Auckland’s grip on the Women’s National League has tightened after the competition’s two South Island teams blew the chance to gain ground on the northerners.
Three Auckland clubs lead the competition but a scoreless draw between past champions Canterbury United Pride and Southern United was costly for both sides.
Main photo: Canterbury United Pride and Southern United … mostly played in the middle of the park.
Here’s our round-up of games on Saturday October 22:
South Island sides fall off the pace with scoreless draw
The two South Island sides did neither any favours when a goalless draw left them further adrift from the three Auckland clubs leading the competition.
Past champions Canterbury United Pride and Southern United are both 11 points off the pace after their 0-0 outing in Christchurch.
Most of the game was played in the middle with neither side able to mount many telling attacks, and the result always seemed to be heading for the draw.
Frankie Morrow had a chance to put Canterbury ahead when she broke clear in the 37th minute but missed the target.
The best chance of the second half fell to Southern’s Jasmine Prince when she raced through in the 76th minute but had her shot saved by ‘keeper Una Foyle.
The teams meet again on Labour Monday.
Capital beat Central for first win of their season
Capital Football have won their first game of the season, beating winless Central Football 4-2 at Massey University.
The match got off to a flying start with both sides scoring in the opening three minutes.
Capital’s Rebecca Otte scored after only 45 seconds when she got to a corner before the defence.
Central recovered when Ashley Arquette found the net in the third minute.
Capital took the lead in the 9th minute when, after a period of sustained pressure, defender Pip Coakley turned the ball into her own net.
Renee Bacon stretched Capital’s lead to 3-1 with a well-taken shot from the edge of the area in the 28th minute.
Arquette kept Central in the game with a shot from 30 metres that flew over ‘keeper Molly Simons and into the net.
In the second half, Central remained competitive and Capital were no doubt relieved to increase their buffer when Pepi Olliver-Bell was left unmarked and was able to tap home her team’s fourth of the day, and her fourth goal of the season.
The two teams play again on Labour Monday, at Petone.
Results
Games played on Saturday October 22, 2022
Canterbury United Pride 0
Southern United 0
Central Football 2 (Ashley Arquette 3′, 45′)
Capital Football 4 (Rebecca Otte 1′, own goal 9′, Renee Bacon 28′, Pepi Olliver-Bell 59′)
Games played on Friday October 21, 2022
Click here for match reports >>>>
Western Springs 4 (Emma Pijnenburg 54′, Arisa Takeda 72′ pen, Georgia Brown 86′, Jess Innes 90′)
Northern Rovers 1 (Kelli Brown 56′)
Eastern Suburbs 5 (Nicole Cooper 4′, 13′, Tayla O’Brien 22′, 82′, Erinna Wong 54′)
Auckland United 0
Standings
Fixtures
Games to be played on Monday October 24, 2022
Northern Rovers v Western Springs
McFetridge Park, Glenfield, 1pm
Capital Football v Central Football
Petone Memorial Park, Petone, 2pm
Auckland United v Eastern Suburbs
Keith Hay Park, Mt Roskill, 3pm
Southern United v Canterbury United Pride
Venue TBC, Dunedin, 3.15pm
More football stories
