By Joan Grey
West Coast Rangers and Western Springs have set the pace in the Lotto NRFL Women’s Premier League and remain the only unbeaten teams after two rounds.
With no draws in the competition yet, teams were quickly divided into leaders and chasers.
This weekend, pressure mounts on bottom-placed teams to keep their dreams of Women’s Premier League silverware alive
Game of the week
In the second round, a 55th-minute West Coast Rangers goal plucked a 1-0 victory from Eastern Suburbs, reigning Women’s National League Champions.
West Coast Rangers, the only team yet to retrieve the ball from their net this season, kept the Suburbs’ attack from scoring.
This round, Suburbs travel to Michael’s Ave Reserve to be welcomed by Ellerslie.
Suburbs will be buoyed by the fact that last season they triumphed in all three encounters against Ellerslie, two of which Ellerslie were kept scoreless.
In fact, Suburbs have won the last seven occasions the sides have gone head-to-head in the Women’s Premier League.
Ellerslie and Suburbs are both on three points this season, each with a win and a loss so far.
Suburbs are a tough nut to crack, but it’s early in the season, and anything is possible for Ellerslie in this exciting match-up.
Player to watch
Former U-17 New Zealand representative and Ellerslie striker Britney Cunningham-Lee was Ellerslie’s top goalscorer last season, scoring ten times.
Cunningham-Lee has already added sting to the Ellerslie frontline this season by securing a goal in their opening 2-0 victory against Northern Rovers.
Fixtures
Games to be played on Sunday April 16, 2023
Lotto NRFL Women’s Premier League
Auckland United v West Coast Rangers
Keith Hay Park, Auckland, 1 pm
Western Springs v Hamilton Wanderers
Seddon Fields, Auckland, 1 pm
Hibiscus Coast v Northern Rovers
Stanmore Bay Park, Whangaparao, 1pm
Ellerslie v Eastern Suburbs
Michael’s Ave Reserve, Auckland, 3 pm
Joan Grey
Friends of Football writer Joan Grey loves playing and writing about football. She attends ACG Strathallan College and plays football for Franklin United.
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