Melville Premier Women need just a point from their home game against third-placed Lakes FC on Sunday to win the W-League and qualify for an end-of-season playoff against an Auckland club to enter the Northern Women's Championship in 2024.

Melville worked themselves into this position by beating second-placed Waikato Unicol 5-2  to establish a 10-point lead, with two games in hand.

Melville's home match will be played at Ashurst Park No 3 at 1pm on Sunday July 23 - hopefully with celebrations afterwards.

Seventeen-year-old Shion Hwang (pictured above) led the way for Melville with a hat trick, after Rylee Mardon had opened the scoring in the third minute, while Marie O'Neill potted the final goal.

For Hwang, a Melville academy product, it was her fifth hat trick of the season and took her personal goal tally to 26. That's believed to be the most goals from a Melville first team women's player in a season since former international striker Anne Ormrod scored 33 in 10 games in 2011.

Meanwhile Melville Reserves registered an overdue win when they beat Manukau United 5-1 away on Saturday. First team squad member Alec Bowden chimed in with two early goals while Charlie Holloway - who was not booked - potted one in the 34th minute following a corner, Thomas Cave hit the target in the 71st minute and Manukau coughed up an own goal.

However Melville lost their northern premier league match 2-1, with Quinton Kipara getting a second half goal. Melville are at home to Auckland City on Saturday July 22 at 3pm on Gower 6.

Article added: Monday 17 July 2023