Hat-trick Hannah heeds 'slow it down' warning

Whangarei's Hannah Wilkinson was having so much fun at North Harbour Stadium playing American Samoa she almost forgot she was making her international debut for New Zealand.
The 17-year-old striker enjoyed the Junior Ferns jersey so much, she dismissed the nerves which rattled during the singing of the national anthems and played out of her skin to score a hat-trick in the opening match of the Oceania qualifying tournament, ahead of July's FIFA Under-20 World Cup.
"It was absolutely amazing," she said  after the tournament.
"I enjoyed it so much just being out there with the team, and I think that helped me play well. Also, adrenalin had me really buzzing out there."
The Junior Ferns won 8-0 against American Samoa, kickstarting a successful tournament campaign last Thursday.
"We had prepared to play the best side possible, but they were not that challenging, to be honest. They were very strong and physical but lacked a bit of pace - we were too fast for them," she said.
After a recovery day on Friday, the Junior Ferns met  the Cook Islands and again thrashed them 8-0.
There was no hat-trick this time, but a solitary goal, along with several missed attempts at goal.
"I was a bit gutted coming down to one after a hat-trick. But after talking to my coaches  I felt comfortable with my game - they told me to look around for other players, slow it down and don't rush."
She took those tips on board and set up plenty of goals, as well as scoring one in the Junior Ferns' final game of the tournament against Tonga, where they romped home to win 11-0, and qualify for the World Cup, in Germany.
Wilkinson's ascent to the international football scene has all been a bit of a whirlwind.
At the end of last year, Wilkinson, who played for North Force women and Kamo High School, was discovered at the national secondary schools football tournament and by the start of January she had been named in the Junior Ferns tournament squad.
After a two-week break, the Junior Ferns will return to training for the world cup. But when the Northern Advocate spoke to Wilkinson yesterday , more good news had come her way.
She had just been asked by Reading to train with the Football Ferns (NZ's senior women's team) starting Monday, as they prepare for two Auckland-based international matches against Australia, during February.
It will be a hectic month as Wilkinson is also moving to Auckland to start physiotherapy studies at AUT, but the ambitious athlete will take it all in her stride.