Eastern Suburbs go top-of-the-table with big win in Women’s National League

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Eastern Suburbs have taken the lead in the Women’s National League after over-running Central Football 8-0 at Madills Farm.

The Lilywhites ran up five goals in the opening half-hour, turned around at 6-0 and coasted home for the match points.

Tayla O’Brien scored a hat-trick, on the back of her four-goal effort in the season’s opening round a week earlier.

Main photo: Tayla O’Brien … she leads the WNL’s Golden Boot with seven goals. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / Phototek.

The goals came fast with O’Brien punishing Central with the opening goal after 12 minutes.

She added her second in the 19th minute before Nicole Cooper, Juliette Lucas and Annie Byrne all found the net.

After 29 minutes, it was 5-0.

Lucas added another just before half-time and the sides went into half-time at 6-0.

Deven Jackson scored a seventh goal a few minutes after the restart and O’Brien completed her hat-trick in the 59th minute.

Suburbs took their foot off the pedal for the last half-hour, the damage already done.

The result added weight to the early indications that the four Auckland teams will dominate this season’s national league.

After two rounds, they fill the top four places and are unbeaten.

The Auckland clubs have scored 35 goals between them, while the non-Auckland clubs have accounted for only seven.

Six-times champion Canterbury United Pride host Eastern Suburbs next weekend in a game that already looks crucial if the southerners want to mount a campaign for their seventh title.

READ MORE: Who will win this year’s Women’s National League? Cast your vote >>>>

Watch again

Results

Game played on Sunday September 25, 2022

Eastern Suburbs 8 (Tayla O’Brien 12′, 19′, 59′, Nicole Cooper 21′, Juliette Lucas 23′, 41′, Annie Byrne 29′, Deven Jackson 48′)
Central Football 0

Games played on Saturday September 24, 2022

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Northern Rovers 5 (Michaela Foster 41′, 54′, 80′, Talisha Green 61′, Leanna Ryan 82′)
Capital Football 0

Southern United 0
Auckland United 7 (Aimee Barnard 23′, Ruby Nathan 25′, Manaia Elliott 44′, Bree Johnson 52′, 68′, own goal 85′)

Western Springs 3 (Sofia Garcia 31′, Lara Colpi 52′, own goal 59′)
Canterbury United Pride 2 (Petra Buyck 80′, 90+2′)

Standings

Fixtures

Game to be played on Saturday October 1, 2022

Auckland United v Western Springs
Keith Hay Park, Mt Roskill, 3pm

Games to be played on Sunday October 2, 2022

Capital Football v Southern United
Petone Memorial Park, Petone, 3pm

Central Football v Northern Rovers
Massey University, Palmerston North, 2.15pm

Canterbury United Pride v Eastern Suburbs
English Park, Christchurch, 2.45pm

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