SWANZ Cup 2006

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SWANZ Cup 2006

Plucky Springs Can't End United's Cup Reign

by Jeremy Ruane

A plucky performance from a young Western Springs side wasn't suffice to stop Lynn-Avon United from winning a record fifth successive SWANZ Knockout Cup Final at Bill McKinlay Park on September 3, a 1000-strong crowd witnessing their seventh triumph overall as they swept to a 3-0 victory, with all the goals coming in the second spell.

It was a result which certainly didn't seem likely in the first half, however, as the Manson Property Developments-sponsored Springs combination gave the cup holders a fair few reminders that they weren't there just to make up the numbers.

The below-par performances of the vast majority of Lynn-Avon's line-up in the first half - Rebecca Parkinson, in particular, simply wasn't at the races - suggested that they were subconsciously thinking that merely turning up would secure them another cup triumph.

Springs, on the other hand, were well up for the biggest fixture in their club's history, something which their colourful, loud and proud support crew were determined to enjoy - and they did! - come what may.

It was also the most significant club fixture virtually every member of “The Hoops” entire squad had ever been involved in. Save for goalkeeper Bianca Mori and substitute Leah Tagaloa, finalists with Ellerslie in 2003, Cup Final day was an entirely new experience for this team of teenagers, and having had a taste, you can guarantee they'll be back for more in the years to come.

The result aside, they actually quite enjoyed this one, which saw Lynn-Avon enjoy the better of the early exchanges. New Zealand U-20 internationals Kirsty Yallop and Sarah Gregorius launched sight-finding shots well wide of the mark before the former unleashed a twenty-yarder in the seventh minute which warmed Mori's gloves.

Five minutes later, it was the turn of Stephanie Puckrin to produce a good save, after Penny Chapman's crossfield ball to Holly Jones had seen the youngster cross beyond Helen Collins into the path of Annabelle Bramwell. Puckrin was right behind the midfielder's twenty yard drive.

Back came Lynn-Avon, Dana Humby's crossfield ball being headed away by Hannah Valentine, but only as far as Melanie Hansen, who let fly with a twenty-five yard grasscutter which zoomed narrowly past Mori's left-hand post, although the `keeper had it covered all the way.

From the resulting goal-kick, Chelsey Wood - a top-drawer first half display - sent Jones down the right once more. She got the better of Jenny Carlisle - a rarity in itself - but the defender found an able ally in Puckrin, who came hurtling out to the edge of the penalty area and cleared the danger as she collided with Jones, who was left a wee bit the worse for wear following her clash with Lynn-Avon's captain.

After a dangerous Ria Percival cross had Mori in two minds about coming for it - she opted not to, and might have paid the penalty had Hansen not failed to make contact with the ball - Springs' custodian cleared the ball downfield to Collins.

The NZ U-20 striker linked with Wood and Chapman before receiving the ball again and looking to work an opening with Katherine Robinson. Both fell foul of Terry McCahill's defensive efforts, but Collins eventually forced her way past the stalwart and played the ball across to Chapman, whose rasping drive found Puckrin's midriff.

Springs weren't playing the role of shrinking violets in this game by any means, and forced a free-kick in the 28th minute which Collins delivered into the zone, Chapman and Valentine her intended targets. But the trajectory took the ball too near Puckrin, who promptly launched a counter-attack which culminated in Humby's corner being headed over the bar by Gregorius.

Four minutes later, the tireless Katie Hoyle raced down the left and picked out Percival with a cross to the near post. The youngster mistimed her shot on this occasion, and repeated the dose seconds later, this time on receipt of a defence-splitting pass from Yallop.

Unperturbed, Percival kept on coming, this time in her more customary right flank role. Down the flank she flew before firing over a deep cross beyond the far post which had Mori in “Should I stay or should I go?” mode once more. She stayed, and was relieved to see Gregorius heading the ball wide, having timed her run to perfection.

Nine minutes before half-time, a stray pass from Yallop was pounced on by Jones, who swiftly linked with Chapman, Collins and Robinson. The last-mentioned engineered an opening on the edge of the penalty area which allowed Collins to stride into the eighteen-yard box with more than a little degree of menace, the target in her sights, Percival fast closing from behind.

But Collins was in Puckrin's sights, and the goalkeeper, having anticipated the threat, was out of her goal and diving at the feet of the striker before she had a chance to unleash a shot - a Springs goal at this point would have made things very interesting indeed.

As it was, they nearly got one four minutes before the interval. Either side of wayward efforts at the other end of the park from Hoyle and Humby, Collins pounced on a loose ball some twenty-five yards out and instinctively unleashed a dipping twenty-five yard volley, which had Puckrin scrambling across her goal to cover the threat. The `keeper's relief at seeing the sphere clear the crossbar by not a lot was palpable.

So to the half-time break, during which Lynn-Avon coach Jill Gilmore spelt out a few home truths to her charges concerning the quality of their performance thus far. And in moving Hansen inside from her left flank role, she also made a tactical change which both significantly tightened United's grip on midfield and ultimately provided the platform on which they engineered their victory.

The change released some of the constraints under which the attack-minded Yallop had been playing, and the NZ U-20s captain responded to her new lease of life by simply grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck straight from the resumption for a twenty minute period, a time in which the destiny of the trophy was determined.

After seeing her cross-shot gathered by Mori in the 48th minute, having been released by a quickly-taken McCahill free-kick, Yallop then scythed through three challenges three minutes later before unleashing a twenty yard grasscutter which the goalkeeper saved well, low to her right.

Mori promptly sent Robinson racing down the left, from where she played the ball into the path of the ever-alert figure of Collins. Her rising drive was comfortably plucked from the sky by Puckrin, who was racing out of her goal two minutes later for reasons other than preventing another Springs raid.

With Sam Selwyn having stepped in to take over from Parkinson, Yallop was now afforded even more licence

Sarah Gregorius (LAU) scoots away from Chelsey Wood (Springs)

Katie Hoyle (LAU) confronted by Katherine Robinson (Springs)

Ria Percival (LAU) shadowed by Poppy Binning (Springs, obscured)

Helen Collins (Springs) anticipates which way Jenny Carlisle (LAU) will go

You put your right foot in! Ria Percival (LAU) kicks the ball beyond Jesse Verdon (Springs) as Annabelle Bramwell (Springs) looks on

Katie Hoyle (LAU) on manoeuvres, much to the consternation of Annabelle Bramwell (Springs)

To the victor, the spoils! The youngest-ever MVP, Ria Percival (LAU)

to roam at will, and she took full advantage in the 54th minute, surging forward before linking with her able midfield foil, Hoyle.

Her slide-rule pass saw Gregorius sprint through Springs' offside trap, and the striker found herself one-on-one with Mori. The goalkeeper parried her opponent's first effort, but Gregorius was onto the rebound in an instant and stabbed home the opening goal of the game.

Springs' fans, whose support of their team couldn't be faulted to this point, were suddenly silenced, something which Lynn-Avon's support crew couldn't help but pass comment on. “It's all gone quiet over there!”, was heard, as the good-natured banter in the stands saw United's volume in the ascendancy as a result of the goal.

Five minutes after it, Yallop was in again, this time picked out by Hansen. Taking the ball on, she hit a twenty-five yarder which had `goal' written all over it until Mori produced a brilliant full-length dive to fingertip the ball round the post - great save!

But she could do nothing at all two minutes later as United doubled their advantage, although the throw-in from which the goal stemmed should never have been awarded.

Referee's assistant Jacqui Stevenson made no signal to indicate the ball had gone out of play, but referee Leigh Perry made her lone blemish in an otherwise sound display of officiating by ruling the whole of the ball had crossed the sideline from a position less advantageous to make the call than that enjoyed by the gathered throngs in the stand.

Yallop, placeCarlisle and Hoyle quickly combined, the last-mentioned feeding Percival, another beneficiary of the half-time tactical change, even though she had been one of the few Lynn-Avon players to shine in the first spell.

The player later named youngest-ever winner of the SWANZ Cup Final's MVP award effectively clinched the honour her performance merited when lashing home a twenty-five yard screamer which soared over Mori into the roof of the net - 2-0, leaving the cup holders' young opponents with the proverbial mountain-climbing expedition to get back into the match.

Cue the prompt introduction of Tagaloa, but before she could make an impact on proceedings, Lynn-Avon had gone close to building on their advantage still further. Mori grabbed a Humby free-kick at the second attempt, while a Yallop drive ricocheted to safety off Valentine, Humby's resulting corner picking out Gregorius, whose angled curling effort was tipped round the far post by Mori.

The well-performed goalkeeper gathered Humby's next corner, and promptly launched a counter-attack with an accurate throw to Bramwell. She sent Tagaloa scooting down the left in the 71st minute, and the substitute crossed for Chapman, whose twenty yard effort lacked accuracy.

Fifteen minutes from time, Lynn-Avon's quartet of NZ U-20 internationals were in full cry. Hoyle spread play wide to Percival, who linked with Yallop to open the door through which Gregorius strode. But their efforts fell foul of one of their fellow U-20 Women's World Cup Finalists, Mori saving well on this occasion.

Two minutes later, Percival ranged up on the left flank, and held off the advances of the effervescent Poppy Binning - she worked like a Trojan for the cause - before linking with Hoyle and placeCarlisle. The latter pinged the ball over to Selwyn, whose dipping thirty-yarder arced over Mori, but hit the crossbar. The rebound fell to Gregorius, but the `keeper recovered quickly to save once more, and clear her lines.

She did so impressively, for Melissa Ray found herself under a truckload of pressure from both Chapman and Collins as a result. The defender steered the ball back towards Puckrin, who managed to clear her lines as Collins came hurtling through in search of the goal and the lifeline Springs needed to get back into the match.

Puckrin's clearance, despite being under pressure, was an accurate one, picking out Hansen, whose switch from left flank to right at the start of the second half had made such a difference to United's game-plan. She played the ball through for Gregorius, who unleashed a ferocious drive which beat Mori all ends up but hit the post.

The alarm bells continued to ring in Springs' back-line, however, and when Yallop swept past two opponents into the penalty area in the 81st minute, they were clanging louder than ever. The midfielder let fly with a thunderous drive which knocked Mori backwards, such was its power.

The `keeper saved the effort, however, only for Yallop to pounce on the rebound. With Valentine - another tireless performer - and Sarah Nelson closing her down, she slipped the ball outside her into the stride of Hansen, who fair thrashed the ball high into the net to put United in a virtually unassailable position.

Not that Springs gave up hope - far from it. Straight from the kick-off, they forced a corner, which Chapman fired into the goalmouth. The ball cannoned off a couple of Lynn-Avon defenders and flew up onto the crossbar and out for another corner.

This was cleared, the aftermath seeing Gregorius career down the right once more before picking out Percival with a cross. Mori blocked at her feet, with Gregorius pouncing on the rebound and setting up a shooting chance for Yallop.

Like Carlisle's header from a Humby corner soon afterwards, her effort cleared the crossbar, but three of Lynn-Avon's efforts flew under it during the second half, enough to win the cup from gallant opponents who will, in time, savour the moment when Western Springs is the name NZ Soccer's engraver will inscribe on the most prized honour in women's club football in this country.

Meantime, a familiar name will grace the silverware once more, due reward for the twenty-sixth consecutive victory in the SWANZ Knockout Cup by Lynn-Avon United, and their seventh success in the competition all told.

Central to every one of those triumphs over the last eleven years has been Terry McCahill, and on a day when Western Springs' Rosie White became, at thirteen years and eighty days, the youngest ever player to take the field in a SWANZ Cup Final, it was somewhat fitting that the Lynn-Avon stalwart be substituted two minutes from time, thus allowing all present to acknowledge, with a loud and lengthy round of applause, the twenty-year playing career of this outstanding servant of Auckland and New Zealand women's soccer.

Lynn-Avon: Puckrin; Humby, McCahill (Robertson, 90), Ray, Carlisle; Percival, Yallop, Hoyle, Hansen (Doubleday, 83); Parkinson (Selwyn, 53), Gregorius

Springs: Mori; Binning, Valentine, Nelson, Verdon; Jones (Tagaloa, 63), Wood, Bramwell, Robinson (White, 76); Chapman, Collins

Referee: Leigh Perry

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