Two goals from New Zealand U-20 representative Belinda van Noorden along with scoring contributions from Aimee Phillips and Football Fern midfielder Annalie Longo secured the result over the two-time defending champions who got on the board through Nicole Stratford and Katie Rood.
The result overturned Mainland’s 3-1 defeat to Northern in the round robin phase of the competition as the third-placed side edged the top qualifiers for the 2013 competition title.
Searching for third consecutive ASB Women’s title, it was Northern who started the game on the front foot, taking a 10th minute lead as Stratford headed home Estelle Harrison’s free kick.
The goal was just reward for a positive opening from the home side as Rood was proving a difficult proposition for the visitors’ centre back pairing of Emily Jensen and Meikayla Moore.
The former Junior Football Fern had a hand in most of Northern’s early attacking thrusts and the speedy striker was unlucky not to add to her side’s lead when her well-struck volley ricocheted back off the left hand upright soon afterwards.
But Mainland stuck to their task and found more rhythm in possession as the half went on and were soon back level as van Noorden neatly finished after being played behind the home side’s back four after half an hour.
Within 120 seconds of restoring parity, Turnbull’s team had turned things completely around as Phillips scored from close range in the aftermath of a Mainland corner, the goal putting the southern striker clear at the top of the league Golden Boot standings with nine for the season.
Turnbull said his side, playing in their first final, did well to ride out their slow start before coming to life as an attacking force mid-way through the first half.
“Finals are different beast and nerves will play a part in it,” Turnbull said.
“Maybe because they’ve [Northern] been to the last two they didn’t have those nerves and they came really at us.
“We’ll get through those rough periods as a group, stay strong as a unit and then when we get a chance we will go back to what we do best; we feel most comfortable when we have possession.
“When we have it, we look dangerous and we can apply a bit of pressure ourselves and that led to two quick goals and all of a sudden we were back in the lead.”
Buoyed by the first period fight-back, the visitors began the second half strongly and despite Northern ‘keeper Pam Yates making several sharp saves, Mainland went 3-1 ahead when Longo struck from inside the six yard area after Phillips’ effort cannoned off the upright and flashed across goal into the path of the Football Fern midfielder.
Opportunities came and went as Mainland piled on the pressure but Northern grabbed a lifeline when Rood flicked a header over the reach of Mainland ‘keeper Lily Alfeld to pull one back in the 81st minute but van Noorden sealed the outcome when her effort from distance found its way over Yates with just four minutes on the clock.
After the final whistle celebrations, Junior Football Fern ‘keeper Alfeld – the Mainland skipper – paid tribute to the team work shown by her side in securing their maiden league title.
“We had a desire this week and all the girls pulled together and we haven’t had that cohesion before like today,” Alfeld said.
“Everyone just worked for each other.”
ASB Women’s League Grand Final 2013
Northern Football 2 (Nicole Stratford 10’, Katie Rood 81’) Mainland Pride 4 (Belinda van Noorden 30’, 86’), Aimee Phillips 32’, Annalie Longo 62’)
Halftime: 1-2
Story courtesy NZ Football.
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