Central Soccer v SoccerSouth
Central Soccer’s mauling at the hands of Auckland has ruined their goal difference and effectively killed their playoff chances leaving pride as the main motivation when they host a SoccerSouth side that now has a sniff of a first ever semifinal appearance.

A tight derby win for SoccerSouth over Mainland tuned the playoff race on its head, but with a final round match against a rampant Auckland to come, coach Hugh Madden knows his side need a win this week at Palmerson North’s Skoglund Park to remain in playoff contention.

“Last week was do or die. The team showed great character and responded to the pressure well, but we need to keep on winning to stay in the race,” said Madden.

FIVE INTO TWO AS WOMEN’S PACK FIGHT IT OUT

AUCKLAND - Five teams battle for just two semifinal spots in the penultimate round of the Lion Foundation National Women’s League on Sunday.

In the most open playoff race in six editions of the National Women’s league, no team can secure one of the two semi final berths on the weekend, although a few can rule themselves out.

Having secured the minor premiership with a game to spare, Auckland Football now have a week off leaving the other six teams to fight for the chance to join them in the Wellington final.

Capital, United Soccer 1, Mainland and SoccerSouth – all on six points – are slightly better placed than Waikato, and even Central has the slimmest of mathematical chances to be involved.

Mainland Pride v Capital Football
Two weeks ago the form book suggested a draw in this weekend’s Mainland-Capital fixture would be enough to confirm a semi final between the same two teams on November 25. However, upsets last week have turned this into a must win match for both teams.
It also has implications for the other teams in the race, determining who will be most vulnerable next week – a situation not lost on Mainland Pride coach Ali Grant

“This is the crunch game for all four teams on six. Whoever falters will struggle to move on to the playoffs,” Grant said. Grants thoughts were echoed by Gary Jenkins whose Capital Football side remained second despite last week’s home loss. “Overall, the weekend’s results went our way making the game against Mainland Pride an important one,” said Jenkins.

United Soccer 1 v Waikato/BOP Football
Anchoring the table a few weeks ago, United Soccer 1’s recent form has propelled them into third place but with only a last round bye to look forward to next week, United’s coach Tony Readings is fully aware the match at North Harbour is his sides’s last throw of the dice.

“Last week's result was very important for us, but it counts for nothing if we don’t get a victory this week," was Reading’s assessment. It’s similarly must-win for Waikato/BOP as well, with a win on Sunday setting up a showdown next Sunday with Mainland Pride. However, Duncan Baird’s side has been struggling with injuries and a three game losing streak, so Baird is focusing on getting his first choice players involved again.

“Hopefully last week’s bye has given some of those injured players time to recover and we can get a few of them on the park,” said Baird.

Lion Foundation National Women’s League
Round 6 Draw
United Soccer 1 v Waikato/BOP Football
Sunday 11 November, 1pm.
North Harbour Stadium Turf #3, Albany
Referee: R. Archer

United Soccer 1: (from) 2-Rebecca Simpson (captain) 3-Lisa Kemp, 4.Catherine Porteous, 5-Katie Bowen, 6-Michelle Hogg, 7-Caitlin Campbell, 8-Lauren Mathis, 9-Anna Barlow, 10-Hayley Stirling, 11-Alice Breshnahan, 12-Therese Saito, 13-Aroon Clansey (GK), 14-Sarah Hadwin, 15-Hannah Wilkinson, 16-Tessa Berger, 17-Jen Kendall, 18-Sam Burton, 19-Bridgette Armstrong, 20-Bridgette Armstrong
Coach: Tony Readings

Waikato/BOP Football: (from) 1-Charlotte Wood (GK), 2-Kelly Aitken 3-Elizabeth Bosson, 4-Kylie Jens, 5-Natalie Gaskell, 6-Chelsea Wood, 7-Alex Shadbolt, 8-Jackie Pretswell, 9-Kelly Stanton, 10-Sarah McLaughlin, 11-Katherine Robinson, 12-Nicole Stratford, 13-Kate Loye,14-Anna Fulerton, 15-Vanessa Lambert, 16-Brogan Mathieson
Coach: Duncan Baird

SOCCERSOUTH

Central Soccer v SoccerSouth
Sunday 11 November, 12.00pm.
Skoglund Park, Palmerston North
Referee: C. Jones

Central Soccer 1: (from) 18-Rangi-Nuku Nikora, 2-Jess Green 3-Leah Gallie, 4-Niki Baldwin, 5-Lizzie Hall, 6-Chelsea Aim, 7-Tina Stevenson, 8-Rhonda Bridges, 9-Jess Dent, 10-Ella Wiebe, 11-Piamoana Penetito/Sharne Schmidt, 12-Alice Ireton, 13-Tanja Grunwald, 14-Kelly Stembridge, 15-Nikki Wenzlick, 16-Tammy Wells.
Coach: John Green

SoccerSouth: (from) Noran Abbaza, Amber Mulhall-Larsen, Kathy Doubleday, Laura Wallis, Jo Rombouts, Cheryl McDiarmaid, Amanda Scott, Kushla Glover, Una Madden, Leanne Tiffen, Jamie Hackett, Rebekah Brook, Mariah Meagher, Liz Steiner,
Nancy Campbell, Monique Francois.
Coach: Hugh Madden

Mainland Pride v Capital Football
Sunday 11 November, 1pm.
English Park, Christchurch
Referee: M. Lindsay

Mainland Pride: (from) 1-Olivia Jeffries, 2-Jane Simpson,13-Maia Vink,4-Alice Pilgrim, 3-Megan Shea, 18-Victoria Esson, 11-Shelley McDowall, 14-Kelly Jarden, 8-Georgia Goulding, 6-Annabelle Bramwell, 10-Rose Anne Cox, 7-Claire Warner, 15-Ruth Bourke, 16-Aimee Phillips, 9-Alana Ainsworth, 21-Ingrid Bain.
Coach: Ali Grant

Capital Football: (from) 1-Karen Rigby, 3-Yumi Nguyen, 5-Tess Murphy, 6-Bria Sargent, 7-Renee Leota, 8-Patrice Bourke, 9-Rebecca O'Neill, 10-Wendi Henderson, 11-Ashlee Delahunty, 12-Sally Kent, 14-Hannah Wall, 16-Mariko Kirkcalde, 17-Zarnia Cogle, 18-Annalise van Kampen, 19-Elizabeth Milne, 22-Lilly Li
Coach: Gary Jenkins

2007 National Women’s League Standings
Team P W D L GF GA GD PTS
Auckland Football*            5 5 0 0 20 3 17 15
Capital Football                 4 2 0 2 6 4 2        6
United Soccer                   1 5 2 0 3 6 6 0    6
Mainland Pride                  4 2 0 2 5 5 0        6
SoccerSouth                     4 2 0 2 2 6 -4      6
Waikato/BOP Football      4 1 0 3 4 6 -2      3
Central Soccer                  4 1 0 3 3 16 -13  3

*Auckland have won the minor premiership and an automatic place in the final on December 1 in Wellington. Second hosts third on November 25 to determine the other finalist.