Melville United clinched the Lotto Northern Women's Championship this week, but did so by default, with Central United refraining from making the trip to Gower Park, thus denying coach Tarena Ranui and her charges the pleasure of celebrating their successful season in style after the final whistle of a match the newly crowned champions would surely have won in convincing fashion. Instead, it will go down in the annals as the mandatory 3-0 default scoreline, with Laura Bennett denied a game to boost her hopes of claiming the Golden Boot as well, thanks to this disappointing outcome. She remains three goals behind Franklin United's Britney Cunningham-Lee, who failed to find the net once again as the second-placed South Aucklanders eked out a 1-1 draw at Shepherds Park against Birkenhead United, for whom Grace Chitty opened the scoring in the 57th minute, only for Sarah Carpenter to restore parity in stoppage time. That result allowed Onehunga Sports to draw level with Franklin on the table, although "The Green Machine" required goals in the last ten minutes from Rebecca Ripley and goalkeeper Tessa Blakeborough to bring about their 4-1 victory over Onehunga-Mangere United at Waikaraka Park. Amy Wells afforded Sports the lead just after the half-hour mark, but "The Scarlets" levelled matters through Akhita Biju George in the 57th minute to remind the home team that their local rivals weren't there just to admire the scenery, something both teams could be excused for if they were playing at Mangere Domain! Suffice to say, the equaliser gave Sports the proverbial kick up the backside, and once captain Kate Inwood restored their advantage twenty minutes from time, there were no further lapses by Geoff Brogan's charges, meaning OMU remain locked at the bottom of the table with Central, with Northern Rovers two points above them still.

That's a result of their 5-2 loss to Cambridge at McFetridge Park, where Pace Beckett put through her own net after just four minutes to send the visitors on their way to victory. Rhiannon Jones and Emma Blaikie extended their advantage in the last ten minutes of the half, during which time Orla Chambers dragged Rovers back into the contest. But once Jones and Rachel Major struck inside the first five minutes of the second spell, the game was up for Craig Alexander's side, who nonetheless kept plugging away, and were rewarded for doing so by captain Lilliana Chapman's goal in the dying minutes. With the silverware set to grace the Gower Park trophy cabinet this summer, attention turns to the bottom of the table, and what is set to be a hugely influential game this Sunday in the battle to avoid relegation. Central and OMU meet at Kiwitea Street in a Central Auckland derby which neither side can afford to lose, and Northern will be hoping ends in a draw, meaning both clubs remain beneath them on the table. Rovers are set to play Birkenhead at Shepherds Park in a North Harbour derby on Friday night, while Waikato pride will be on the line on Sunday at John Kerkhof Park as Cambridge entertain Melville. And with second place up for grabs as Franklin and "The Green Machine" meet at the Drury Sports Complex, the stage is set for what should be some highly entertaining fixtures. Details: Birkenhead United 1 (G. Chitty (57)), Franklin United 1 (S. Carpenter (90))  HT 0-0 Melville United 3 ("oggies"), Central United 0 Northern Rovers 2 (O. Chambers (38), L. Chapman (87)), Cambridge 5 ("oggie" (4), R. Jones (35, 47), E. Blaikie (45), R. Major (50))  HT 1-3 Onehunga Sports 4 (A. Wells (32), K. Inwood (71), R. Ripley (80), T. Blakeborough (90)), Onehunga-Mangere United 1 (A. Biju George (57))  HT 1-0