Ellerslie have knocked Hamilton Wanderers out of this year’s Kate Sheppard Cup, beating them 3-0 at Michaels Ave Reserve.
The home side took the lead in the 7th minute when Cat Pretty smashed home a 30-metre direct free kick.
Marie Green doubled the Ellerslie lead in the 34th minute when Wanderers failed to clear a corner and she reacted quickest to scramble it over the line.
Wanderers were unlucky not to score, twice hitting the crossbar and having two possible penalties turned down.
However, Ellerslie made sure of the win when Ella James struck from the edge of the box in the 72nd minute.
Main photo: Ella James is congratulated by teammates after her goal.
Suburbs canter through to next round
Eastern Suburbs went through to the third round of the Kate Sheppard Cup after comprehensively beating Otumoetai 6-1.
The Lilywhites — who have been the Lotto NRFL Women’s Premier League for the past two years — have yet to win the country’s top knockout competition for women’s football, despite being beaten finalists twice.
And no doubt they’ll set their sights on going further this year than the semi-final they reached last time round.
Their tie at Otumoetai’s scenic Fergusson Park could not have started better with a goal in the second minute from Julette Lucas, co-leader in the WPL’s Golden Boot table.
However, the home side recovered and levelled through Makensie Metzger after only five minutes of play.
Deven Jackson put Suburbs 2-1 ahead in the 12th minute.
A goal by Aimee Atkins in the 36th minute, and a second by Jackson in the 42nd minute, gave the Aucklanders a comfortable 4-1 lead at half-time.
In the second spell, Lucas added her second and the sixth Suburbs goal came from substitute Annie Byrne in injury time.
Though the Suburbs line-up did not include regular first-teamers such as Jade Parris and captain Rebekah Van Dort, it did include former age group international Tayla O’Brien who last week reached 100 appearances for the Lilywhites.
Tauranga enjoying their cup run
Tauranga City might be struggling in their first season of top-tier league football but they are relishing their Kate Sheppard Cup games.
After beating Claudelands Rovers 8-0 in the first round, the Bay of Plenty side beat Onehunga Sports 4-1 with a strong first-half display in their second round tie at Links Avenue.
For a side that has won only once since earning promotion to the Lotto NRFL Women’s Premier League, Tauranga now shape as formidable opponents, especially at home, in next week’s third round draw.
The home side broke through in the 29th minute when Emma Cawte scored from the penalty spot.
Almost from the restart, Cawte turned provider, creating the chance for Talia Entwistle to make it 2-0.
Tauranga kept up the pressure and were rewarded in the dying moments of the first half, when Michelle Windsor scored to take her team into the break three goals up.
Onehunga Sports started the second half well, pulling back a goal through Jessica Gallagher.
However, Tauranga had the last say, when the team’s leading scorer this season, Abi Witney-Collins, scored five minutes before the final whistle, ensuring her team goes into the third round draw.
Here are the second-round results in the competition sponsored by the New Zealand Football Foundation:
Results
Friday
June 3, 2022
Western Springs 1 (Sophia Dyer 38′)
Northern Rovers 2 (Danielle Canham 11′, Michaela Foster 105′ pen)
*After extra time
Click here for match report >>>>
Saturday
June 4, 2022
Petone 3 (Rebecca Otte 19′, Katie McKenzie 63′, Alex McIntosh 90′)
Seatoun 1 (Margo Kilkenny-Brown 33′)
Cashmere Technical 5 (Jess Dyer 9′, Leigh Alexander 30′, Nicola Dominikovich 45′, Lara Wall 77′, Jonelle Arthur 89′)
Nomads United 0
Tauranga City 4 (Emma Cawte 29′, Talia Entwistle 30′, Michelle Windsor 45+2′, Abi Witney-Collins 85′)
Onehunga Sports 1 (Jessica Gallagher 48′)
Victoria University 0
Palmerston North Marist 6 (Holly Kleinsman 13′, 50′, Aimee Sanson 16′, 53′, Melissa McKenna 23′, 62′)
Sunday
June 5, 2022
Manukau United 0
Birkenhead United 3 (Abby Chad 18′, Claire Erasmus 79′, own goal 82′)
Otumoetai 1 (Makensie Metzger 5′)
Eastern Suburbs 6 (Juliette Lucas 2′, 60′, Deven Jackson 12′, 42′, Aimee Atkins 36′, Annie Byrne 90+1′)
New Plymouth Rangers 0
Waterside Karori 3 (Kaley Ward 8′, 26′, Jenna Barry 66′)
Monday
June 6, 2022
Ellerslie 3 (Cat Pretty 7′, Marie Green 34′, Ella James 72′)
Hamilton Wanderers 0
Beachlands Maraetai 1 (Danielle Grimmer 32′)
Waikato Unicol 4 (Sarah Stokes 22′, Maggie Leaver 39′, 90′, Chantal Williams 62′)
West Coast Rangers 3 (Abby Wright 18′, 25′, Jessica Smith 56′)
Franklin United 2 (Chloe Marthe 50′, Georgia Irvine 67′)
Nelson Suburbs 0
Coastal Spirit 2 (Melanie Cameron 52′, Whitney Hepburn 80′)
Hibiscus Coast 0
Auckland United 3 (Ruby Nathan 18′, Alosi Bloomfield 35′, Prue Catton 85′)
Kapiti Coast United 0
Wellington United 5 (Jemma Robertson (2), Pepi Olliver-Bell, Zoe Barrott, Justina Yamoah)
Mosgiel 1
Otago University 3
*After extra time
Dunedin City Royals 2 (Shontelle Smith 61′)
Roslyn Wakari 0
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