Auckland United and Wellington Phoenix will contest the Delivereasy Kate Sheppard Cup Final at North Harbour Stadium on September 7 after both recorded narrow wins on home turf in their respective mid-August semi-finals. The holders eked out a 1-0 win over Eastern Suburbs at Keith Hay Park in a proper contest, one which would have been worthy of the final itself - it was an enthralling spectacle, with the first opening materialising inside the opening thirty seconds. And there was no let-up after that! Ava Collins hit the bar in the sixth minute, then saw Taylor Anderson clear another attempt off the line fifteen minutes later. United were controversially denied a goal in the 23rd minute when Rene Wasi put the ball in the net, with referee's assistant Courtney Day only flagging Collins had been offside in the build-up after a discussion with referee Yunjie Diao. Steady rain was making the playing surface greasy at best, and treacherous in places, particularly through the middle of the pitch. It didn't stop Ruby Nathan attempting to score against her old club in the 37th minute, however, only for Saskia Vosper to block her attempt. Right on half-time, Auckland took the lead, Wasi rifling home to conclude a super move down the left involving Zoe Benson, Yume Harashima and Saskia Vosper, whose cross wasn't cleared by Kenya Brooke, much to Wasi's delight. "The Lilywhites" piled on the pressure after the break, but couldn't quite make the right connections at the business end, while Auckland spurned a couple of great one-on-one chances, Wasi and Collins both missing a target well protected throughout by Anna Leat, with the latter's chipped effort hitting the post. Seven minutes from time, Hannah Mitchell pulled off a quite magnificent save to deny Ella Findlay the equaliser. Vicky Neuefeind hit the bar five minutes later, the closest Suburbs

came to levelling the scores in the time remaining, bringing an end to their ten-match winning streak, in nine of which they hadn't conceded. The cup holders found a way to win, however, and will now bid to claim the trophy for the third time in four years, with first-time finalists Wellington Phoenix standing between them and the silverware. Callum Holmes charges edged Cashmere Technical 2-1 at Fraser Park, where the home team took command after the twenty minute mark. Poppy O'Brien, who'll be in line for selection against her old club in the final, drew a super save from Freya Herdman before Grace Bartlett hit the bar. Wellington's pressure was rewarded in the 27th minute when Lily Brazendale opened the scoring after being played through by Amber de Wit. Conceding sparked Cashmere into life, and inside the next eight minutes, Brooke Neary produced fine saves to deny Petra Buyck and Kate Loye, before the offside flag denied Brazendale a second goal. The visitors piled on the pressure after half-time, and after the combination of Ella McMillan and the post had denied Lara Wall, Cashmere drew level through Rebecca Lake, who rewarded Annalie Longo's cross to the far post with a thumping header into the opposite corner of the net. Buoyed by the leveller, Cashmere piled on the pressure, with Wellington reduced to counter-attacks in a bid to regain the lead. And in the ninetieth minute, they did so, Cashmere's defence parting like the Red Sea to allow de Wit to stride onto Katie Pugh's pass and smash home the winner, setting up a showdown with the team which conquered them in last season's semi-final, this time with the silverware at stake. Details: Auckland United 1 (R. Wasi (45)), Eastern Suburbs 0  HT 1-0 Wellington Phoenix 2 (L. Brazendale (27), A. de Wit (90)), Cashmere Technical 1 (R. Lake (58))  HT 1-0