It's tight at the top of the National Women’s League table after match week four was completed in fine conditions in Auckland n Sunday afternoon.

With frontrunners the Canterbury United Pride, who have won all three of their games with an incredible goal difference of 17, having the bye, the chance was there for the other leading contenders to make up ground.

The Northern Lights and Southern United did exactly that with wins over Central and Loaded WaiBOP respectively, while defending champions Auckland Football scored late to earn a 1-1 draw with Capital Football at home.

The action began with WaiBOP ‘hosting’ Southern United at McLennan Park in Papakura and the southerners bounced back from last week’s loss to Auckland with a 6-3 win.

The match was evenly poised with Southern United leading 2-1 at half-time, before the Ignacia Sande coached side found another gear in the second half. Mikayla Gray and Kirsty Hayr found the back of the net soon after the break, and Ruby Anderson came off the bench to score a quick-fire brace to see Southern home.

New signing, Shae Brady, scored WaiBOP's first half goal, the team's first of the season, right on half time, while Emma Golding and Grace Wisnewski breached the visitors' defence after the break. Unfortunately, WaiBOP was always playing catch-up against the strong Sourthern attacking unit.

Southern sit third on the table, with two wins, a draw with the Northern Lights and a loss to Auckland Football. Unlike Canterbury, Northern and Auckland, Southern are yet to have the bye.

WaiBOP is still to gain a point this season and sit second from bottom, ahead of Central on goal difference.

Loaded WaiBOP 3-6 Southern United (ht: 1-2)
WBP: Shae Brady, Ella Golding, Grace Wisnewski.
SOU: Emily Morison, Lara Wall, Mikayla Gray, Kirsty Hayr, Ruby Anderson 2. 

WaiBOP Squad: 1. Georgia Candy (21. Rylee Godbold), 3. Kate Williams, 7. Emma Cawte, 8. Stella Neems (15. Grace Cox), 9. Helen Talbot, 10. Ella Golding, 12. Kelli Brown (4. Olivia Hooper), 13. Tiana Hill, 16. Grace Wisnewski (19. Ashley Weld), 20. Chelsea Elliott (22. Lauren Henry), 24. Shae Brady.

Photo: PhotoSport.