Melville will contest the women's northern league championship next year after a compelling 3-1 conference grand final win over Birkenhead United at Mangere Centre Park.

Delighted coach Tarena Ranui said it was "highly satisfying"  to overcome a host of obstacles and return women's northern league football to Gower Park for the first time since 2003, when Melville competed in the northern premier league under coach Shane Comber.

Success has been hard-fought and a long time coming for Melville, making victory all the sweeter.

It was a case of all hands on deck for Melville, who were without three key players from their WaiBOP W-League-winning season, with Shion Hwang trialling in Japan, Laura Bennett with New Zealand U17s in Tahiti, and Rylee Mardon on scholarship with West Point in Pennsylvania.

They also had some players backing up from Melville's debut girls national youth league match in Auckland 24 hours earlier (where they lost 0-6 to Wellington Phoenix).

That meant starting two 14-year-olds in Michè Cloete and Bella Cochrane and giving game time in the final to 11 U18 players in total.

Meanwhile at the other end of the spectrum, 52-year-old Andrea Rogers started, while 42-year-old Kelly Aitken came of the bench in the 45th minute.

But Ranui said it was a relief to be able to put the politics of awkwardly-timed matches, appeals and logistical clashes to one side and focus purely on events on the pitch.

"We worked through all sorts of barriers but in the final actually controlled the match for all but one small period," she said.

It was a starting lineup Melville had not seen previously, with Stevie-Lee Tiller and Madison Kay pushed forward into striking roles. 

"We are a diverse group, with a range of culture but still the same identity and we were prepared for whatever. That is who we are."

Right back Michaela Clark eased nerves when put Melville ahead in the 28th minute and Tiller made it 2-0 six minutes later.

Melville's third goal came when Tiller hit one clean and hard from a corner in the 60th minute. It took a deflection and was credited as a Birkenhead own goal, though probably would have gone in anyway.

Birkenhead scored a consolation goal in the 78th minute.

Ranui praised the efforts of skipper Alix Galletly, 16-year-olds Lola Anderson and Siena Austin and goalkeeper Taylor Fullerton.

"But everybody did their job.

"This season we've been learning how to play good football - but also learning how to win."

# In the second round of the girls youth national league Melville are away to Western Springs at Seddon Fields on Saturday (September 30) at 12 noon.

The following week Melville have a bye. Melville's first home game is not until Saturday October 21 at 2pm, against Auckland United.

# In boys youth national league qualifiers Melville were beaten 8-0 by Auckland United.

Article added: Sunday 24 September 2023