Chix beat Dutch L in 6 Goal Thriller

The Tornados Ladies moved to within a hair's breath of the Division 1 title with a 4-2 win over fellow contenders Dutch Lex.

Tornados started aggressively but the Dutch scored a goal on the break to take the lead after just 5 minutes. Tornados then struggled to regain their rhythm and found themselves 2-0 down with just 10 minutes on the clock.

Then began a fightback that produced the most exciting game of the season. Galvanised by Mel Mikaere's leadership from the midfield, and spurred on by a raucous crowd, the Tornados reasserted themselves in dramatic fashion. Laura Schmidt pulled one back to make it 2-1 as the teams went into the break.

The second half took up where the first half finished, with Louise Hewlett looking particularly impressive on the left side of midfield. Tornados were soon level thanks to a goal from the ever reliable Bridget Gray. The Dutch continued to provide tough competition, however, forcing Kirsten Searl to make a crucial reaction save with her pads to keep the score level.

From that point on, however, it was one-way traffic. New starlet Micha Weiss put the Tornados into the lead and, as the Dutch heads dipped and their stamina waned, Rosie Clarke sealed the game with a goal that was a just reward for her afternoon of non-stop running and commitment.

The Tornados now go into their last game of the season knowing that a draw will see them confirmed Division 1 champions.