Five of the eight participating teams are locked together at the top of a congested table in what’s turning out to be a hotly-contested Lotto NRFL’s Women’s Premier League.
Ellerslie, Western Springs, Northern Rovers, Auckland United and last year’s champions Eastern Suburbs are all on six points after two rounds, though Rovers have a game in hand on their rivals.
Here’s our round-up of round three:
Lucas double shows the way for resurgent Suburbs
Eastern Suburbs delivered an emphatic signal that they don’t intend to easily surrender their title by beating early table-toppers Ellerslie 3-0 away.
All the goals came in the first half as Suburbs found their best form after tumbling to a 6-1 loss last week to Northern Rovers.
Rosa Caird put the Lilywhites ahead in the 14th minute.
Juliette Lucas doubled the lead in the 22nd minute and then scored her second on the stroke of half-time. That was enough to earn her a rest for second half, being replaced by one of last season’s top goalscorers, Tayla O’Brien.
Suburbs coach Steven Hoyle later paid tribute to the work of his back three in a post-match interview with ESAFC TV:
Leong and Bloomfield earn points for United
Auckland United beat Hamilton Wanderers 2-0 with a goal in each half at Keith Hay Park.
The sides were deadlocked till the 42nd minute when Tessa Leong scored for the home side, giving them a 1-0 lead at the break.
In the second half, Alosi Bloomfield doubled United’s lead in the 73rd minute.
United goalkeeper Aimee Feinberg-Danieli kept a clean sheet against her former club.
United were missing two of their regulars in Kate Duncan and Milly Clegg who were in Canberra, playing for the Junior Ferns against the Young Matildas in an U-20 friendly international.
Clegg scored New Zealand’s goal in a 1-1 draw – click here for more details, and video of her goal >>>>
Springs turn it on in the second half to beat Tauranga
Bottom-placed Tauranga City remain winless after losing 4-0 to Western Springs at Seddon Fields.
Despite an early goal by Springs’ Sophia Dyer in the 11th minute, the Bay of Plenty side competed well and went into the break at 1-0 down.
However, the home side came out firing in the second half and two goals in six minutes put the result firmly in favour of the hoops.
Maggie Pedersen made it 2-0 on the hour, and Lara Colpi extended the lead to 3-0 after 66 minutes.
Tauranga coach Nic Millichip made a double substitution in an effort to find a way back into the game but Arisa Takeda sealed the win with Springs’ fourth goal in the 76th minute.
Rovers beat Rangers with first-half goal
Northern United beat West Coast Rangers 1-0 at Whenuapai’s Fred Taylor Park, with a goal in the first half.
Captain Talisha Green scored the winner in the 26th minute.
Results
Games played Sunday April 10, 2022
Auckland United 2 (Tessa Leong 42′, Alosi Bloomfield 73′)
Hamilton Wanderers
Ellerslie 0
Eastern Suburbs 3 (Rosa Caird 14′, Juliette Lucas 22′, 45′)
Northern Rovers 1 (Talisha Green 26′)
West Coast Rangers 0
Western Springs 4 (Sophia Dyer 11′, Maggie Pedersen 60′, Lara Colpi 66′, Arisa Takeda 76′)
Tauranga City 0
Standings
Let’s watch it again
Here are highlights from last weekend’s Northern Rovers v Eastern Suburbs game:
Women’s All Stars
Friends of Football have launched their women’s All Stars team — click here to read about the side and their first exhibition game >>>>
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