The Wellington Phoenix reserves have slumped to their third straight defeat in the women’s National League Championship.
The Phoenix reserves have been beaten 6-1 by Auckland United at Fraser Park in Lower Hutt, with the visitors scoring five unanswered goals in the second half after the match was level at halftime.
The heavy defeat follows the young Nix’s narrow losses to Wellington United and Canterbury United Pride in the past fortnight.
Head coach Katie Barrott made two changes to the XI which started last week’s 3-1 defeat to Canterbury United, with first team squad members Michaela Robertson and Rebecca Lake replacing Sienna Candy and Daisy Brazendale.
Candy was named amongst the substitutes, which also featured the return of forward Georgie Furnell.Auckland United grabbed the lead shortly before the 20 minute mark after an evenly contested opening to the match.
Robertson should have equalised half an hour into the match after a thumping shot from Ella McCann was parried towards her, but her follow up smashed into the post and rebounded away.
McCann deservedly drew the Phoenix reserves level a couple of minutes from halftime when she pounced on a threatening left wing corner from Alyssha Eglinton.
United restored their lead mere seconds into the second half, but it was tenuous advantage for the next 25 minutes with the visitors’ goal leading a charmed life.
Robertson struck the woodwork for a second time, this time from a corner, a quarter of an hour into the second half after winger Phoebe Hawes had rattled the opposite post.
Auckland United scored their third and fourth goals in the 73rd and 76th minutes to take control of the match and found the back of the net a further two times before the final whistle.
The Wellington Phoenix reserves remain eighth in the 10-team competition with two rounds to play.
They will travel down State Highway 2 on Saturday to visit Central League champions Waterside Karori.
Wellington Phoenix reserves: 22. Charlotte EAGLE (gk), 2. Rebekah TREWHITT, 4. Marie GREEN, 5. Zoe MCMEEKEN, 9. ELLA MCCANN, 12. Ella MCMILLAN (c), 13. Grace BARTLETT (40. Sienna CANDY 83rd), 14. Alyssha EGLINTON (26. Ellie JOHNSON 83rd), 18. Michaela ROBERTSON (28. Angela PIVAC 83rd), 20. Rebecca LAKE (25. Mackenzie GREENE 70th), 31. Phoebe HAWES (17. Georgie FURNELL 70th).
Auckland United: 1. Aimee HALL (gk), 2. Talisha GREEN (c), 4. Greer MACINTOSH, 5. Chelsea ELLIOTT (18. Riley SHELDON 79th), 6. Yume HARASHIMA (17. Penny BRILL 79th), 8. Danielle CANHAM, 9. Bree JOHNSON (10. Shannon HENSON 66th), 11. Rene WASI, 14. Alexis COOK, 16. Suya HAERING (15. Katie MCCONNELL 79th), 20. Maisy DEWELL (12. Pia VLOK 66th).
Goals:
14. Alexis COOK (Auckland United) – 19th
9. ELLA MCCANN (Wellington Phoenix reserves) – 43rd
9. Bree JOHNSON (Auckland United) – 46th
6. Yume HARASHIMA (Auckland United) – 73rd
2. Talisha GREEN (Auckland United) – 76th
8. Danielle CANHAM (Auckland United) – 84th
17. Penny BRILL (Auckland United) – 90th
Cards:
5. Zoe MCMEEKEN (Wellington Phoenix reserves) – yellow – 90th
