Champions Eastern Suburbs have shown their hopes of a Women’s Premier League three-peat are not over with a big win against promoted Tauranga City while the competition’s top two teams dropped points.
Suburbs slipped into fourth spot, gaining ground on leaders Northern Rovers who shared a scoreless draw with second-placed Western Springs.
Auckland United are nicely poised in third place after a 4-1 win at Ellerslie.
Here’s our round-up of games from round six in the Lotto NRFL WPL:
Parris scores four goals in one-side rout at Madills Farm
Titleholders Eastern Suburbs ran riot at Madills Farm, beating bottom-placed Tauranga City 11-1 in a one-sided affair.
Striker Jade Parris (24) led the onslaught with four goals before being substituted by newcomer Juliette Lucas (18) who picked up a hat-trick in only 14 minutes.
The game was scoreless for 20 minutes until Parris fired home Suburbs’ opener.
Tauranga’s Abi Witney-Collins levelled five minutes later.
But the home side moved up a gear and went ahead through Tayla O’Brien in the 33rd minute.
Parris completed a first-half hat-trick with goals in the 39th and 45th minutes, sending the teams into the break with Suburbs ahead 4-1.
In the second half, it was one-way traffic.
Parris got her fourth in the 50th minute and O’Brien struck Suburbs’ sixth goal in the 54th minute.
On the hour, Parris was given a rest by coach Stephen Hoyle, swapping her for Lucas, a recent recruit from Otago.
Lucas scored twice within six minutes of entering the game; then captain Rebekah Van Dort slotted a penalty and a second goal from open play.
Suburbs were ahead 10-1 with nearly twenty minutes still to play.
To their credit, Tauranga stemmed the flow, conceding only once more when Lucas completed her hat-trick after 79 minutes.
Main photo: Jade Parris (left) and Rebekah Van Dort were both among the goals. File photo: Shane Wenzlick / Phototek.
Wanderers claim first win of season at Rangers
A goal from Iona Love was enough to earn Hamilton Wanderers their first win of the season and raise the Waikato side off the foot of the WPL table.
Love struck in the 22nd minute to give the Wanderers a sniff of victory.
Having lost experienced defenders Michaela Foster and Chelsea Elliott to Northern Rovers, the revamped Wanderers defence has taken time to settle down but the visitors stood firm at Huapai Domain to claim a much-needed clean sheet and three league points.
Top-of-the-table clash ends scoreless
League leaders Northern Rovers dropped their first points of the season, being held scoreless by nearest rivals Western Springs at Becroft Park.
Both sides boast strong defences — they’ve conceded only seven goals between them — so this top-of-the-table clash always promised to be a tight affair.
Rovers’ cause was not helped when they were reduced to 10 players after Breeze Durham was sent off with 10 minutes left, having picked up her second yellow card from referee Aaron Day.
Auckland United continued to stalk the WPL leaders with an efficient 4-1 win against Ellerslie at Michaels Ave.
The visitors took the lead in the 10th minute when Alosi Bloomfield converted from the penalty spot.
In the 37th minute, Maya Vince doubled United’s lead, giving them a 2-0 margin at the interval.
In the second half, Isabella Richards extended the lead to 3-0 after 64 minutes and Penny Brill added a fourth in the 79th minute.
Match programme: Click on the cover to read Ellerslie’s match programme.
The Ponies kept trying and Britney Cunningham-Lee was rewarded with a consolation goal in the 83rd minute.
Ellerslie coach Ryan Shiffman copped a yellow card in the second half.
Results
Games played Sunday May 1, 2022.
Northern Rovers 0
Western Springs 0
Eastern Suburbs 11 (Jade Parris 20′, 39′, 45′, 50′, Tayla O’Brien 33′, 54′, Rebekah Van Dort 69′ pen, 71′, Juliette Lucas 65′, 67′, 79′)
Tauranga City 1 (Abi Witney-Collins 25′)
Ellerslie 1 (Britney Cunningham-Lee 83′)
Auckland United 4 (Alosi Bloomfield 10′ pen, Maya Vince 37′, Isabella Richards 64′, Penny Brill 79′)
West Coast Rangers 0
Hamilton Wanderers 1 (Iona Love 22′)
Standings
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