Dunedin make history in six-goal thriller

Dunedin Technical have made history by becoming the first team from the Football South region to reach the final of the Football Foundation Kate Sheppard Cup, the most prestigious trophy in female club football.

With semi-final opponents Wellington United also never having made the final, history was going to be written either way this afternoon at Newtown Park in the capital but it was the visitors who claimed that honour after triumphing 4-2.

As well as looking to make it to the big show for the first ever time, both sides were aiming to keep alive their hopes of completing a double after also recently earning the silverware in their respective league campaigns.

Neither team had suffered a defeat on their way to the title and the record of Dunedin Technical was particularly impressive as they have lost just one league game in the past four years. Despite such domination at a local level, they had yet to lift the Kate Sheppard Cup and their hopes of finally doing so took a blow when Wellington United took an early lead.

The hosts broke down the left and delivered a cross into the box that Technical goalkeeper Jade Middleditch couldn’t quite hold on to, allowing Dani Ohlsson to tuck home the rebound and have the home fans dreaming of a maiden final appearance.

But their joy was short-lived as Technical hit back just seconds later, Lara Wall driving to the byline before cutting back for Emily Morison to make it 1-1. And the same pair combined just before the break, Morison turning provider this time by laying off for Wall to put her side ahead for the first time.

That lead was likewise not destined to last long though as Wellington equalised straight from the second-half kick-off through Suzanne Giesen.

With the teams locked at 2-2, the stage was now set for some match-winning exploits and it was Wall and Morison who again obliged. First, Mikayla Gray cut in to provide Wall with a straightforward finish before Morison made the game safe by bagging Technical’s fourth with five minutes remaining.

The southerners then safely rode out the rest of the match to book a historic berth in the final, in which they will take on either Glenfield Rovers or Forrest Hill Milford United. The neighbouring sides from Auckland’s North Shore will meet in the other Football Foundation Kate Sheppard Cup semi-final tomorrow afternoon.

Football Foundation Kate Sheppard Cup Semi-Finals

Wellington United 2 (Danielle Ohlsson 16’, Suzanne Giesen 46’)
Dunedin Technical 4 (Emily Morison 18’, 85’, Lara Wall 38’, 75’)
HT: 1-2

Glenfield Rovers vs Forrest Hill Milford United
Sunday 26 August, 2pm
McFetridge Park, Auckland

Article added: Saturday 25 August 2018