NWS Spirit FC power on to victory over Ravens
NWS Spirit FC continued their second half of the season renaissance with another victory, this time defeating the Gladesville Ravens in the local derby at Christie Park on Sunday evening.
It was cold, it was windy, but the home side was just too strong and in the end, deservedly took the spoils.
The home side took the lead courtesy of the in form Ella Abdul Massih, before Morgan Roberts made it two in her 150th game in Spirit colours.
Bella Habuda halved the deficit just before the break for the Ravens but Abdul Massih secured the points with her second half strike.
The Ravens came into the game and adjusted to the conditions better out of the two teams early on but were behind after eight minutes.
Roberts picked up the ball on the right and angled an inch perfect cross to the far post where Abdul Massih was waiting, scooping the ball over the on rushing Romina Parraguirre to give Spirit the lead.
A long ball over the Ravens defence caught them out as Roberts ran through, only to collide with Parraguirre, the visitors keeper reacting well.
Not long after though, Roberts doubled Spirits advantage.
Delightful combination play between Talia Younis and Roberts saw the winger latch on to a perfect pass over Kim Davey, with Robert calmly placing the ball passed Parraguirre.
The Ravens night got worse shortly after as they lost Nikola Orgill to a calf injury.
With the visitors looking to get back into the game, Erin Pridmore was a rock at the back, repelling any foray forward.
But just before the half hour mark, the Spirit resistance was broken.
A ball over the defence by Libby Copus Brown found Habuda who first lifted the ball over Pridmore, before repeating the same over Mio Nemoto to make it 2-1.
The Ravens came out in the second half desperate to equalise early and put Spirit on the back foot.
Consecutive corners for visitors weren’t taken advantage of after some good deliveries from Patty Charalambous.
From the next sequence of pressure, the Ravens should have scored.
First Habuda’s cross to the back post was somehow headed away by Savanah Murray, before the ball came back in again, this time rebounding off the post from Copus Brown.
Soaking up the pressure, Spirit then punished the Ravens.
Sarah Morgan threaded the needle with a pinpoint pass for Abdul Massih who showed proper composure to beat Parraguirre with a well-placed finish.
Keiko Tanaka had a golden opportunity to bring the Ravens back in the game but her effort from inside the box was skewed wide of Nemoto’s goal.
Lexie Moreno made her return with a job to get the Ravens back into the game.
She tried hard, her passing range out there for all to see but to no avail for her side.
Meanwhile, with the Ravens opening up, Spirit started looking more dangerous on the counter through Abdul Massih, Roberts and Younis.
With minutes remaining, the Ravens had their final chance, Bella Habuda volleying over after a scramble in the box after a corner.
Spirit never looked like conceding in the last quarter of the game, composed defending getting the job done for a massive victory that put them level on points with the Ravens in the charge home for finals football.
Match Stats
NWS Spirit 3 (Abdul Massih 9’, 58’, Roberts 15’)
Gladesville Ravens 1 (Habuda 28’)
Christie Park, Macquarie Park
Sunday, 28 July, 2024
NWS Spirit: 1. Nemoto, 3. Pridmore, 7. K. Buchanan, 8. Younis (23. Holder), 10. Morgan, 11. Abdul Massih, 13. Roberts, 15. Murray, 16. Osborn (53. Sullivan), 17. E. Buchanan (2. Perrins), 18. Casha.
Subs Not Used: 14. Halmarick, 41. Offer, 48. Fazzari.
Gladesville Ravens: 22. Parraguirre, 5. Tanaka (9. Moreno), 6. Davey, 8. Halls, 11. Orgill (33. Charalambous), 13. De La Harpe, 17. Cholakian (7. Pountney), 23. Allen (18. Brewis), 37. Copus-Brown, 51. Habuda.
Subs Not Used: 1. Coleman, 25. Howard.
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By – Nikola Pozder