It was the perfect christening for Mainland’s revamped home on Saturday, with Aimee Phillips meeting Meikayla Moore’s cross with a glancing header in the 43rd minute.
The goal proved enough for all three points although Lauren Merrin hit the bar with a second-half free kick and the home side also had a strong penalty claim turned down against a visiting team missing the attacking talents of injured duo Renee Leota and Hannah Wall.
Mainland’s lead in the Southern Conference lasted just a day as Central Football jumped into first position on goal difference thanks to a 4-2 win over Football South in Palmerston North on Sunday.
A flurry of early goals saw Central ease out to a 3-1 lead thanks to a double to Emma Boyack, including a penalty, inside 11 minutes and a third to new skipper Tiffany Kawana-Waugh in the 16th to sandwich a 12th-minute reply from Football South’s Mary Fraser.
A penalty to Una Madden with 14 minutes remaining closed the gap but Central’s Jane Barnett sealed the win in the 82nd minute after great work from Nikki Wenzlick.
It was a bad day for last season’s finalists as runners up Waikato-BOP Football also suffered defeat, losing 4-2 away to Northern Football at Parrs Park in Oratia.
A second-half brace from Football Ferns striker Hannah Wilkinson wrapped up the victory following first-half goals from Rebecca O’Neill and Rebecca Burrows. Holly Paterson scored in each half for Waikato.
The lead in the Northern Conference was claimed later in the day by Auckland Football who thumped the Conference’s Development squad 6-1, also at Parrs Park.
Former international striker Rebecca Tegg is the early season golden boot leader after a four-goal haul, including two long-range efforts in a first-half hat-trick.
Striker Martine Puketapu, just 14-years-old, and defender Tessa Berger also netted for Auckland while Steph Trowill’s goal for the Conference Development side in the 27th minute briefly levelled the scores at 1-1.
This week Capital host Central in Wellington and Football South meet Mainland on Saturday while Northern host Auckland and the Conference Development side travel to Waikato on Sunday.
Story courtesy of New Zealand Football.
For more on New Zealand football go to www.nzfootball.co.nz

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