Eastern Suburbs have skipped two points clear at the top of the Women’s National League after nearest rivals Western Springs were held to a 1-1 draw by Auckland rivals Northern Rovers.
The Lilywhites maintained their 100% winning record but only after fighting back from a two-goal deficit against Auckland United.
Suburbs and Springs meet next Friday under lights at Seddon Park.
Main photo: Northern Rovers players take the lead against Springs.
Here’s our Labour Monday round-up:
Suburbs come back from behind for seventh win
League leaders Eastern Suburbs had to fight back from 0-2 down to beat a spirited Auckland United side 3-2 at Keith Hay Park.
For the spectators on a sunny public holiday, it was an entertaining end-to-end game.
United took the game to the Lilywhites from the start, and deservedly took the lead after 15 minutes when Bree Johnston’s shot was not taken cleanly by Suburbs ‘keeper Brooke Bennett and the ball crossed the goalline.
Six minutes later, Auckland United doubled their lead from a corner when the ball trickled through the defenders to United’s Manaia Elliott who scored from close in.
The home side went into the break with their 2-0 lead.
In the second half, Suburbs came storming back.
Leading scorer Tayla O’Brien headed home a corner, her 11th goal of the national league season.
In the 73rd minute, Suburbs levelled when Olivia Page broke down the wing, crossed for O’Brien to flick on and Nicole Mettam finished.
After 78 minutes, United had the ball in the net through Elliott but play was called back for an offside.
With three minutes left, a long ball was played behind the United defence and substitute Zoe Benson raced through, slotting the ball just inside the near post.
Springs lose perfect record to Rovers
Western Springs dropped their first points of the season after a 1-1 draw with Northern Rovers at McFetridge Park.
Springs always looked threatening but the Rovers defence was outstanding, scrambling to get players behind the ball whenever there was a threat.
Rovers’ goalkeeper Ellen Blount was kept busy but helped by some wayward finishing from Western Springs.
After a scoreless first half, Rovers took the lead in the 50th minute when the Springs defence were outnumbered, leaving Alexis Cook clear on the right. She cut back inside and lined up a shot on her left foot, placing it past ‘keeper Keely Taylor.
Four minutes later, referee Jack Henderson gave a penalty to Springs when there was some shoving at a corner.
Arisa Takeda hammered the spot kick into the net.
Southern move into fourth place
The sides played out a scoreless first half though both sides had chances to score.
Southern United goalkeeper Kate Hannay made a couple of crucial saves, one from a long-range effort by Chloe Bellamy and another when she stopped a shot at point-blank range and then cleared the rebound.
Southern’s Kennedy Bryant hit the post.
Southern took the lead at Logan Park in the 58th minute when a corner was not cleared and from the second phase, Hannah Mackay-Wright was able to score from 10 metres.
Southern doubled their lead in the 71st minute when Shontelle Smith put Jasmine Prince through and she went round ‘keeper Una Foyle to score into an empty net.
In the 81st minute, Canterbury United Pride pulled back a goal when Bellamy steered the ball into the net from close in when she timed her run perfectly to meet a cross.
Capital take maximum points over long weekend
Capital Football beat Central Football for the second time over the weekend, winning Monday’s encounter 1-0 at Petone Memorial Park.
The goal came in the 39th minute when a well-worked move down the left led to the ball being crossed hard and low for Renee Bacon to meet and turn into the net.
Results
Games played on Monday October 24, 2022
Northern Rovers 1 (Alexis Cook 50′)
Western Springs 1 (Arisa Takeda 54′ pen)
Capital Football 1 (Renee Bacon 39′)
Central Football 0
Auckland United 2 (Bree Johnson 14′, Manaia Elliott 21′)
Eastern Suburbs 3 (Tayla O’Brien 56′, Nicole Mettam 73′, Zoe Benson 87′)
Southern United 2 (Hannah Mackay-Wright 58′, Jasmine Prince 71′)
Canterbury United Pride 1 (Chloe Bellamy 81′)
Standings
Labour Weekend results
Games played on Saturday, October 22, 2022
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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
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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
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