Some eyebrow raising results headline Round 12 of the #NPLWNSW competition with only one game of six remaining scoreless.
NWS Spirit 1-3 APIA Leichhardt
Both teams entered this one with wind in their sail following respective mid-week victories, but it would be the girls from the inner-west that would take all three points with a 3-1 win.
APIA stormed to an early lead and held control for the majority of the game at Christie Park as Spirit couldn’t match their opponents in this one.
The visitors took the lead after only six minutes in bizarre fashion. Rhianna Pollicina delivered a fabulous ball from the left wing into the box, only for Nikki Flannery to strike the bar. The rebound fell to Sophie Hoban who headed her effort onto the bar before reacting quickest to put APIA in front.
With 20 minutes on the clock APIA doubled their advantage. Deborah Anne De La Harpe sent a fine ball through for Shea Connors as the American looked to beat the Spirit keeper, only for Erin Pridmore to run onto the ball and knock it into her own goal.
Spirit tried to respond in the second 45 and began the half perhaps the better but their momentum was killed on the hour mark.
The pick of the goals of the evening went the way of Leah Davidson as the APIA midfielder put away a perfect curling effort from the edge of the area into the top right corner of the Spirit goal.
The home team took advantage of APIA going to sleep only minutes later as substitute Ellie Howard found space in the box, only to be foiled by a fine save by Sarah Willacy. The loose ball from the save fell the way of Tahlia Macri who added another to her season tally.
APIA controlled the remainder of the game to record their third win in seven days.
Sydney University 2-0 Blacktown Spartans
At Sydney Uni Football Ground, the Blacktown Spartans were looking to bounce back after a shock mid-week defeat but it wasn’t to be as Sydney University got one back over their opponents for their round one defeat.
In an even first half with chances at both ends, the teams went into the sheds at the break locked in a 0-0 draw.
I took until the 72 minutes for the home team to hit the front. The Spartans didn’t deal with a ball from the right as Rola Badawiya made no mistake with a fine finish into the bottom corner.
10 minutes later the points were settled. An almost identical attack down the right wing saw a cut back for Holly Caspers who finished calmly to double Uni’s advantage.
Uni finished the game strong and pushed for a third but it wasn’t to come as they made it nine in a row without defeat.
Manly United 3-3 Football NSW Institute
It was the Sienna Saveska show at Cromer Park but it wasn’t enough for all three points for the Institute, doing well in the end to snatch a point in a six-goal thriller as Football NSW Institute and Manly United drew 3-3.
It was the home team that got off to a flyer as Caitlyn Jarvie had Manly in front inside 10 minutes. A well worked training ground corner found Jarvie on the edge of the area as she let fly with a first time effort, finding nothing but the top corner.
Before the half hour mark it was two as again United struck from a corner. Corrine Winkler took advantage of the Institute failing to clear their lines, getting the ball beyond Tahlia Franco.
Saveska had her first of the night as half time beckoned, striking well with her left foot to find the bottom right corner of the goal.
It took the Institute until the 80th minute to find the equaliser and again it was Saveska. Ella Massih stepped forward from right back and let fly from distance, her shot looked goal bound before crashing against the bar, allowing Saveska to sneak in and volley home.
Just as the visitors thought they’d pinched a point, United went in front again.
Less than 60 seconds after going level, Institute was behind again. Polly Doran it was with the finish from the right for Manly, this time thinking she had won it for the home side.
That was until Saveska popped up for a third time securing her hat-trick in the 85th minute. It was a special goal for the Institute star, doing it all on her own and having a go from distance, with Simonsen in the Manly goal getting a touch to the ball but not enough to keep the powerful effort out.
Both teams had to settle for a point in a pulsating encounter.
Bankstown City 1-0 Macarthur Rams
It is as though Bankstown only plays the ‘big games’ as Matt Costatini’s girls once more proved what they are capable of on Sunday afternoon at Jensen Park, defeating Macarthur 1-0.
It was an early goal from Siobahn Edwards that settle the result and kept Bankstown’s finals hopes alive.
Edwards almost had the home team in front after 10 minutes but her effort was well saved by Chloe Carmichael.
Only minutes later, Edwards had Bankstown in front with her sixth of the campaign. A fine ball over the Macarthur defence by Daisy Arrowsmith saw the Bankstown striker break the high line, pick up the ball and round Carmichael before passing it into an empty net.
The Rams came into the game as the half wore on and went close first through Patty Charalambous who forced Brianna Edwards into a smart stop.
Into the second half, the Rams pushed to find their equaliser and went close 10 minutes from full time, unable to bundle the ball in after a scramble in the box following a corner.
Demi Koulizakis could have sewn the points up for the home team shortly after but her effort somehow not finding the back of the net.
The result puts Bankstown one win outside the top four, albeit having played two games more than those above them.
Northern Tigers 7-0 Emerging Jets
It was seventh heaven for the Northern Tigers at North Turramurra on Sunday afternoon, dismantling the Emerging Jets 7-0.
Ash Brodigan got the show underway with a goal just after 8 minutes, a neat finish from the edge of the area.
The Tigers attacker made it two just four minutes later getting on to a Maddie Bart shot come fabulous through ball, tapping it into the back of the net.
Two became three from the spot as Hannah McNulty needed two attempts. Her penalty saved by Susanna Behne-Smith before McNulty tapped home the rebound.
It was 4-0 before half time as the Tigers scored a fantastic team goal. One touch football around the box and an excellent cross from the right by Josie Wilson found Beth Bernardi in the box, making no mistake with her header into the side netting.
It didn’t take the Tigers long to make it five, Bart getting in on the action. A corner was poorly cleared by the Jets, the ball falling to Bart who let fly first time from the edge of the area and beating Behne-Smith.
McNulty had her second with 20 minutes to go. Another corner and again the Jets didn’t deal with the cross, McNulty taking advantage to head home.
The scoring was complete with just over 10 minutes of the game remaining. Substitute Sienna Fraser picking up a loose ball and poking it over the line.
Sydney Olympic 0-0 Illawarra Stingrays
There was not to be a winner at Belmore Sports Ground on Sunday night in the final game of round 12 as Sydney Olympic and the Illawarra Stingrays shared the spoils.
Olympic came into their second straight game minus their superstars but once more battled hard against their south coast rivals.
It was a match with few chances with the best falling the way of the visitor’s mid-way through the second half. Molly Lawless sending her volley goal bound and forcing Jada Whyman into a save.
The Stingrays thought they had won it late on as Sheridan Gallagher stepped forward and let fly, only for her shot to smack against the bar. The rebound fell into the path of veteran Michelle Carney who headed the ball home, only to be denied by the assistant referee’s flag in a tight offside call.
The point does not do much for the Stingrays finals hopes while it is somewhat a positive result for the understrength Olympic.
R10 Rescheduled –
NWS Spirit 2-1 Blacktown Spartans
At Christie Park on Wednesday night, NWS Spirit recorded a huge 2-1 victory over the Blacktown Spartans.
It took until the hour mark for the home team to hit the front as Sophie Harding found space inside the box, before placing the ball into the back of the net with a neat curling finish.
Five minutes later the lead was doubled. Anna Norton spilled what looked a routine save from a Lucy Johnson shot, only for Tahlia Macri to tap the loose ball home.
The Spartans were given a lifeline late as a penalty was awarded, Abbey Lemon stepping up and dispatching a perfect penalty.
It would be only a consolation thought as Spirit held on for all three points.
R6 Rescheduled –
APIA Leichhardt 3-0 Football NSW Institute
A fine performance from APIA Leichhardt at Lambert Park on Thursday evening secured them all three points against the Football NSW Institute.
Two quickfire first half goals and one late on were enough for Spencer Prior’s team to secure the points with a 3-0 victory.
It was Nikki Flannery who helped open the scoring on 25 minutes with a fine ball in from the right, finding Shea Connors in the box as the APIA striker could not miss from a couple metres out.
Three minutes later and APIA made it two. This time Rhianna Pollicina was the provider as APIA’s number 10 slotted in Sophie Hoban made no mistake with a first time finish.
Connors secured all three points in second half stoppage time with a sublime finish, curling the ball into the back of the net from the left after the Institute didn’t react to a short corner.