More rain, more goals and more surprises in Round Four of the NPL NSW Women’s competition.
Sydney University 2-0 APIA Leichhardt
Sydney Uni showed why they are the Champions defeating the highly fancied APIA Leichhardt outfit 2-0 at Arlington Oval.
Two set pieces were APIA’s undoing as the Champions cemented their spot at the top of the table.
Georgia Yeoman-Dale had the first real chance of the afternoon just after the quarter hour mark, pouncing on an error from Tiana Jaber only to have her shot come off the post and later cleared off the line.
Julie-Anne Russell had Uni’s first opportunity but her left footed shot was deflected just wide for a corner.
Tori Tumeth then should’ve put Uni ahead but couldn’t direct her headed effort on goal.
Teigen Collister almost immediately had another chance but she couldn’t beat her former team mate Sophie Magus.
With Liz Ralston going off early, APIA’s defence was definitely struggling as the chances continued to pile on for the home side, next through Rachel Soutar after a goal mouth scramble.
It would take almost 20 minutes into the second period for the first goal of the game.
And some goal it was. A well worked training ground move had Soutar finding the top corner in some style with a powerful effort, giving Sophie Magus no chance.
It’d be another set piece that would undo APIA.
This time Tori Tumeth sent a free kick in from half way which somehow eluded everyone and found it’s way into the back of the net.
Minutes later, Alex Huynh thought almost had APIA back in the game, only for Newbon to pull off an amazing save.
Blacktown Spartans 3-0 Manly United
At Blacktown Football Park, the Blacktown Spartans ran away with all three points.
Linda Dudek opened the scoring for the home team in the 20th minute with a neat finish.
Only five minutes later and it was 2-0 as Kyra Cooney-Cross let fly with a thunderbolt from distance beating Nicole Simonsen.
In the 55th minute it was three and game over.
Some poor defending by United was punished by Ash Crofts who found the back of the net with a nice finish on the turn.
It was Manly’s first loss of the season and a somewhat surprise comfortable defeat at that.
FNSW Institute 3-0 Illawarra Stingrays
Another surprise result took place on Sunday, this time at VSP as the FNSW institute defeated the Illawarra Stingrays.
Goals for Bryleeh Henry, Holly McNamara and Scarlet Thomas did the damage for the home team.
The Institute are right in the mix for finals football while even though it’s early, it’s almost curtains for the Stingrays season.
Bankstown City 1-5 Sydney Olympic
Sydney Olympic took full control at Jensen Park, defeating Bankstown City on a wet Sunday afternoon.
It was almost done at the break with Olympic leading 2-0 at the break.
Bankstown pulled back a consolation, but it was all Sydney Olympic.
Cortnee Vine scored a brace, Mackenzie Hawkesby Angelique Hristodoulou and Alexia Karrys-Stahl also all got on the scoresheet for Olympic while Maryam Mostaghimi scored for Bankstown.
NWS Koalas 2-1 Macarthur Rams (Interrupted)
When it rains, it pours at Christie Park and Sunday evening was no different as the Macarthur Rams took on the NWS Koalas.
The home side would take the lead on the 20 minute mark through Sophie Harding after a fine ball by Nat Tobin.
Macarthur won a penalty at the half hour mark and Patty Charalambous made no mistake from the spot to make it 1-1.
All that was for nothing though as Nat Tobin scored an absolute bomb in first half stoppage time.
She let fly with a rocket from almost 30 metres out, giving Sham Khamis no chance.
That would be all though as the poor weather took it’s toll.
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By: Nikola Pozder, NPL NSW Women’s Writer