PREVIEW: Three clubs vie for two remaining national league qualifying places

By Joan Grey

East Auckland football fans are spoilt for choice this Sunday, with three Lotto NRFL Women’s Premiership games to be played locally, at the home grounds of Eastern Suburbs, Fencibles United, and Ellerslie.

Last weekend, the Premiership saw a series of one-sided matches, in which one team was held scoreless while the other scored at least three goals.

This weekend, Suburbs, Fencibles, and Western Springs will continue to vie for a third or fourth-place finish on the Premiership ladder to secure the last two National League spots.

Suburbs swept to a strong 3-0 victory over Fencibles last week, locking both teams together again in third-equal place on the table.

Fencibles will need some magic on Sunday to upset Premiership giants Auckland United at Riverhills.

Auckland United are riding a 12-game winning streak and now boast a six-point lead over second-placed West Coast Rangers.

Suburbs face the less daunting challenge of beating sixth-placed Hibiscus Coast to keep ahead of their Fencibles foes.

The match will be live streamed by Northern Region Football’s YouTube channel (see link below).

Game of the week

Western Springs, in fifth place, are hitting their stride as they make a determined push for a spot in the National League.

A single point separates them from third-equal teams Suburbs and Fencibles.

Last weekend, Springs chalked up a 5-0 win over Hibiscus Coast, with new signing Ella Findlay finding the net twice.

Springs measure up against Ellerslie this weekend before their Kate Sheppard semi-final match with Dunedin City Royals the following weekend.

Though seventh on the table, Ellerslie have pushed top teams Suburbs and West Coast Rangers to their limits this season.

Springs can’t afford complacency; in their last tangle with Ellerslie, they needed an 89th-minute goal to clinch a 1-0 win.

For Springs this is a must-win fixture for stakes in the National League. For Ellerslie, it’s an opportunity to throw a wrench in Springs’ plans.

*Emily Lyon … finding form in front of goal. Photo: Phototek.*

Bold prediction

West Coast Rangers’ Emily Lyon scored a hat trick in last weekend’s 6-0 triumph over Ellerslie.

The young forward has continued to climb the goalscoring chart in recent weeks, and I predict she’ll find the back of the net at least once in Hamilton this Sunday.

Golden Boot

13 — Danica Urlich-Beech (Hibiscus Coast), Shannon Henson (West Coast Rangers)
11 — Bree Johnson (West Coast Rangers), Charlotte Roche (Auckland United), Zoe Benson (Eastern Suburbs)
10 — Sofia Garia (Eastern Suburbs)
9 — Rene Wasi (Auckland United)
8 — Alexis Cook (Auckland United)
7 — Emily Lyon (West Coast Rangers)
6 — Lily Brazendale (Hamilton Wanderers), Megan Lee (Western Springs)
5 — Chloe Knott (Auckland United), Rosie Missen (Fencibles United), Millee Loxton (Fencibles United)
4 — Anelise Karakostas (West Coast Rangers), Angela Pivac (Auckland United), Arisa Takeda (Western Springs), Catherine Smith (West Coast Rangers), Maia Lythe (Western Springs), Rina Hirano (Western Springs), Shion Hwang (Eastern Suburbs), Talisha Green (Auckland United)