Hamilton Wanderers qualified for their first-ever NZ Football Foundation Kate Sheppard Cup Final when accounting for Coastal Spirit SASFC 3 - 1 on Saturday. Wanderers deserved their win taking control of the game when scoring twice in the space of four minutes in the opening 17 minutes, to leave Coastal in the unusual position of having to chase the game. 

Apart from the opening ten minutes, Wanderers never allowed Coastal to settle into their usual methodical build-up from the back. The Hamilton side showed plenty of determination the longer the game went, winning the bulk of the 50 / 50 balls when it mattered and dominating the midfield battle. Coastal's cause was not helped by too many misdirected passes or most of their shots well off the mark. 

Both teams had early chances to open the scoring. Wanderers opened the scoring when a shot from the left by Lisa Evans was not taken cleanly by keeper Una Foyle, and Maddi Ollington was first to the spilled ball for a simple finish in the 13th minute. Four minutes later, a great ball from Helen Arjomandi split the Coastal defence, with Anna Fullerton finishing well to double the lead. Fullerton then went close minutes later with an angled shot from the right going just centimetre's wide of the left-hand post. 

At the other end of the park, Mel Cameron then went close for Coastal, possibly their best chance of the half, with several other half chances going begging for the home side who were unable to find a goal reduce the margin before the break. The pace of both Arjomandi and Fullerton always looked to be a handful for the Coastal backline, with Fullerton going off after a knock just before halftime, replaced by Sarah Carpenter, who almost scored with her first touch just on the stroke of halftime.  

Coastal went to the bench immediately when play resumed with Jayda Stewart being replaced by Bel van Noorden who saw several of her shot go wide in the opening 15 minutes of the second half. A strong wind favoured Wanderers, who increased their lead from a corner in the 69th minute. Michaela Foster capped a fine game with a dangerous in-swinging corner which Foyle could only turn into her own net. 

Time was always going to be Coastal's enemy as they looked to take the game from Wanderers. With three minutes of normal time remaining, a good run from van Noorden ended when laying the ball back to Kiara Bercelli, who chipped the Wanderers keeper, Rylee Godbold, from just outside the goal area. Coastal had several half-chances in the closing minutes but could not narrow the margin to try and force the game into extra time. 

The other semi-final between Wellington United and Auckland's Eastern Suburbs was postponed after someone in the Suburbs camp contracted Covid, with New Football yet to confirm a date for the game to be played. 

Scorers: Coastal Spirit 1 (Kiara Bercelli) Hamilton Wanderers 3 (Maddi Ollington, Anna Fullerton, own goal) HT 0 - 2

Written by Gavin Searle. 
Article added: Monday 21 February 2022