What a round of thrilling action and a high number of goals in the NPL NSW Women’s competition.
After round 9, only one point separates the four teams fighting for fourth place on the ladder with only two rounds remaining.
NWS Koalas 0-4 Sydney University
A tight contest was expected at Christie Park in the final game of round nine but it was anything but.
The Champions controlled the game from start to finish and got the job done with a routine 4-0 victory.
Despite neither team really creating any chances, it was the away side that held all of the possession.
It finally told six minutes from half time.
Everyone expected Rachel Soutar to hit a free kick just outside the area but to everyone’s surprise, Kendall Fletcher let fly with a left foot piledriver.
Katie Offer could only help the ball into the back of the net as Uni took the lead.
Minutes later and Uni doubled their advantage.
Teigan Collister took advantage of a loose ball in the area and buried it into the bottom corner.
The Koalas came out brighter in the second period and looked more aggressive in the opening exchanges.
But Fletcher took advantage of a clash with Offer to place the ball into an empty net to give Uni a 3-0 lead.
Julie Anne Russel completed the rout with a well taken goal not long after to make it 4-0 and complete the final score.
Northern Tigers 5-2 Illawarra Stingrays
One team’s finals hopes continued while another’s were dashed at North Turramurra Rec Area.
It would be the Tigers that continue to believe, coming away with a 5-2 victory.
They started well and went into the break 3-1 up.
Jason Eager’s side confirmed there’d be no comeback, scoring another two in the second 45 to round off a 5-2 win.
Maxine Peak and Lauren Allan scored two each while Maddie Bart got the other for the Tigers.
For Illawarra, Michelle Carney and Eden Stoddard got their names on the score sheet.
Sydney Olympic 5-1 APIA Leichhardt
It was meant to be a close one at Peter Moore Field but it was anything but with the home side doing some serious damage in the second half.
The home side took the lead just before the half hour mark thanks to a superb goal by Cortnee Vine.
Four minutes from half time, Rhianna Pollicina volleyed home from only a few metres out against the run of play to equalise for APIA.
Olympic re-took the lead in the 64th minute through Angelique Hristodoulou, heading home from a corner.
And it was a 10-minute collapse for the away side.
First a penalty which Hristodoulou slotted home to increase the score to 3-1.
Sarah Yatim made it four, lobbing home after a fine ball by Teresa Polias.
It was 5-1 in the 92nd minute as Yatim slotted the ball into the back of the net to bag her brace.
Emerging Jets 1-3 Macarthur Rams
At Lake Macquarie it was a massive win for the Macarthur Rams against the Emerging Jets.
It was the young side who took the lead though in the 12th minute following a corner.
Not long before half time the Rams would find the equaliser to go into the break at 1-1.
Twenty minutes from full time it was a collectors item as Renee Rollason scored a header.
The final nail in the coffin came in the 90th minute as Leena Khamis found the back of the net to make it 3-1.
Manly United 6-1 Bankstown City
It was one way traffic at Cromer Park as Manly United came away with all three points.
The home side’s dominance was obvious at the break as they went into the sheds leading 4-1.
Two more goals in the second half rounded off the 6-1 victory.
Tara Andrews scored a hat trick while Chloe O’Brien, Remy Siemsen and Claudia Cholakian all got themselves on the score sheet.
Isabella Di Sipio scored Bankstown’s consolation.
Blacktown Spartans 2-2 Football NSW Institute
Fireworks were expected at Blacktown Football Park and that’s what we got between the Blacktown Spartans and Football NSW Institute.
A tight first half ended with the teams going into the break locked at 1-1, Ash Crofts scoring for the Spartans and Charlie Rule for the Institute.
It was the same scenario in the second as Crofts got her second and Isabella Volkanovski scored for the away team.
Kyra Cooney-Cross also saw red against her former side as the spoils were shared.
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By – Nikola Pozder, NPL NSW Women’s writer
