PREVIEW: Leaderboard shake-up beckons in NRFL Women’s Championship

By Joan Grey

It continues to be tight at the top of the Lotto NRFL Women’s Championship, with only three points separating Onehunga Sports, Tauranga Moana and Franklin United.

This weekend could deliver a points shake-up, with title-chasers Franklin United and Tauranga Moana going head-to-head at Tauranga’s Fergusson Park.

Trailing the leading pack, Northern Rovers remain firmly in the hunt.

They face a potential banana skin against Central United on Friday night.

Given league standings, the win should be Rovers’ for the taking, but Central have proven resilient against the top sides.

Four of Central’s six defeats were decided by just a single goal.

In a mid-table melee, Birkenhead United and Melville United will finally meet after their first-round fixture was postponed.

Elsewhere, table-toppers Onehunga Sports are heavy favourites against basement battlers Manukau United.

Golden Boot

11 — Britney Cunningham-Lee (Franklin United)
8 — Holly Patterson (Onehunga Sports)
7 — Kerri-Ann Jones (Tauranga Moana), Laura Bennett (Melville United)
6 — Grace Duncan (Tauranga Moana), Ivy Calonne (Northern Rovers), Sarah Carpenter (Franklin United)
5 — Abby Chad (Birkenhead United), Annie Byrne (Onehunga Sports)