An Anya Stephan hat-trick inspired Cashmere Technical to a come-from-behind 3-2 win over Coastal Spirit on May 31, the victors of this Christchurch showdown advancing to the last sixteen of the Delivereasy Kate Sheppard Cup. The former Western Springs starlet opened the scoring on the quarter-hour, only for Margi Dias and Britney-Lee Nicholson to turn things round for the visitors to Garrick Memorial Park. But Stephan restored parity before half-time, and completed her hat-trick eight minutes before the end to crush Spirit's Cup hopes for another year. Cashmere is the last team standing in Christchurch, with Nelson Suburbs downing Halswell United 2-0 thanks to goals in each half from Jacinta Borer and Sola Tsuruta. It was a tough day out for "Hawks" goalkeeper Charlotte Rennie, who had to be replaced twixt the sticks in the 26th minute. To make matters worse, she's the coach as well! Further south, the formbook prevailed as Dunedin City Royals and Otago University both scored five goals to advance to the last sixteen. The students accounted for Northern at Logan Park, Aynsley Martin and Leila Hausia-Haugen both scoring twice in their 5-0 win, which also featured a goal from substitute Georgia Nixon. Given Northern are propping up the Football South Premier Women's League competition, a grade below Otago, and lost 7-0 to the students' reserves team earlier this season, this tie could very easily have resulted in the mother and father of all hidings. That the students were only a goal to the good at half-time reflects well on the spirit of the beaten side. Across town at Tahuna Park, "The Royals" routed Roslyn Wakari 5-1, with Kylie Jones and Reagan Potter dominating the scoring. The former netted a hat-trick, while the latter bagged a brace on a day Morgan MacCormick scored a consolation goal for "The Ponies". During the past week, Canterbury Universities booked their place in the Morisson Mitsubishi Reta Fitzpatrick Cup semi-finals with a 9-0 hammering of Hornby United at English Park, where Erin Roxburgh and Caylee-Grace Brown both struck twice for the victors. Selwyn United and Halswell meet on Wednesday night at the same venue with a semi-final berth on the line, while the South Island Women's League reaches the halfway mark on the weekend, with attention aplenty focused on Sunday's showdown between reigning champions Cashmere and unbeaten league leaders Dunedin at Garrick Memorial Park. Saturday's fare sees Nomads-Waimakariri United welcoming Coastal Spirit to Kendall Park, while Nelson heads to Logan Park to take on Otago on a day Halswell and the Canterbury students square off at Halswell Domain. Details: Cashmere Technical 3 (A. Stephan (14, 43, 82)), Coastal Spirit 2 (M. Dias (27), B. Nicholson (41))  HT 2-2 Dunedin City Royals 5 (K. Jones (11, 43, 77), R. Potter (24, 28)), Roslyn Wakari 1 (M. MacCormick (65))  HT 4-0 Nelson Suburbs 2 (J. Borer (6), S. Tsuruta (64)), Halswell United 0  HT 1-0 Otago University 5 (A. Martin (19, 56), L. Haugia-Hausen (68, 72), G. Nixon (86)), Northern 0  HT 1-0

The dominant teams in the Central Region all recorded convincing victories in the King's Birthday round of the Delivereasy Kate Sheppard Cup, with Wellington United and Waterside Karori both scoring 5-0 wins on the road. Wellington Phoenix's reserves topped their efforts, however, mauling Marist Palmerston North 8-1 at Arena Manawatu, with Lily Brazendale helping herself to a hat-trick. Isla Cleall-Harding and Emily Humphrey both struck twice in the rout, while Ella McMillan also chimed in, all this after Marist's Isabella Yarwood had poked the bear by scoring in the seventh minute. Brazendale wasn't the only player to bag the match ball this weekend. Natalie Olson added another to her collection, the "Queen of Diamonds"' treble supplemented by a double from the "Ace of Diamonds", Hannah Pilley, as United eventually swept aside Te Kotahitanga at Mazengarb Park - it was only 1-0 at half-time. The match marked Jemma Robertson's 200th game for "The Diamonds", while TK stalwart Rhiannon Tolenaar was also enjoying a milestone match, her 150th since making her debut as a fifteen-year-old for Kapiti Coast United, one of the clubs involved in the Te Kotahitanga alliance. While a goal from substitute Trinity Mairs earned Miramar Rangers a 1-0 win over Victoria University at Dave Farrington Park, "The Magpies" made light work of Upper Hutt City at Maidstone Park, captain Renee Bacon leading by example with a double-strike. Sophie Bradley and Isabella Ismail-Sanders were also on target for the victors, while Katie Pettegell had the misfortune to put through her own net in the shadows of the half-time whistle as Waterside went nap. As well as the cup-ties, a rescheduled match in the Central Region Premier Women's League took place, with Wellington Phoenix easing past Moturoa 3-0 at Fraser Park thanks to goals from Bridie Christie, Maisy McDonald and Isabella Temple. Four matches take place in the league this weekend, with Saturday's much-awaited showdown between United and Phoenix at Newtown Park the standout fixture. Also that day, "The Magpies" entertain Petone at Karori Park, while Victoria and Marist meet at Boyd Wilson Park. On Sunday, Palmerston North United welcomes Miramar to Memorial Park. Cup details: Marist Palmerston North 3 (I. Yarwood (7)), Wellington Phoenix 8 (L. Brazendale (12, 72, 83), E. Humphrey (13, 37), I. Cleall-Harding (28, 34), E. McMillan (56))  HT 1-5 Miramar Rangers 1 (T. Mairs (74)), Victoria University 0  HT 0-0 Te Kotahitanga 0, Wellington United 5 (N. Olson (6, 57, 75), H. Pilley (48, 84))  HT 0-1 Upper Hutt City 0, Waterside Karori 5 (R. Bacon (39, 55), "oggie" (42), S. Bradley (68), I. Ismail-Sanders (77))  HT 0-2 League details: Wellington Phoenix 3 (B. Christie (34), M. McDonald (60), I. Temple (84)), Moturoa 0  HT 1-0