It created enough chances.
Southern United just could not put them in the back of the net.
Conversely, Auckland took full advantage advantage of its opportunities.
The hosts claimed a 3-0 win over Southern in Auckland yesterday, condemning Southern to a fourth straight loss in the national women’s premiership.
It extended Southern’s scoreless run to three games and the side has managed just one goal in this year’s league.
It was not that the attack did not threaten.
Southern regularly found space on the counterattack, getting behind the Auckland defence up the wings.
Renee Bacon made several surging runs up the right and delivered a handful of crosses.
Chelsea Whittaker was equally dangerous, while Macey Fraser sent in some threatening passes, too.
It was that combination that nearly gave Southern the lead in the 34th minute.
Fraser passed through to Whittaker, who had a great shot well-saved by Auckland keeper Lily Alfeld.
Sammy Murrell then put her header wide from the ensuing corner.
From there Auckland capitalised.
Rina Hirano gave the host a 36th-minute lead, creating something from nothing after finding the ball at her feet 30m out.
She spotted Southern keeper Blair Currie off her line and launched a shot into the top right corner of the goal.
Currie got hands to it, but she was unable to keep out a superb goal.
Seven minutes later, Hirano doubled the lead.
This time her job was much easier, poking in a pass across the goal from Brittney Cunningham-Lee.
Southern emerged from halftime looking better.
Again it created several chances, notably through Bacon’s crosses from the right wing but again, it was unable to finish and Auckland capitalised.
Ava Collins made it 3-0 in the 52nd minute, chasing down a bad back pass from Kate Guildford and finishing one-on-one past Currie.
Auckland could not manage another one from there and while Southern kept trying, it could not find the goal.
Collins looked to get her second 14 minutes later but was called back for offside after a brilliant finish.
Stella Lawson also fired a late rocket at the Southern goal, but Currie pulled off a great save to keep it at three.
The win takes Auckland to 12 points, clearing away at the top of the league table.
However, the chasing Canterbury United and Northern Lights sides both have games in hand.
Southern has two winnable games remaining, against WaiBOP and Central.
