KEY POINTS:
They're New Zealand's answer to Bend It Like Beckham - a group of soccer-mad girls so keen on the beautiful game that they play in the boys league.
The 16-strong squad finished third in the top division in United Soccer 1's 13th grade "all boys" league of 28
teams - bruising a few egos as they notched up wins.
"Every game is a bit of an FA Cup, the boys are like 'uh, we're not going to lose to those girls' and the girls are like 'grr'," said Debbie Lamb, co-coach of the Forrest Hill Milford Magpies.
"Neither of them like losing. The boys hate it - sometimes they don't even shake hands, they're just gutted."
The girls were not too macho about the matches. They become cheerleaders before kick-off - proudly singing out their rousing team cheer - which, Debbie Lamb said, "the boys get a bit peeved about".
But with six wins, a draw and three losses, the girls have more than held their own.
Their record was even more impressive as Debbie Lamb, who coaches with husband Brian Lamb, was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer in January - despite being a non-smoker - and had to miss training on cold winter nights.
The Lambs' long-term vision for the team began last year, honing the players' speed and strength in a bid to get as many as possible into a national side. It would replicate Debbie Lamb's experience of playing in a club side with up to 11 New Zealand players, during more than a decade at the top.
United Soccer 1's manager, Terry Hobin, said the girls held their own in the competition.
"The decision they've got now is whether they carry on or move into the girls divisions," he said. "That age group is probably just about the last age group that they can be competitive physically because once the boys get to 14 and 15, they start shooting up and get a lot bigger and stronger."
While the Lambs' team of girls are an unusual sight in the boys division, across the region more females are taking up soccer.
Mr Hobin said another huge boost was expected to flow on from the just-finished Fifa Women's Under-17 World Cup.
"Girls are the boom area - it's gone up every year for about the last 10 years."
Auckland Football Federation competitions manager Martin Baucutt agreed. He said that last year, the number of females players grew 9 per cent "and it's been growing at that speed for the last three or four years".
The Magpies are intent on competing in a tournament in Australia next year and will fundraise in a bid to realise the next step in their dream.
