With Auckland United and West Coast Rangers sidelined this week due to the former's involvement in the OFC Women's Champions League in Papeete, the focus was very much on the teams vying for the other two places in the Lotto Northern Premier Women's League's top four on Mother's Day weekend, and the incumbents consolidated their spots by hitting five goals apiece. Western Springs laid down the gauntlet on Friday night by humbling Hibiscus Coast 5-0 at Seddon Fields, which drained remarkably quickly to allow play to go ahead after Auckland was hit with another deluge during the afternoon. "The Hoops" were little troubled in marking coach Maia Vink's final game in charge with a convincing victory, Anna McPhie heading home an Arisa Takeda corner just fourteen minutes into the contest to send them on their way. Rina Hirano had a goal ruled out for a dubious handball decision eleven minutes later, but after Sarah Morton's thumping header, from another Takeda corner, had doubled Springs' lead, their wily Japanese playmaker struck her first goal of the season in sumptuous style, a first-time half-volley from the edge of the area on receipt of a Tiana Hill cross. Hirano was denied a second goal just after the break by Sienna Shearman's goal-line block, while the outstanding Aneka Mittendorff stood between "The Coasters" and a hiding - she was immense, despite what the scoreline would suggest. Nanami Omasa made it four via the post just after the hour mark, while Takeda crowned a fine personal display with a superb volleyed finish fifteen minutes from time to leave "The Hoops" in third place for at least forty hours. Come late Sunday afternoon, however, "The Lilywhites" were back in third place on goal difference, Eastern Suburbs having overpowered Tauranga Moana 5-1 at Fergusson Park, although it was all square at the interval, Ella Golding's late leveller for the home team having matched Vicky Neuefeind's goal on debut for the visitors. Two minutes after play had resumed, however, Cema Nasau restored Suburbs' advantage, and when Millie Boyle extended it just after the hour mark,

the game was up for Tauranga, who conceded twice more inside the final twelve minutes, Sofia Garcia and young debutant Maddie Dwyer ensuring "The Lilywhites" wouldn't be the only team to go nap this weekend. The clash of Ellerslie and Fencibles United at Michaels Avenue was a crucial one for both teams, with a small gap already starting to open up between the top four and their pursuants. A loss for "Fencies" in this match would have left their hopes dangling by a thread, so it's safe to say their 2-0 win was well received in the visitors' camp. A game which was something of an arm wrestle was in need of something special to break the shackles, and Mikaela Bangalan provided it just after half-time with an absolute belter - top corner from twenty-odd yards, a strike which was supplemented twenty minutes later by Lilly Dowsing, who was put through with Suhee Kang to beat, a feat the Samoan international accomplished with aplomb. Thus it's "The Ponies" who are now in a spot of bother where their top four hopes are concerned, given they're now six points off fourth place, and two points behind fifth-placed Fencibles. While there's still plenty of time to recover the situation - the advantage of playing 21 rounds - Ellerslie can't afford to drop too many more points, as that gap could get very ugly very quickly, such is the competitive nature of this competition. Next weekend's action sees two matches taking place on Friday night, with league leaders Rangers and Springs meeting at Fred Taylor Park. Across town at Riverhills Park, "Fencies" take on "The Coasters", while on Sunday, Tauranga make their latest trip north, destination Michaels Avenue, Ellerslie. Auckland's clash with "The Lilywhites" has been deferred to the end of the month. Details: Ellerslie 0, Fencibles United 2 (M. Bangalan (49), L. Dowsing (68))  HT 0-0 Tauranga Moana 1 (E. Golding (45)), Eastern Suburbs 5 (V. Neuefeind (45), C. Nasau (47), M. Boyle (62), S. Garcia (78), M. Dwyer (90))  HT 1-1 Western Springs 5 (A. McPhie (14), S. Morton (28), R. Hirano (30), N. Omasa (62), A. Takeda (75)), Hibiscus Coast 0  HT 3-0