The Northern Lights have kept in touch with front-runners Canterbury United Pride while Southern United’s title hopes are all but over after Heritage Week wrapped up in the National Women’s League this afternoon.

After fellow final contenders Canterbury and Capital both secured victories yesterday, the pressure was on the Lights to follow suit today and they delivered with a 2-1 win in Dunedin to move within four points of top spot.

While the win keeps Northern well on track, it was a fifth defeat of the season for Southern and leaves them significantly cut off from the top four. The sides occupying those spots – Canterbury, Northern, Auckland and Capital – now appear to be in a four-horse race for the final but Northern could even go on to claim the minor premiership after picking up another three points on the road.

It was a good time for Southern to be hosting Northern as the Lights were without coach Gemma Lewis and seven players, who all jetted off to Uruguay for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup yesterday. But the visitors displayed the depth of talent available in their region while dealing well with the strong wind and driving rain at Sunnyvale Park.

Emma Turnbull put Northern in front just before the half hour, going one-on-one with goalkeeper Jordan Woodward before finishing at the second attempt. It was 2-0 soon after the break when a corner was headed back across goal and Samantha Tawharu side-footed it home, leaving Southern’s prospects of making the final hanging by a thread.

The hosts gave themselves hope of salvaging something on the hour when Mikayla Gray burst into the box and fed Britney-Lee Nicholson, who finished well off the post. But, despite a much-improved showing in the second half, Ignacio Sande’s side couldn’t draw level as Northern claimed a well-deserved win.

Joining them in the winners’ circle were Capital and Canterbury, who earned convincing victories over Central and WaiBOP respectively on Saturday. 

The Football Ferns pair of Anna Green and Sarah Gregorius both scored twice in Capital’s 5-0 triumph while Emma Main also got on the scoresheet in Wellington.

In Hamilton, WaiBOP relished being back on home soil for the first time since the opening day but couldn’t make it a happy return as Ferns playmaker Annalie Longo, Whitney Hepburn and Cody Taylor all found the net for Canterbury. The home side could only muster one response through Emma Cawte.

Their losses mean Central and WaiBOP have still only recorded one win each as they look to avoid the wooden spoon.

The National Women’s League returns with another full round on the coming weekend, for the table and other information please click here

National Women’s League Match Week Eight Results

Capital Football 5 (Anna Green 12’, 90+1’, Sarah Gregorius 21’, 81’, Emma Main 51’)
Central Football 0
HT: 2-0

WaiBOP Football 1 (Emma Cawte 45+2’)
Canterbury United Pride 3 (Annalie Longo 14’, Whitney Hepburn 26’, Cody Taylor 82’)
HT: 1-2

Southern United 1 (Britney-Lee Nicholson 59’)
Northern Lights 2 (Emma Turnbull 27’, Samantha Tawharu 49’)
HT: 0-1

BYE – Auckland Football

Article added: Sunday 04 November 2018