Eastern Suburbs progressed to the last sixteen in the ASB National Women's Knockout Cup on May 26 courtesy a comfortable 5-0 victory over Fencibles United at Madills Farm, despite the absence of both Melanie Gooch and Rebecca Tegg from their starting line-up. A Suburbs first-team card minus the names of either of these club stalwarts is a real collector's item. Without fail, one or other - and usually both - have been inked in almost without thinking by coach Richard Wilson over the years, but with both absent for contrasting medical reasons, it left him with a wee problem - where would the goals come from? A shuffled pack saw a long-awaited return, following an operation, for Jess Verdon, albeit in the unfamiliar role of left-winger. Junior Ferns midfield dynamo Evie Millynn took over the central striker's role, and she wasted little time in making her presence known in Fencibles' defence. Holding up play well in the fourth minute, after the visitors had started solidly in the moments prior, Millynn guided the ball back to Harriet Steele, who played it inside to the player upon whom Suburbs' victory was founded. Katie Hoyle's thirty yarder narrowly missed Alex Vernon's left-hand post on this occasion, but the midfield general more than made amends for this with a simply outstanding first half display, sitting in front of Suburbs' back four, where she broke up many a Fencibles attack and launched numerous home team raids with probing passes. It was from a Hoyle challenge in the eighth minute that Suburbs took the lead. The ball broke for Emily Stotter, who fair thrashed it past the startled figure of Alex Vernon from fully thirty yards, the ball crashing into the net via the far post - 1-0. Fencibles, who came into this match on a bit of a role form-wise, looked to get back on level terms quickly, with the industrious midfield trio of Hannah Wall, Sarah Fuller and Lucy Carter looking to engineer many an opening for Sarah Blyde and Steph Trowill to exploit. But much of what they did that was good swiftly turned to thoughts of what might have been had this tie taken place in a week's time, when Suburbs would have been without the services of the hard-working Hoyle due to Football Ferns' commitments. She broke up so many potential United attacks … in short, this would have been a much closer contest without Hoyle's presence. It will be interesting to see how Suburbs cope without her over the course of the next few weeks. Fencibles couldn't cope with her probing passes, one of which was at the heart of Suburbs' second goal, in the twentieth minute. Hoyle released Becky Hawker through the offside trap on the right, but her shot was saveable. Unfortunately for United, Vernon fumbled it, and the lurking figure of Millynn didn't hesitate to tap home from close range. She should have made it three four minutes later, only to sky a sitter when six yards out with the goal at her mercy, after Emily Cooper and Hawker had combined to play in the makeshift striker. Cooper featured again four minutes later, linking with Stotter, whose pass to Chelsey Wood allowed the fullback to angle a pass in behind the defence which rewarded Verdon's driving angled run. Vernon was caught in no man's land as the fit-again Suburbs player raced through onto the ball, and promptly let fly with a first-time chip which bounced narrowly past the far post, much to the relief of United's 'keeper. Three minutes later, Verdon was in again, this time thanks to the anticipation of Millynn, who tore after Alison Wintle's back-pass, forcing Vernon to reconsider her initial idea of clearing it downfield. Millynn's pursuit of this seemingly lost cause swiftly bore fruit, the striker gathering the ball before steering it inside for Verdon, whose near post drive was in for all money until Vernon produced a stunning save, tipping the ball onto the bar, then recovering to gather the rebound before Verdon could react. A Steph Trowill snapshot apart, Fencibles had given Erin Nayler little cause for concern to this point, but the Football Ferns custodian was leading the applause in the 41st minute as her opposite number made another outstanding save, Vernon this time plunging full length to her left to tip a thirty yard piledriver from Cooper round the post. But United's 'keeper undid all her good work seconds later. Hoyle's corner was missed by all-comers bar Kristy Hill, whose side-footed effort somehow found its way past Vernon and rolled slowly but surely over the line - as with the second goal, the 'keeper should have done better. Wall had enjoyed little reward for her various attacking thrusts to date in the match, but despite the fact her team was staring down the barrel of another early Cup exit, she continued to strive to produce that lifeline which could get them back into the contest. What she produced in the 44th minute was deserving of better fate. Dani Vulinovich pinged a ball into the danger zone which was cleared towards Wall some twenty-five yards from goal. With the ball dropping behind her, the some-time Football Ferns star uncorked a stunning dipping volley which had Nayler back-pedalling and very much relieved to see the ball crash against the top of the crossbar and bounce over for a goal-kick.

Katie Hoyle Sarah Blyde Jess Verdon Hannah Wall Erin Nayler Steph Trowill Kristy Hill

Suburbs' 'keeper duly took it, and within seconds Hoyle had sent Hawker racing away through the inside right channel - and the offside trap - once more. This time, she made no mistake, rifling a shot on the run past Vernon to seal the deal with forty-five minutes to spare - 4-0. With the growing wind now at their backs, Suburbs began the second spell intent on increasing their lead still further. Another fine ball from Hoyle sent Hawker hustling to the by-line, from where she laid a pass back into the stride of Wood. Her measured cross found Verdon, whose looping header arced inches over the bar in the 47th minute. Two minutes later, Dana Humby played a delightfully weighted ball onto Verdon's chest, the front-runner instantly guiding it down into the stride of Millynn, who sent a twenty yard volley careering past the post. Fencibles responded in the 52nd minute, with Carter feeding Vulinovich, who played a peach of a ball forward to exploit Blyde's pace. She picked out Trowill with her cross, but the young striker sliced her effort wildly wide. Sadly for the visitors, their problems were defensive in nature, and largely of their own making. Vernon's goal kicks were going nowhere near as far as was anticipated, which meant Suburbs were soon back in possession, on this occasion through Hoyle. She worked a one-two with Stotter before slaloming through three challenges prior to checking inside and steering a low shot past the advancing figure of Vernon and narrowly past the far post. Hoyle's performance merited far better reward. A string of substitutions by both sides around the hour mark resulted in Fencibles becoming more prominent as an attacking force in the later stages of the game - the departures of Cooper and Stotter showed the importance of their contributions to the team's framework. But not before Suburbs went nap twenty minutes from time. Soon after a delightful move featuring Hawker, Hoyle and Flora McLeod and the overlapping Hawker had culminated in a cross which flew just too far in front of the incoming figure of Wood in the 68th minute, Suburbs went nap via the most delighted scorer of the day. Hoyle was again the fulcrum of the move, her deep corner beyond the far post being met by Hill's well-timed header. Vernon parried this effort, prompting a goalmouth scramble in which Wood fired the ball against the prone figure of a team-mate. McLeod latched onto the rebound in a flash and stabbed home the 35th goal of her Suburbs career - 5-0, with twenty minutes remaining. The balance of the match was dominated by Wall's attempts to get Fencibles on the board, despite the fact the tie was long beyond them. In the 73rd minute, a driving run culminated in a one-two with Trowill, with Wall, on the stretch, slicing her twenty-five yard effort well wide of Nayler's goal. Six minutes later, Wall won possession on half-way and instantly fed Carter, who sent Trowill racing down the left. She swept past two opponents before entering the penalty area, only for Nayler to parry the ball briefly to safety at close quarters. Trowill quickly retrieved possession and laid the ball back to Wall, whose piledriver was blocked at close quarters by Humby - she was still feeling the effects of the shot a couple of minutes later. After Wall's super through ball had sent Trowill racing through off the left flank, only for Nayler to get right behind the speedster's shot, United's number nine was on the rampage once more, in the 86th minute. Down the left Wall raced, and not even a superbly timed and executed tackle by the fast-retreating figure of Hill could contain her - Wall rode the challenge well, before eventually finding the space from which to deliver a cross which invited substitute Makere Pohe to let fly. Nayler was hell-bent on keeping a clean sheet in this match, and proved the point with a superb full-stretch fingertip save which diverted the goal-bound ball round the post. She then smothered a Wall effort after United's star turn had pounced on a rare stray pass from her Suburbs equivalent, Hoyle. The latter looked to make amends via a last- minute corner, which she directed onto the head of Hill. Vernon saved this, and launched the final attack of the game by clearing the ball to Trowill. She raced past a couple of players before seeking support inside her. Wall led the charge, and promptly split the defence with a pass which allowed Trowill to continue her run towards goal. Out charged Nayler once more, the 'keeper saving well at the striker's feet to maintain her clean sheet and confirm a 5-0 win for an Eastern Suburbs side which responded well to the challenge of being without their principle striking partnership. How they will fare without their international pairing of Hoyle and Nayler over the course of the next few weeks remains to be seen. Suburbs:     Nayler; Wood, Humby, Hill, Steele (McLeod, 61); Stotter (Manak, 61), Hoyle, E. Cooper (McGregor, 77); Hawker, Millynn, Verdon Fencibles:     Vernon; Vulinovich, Wintle, Eastwood, R. Cooper; Fuller (Mossman, 57), Wall, Carter; Blyde (Egan, 83), Trowill, Posimani (Pohe, 64) Referee:     Anna-Marie Keighley