WaiBOP continue winning streak

ATTACKING MENTALITY: Loaded WaiBOP (in red) found the back of the net four times on the weekend. PHOTO/ DWAYNE BARLOW, WAIBOP FOOTBALL.

Loaded WaiBOP must continue to play with an "attacking mentality" to remain in the chase for the 2016 National Women's League's play-off race, according to coach Barry Gardiner.

A Helen Arjomandi hat-trick helped WaiBOP record their second straight win of this season's campaign - beating Auckland Football 4-2 at Cambridge's John Kerkhof Park on Sunday in the fourth round of the competition.

The in-form team went ahead in the 9th minute when New Zealand under-17 player Sarah Krystman burst forward out of midfield and placed the opener past Auckland keeper Ashleigh Emery.

Serial goal scorer Arjomandi, playing in a deeper midfield role, then scored twice in four minutes.

Her first was a well taken header in the 18th minute, the second a calmly slotted finish after latching on to the end of a WaiBOP counter.

Just as a rout looked on the cards the visitors came back into the game four minutes before the break when Auckland's Evie Milynn lobbed WaiBOP's Amanda Wilshier.

Auckland's second half substitute Maisey Dewell pulled another goal back for the visitors with a neat finish 20 minutes from the end, before Arjomandi's crisp finish for her hat- trick settled the game.

The result pushes WaiBOP up to third - three points behind second placed Capital Football but with a game in hand.

Gardiner, in his first season as coach, said the key to early success had been playing with a "fluid attacking system".

"I want to give players a licence to play. By having this system it makes it very hard for a defence to pick up our players and figure out our game plan," he said.

"We have got potential goals all over the pitch. That's how I want it - an attacking mentality."

WaiBOP will look to keep their momentum going when they take on Southern, who have yet to record a win this season, away next weekend.

Meanwhile, defending champions Northern Football maintained their unbeaten start with a 3-1 win over Canterbury United Pride in Albany on Sunday - knocking the home side down to fourth place on the ladder.

And Capital kept Southern rooted to the bottom of the table powering to a sweeping 5-1 win.

National Women's League Round Four results:

Loaded WaiBOP 4 (Sarah Krystman 9', Helen Arjomandi 18', 22', 83'), Auckland 2 (Evie Milynn 41', Maisey Dewell 69'). HT: 3-1,

Northern Football 3 (Katie Rood 53', 76', Jane Barnett 55'), Canterbury United Pride 1 (Annalie Longo 52'). HT: 0-0.

Capital Football 5 (Briar Palmer 19', 61', Maggie Jenkins 43', 50', Jayme-Lee Hunter 46'), Southern United 1 (Stephanie Lee 27') HT: 2-1.

Bye: Central Football

National Women's League table: Northern Football,12, Capital Football 10, WaiBOP, 7, Canterbury United Pride, 6, Auckland Football, 0, Central Football, 0, Southern United, 0.