Things are really starting to heat up in the #NPLWNSW competition with a runaway leader and a desperate fight with two-thirds of the league trying to secure a finals spot.
Bankstown City v Emerging Jets
The Emerging Jets travel to Jensen Park on Sunday afternoon in the first match of round 15 as they take on Bankstown City.
The Jets left it all on the park last week against the more favoured Macarthur Rams and almost left Lynwood Park with a point. They showed great fight and character to come back twice but were unable to pinch a point in the end.
They’ll take confidence from that game into this Sunday and hope to spring a surprise on Bankstown with Claire Adams in some good form.
Bankstown cannot drop anymore points. They’ve beaten the best but also dropped important points to those below them on the ladder. It’s seen Matt Costatini’s team drop to eighth place on the ladder but could see this game as a springboard.
Currently sitting six points off a finals place with a game in hand on fourth place, points here are imperative.
It was one-way traffic the last time they met, Bankstown winning 7-1 away from home, Daisy Arrowsmith scoring four on that day.
Football NSW Institute v Macarthur Rams
At 4:40pm on Sunday afternoon at Valentine Sports Park, Football NSW Institute host the Macarthur Rams.
The Institute pushed the league leaders all the way last Sunday but had to settle for an odd-goal defeat. They’ve made it difficult for all their rivals this season and it will be no different this weekend when the Rams come into town.
Sienna Saveska has sparkled in recent weeks and was a threat on various occasions last week. She will be key to the young side to pick up something from this clash.
It wasn’t the best of times last week for Stephen Peters’ side despite coming away with a 4-2 victory. They were caught napping twice almost immediately after scoring but had enough quality to get over the line.
This week they won’t be forgiven for similar errors and any points dropped could see them drop out of the Top Four. They are just about full strength now and there will be no excuses for Peters’ team to not get on with the job.
The Rams took the points when they met earlier in the season with a tight 2-1 victory.
Blacktown Spartans v Illawarra Stingrays
A massive game is locked in for Blacktown Football Park as the Blacktown Spartans entertain the Illawarra Stingrays.
The Spartans will be buoyed by there performance against a difficult Manly side last week and even disappointed they didn’t take home all three points. With a plethora of players unavailable either due to Young Matilda’s duty or injury, Brad Attard’s team has shown fighting spirit.
Jordan Jasnos was phenomenal on Sunday both defensively and later in the attacking third and could be the difference once more for Attard’s team. Alyssa Rose was another that stood out on Sunday, commanding the midfield and showing off all her talent.
The Stingrays will feel they let three points slip last week, but in the end, grateful they went back home with at least a point. After a well-disciplined performance, they buckled under the APIA pressure and conceded a goal late on to have to settle for a point.
Michelle Carney is still amongst the goals for them and her experience along with Caitlin Coopers are key to registering a positive result.
This match has a lot riding on the line for both teams with finals hopes well and truly alive. The Stingrays sit further back on the ladder but still have a heap of games to catch up meaning points here are extremely important for both teams.
Sunday’s clash will be the teams first meeting of the season, the earlier game in the year being washed out.
Manly United v Northern Tigers
Derby day at Cromer Park on Sunday night as the Northern Tigers make the trek out to face off against Manly United.
Having come off one derby last weekend, the Tigers enter their second within seven days. It wasn’t a happy day for the green and white, going down surprisingly to NWS Spirit 3-0. Only three times this season the Tigers have failed to find the back of the net and last week was one of those.
They will need to find their scoring touch again this week though if they want to remain in the hunt for the Premiership. Ash Brodigan, Maddie Bart and Hannah McNulty have been the main source of goals and they will be expected to get on the scoresheet come Sunday.
Tom Hopley will be disappointed his Manly team didn’t take all three points last week after missing a range of chances before sweating to even take a point against the Spartans in the final minutes of the game.
Despite not scoring as many goals as a striker may be expected to, Yuka Honda is a phenomenal player and Hopley’s team will need to get their Japanese import on the ball as much as they can. Emily Minett was electric as well on Sunday and will be another the Tigers need to watch closely.
It was a thrilling 3-3 draw the last time these two met with a last gasp goal by Maddy Zahra securing Manly a point. A point may not be enough for Manly this time about with finals football potentially starting to get away from them.
Sydney University v NWS Spirit
NWS Spirit travel to Sydney University Football Ground on Sunday to take on the league leaders Sydney University.
This one may look like a straightforward victory for the competition leaders but don’t let the table fool you.
Spirit have seen somewhat of a renaissance since Tiana Gauci has taken the helm. They are a team with only one loss in their last five games, taking care of business last weekend against the second placed Northern Tigers 3-0 away from home.
Sophie Harding has been in excellent form and showing off all the potential she has had, waiting to get out. Harding has been scoring and assisting, creating havoc for opposition defences.
Sydney Uni, what a season so far. They haven’t lost since their mid-week match against the Blacktown Spartans as far back as the 26th of April! Almost three moths and 11 games on the bounce without defeat, a fantastic achievement so far.
The job is far from done though and this week will be a real test against one of the form sides in the competition. They’ve been in this position before but kept calm and got the job done. Holly Caspers has started to find the back of the net with some consistency too and she will be key once more come Sunday.
Uni’s 11-match run started with a 2-1 victory against Spirit, could that same team be the one to end it?
APIA Leichhardt v Sydney Olympic
The round closes off with a blockbuster match from 6pm at Lambert Park as APIA Leichhardt host Sydney Olympic.
APIA will feel extremely hard done by after not taking all three points with their late winner being chalked off last week. They don’t have anyone else but themselves to blame for leaving it so late to get going though.
Spencer Prior’s team have been in great form nevertheless, Currently on a five-game unbeaten run. They have managed to put themselves in a healthy position in terms of securing a finals spot but still have some way to go.
It has been difficult for George Beltsos at Sydney Olympic, losing a number of key players to international duty, injury and some moving on to overseas opportunities.
There is still loads of quality at Belmore and some exciting young prospects coming through. They won’t raise the white flag that easily and once their international stars return will once again become a dangerous force to deal with.
When they met last time, the game finished in a 3-3 draw, Olympic extremely disappointed they didn’t finish the game when they should have, allowing APIA to pinch a point in the final minutes.
This match is in some way a six-pointer with victory for APIA all but clearing Olympic from catching them, whereas a win for Olympic puts them right back in that fight.
-By NPL NSW Women’s Chief Writer and Commentator Nikola Pozder