Football: Going for a Knockout

Top-level women's football comes to Hamilton's Galloway Park on Sunday when Claudelands Rovers hosts Massey in a semifinal of the New Zealand's Women's Knockout Cup.

The home team, front-runners in the Women's Northern League competition, is vying for a second Knockout Cup title in three years, having claimed the title in 2010. It was eliminated in the semifinals last year.

Claudelands Rovers president Martin Finney, who is closely involved with women's football, says Sunday's match promised to be one of the biggest days on the club's calendar.

"We've got a busy schedule of events for match-day," Mr Finney says. "With our emphasis on growing women's football, both in our club and the city, we've arranged for some of our junior girls to provide breakfast for the Northern League team before the match.

"Some of our up-and-coming junior girls will be joining the Open Grade team for a curtain-raiser against Peachgrove Intermediate's first XI, and at 11am, our Ladies A team goes head-to-head with neighbours Hillcrest in a top-of-the-table clash."

The Women's Knockout Cup semi-final kicks off at 1am, and Mr Finney says it's a great chance for the local football community to get behind one of the best performed teams in the region.

"Our Northern League Ladies team is unbeaten this year, and several of the women have already represented New Zealand at age-group level, including Sarah McLaughlin, Holly Patterson, Tessa Leong and Kate Loye.

There is real quality in the team, and their play will be inspiring for younger girls who've joined the sport.

Mr Finney said several junior girls in the club were already playing representative football for Waikato, and Sunday's match was an important step in generating more interest and support for women's football in the region.

"Women's football is one of the fastest-growing sports in New Zealand, and we're very focussed on it."

Entry to Sunday's match is free, and the club's bar will be open for refreshments.

Galloway Park is on Galloway Rd but can also be accessed from Fox and Findlay Sts.