The four Lotto Northern Premier Women's League teams which will compete in this year's National Women's League were confirmed on August 10, a result of Ellerslie's 4-1 loss to West Coast Rangers at Michaels Avenue. Two Shannon Henson penalties put Rangers on course for victory, and when Minji Yun made it three in the shadows of the half-time whistle, the game was up for "The Ponies", who had to win to have any chance of fulfilling their NWL ambitions. Lyric Davison gave the home team brief hope when reducing the deficit on the hour, but Kailey Short popped up in stoppage time to restore Rangers' three-goal advantage, a win which keeps them a point behind league leaders Auckland United with three rounds remaining. The reigning champions humbled Hibiscus Coast 5-0 at Keith Hay Park on Friday night, inspired by Chloe Knott's hat-trick. Rene Wasi hit the bar and Tui Dugan the post for the table-toppers before half-time, while Ava Collins thundered a hip-turn volley against the bar in the second spell before setting up Alexis Cook for the game's fourth goal in the 66th minute. Collins then scored a well-deserved goal nine minutes from time, and was denied a stonewall penalty in the dying minutes on an evening "The Coasters" welcomed both Aneka Mittendorff and Paige Satchell back from injury. United and Rangers will have Eastern Suburbs and Western Springs for company in the NWL, and those teams met at Seddon Fields on Friday evening in a hard-fought affair which was settled twenty minutes from time by Taylor Anderson's goal, earning "The Lilywhites" a 1-0 win - their tenth successive victory in all competitions, in nine of which they've kept their opponents scoreless. Ayumi Horikoshi was in hat-trick-scoring form for Fencibles United on Sunday afternoon, her treble

inspiring them to a 6-1 win over Tauranga Moana at Fergusson Park. Grace Duncan drew the home team level from the penalty spot in the 26th minute, but whatever was in "Fencies"' half-time water should be bottled and preserved. They scored five goals after the interval, captain Rosie Missen getting the ball rolling before Horikoshi completed her hat-trick and Hayley Miller chimed in with two goals, leaving the home team in grave danger of conceding 100 goals for the season - they are eight goals shy of that tally at present, with three games still to play. Tauranga take on Ellerslie at Gordon Spratt Reserve on Sunday, while "The Coasters" welcome Fencibles to their Stanmore Bay Reserve home. The action in the round kicks off on Friday evening with a potential humdinger between "The Hoops" and Rangers at Seddon Fields. There's only one place to be on Saturday, however, and that's Keith Hay Park, where Auckland and "The Lilywhites" lock horns in the Delivereasy Kate Sheppard Cup semi-final from 5pm, four days before they do it all again at the same venue, this time with three points at stake. In truth, this match would make a great final, but the reality is the victors will be taking on either Wellington Phoenix or Cashmere Technical in September's showpiece fixture. They clash in the capital on Sunday. Details: Auckland United 5 (C. Knott (14, 50, 64), A. Cook (66), A. Collins (81)), Hibiscus Coast 0  HT 1-0 Ellerslie 1 (L. Davison (59)), West Coast Rangers 4 (S. Henson (9 pen, 33 pen), M. Yun (43), K. Short (90))  HT 0-3 Tauranga Moana 1 (G. Duncan (26 pen)), Fencibles United 6 (A. Horikoshi (15, 56, 66), R. Missen (51), H. Miller (73, 90))  HT 1-1 Western Springs 0, Eastern Suburbs 1 (T. Anderson (70))  HT 0-0