The fourth match week of the National Women’s League takes place this weekend, find out what’s in store with the official preview. All three matches are set to take place on Sunday with WaiBOP hosting Southern United, the Northern Lights welcoming Central and Capital heading north to take on Auckland. Canterbury United Pride sit out the action with the bye.

WaiBOP Football vs Southern United
McLennan Park, Auckland
Sunday 7 October, 11am
#NWL #WBvSU

Referee: M Archer
Assistant Referees: S Jones, J Lee
Fourth Official: N Browning

Squads

WaiBOP: 1. Georgia Candy (GK), 3. Kate Williams, 4. Olivia Hooper, 7. Emma Cawte, 8. Stella Neems, 9. Helen Talbot, 10. Ella Golding, 12. Kelli Brown, 13. Tiana Hill, 15. Grace Cox, 16. Grace Wisnewski, 19. Ashley Weld, 20. Chelsea Elliott, 21. Rylee Godbold (GK)
Coach: Michael Mayne

Southern United: 16. Jordan Woodward (GK), 5. Britney-Lee Nicholson, 7. Shontelle Smith, 8. Ruby Anderson, 9. Emily Morison, 10. Kirsty Hayr, 11. Kelsey Kennard, 12. Coral Seath, 14. Lara Wall, 15. Tahlia Roome, 17. Chelsea Whittaker, 19. Mikaela Hunt, 23. Renee Bacon, 24. Jade Middleditch (GK), 26. Mikayla Gray
Coach: Ignacio Sande

Lowdown

Having opened their campaign with a pair of heavy defeats, the chance to get out of the firing line with the bye probably came as a relief to WaiBOP. Coach Michael Mayne will have relished the opportunity to work with his players away from the pressures of match week and it will be interesting to see whether that time on the training ground has paid off. Mayne will take heart from the fact that WaiBOP have so far faced Auckland and Canterbury United, the two sides that contested last year’s final and who are both setting the pace again this season. But it doesn’t get much easier this weekend as Southern are snapping at the coat tails of the leading pair and have been beaten just once. That loss was by the finest of margins with Auckland needing a last-gasp winner to finally triumph while the defending champions had much less trouble defeating WaiBOP, sweeping them aside 4-0. Southern will therefore be heavily favoured to return to winning ways, especially with the return of the talismanic Shontelle Smith.

Quotes

Michael Mayne (WaiBOP coach): “The reality is we have conceded ten goals in two games and scored none. So we have worked really hard on both areas to reduce the opportunities for teams to score, keep the ball more and get in better parts of the field with good possession. I am full of confidence in this group of players and what they can achieve. Collecting some points would help validate some of the hard work the whole group has put in over the past two weeks.”

Jordan Woodward (Southern United): “Last week was a bit of a tough day in terms of the result but we’ve taken what we can from it and used that to move forward and make those improvements for this weekend’s match. Everyone has come together this week in good spirits and trained hard and we’re looking forward to putting all those elements together for another good battle on Sunday.”

Northern Lights vs Central Football
McFetridge Park, Auckland
Sunday 7 October, 1.30pm
#NWL #NLvCE

Referee: W McNeely
Assistant Referees: D Neville, B Kroonenberg
Fourth Official: B Baker

Squads

Northern Lights: 1. Anna Leat (GK), 2. Claudia Bunge, 3. Kate Loye, 4. Aneka Mittendorff, 5. Saskia Vosper, 6. Nicole Stratford, 7. Malia Steinmetz, 8. Dayna Stevens, 9. Samantha Tawharu, 10. Maggie Jenkins, 11. Helen Kelderman, 12. Liz Savage, 14. Hannah MacKay-Wright, 15. Arabella Maynard, 16. Rose Luxton, 17. Vegas McCaroll
Coach: Gemma Lewis

Central: 1. Amelia Simmers (GK), 2. Freya Partridge-Moore, 3. Jana Niedermayr, 4. Florence MacIntyre, 5. Lydia Bamford, 6. Tyler Wood, 7. Jenna Barry, 8. Maggie Pedersen, 9. Sophie Crewe, 11. Aimee Atkins, 12. Charlotte Hunt, 13. Jendi Frank, 14. Jessica Mason, 15. Kate Watson, 16. Casey Ralph, 20. Aoife Gallagher-Forbes (GK)
Co-coaches: Matt Kilsby/Barry Scullion

Lowdown

On paper, there should only be one winner here as Northern have a team packed full of international experience while a young Central outfit are still finding their feet at this level and have had a hugely challenging introduction to national league football. There are issues at both ends of the park for Central with 18 goals having already been conceded – at an alarming average rate of six per game – while they have managed to score just once themselves. Although they have so far come up short in terms of quality, the determination and attitude of Central’s players cannot be called into question and that strong sense of character will be needed on the trek to Northern, who possess the most star-studded squad in the league and are yet to be beaten. Despite the high profile of many members of their playing group, the Lights have flown under the radar somewhat so far after missing the opening weekend due to the bye and then posting a scoreless draw in their first outing. But scoring four on the road at Capital last weekend has shown they are likely to be title contenders and, with leaders Canterbury having the bye this weekend, this is a good opportunity for them to make up some ground. The hosts will be boosted by the return of U-20 internationals Aneka Mittendorff and Saskia Vosper, who both missed the opening weeks due to injury.

Quotes

Gemma Lewis (Northern Lights coach): “We’re building bit-by-bit and adding strings to our bow as we go along but we’re definitely more focused on the attacking phase this week and being more clinical because we could have scored more goals than we did in the last game. Central are a young team and sometimes those girls can be dangerous – they’re youthful and have a lot of inexperience but they’re also brave and fearless in what they’re doing. So I don’t think they’re to be underestimated and they’re improving in each game so I know they’ll be looking to build on their performances.”

Auckland Football vs Capital Football
McLennan Park, Auckland
Sunday 7 October, 2pm
#NWL #AFvCA

Referee: AM Keighley
Assistant Referees: H Simons, W Roberts
Fourth Official: B Rattray

Squads

Auckland Football: 16. Corina Brown (GK), 3. Liz Anton, 4. Rebekah Van Dort, 5. Nicole Mettam, 6. Stephanie Skilton, 7. Britney Cunningham-Lee, 9. Jade Parris, 10. Paige Satchell, 11. Sam Muirhead, 12. Sarah Morton, 13. Kathryn-Anne Gow, 15. Leah Mettam, 19. Lucy Carter, 22. Genevieve Ryan, 23. Kim Nottingham, 25. Nadia Olla (GK)
Coach: Tracy Wrigley

Capital Football: 1. Courtney Norman (GK), 2. Sarah Alder, 3. Zoe Barrott, 4. Danielle Ohlsson, 5. Caelin Patterson, 7. Kelsi Rutene, 8. Katie Barrott, 9. Emma Main, 10. Jemma Robertson, 11. Kennedy Bryant, 12. Charlotte Wilford-Carroll, 13. Danielle Turton, 14. Asha Strom, 15. Anna Green, 16. Meisha Boone, 18. Tash Ingram
Coach: Emma Evans

Lowdown

With Canterbury not in action this weekend, Auckland have an opportunity to draw level on points with the leaders and will be confident of doing so after making a perfect start to the season. They have won both their matches so far and are still to concede a goal from an opponent’s boot, Southern’s strike last weekend being an own goal. That does not bode well for a Capital side which – aside from a 5-0 disposal of pointless Central – has struggled to find the net with regularity, drawing a blank against Canterbury in the opening round before scoring just once in a 4-1 loss to Northern last weekend. Another defeat here would leave them off the pace in the race for the top two so Capital will be under a fair degree of pressure on their trip north. They will again be without Sarah Gregorius but coach Emma Evans will be encouraged by much of last week’s performance as it took a pair of late goals for Northern to finally confirm the win. Auckland will be further strengthened by the return of striker Jade Parris and defender Rebekah Van Dort though and appear to have taken quickly to the philosophy and methods of new coach Tracy Wrigley.

Quotes

Rebecca O’Neill (Auckland assistant coach): “Capital will always be strong competition, I think they’ll be really physical and well organised. But we’re looking forward to the challenge and I think we’ve got the weapons all across the park to get another three points. Having our first game at home is going to be a pretty big occasion, it’s fantastic facilities and the girls are really looking forward to stamping our mark on the home ground.”

Sam Morrissey (Capital assistant coach): “Auckland have some quality players and their early results have already shown they can come together as a team as well. Our preparation has once again been good and, even though we are wary of what they can bring, our focus has always been on us as a team and making sure we are developing our own strengths.”

BYE – Canterbury United Pride

Article added: Friday 05 October 2018