Football Girls - 2011

1st XI vs Westlake Girls - Monday 20 August 2012

With this must-win match being rescheduled from last week due to inclement weather, it was a very focused 1st XI team that ran out on to a much drier pitch.

Right from the outset MAGS controlled the game, putting pressure on the opposition and creating good scoring opportunities, with the first goal coming from the hard-working Tessa Naden in the 20th minute.

The second half saw MAGS stick to their game plan with slick passing and a more determined and purposeful air about them than the opposition. They continued to attack the goal, with Deven Jackson being rewarded for her wonderful skills with a goal that looped over the goalie's head into the net. The third unanswered goal came in the last 10 minutes with Jade Parris running on to a lovely through ball which saw her skip around the goalie and slot it into the net. Full time 3-0.

It was another convincing win from the MAGS girls, with strong performances from Nicole Lawrence, Rebekah Van Dort and Caitlin Pritchard. The team are through to the Knock Out APC Final against Rangitoto, just four weeks after winning the Great Auckland Premier League.

Photo Report

1st XI vs Avondale College - Wednesday 8 August 2012

The girls were on their toes as they ran out for their Knock Out game against Avondale College. As the whistle blew for kick off, they all looked very determined, as they they did not want the same result as last time they played this team. They started strongly and within the first couple of minutes scored and by half time were 3-0 up.

It was the best overall performance by the team for the whole season, with the bench getting full halves. The team kept the ball down, passed it accurately and defended immaculately and totally dominated the game. Full-time score was 3-0.

The next game is the semi final against Westlake Girls' here at home.

1st XI vs Rangitoto College - Wednesday 25 July 2012

It all came down to the final game in the Greater Auckland Premier Girls Football League with MAGS playing away to Rangitoto. The winner of this game would win the competition.

The MAGS girls started strongly, with our defence easily seeing off any attacks. Maddy Cooper had a busy opening period, working hard on the left to clean up any loose balls and smartly distributing the ball back up field. This combined with a strengthened attack created several chances and ruffled the feathers of the Rangitoto defence. There was a brief moment part way through the first half where the girls looked like losing some of their earlier composure, but Captain Sivitha Boyce was not having it and urged the girls to stay strong. She showed fantastic leadership, playing her best game of the season. She was utterly dominant in the midfield with help from Holly Archer-Boswell in the first half and Nicole Lawrence in the second half.

Late in the first half was a pivotal moment with the strikers playing a sublime passing game. Millie Goddard won the ball, crossing it to Tessa Naden who was waiting out left and then drilled the ball at the goal. The goalie managed to get in the way but it spilt forward and Sam Tawharu went to tap it in, but was clumsily brought down by the goalie. A penalty was given. Boyce calmly stepped forward and slotted the ball into the bottom left hand corner. 1-0 to MAGS.

In the second half, the girls continued to dominate the game and on the rare occasions when the opposition got forward Van Dort and Pritchard, showing composure beyond their years, kept making the right decisions and our defence was unable to be broken down. Throughout the second half we continued to threaten and Deven Jackson who played outstandingly all game could not be contained by the opposition with her deft touches and darting runs.

With the clock ticking down and the no more goals forthcoming, Coach Paul Marshall moved to a more defensive formation and replaced the hard-working Naden with Jackie Hand. The girls, coach and their supporters leapt into the air as the final whistle blew. 1-0 to MAGS.

It is great to have secured the league, but this is only part of the job and we are now looking forward to the APC Knock Out Cup and Nationals.

1st XI vs Avondale College - Wednesday 18 July 2012

Is there something in the water out west? Once again, the 1st XI Girls failed to score against a team from West Auckland. Our girls dominated possession and were technically the better side. In the opening stages of the game, it looked like it would be just a matter of time before the ball found its way into the back of the net. However, as the first half wore on, Avondale's very defensive formation made it difficult for our talented strikers, pressing them hard and not letting them get any close shots on goal. Then, against the run of play and the only time we defended poorly, they scored. This turned out to be their one chance and they made it count. Shorty after, our No.1 striker Jade Parris was tackled robustly just outside the box, coming down heavily on her shoulder which was later diagnosed as a broken collar bone. Half time 0-1.

In the second half, we had a decent chance from a corner that we should have got a head to and there were strong runs from the strikers and midfielders. As time ticked by, it was reminiscent of the game played against Massey High School where we had worked hard creating opportunities, but just couldn't score. Final score 0-1.

It all comes down to next week, the last game of the league against Rangitoto College. Rangi did us a huge favor by drawing with Westlake Girls', therefore leaving the door open for our young team to win the Premier league. Go MAGS!

Photo Report

1st XI vs St Kentigern College - Wednesday 20 June 2012

MAGS played St Kents which were fifth on the league table. In rainy conditions, the game kicked off with Parris scoring a goal in the opening five minutes and Hand scoring a second before half time.
No changes were made at half time. Paul Marshall was pleased with the way the team was performing, saying it was a good solid performance with the defence performing well and the midfield battling and winning much ball. Four more goals were scored in the second half, including a a beautifully struck goal from Archer-Boswell and a hat trick from Parris which earned her player of the day.
Next week is home to Marist.

1st XI vs Baradene College - Wednesday 13 June 2012

Following a disappointing performance last week, the girls ran onto the field in a determined frame of mind, along with a reduced bench which included two new players from the Junior A to cover for a spate of injury and sickness.

MAGS started confidently with the hard-working Booth and Lawrence providing quality ball for Parris who, coupled with a great first touch, saw her take several shots on goal. When our defence was required, we were rock solid with the reliable Fuimaona in goal and the support of Boyce (Captain) and Guptil, along with the impressive Van Dort and Pritchard who are two of the younger players showing good judgement and increasing maturity. With the first half coming to an end and MAGS having at least 80% of the ball, it was a frustrating to leave the pitch with the score at 0-0.

At half time, Marshall congratulated the girls on playing quality football and counselled them to stay patient, promising that if they stuck to the game plan of pushing forward and playing the ball to feet the goals would come. He made one change with new draft Goddard coming into midfield.

With the second half underway Baradene's defence came under early pressure and in the 8th minute the ball was passed through the back line to left midfielder Hand who moved it to Parris who calmly pushed it into the goal. Finally, the first goal in two games and elation from the team and coach. From that point on the goals started to flow. With Goddard and Lawrence distributing the ball nicely from the midfield allowing Parris to set up Tawharu to score. 2-0. Pritchard swapped positions with Boyce who came from the backline to the midfield and it was nearly 3-nil a minute later with some more great play from the midfield and another shot on goal. Parris was again in the action as she took a corner that landed perfectly for Hand who slotted it in. 3-0. This was followed up by a magic goal to Tawharu or Sammy Sosa as Coach Marshall calls her. 4-0. Tawharu made another run for the goal and was brought down in the box and a penalty awarded, but it was sent it over the top.

Another change, with new draft Mettam coming into the backline and Archer-Boswell, after a several weeks out with injury, came into the right midfield and looked good on her return, taking the ball down the sideline and crossing to the strikers. As the minutes ticked by Baradene started knocking the ball over the traffic into the MAGS half to try and conjure up some scoring opportunities but the MAGS back row was resistant to all attacks and easily pushed the ball back up the field. As the game entered the final three minutes Hand crossed the ball in front of the goal and Sammy Sosa flicked it on to score her fourth goal and the sixth of the game. A fantastic effort by the two youngest players on the field. A great game to watch with this putting MAGS second on the table. "Player of the Day" going to Tawharu and Pritchard. Next up is away to St Kentigern College.

1st XI vs Massey High School - Wednesday 6 June 2012

1st XI played away to Massey High School. MAGS came in to the game as favorites, sitting at the top of the table and Massey yet to score a win. The opening ten minutes gave MAGS a warning with Massey having the majority of the ball and pressing our defence. Coach Paul Marshall made some changes near the end of the second half with Booth moving on to the left wing to combat a speedy opposition attack and Jade Paris coming on as striker. As the first half progressed, MAGS started to gain some ascendancy, but was still losing ball at crucial times. Jade Paris had a lovely weaving run through the midfield to put a strong shot on goal which unfortunately hit the cross bar just as the half time whistle went.

Score half time: 0-0.

The second half saw the girls come on with instructions to be patient and play the ball to feet. This had the majority of the game being played in the opposition half except for a ball that broke loose and, against the run of play, Massey slotted it into the goal. This meant MAGS was in the uncomfortable position of having to score as the time was ticking down. Paul Marshall made changes to beef up our striking capability and though the girls worked hard the opposition did a good job at closing us down. When the final whistle went the score remained 0-1 with the girls having had a sobering lesson that you can't take any game for granted.

Next week we are playing Baradene at home.

1st XI vs Diocesan School - Wednesday 23 May 2012

With Diocesan having the narrowest pitch in the competition, it took away the ability to attack from out wide and made it very difficult to break through a squashed defence. However, MAGS put Dio under constant pressure in the first half with our midfield and strikers peppering the defence with shots on goal. The score at halftime was 0-0.

Just two changes were made for the second half and in the first couple of minutes substitute Deven Jackson ran onto a nice ball which left the defence scrambling. Jackson took her time and slotted it past the goalkeeper to score the first goal of the match. The Dio players stepped it up playing some very aggressive football, as they tried to equalize. With 12 minutes gone in the second half, Milly Hawkins went up for a header, landed awkwardly and was subsequently diagnosed with a broken leg. With the game resuming after Hawkins was removed from the field, the MAGS girls dug in with the final score being 1-0 to us. Ultimately, it was a frustrating game with MAGS pleased to bank the three points. Next week, we are at home to Takapuna. We wish Milly all the best for a speedy recovery.

1st XI vs Auckland Girls' Grammar School - Wednesday 16 May 2012

The 1st XI girls played the newly promoted Auckland Girls' Grammar at Cox's Bay. In wet and miserable conditions, the girls kicked off with the cross-field wind not offering help to either team.
AGGS started off strongly and, though MAGS had most of the ball the opposition, were good at clearing the ball and providing some opportunity for their players to attack. However, the failed to capitalise on this. Newly returned striker Devon Jackson had several shots on goal in this period, but it was in the 17th minute that Tessa Naden made a strong run to score the first goal. Shortly after, Sivitha Boyce, relishing her time in the midfield, after being on defence for the beginning of the season, skipped around the defence to score a second goal. Score: 2-0 at half time.

With the rain lashing the field, Coach Paul Marshall sent the girls out with four changes to the team. These changes were noticed straight away. Jade Paris coming on for Jackson was determined to prove that she should have been in the starting line up. In the opening minutes, she split open the defence for a smartly constructed goal which she followed up three more times to score 4 goals and bag the player of the day. Sam Tuwharu, the exceptionally hard-working Jackie Hand and the strong midfield combined well to produce two goals for Tuwharu. The MAGS defence were never really tested, resulting in a very cold game for the girls at the back.

The final score of 8-0 puts MAGS on top of the table with maximum points and a superior goal difference. Next week we are away to Diocesan.

1st XI vs. Epsom Girls Grammar School - Wednesday 2 May 2012

The MAGS 1st XI Girls Football played away for the first game of the season against a tough Epsom Girls Grammar side. The team had a solid start to the game though the poor quality playing field leveled out the teams, with MAGS being unable to play their preferred style of football. The first half saw Natalie Booth and Tessa Naden taking long range shots, both of which didn't test the keeper. With a nil all score at half time the girls came back on and straight away showed an improved defensive shape. This led to them winning more ball earlier and creating chances leading to two goals towards the end of the match. Patrina Guptill put a nice ball through for Tessa Naden to run onto who scored. 1-0. The girls continued to apply pressure to EGGS with a ball laid back for Samantha Tuwharu who struck it sweetly for a long range goal to the top corner making the score 2-0 which was the final score. Coach Paul Marshall said "it was a pleasing first up performance". Maddy Cooper was named player of the day after a top performance in defence. Next up is home to Westlake Girls.