.
They subbed O’Brien off after that. Enough was enough, with Zoe Brazier getting 25 mins of action in her stead. Petone’s spirits (and those of Wellington United) had already been broken and pretty soon it was three when AGF got rushed playing out and passed straight to Ella Findlay who made no mistake. It was all academic from there. Neuefeind hit the crossbar with one of those cross/shots, benches were cleared, Amelia Hitchcock blasted one wide after an intercept just outside the box, Brazier was denied by a class two-handed stop from AGF, Brazier also got in the way of a belted effort from TJA, Nathan headed over from a corner, Caelin Patterson made about three or four crucial goalmouth interventions, and then the game ended. Eastern Suburbs are National League grand finalists. It’ll be the 2023 and 2024 champions against the 2022 champions.
This sets up a fascinating decider because the Lilywhites are one of the few teams to have beaten Auckland United this year... and were only minutes away from doing so again a few weeks back in the Nats. But that’s for next week. This week’s game was a simple one in which Eastern Suburbs poked and prodded and found one key weakness which they exploited over and over again and should probably have scored more than they did. Crazy stuff considering almost every single time it was Anderson to O’Brien, so easy and so direct. It would have been interesting to see how this all might have unfolded if Eastern Subs didn’t have the long throw option. There wasn’t a whole lot from open play... but maybe that’s because they didn’t need to try anything extra.
Fifth cleanie for Corina Brown. Only six goals conceded this season and three games in a week two loss to Welly Utd (their only defeat, against the team they pipped for second place). Fitting that TOB would lead them back to the decider seeing as how she was one of the superstars when they won the 2022 edition – Rebekah van Dort, Nicole Mettam, and Kenya Brooke are the other players left from the 2022 final. Ella Findlay was also in that squad but missed the final. Credit to another wicked game from TJ Anderson too, the American midfielder has been one of the undersung heroes of this whole season. Meanwhile, Petone’s first bow in the WNL ended with four consecutive scoreless defeats... they peaked in week one but it’s a young squad and they’ll learn from it. Aoife Gallagher-Forbes had a blinder here despite the mistake for the third goal. Caelin Patterson and Marie Green were pretty good too, just needed to be taller for those long throws.
Eastern Suburbs 3-0 Petone
30’ | 1-0 | ES | O’Brien (Anderson)
59’ | 2-0 | ES | O’Brien (Anderson)
66’ | 3-0 | ES | Findlay
Southern United vs Western Springs
And last but not least... actually it probably was least... but its leastness doesn’t make it any less last. This here was a meeting between two teams with grand final ambitions who fell short of that mark. Western Springs hit the skids by losing to all of their fellow Auckland clubs (and then also the Wellington Phoenix). Southern United never hit the skids but they did also lose to the other three Auckland clubs. Their only three defeats. Nothing to play for here except maybe, depending on other results, the chance to jump a spot in the final standings. Logan Park in Dunedin was the site.
Southern United, like a few other teams with nothing left to play for this round, chose to mix it up with their selections and reward a few depth players. The good news is that Aussie midfielder Georgia Keen avoided any serious damage with last week’s injury and in fact was there to start against Springs. But Amy Hislop was absent again and Hannah Mackay-Wright sat this one out too. Emma Vane was on the bench. Raegan Potter made her first start of the term while Gracie Va’afusuaga, Kiera Pettefar, and Zara Pratley also came into the side. Western Springs only made one change from their loss to the WeeNix with Sarah Morton bringing her experience into the midfield (not the defensive three where she’s usually been used). Sarah Morton in midfield versus Rose Morton in midfield? Yeah, that’s the good stuff.
Springs began brighter to start, getting lots of touches for Maddi Ollington and Britney Cunningham-Lee and you already know that’s a sign of danger. S.Morton headed in from an offside position. Ollington flipped a shot over the bar. Trouble was brewing quickly... although on the plus side for Southern, Rose Morton did make an excellent tackle on her sister that left Sarah picking herself up from the turf.
Cunningham-Lee should have scored when she rolled her defender to collect a square ball but a combination of not hitting the corners and Lauren Paterson making a spectacular save meant that she didn’t. The Swans were getting closer and closer, with Namani Omasa striking the joinery from ten yards after Ollington cut one back for her and then Paterson denying BCL again on the rebound. Southern couldn’t even get out of their own half. Finally, the resistance was broken after half an hour when Maddi Ollington burst through the defensive line onto a flick from BCL. Paterson still could not be beaten in a 1v1 but Olly regathered the parry and lifted the ball back into the middle with the outside of her boot on the move. Cunningham-Lee did the rest from close range.
Two minutes later, it was two. Anna McPhie (who’d also started the move for the first goal by turning in midfield and pushing a pass forward) picked out Ollington outside the area. Olly shaped up a shot that was curling and swerving and dipping until Paterson reached out a hand and made another great stop. Alas, BCL was there hunting for the seconds. Same combo as the first goal. Same combo as so many goals from Western Springs this year.
Unfortunate scenes for Springs with young Ava Lewis having to go off injured after a first half collision, she and Sienna Makwana really seem to have nailed down starting spots lately. Liz Savage came on in place of Lewis and almost immediately should have set up a goal, driving through and seeing her low cross misjudged by keeper and defender... only for BCL to inexplicably stab wide with no keeper in the frame. That should have been her hatty. However, Maddi Ollington made no mistake running onto an Omasa through ball from halfway, rounding Paterson and hitting that empty net for 3-0 in first half stoppages. Admittedly it was against a weakened Southern defence... but this was that scintillating early season version of Western Springs.
Pretty much from the opening whistle there was only one way that this game was going. Southern were burnt out from last week’s narrow defeat away to Auckland Utd which spoiled their top two chances. They couldn’t handle the Western Springs jandal. Half-time saw a couple more Southern youngsters thrown into the fold, Lucy Dermody and Hannah Scott. Later on they’d chuck on Charlotte Summers and Sophia Body. In all four cases, these were season debuts – and for Summers and Dermody they were WNL debuts. Southern were a bit better in second half... but that didn’t prevent the Swans from scoring a fourth when Ollington hit a crossfield switch to Savage running beyond and Liz Savage produced a delicious chipped finish. And then a fifth when a corner kick fell to Ollington back post and she introduced it to the roof of the net.
At least Southern did dodge another one when Bel van Noorden showed great still to get into the box but then shot off the post. Southern recalibrated after that poor spell and had a few moments of their own as the substitutes began to flow for the Swans as well. But they got popped twice more towards the end when BCL unselfishly squared to Bel van Noorden to score, before Anna McPhie smashed in a seventh from distance in stoppages. That was a 7-0 loss at home to conclude the 2025 campaign, not ideal. Also not reflective of a Southern defence that had only allowed eight goals in eight games before that.
Despite the scoreline, Lauren Paterson had arguably her strongest outing of the year. Some of the saves she made, jeepers. Her progression over the last couple years has been amazing. Southern United still held onto a +5 goal difference for the overall season, sitting fifth same with no further damage done. Slight improvement on last year. Perhaps didn’t hit the heights hoped for after the success of Dunedin City and Otago Uni in the South Island League but so it goes. You’ll have spotted already they they averaged one goal conceded per game with Hannah Mackay-Wright in the line-up and seven goals conceded per game without HMW. They were undefeated against teams outside of Auckland but lost all four against the 09.
Western Springs had two versions during this National League: unstoppable and stopped. It all depended on whether their opponents could handle BCL and Ollington. Southern, in this incarnation, could not... hence two goals and an assist for Cunningham-Lee and two goals and three assists for Ollington (who joins Maggie Jenkins with eight overall as the Assist Queens of 2025, according to The Niche Cache’s count). The default loss to Canterbury cost them a top half finish ahead of Southern, for what it’s worth. Interesting to see where they go from here because BCL and Ollington were only loan players... though the famed WSAFC production line is still bringing the goods based on how smooth the likes of Ava Lewis, Cleo Carmichael, and especially Sienna Makwana have looked playing first team footy. Nice to see a strong showing from Nelson’s Anna McPhie here too, having been limited by injuries this term.
Southern United 0-7 Western Springs
31’ | 0-1 | WS | Cunningham-Lee (Ollington)
34’ | 0-2 | WS | Cunningham-Lee (Ollington)
45+2’ | 0-3 | WS | Ollington (Omasa)
58’ | 0-4 | WS | Savage (Ollington)
60’ | 0-5 | WS | Ollington
89’ | 0-6 | WS | Van Noorden (Cunningham-Lee)
90+4’ | 0-7 | WS | McPhie
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland United | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 31 | 3 | 28 | 22 |
| Eastern Suburbs | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 30 | 6 | 24 | 20 |
| Wellington United | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 39 | 14 | 25 | 19 |
| West Coast Rangers | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 7 | 11 | 17 |
| Southern United | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 20 | 15 | 5 | 13 |
| Western Springs | 9 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 31 | 17 | 14 | 12 |
| Wellington Phoenix | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 19 | 24 | -5 | 11 |
| Canterbury United | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 17 | 32 | -15 | 10 |
| Petone | 9 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 24 | -18 | 6 |
| Central | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 69 | -69 | 0 |
| TOP SCORERS | ||
|---|---|---|
| Maggie Jenkins | Wellington United | 15 |
| Summer Laskey | Wellington United | 12 |
| Maddi Ollington | Western Springs | 11 |
| Britney Cunningham-Lee | Western Springs | 8 |
| Victoria Neuefeind | Eastern Suburbs | 5 |
| Ruby Nathan | Eastern Suburbs | 5 |
| Natalie Olson | Wellington United | 5 |
| Tayla O'Brien | Eastern Suburbs | 5 |
| Ava Collins | Auckland United | 4 |
| Chloe Knott | Auckland United | 4 |
| Sienna Higinbotham | West Coast Rangers | 4 |
| Kiara Bercelli | Auckland United | 4 |
| Zoe Benson | Auckland United | 4 |
| Cema Nasau | Eastern Suburbs | 4 |
| Nieve Collin | Southern United | 4 |
| Nanami Omasa | Western Springs | 4 |
| Shannon Henson | West Coast Rangers | 4 |
| Margi Dias | Canterbury United | 4 |
| MOST ASSISTS | ||
|---|---|---|
| Maggie Jenkins | Wellington United | 8 |
| Maddi Ollington | Western Springs | 8 |
| Alexis Cook | Auckland United | 6 |
| Chloe Knott | Auckland United | 5 |
| Natalie Olson | Wellington United | 5 |
| Anjelina Ujdur | West Coast Rangers | 5 |
| Victoria Neuefeind | Eastern Suburbs | 4 |
| Georgie Furnell | Wellington United | 4 |
| Britney Cunningham-Lee | Western Springs | 4 |
| Frankie Morrow | Canterbury United | 4 |
(Note that these goals and assist tallies still include the Western Springs goals from their default loss to CU Pride - originally a 3-3 draw - whereas the league table does not)
The Niche Cache relies on the generous contributions of our readers to keep churning out the good stuff so if you reckon we’re worthy then please pop on over to Patreon, Substack, or Buy Me A Coffee to chip in
Also helps to whack an ad, share the yarns around, and tell your mates about us