Football: Port Hill prevail in early cup decider

Port Hill striker Katherine St Louis (right) has Napier Marist goalkeeper Kaitlyn Newsom and defenders Melissa McMillan (left) and Emma Hunter scrambling to defend in their Knockout Cup game at Park Island, Napier, yesterday. Photo / Duncan Brown

Marist 4 Port Hill 5

It wasn't the final of the HB women's Knockout Cup but it might as well have been after the two top teams played a humdinger of a match which yielded nine goals yesterday in Napier.

When the dust settled at Park Island, Rothbury Insurance Port Hill United had pipped Napier Marist 5-4 in the first round.

Port Hill, who hold a one-point lead over Marist in the league competition, have now beaten their arch rivals thrice in four clashes.

"They came out flying at the start to score so that put us under some pressure but my girls responded quite well," Port Hill coach Shane McKenzie said after his troops went into halftime 3-1 ahead.

McKenzie cautioned his players at the break to expect the Marty Akers-coached hosts to throw the kitchen sink at Port Hill in the second half and they did with two goals.

Port Hill's Katherine St Louis (twice), Phoebe Mason, Lynda Coldicutt, and Alena Jellyman got on the referee's scorecard for finding the net.

Lauren Hartridge (twice), Hayley Mortleman and Jarn McLellan scored goals for Marist.

McKenzie said the top division sides were catching up on their opening game because they were both on Federation Cup duties.

"You get that sometimes so we had to deal with it and it was a great fight," he said before facing Taradale AFC and Western Rangers in the league as must-win games to keep Marist at bay.

"Taradale are the only other side we've dropped points to this season [1-1 draw] so we have to win both games because Marist will win both theirs."

Akers lamented the loss of three key players as well as having two giants clash first up, albeit the luck of the draw.

"We shouldn't be playing on school holidays. It happens every year," he said, emphasising that Marist had 10 schoolgirls in the squad.

Even though names were traditionally drawn out of a hat, Akers felt Central Football should use the top two teams to create pools that would ensure the best teams got to the final, considering Port Hill's second division team had a bye.

Reflecting on yesterday's match, he said both teams played end-to-end footy and the better team got the result.

"Port Hill played really well and put their goals away," the former All Whites international said.