Boone hat-trick spurs Central win
Meisha Boone may not have fancied herself as a prolific scorer before the national women’s league started, but the striker has been in hot form for Central in their opening two games.
Boone scored a hat-trick to lead Central to a 3-1 win over Southern at Memorial Park in Palmerston North on Sunday, her fourth of the season, after last week’s goal against Northern.
Central coach Simon Lees praised Boone’s efforts against Southern.
‘‘She said to me ‘I’ve only scored one goal all year’,’’ Lees said. ‘‘Now she’s four from two.’’
Her first goal was a loopy one to give them a 1-0 halftime lead.
She scored again in the second spell from a corner, before Southern answered back through Eleanor Isaac to make it 2-1 with 15 minutes to go and were threatening to come back into the game.
But Boone scored her third to seal the win, finishing off a cross from Sarah Morton.
Lees said his side showed a lot of character in the win, in what was an even and physical game.
Having lost 5-1 to Northern last week, the win over Southern will give them a boost before they travel to play Capital next weekend.
‘‘Football is such a confidence game,’’ Lees said. ‘‘The girls stepped up today and bounced back.
‘‘That’ the biggest thing; last week our confidence was knocked, but they bounced back.’’
Central had the wind behind them in the first half and were playing well off the back of that, holding onto the ball for long periods.
They changed tactics slightly in the second half going into the wind, but they stayed on top.
Central were able to capitalise on their chances and Southern didn’t, Lees said.
Sarah Morton had a great game at right back and her sister Rose was also outstanding as a holding midfielder, but it was Boone who was the star of the day.
In the other games, Auckland beat Capital 2-1 and Waikato-Bay of Plenty beat Northern 5-3. Canterbury had the bye.