Taradale triumphs from Vale errors | Hawkes Bay Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Hawkes Bay

In many ways, it's a case of life's like that in women's first division soccer.

The sun is beginning to make a statement and yesterday Taradale Baldwin Jewellers and Cru Bar Maycenvale United Misfits were in out to make hay, as it were.

However, not in that much of a hurry though as table-topping Vale found themselves on the receiving end of a 5-2 defeat at Taradale Park.

The 10am start was to accommodate Vale's junior prizegiving but also free up the secondary schoolgirls in both teams to travel to their respective national tournaments starting today around the country.

The hosts shot to a 2-0 lead at halftime after speedy veteran Lisa Coutts put them ahead in the 17th minute after a one-two with Vicki Marlow. A minute before halftime Marlow added another after midfielder Donna Trow and Jess Hart became providers.

In the opening few minutes of the second spell, Vale striker Emma Donovan made the visitors intentions clear to stretch Kylie Sutherland in goal.

In the 52nd minute, a foraging Aleesha Heywood pulled one back to 2-1 after a cross from Rosie Morgan on the left flank.

Trow struck back two minutes later after Coutts laid a ball back to her from a Hart cornerkick to beat goalkeeper Melia Begley from the edge of the 18m box.

Left wing Emma Rogers gave Vale some hope after rocketing the ball from an acute angle to narrow the gap to 3-2 but two minutes later centre-mid Gail Hall vertically challenged keeper Begley from a 43m freekick to make it 4-2 when Vale defender Biddy Wilson tackled Marlow from behind.

In the 71st, a Kate Hasselhoff foul in a similar mould didn't win approval from referee Tony Simmonds. Quick learner Kelly Marsh curled it into the wall where teammate Anna Morrison chested the ball down and fed it to Coutts to make it 5-2.

Both coaches sporadically vented their spleen at the ref but it seemed the balmy weather didn't help the players' sluggish challenges.

Dale coach Graeme Jones put the victory down to passion and experience .

"We're a knowledgeable team, the 11 that started, that is," Jones told SportToday of a team that boasts about 300 first team games between them.

"Good footballing brains I think is also important," Jones said as the two top-of-the-table teams eye the league title.

Dale must win the last encounter in a fortnight but one point will do Vale in a fortnight but before that they play in the Knockout Cup semifinal this Sunday.

"It's just a nice end to our 50th year so it's a nice way to set it up for us from a final point of view," he said after a win and a draw against Vale so far this season.

"We've got a big, fat zero against our team in the lost column of the table."

Vale coach Leon Birnie thought the game was "pretty even" but the difference was simple errors that cost them goals.

"Two of their free-kicks were from a long way out so I would expect our keeper to deal with that.

"We were back at 2-1 before that so we've got to cut those errors out and we're back in the game."

At halftime, Birnie stressed the importance of winning the 50-50 balls to provide some go-forward momentum as Dale out-muscled his teenagers.

"The difference was that they seemed to want the game a little bit more as a team - a bit more energy, a bit more determination," said Birnie, who felt only six of his girls delivered although psychologically some of the teenagers will grow from pushing the ball past keeper Sutherland.

Eskview Blues pipped Napier City Rovers 2-1, in another KO Cup dress rehearsal.

The Blues were down to 10 players when referee Trevor Ruffell sent goalkeeper Kelly Winkley off early in the second half for foul language.

Said player/coach Anne Marie Lawlor: "There was no warning, just a straight red.

"I told the ref I'll be questioning that because if that's the case then four to five players in each game would be sent off," said Lawlor, after Ruffell sent off a Blues player Jarn McClelland for swearing in May.