By Joan Grey
After two rounds of the Lotto NRFL Women’s Championship, Tauranga Moana and Franklin United have made the early running with maximum points from their opening fixtures.
The Championship heats up this Sunday with these two leaders going head to head.
Both sides have had perfect starts to the season, winning their opening games convincingly by margins of two or more goals.
Franklin have showcased a clinical, well-rounded attack, and have already scored 11 goals by six goal scorers. Last weekend they proved their mettle with a statement 5-0 win over South Auckland rivals Manukau United.
Tauranga Moana’s Kerri-Ann Jones leads the individual goalscoring charts with four goals, having scored a hat-trick in the opening 3-1 victory over Melville United.
Elsewhere, Onehunga Sports will seek to build on last weekend’s victory over Birkenhead when they welcome winless Manukau United on Sunday.
Central United and Northern Rovers both sit with a single point on the ladder and face each other on the crisp pitch at Kiwitea Street.
Birkenhead United travel to Hamilton to meet Melville United. The last time these sides met was in the Championship promotion play-off last September, where Melville secured a 3-1 win.
Fixtures
Game to be played on Saturday April 20, 2024
Melville United v Birkenhead United
Gower Park, Hamilton, 5pm
Games to be played on Sunday April 21, 2024
Franklin United v FC Tauranga Moana
Drury Sports Complex, Drury, 1pm
Central United v Northern Rovers
Kiwitea St, Sandringham, 1pm
Oneunga Sports v Manukau United
Waikaraka Park, Onehunga, 1pm
Joan Grey
Friends of Football writer Joan Grey loves playing and writing about football.