PREVIEW: Postponed game likely to decide Women's Central League title race

By Warren Olson

With only four rounds left to complete the season (with two postponed fixtures), the teams predicted to fight out top honours, Wellington United and Waterside Karori, now seem assured of the top spots.

Petone were making a bold bid to make it a three-way finish, but their narrow loss to United last week leaves their hopes hanging by a thread.

The postponed game between the table-toppers (date yet to be decided) is looking most likely to decide the champions.

Here’s how I see this weekend’s games …

Victoria University v Wellington United

*Hannah Pilley stretches for the ball. Photo credit: Jeff Mein Smith.*

Victoria University have battled hard throughout the season so will avoid the dreaded wooden spoon that often faces promoted teams.

Seeing a number of United’s star players trot out onto the University’s Boyd Wilson Park where they have studied in the past or are now studying won’t help the home side either.

The current comp leaders know they can’t take their foot off the pedal.

Players to watch

Hannah Pilley has returned from the United States and is starting to find her form and I can see her playing a key role as United look to reclaim the champions crown.

Pilley (22) has previously played for Auckland clubs Ellerslie and Eastern Suburbs.

For University, another import (from the Mainland) in centre-back Sammie Senior is not going to make it easy for the talented United attackers to find the net, but ultimately, they may wear the defence down.

Predicted result

Victoria University 0 Wellington United 3.

Waterside Karori v Palmerston North Marist

Karori will be well aware they can’t afford any slip-ups and will most likely need to win all their remaining fixtures if they are to repeat being crowned Central League champions.

For their part, Palmerston North are a solid mid-table side, so perhaps there is not quite so much pressure on them this week.

Players to watch

Nikki Furukawa’s cross-city transfer from Seatoun has certainly been a boost to Karori’s scoring opportunities this season, and I can see her adding to her tally this week.

Palmerston North captain Gracie Smith has been a mainstay for the Green and Whites all year, a really solid midfield workhorse.

Predicted result

Waterside Karori 3 Palmerston North 1.

*Petone’s Libby Boobyer … will look to create from midfield. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / Phototek.*

Moturoa v Petone

Petone will have to find the reserves to bounce back after last week’s narrow loss to United, which all but ended their title-winning hopes and possibly a treasured National League shot.

Nonetheless, they should have a little too much quality for Moturoa, who also, as a promoted side, have done exceptionally well in their first season back in the Central League for some years.

It’s Petone’s first-ever women’s game at Moturoa, so a first for both clubs.

Players to watch

Sasha Rasmussen is currently Moturoa’s leading goalscorer with five goals, and though it won’t be easy against Caelin Patterson and Aioffe Gallagher-Forbes, the Petone rearguard, she may well add to that tally.

For Petone, futsal star Libby Boobyer will look to create more opportunities from midfield.

Predicted score

Moturoa 1 Petone 3.

Taradale v Seatoun

Again two sides that have struggled to get the three points this year, but have been competitive and never easy-beats.

Both sides are handicapped by a limited depth of players/talent to call on and in Taradale’s case, as with Moturoa, a round trip of more than eight hours for each away game.

Players to watch

Despite not getting the goalscoring opportunities of some strikers, Kya Solomon has made the most of chances that come her way, and is Taradale’s leading scorer.

For Seatoun, Jess Drysdale has impressed as a fast and solid centre-back for a team often forced to spend plenty of time defending.

Predicted score

Taradale 2 Seatoun 0.

Golden Boot

6 — Hope Gilchrist (Wellington United), Danielle Ohlsson (Petone), Nikki Furukawa (Waterside Karori)
5 — Ruby-Aroha Gurnick (Palmerston North Marist), Natalie Olson (Wellington United), Pepi Olliver-Bell (Petone), Sasha Rasmussen (Moturoa), Kya Solomon (Taradale)
4 — Maddison Hughes (Taradale), Fernanda Toscani (Moturoa)
3 — Kennedy Bryant (Waterside Karori), Phoebe Gray (Petone), Misha Koyari (Wellington United), Grace Smith. (Palmerston North Marist), Tessa Brownlie (Victoria University)