A well-taken double from Football Fern striker Amber Hearn late in the first half led the way but the game was already well under control with Sarah Gregorius netting in the ninth minute and Ria Percival adding a second from 35-metres midway through the first half.

In a more even second spell, defender Briony Fisher made it 5-0 in the 75th minute with the goal of the game, a 30 meter tracer bullet that, that beat Janice Fraser all ends up.

Claudelands’ Jackie Pretswell battled through the Lynn Avon defence to slip a consolation goal past Ashleigh Cox on the stroke of fulltime but chances for her and her strike partner Sarah McLaughlin were few and far between.

For Lynn Avon, the pace of Gregorious and the skill and strength of Hearn were a constant menace up front while player of the final Katie Hoyle starved Rovers of possession in midfield and supplied wide players Percival and Caitlin Campbell plenty of ball to work with.

Stacked with Football Ferns, Lynn Avon were strong favourites heading into the final against a young Claudelands outfit, but Lynn Avon captain Melissa Ray said there was never any though of taking the underdogs lightly in the defence of the trophy they regained last year.

“We came in with the attitude that we’ve worked so hard to get to this position, with some tough fixtures earlier on so we wanted to come out today play our game, win and win well.”

Down 4-0 at halftime, Claudelands coach Dave Edmondson said his side were forced to adjust its sights to just being competitive against the dominant Aucklanders in the second half.

“The team bounced back after halftime, played a little bit of football and probably got what they deserved with that one goal at the end,” Edmondson said.

“The best team won, but it was good that we came and put a second half performance in at least.
16th Women’s Knockout Cup Final
Claudelands Rovers 1 (Jackie Pretswell 90)
Lynn Avon United 5 (Sarah Gregorius 9, Ria Percival 34, Amber Hearn 38/45, Briony Fisher 75)
Sunday 20 September
North Harbour Stadium
Referee: Anna-Marie Keighley
Claudelands Rovers: 1-Janice Fraser (GK), 3-Andrea Rogers, 5-Kate Carlton, 6-Jackie Pretswell, 7-Kate Loye, 8-Sarah McLaughlin (Captain), 9-Keri O’Connell (15-Kate Cross 88), 10-Holly Patterson, 11-Katherine Robinson (13-Erin Newell 88), 12-Nicole Stratford, 14-Alex Shadbolt.
Substitutes not used: 2-Kylie Jens, 4-Cayne Schooley, 16-Nicole Christensen.
Coach: Dave Edmondson
Lynn Avon United: 1-Ashleigh Cox (GK), , 3-Melissa Ray, (Captain), 5-Briony Fisher, 6-Emily Cooper (13-Courtney Noble 83), 8-Dana Humby, 9-Amber Hearn, 10-Ria Percival, 12-Liz Milne (2-Rachel Head 78), 14-Caitlin Campbell (7-Sam Selwyn 73), 16-Katie Hoyle, 17-Sarah Gregorius.
Substitutes not used: 18-Kath Doubleday.
Coach: Dene Gilmore
Player of the match: Katie Hoyle (Lynn Avon)
Story courtesy of NZF Media
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