Round 10 Review – NPL Women’s NSW
Round 10 of the National Premier Leagues Women’s NSW competition brought upsets, surprises, and plenty of spectacular goals.
Read on for our full breakdown of the weekend’s matches.
Match of the Round – Sydney Olympic 1-5 Bulls FC Academy at Peter Moore Field
Bulls FC Academy made it four games without defeat after a commanding 5-1 victory over a hapless Sydney Olympic at Peter Moore Field in the National Premier Leagues Women’s NSW Round 10 match of the round.
Two penalties inside the first 10 minutes set the match up for the visitor’s as Isabella Coco Di Sipio and Tamires Souza both finished from the spot.
Di Sipio added her second 10 minutes before half time to make it 3-0, while Amber Luchtmeijer got her first of the season mid-way through the second half to extend the lead further.
Helena Malesci responded almost immediately, cutting the deficit to 4-1, only for Tamires Souza to make it 5-1 late on.
Check out the full match report here.
Northern Tigers 1-3 APIA Leichhardt at North Turramurra Recreational Area
Following a loss last weekend to the league-leading Mt Druitt Town Rangers, the Northern Tigers will have been raring to prove themselves title contenders in a matchup with APIA Leichhardt. In contrast with their high-flying opposition, APIA will have wanted to get back to winning ways in their visit to North Turramurra to break their run of three consecutive losses.
In addition to APIA managing fixture congestion – having lost 4-3 at home to the Newcastle Jets midweek in a match that was previously postponed – the two sides were forced to do battle in the rain on Saturday evening.
The opening goal of the game would be steered home by Bo Burton, the Tigers star well-placed in the middle of the box to put the finishing touch on Katia Clement’s cross. 1-0 to the home team in the 25th minute.
APIA returned after the halftime break to take control of the game, with Te Reremoana Walker on deck to turn home a loose ball in the box after the Tigers struggled to clear an APIA free-kick. 1-1 in the 50th minute.
The tide was turning in the second half as APIA earned a second of the evening through Charlotte Lancaster, who curled in her corner kick beyond the reach of Jasmine Black in the 60th minute.
A third and final goal of the day would seal the deal for APIA in the 77th minute, with Alyssa Rose seeing Lancaster’s goal and matching it with a goal from a corner kick of her own, the goal ensuring that APIA left North Turramurra with a 3-1 win.
UNSW 1-2 Illawarra Stingrays at The Village Green
Having gone unbeaten in their last four with three draws and a win, UNSW will have entered Round 10 knowing they had a fight on their hands against an Illawarra Stingrays side vying for first-place. The Stingrays will have known to be on their guard defensively in their trip to the Village Green, with UNSW scoring the second-most goals in the competition this campaign.
It was the home side who kicked-off proceedings by scoring a goal early on in the first half and shocking the visitors in the process. The goal was a credit to the patience of Skye Casacchia, who produced a magical pass for Demi Koulizakis that was smothered by goalkeeper Brianna Edwards, though the ball escaped the Stingrays No. 1 and fell to a nearby Allira Toby who pounced on the opportunity to guide her strike into an empty net. 1-0 in the 2nd minute.
The Stingrays remained determined to find a way back into the match and would do so in the 80th minute when Poppie Hooks smartly moved away from her marker in the box and met a swerving corner-kick with a thumping header to make it 1-1.
UNSW would be dealt a killer blow only a few minutes later as Siobhan Edwards latched onto a loose defensive pass and showed incredible composure to hold off her defender and fire a superb finish into the bottom right corner, which ultimately ensured a late 2-1 win for her side in the 83rd minute.
Macarthur Rams 3-1 Sydney University at Lynwood Park
The Macarthur Rams were sitting in second-last on the ladder coming into this fixture and will have been firmly aware of the need to change the course of their season coming up against a Sydney University side placed just above them. For Sydney Uni, this clash arrives as a must-win fixture in the context of their season, and they will have been hoping to consign the Rams to a fifth loss in a row.
The home fans would have been proud of their side’s opening goal, with the Rams midfield and attack combining superbly through brisk two-touch football to create an opportunity for the speedy Claire Corbett to race into the box and calmly finish across goal. 1-0 to the Rams in the 27th minute.
Sydney Uni were able to grab an equaliser just prior to half-time when Ruby Egan-Brown met an in-swinging corner at the near post and calmly headed the ball home for 1-1. Sydney Uni level proceedings in the 41st minute.
The Rams again found success in playing through the Sydney Uni midfield, with Halle Callow on hand to pick up on Sofia Fante’s save and smash the ball in for 2-1.
Callow put on a show for the home fans at Lynwood Park with her second of the evening, cutting in and out to evade her defender before opting to chip the goalkeeper from range and nestle a quality strike in for 3-1 in the 76th minute. The Rams would maintain their lead and see out the match as 3-1 winners.
Manly United 3-1 Gladesville Ravens at Cromer Park
A return to Cromer Park will have had Manly United determined to get back on track after suffering their first loss of the season last time out against the Northern Tigers. The form of the Gladesville Ravens has picked up of late, which the hosts will have been cautious of as they entered Round 10 with the motivation of keeping up with the first-placed Mt Druitt Town Rangers.
A fantastic marauding run by defensive stalwart Grace Arnold into midfield was the start of a brilliant move by Manly to open the scoring, with Nicole Stuart ultimately receiving a terrific ball in behind the Ravens defence and putting the finishing touches on an excellent team play via a lethal half-volley into the bottom right corner. 1-0 to Manly in the 34th minute.
Arnold was again involved in the build-up for her side, this time courtesy of a strong corner kick that was met by a Phoebe Gilbane header and collected on the way by Chloe O’Brien, who reacted quickly to put the ball away in front of Ravens goalkeeper Eliza Coleman. 2-0 to Manly in the 40th minute.
The second half saw the Ravens earn a goal back through Annabelle Daczko, who stood strong in a crowded area to guide Lexie Moreno’s corner in just in front of the goal line. 2-1 in the 68th minute.
Ravens substitute Kiara Bonora received a red card in the 86th minute after earning a second yellow for a poor challenge on a Manly player.
Manly then put the finishing touches on the match in extra time through Ellie Kerr, who found herself in a perfect position on the left side of the box and proceeded to place an outstanding strike beyond the reach of Eliza Coleman in the Ravens goal. Manly win 3-1 in the end.
Newcastle Jets 5-2 Mt Druitt Town Rangers at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility
A win for the Newcastle Jets away to APIA Leichhardt midweek (to conclude a fixture that was postponed previously) will have left the young side buoyed by the opportunity to upset the league-leading Mt Druitt Town Rangers at home. Making the trip to Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility has proven increasingly difficult in the past two seasons with the Jets a much-improved side, and the Rangers will have understood the need for composure in their visit.
The Jets exuded confidence from the opening minute and were quickly rewarded for their bright start when Layla Sharpe made an expert run to slip in behind the Rangers defence and finish confidently underneath Renee Krstanovska in the Rangers goal.
Mt Druitt went in search for an equaliser and produced a magnificent leveller in the 12th minute after Rosaria Galea set herself up just outside of the box and struck a glorious strike from distance that sailed into the top left corner of the net. 1-1.
However, the Jets were unwilling to let the Rangers take control of the match and added a second in the 26th minute as the rain began pouring in at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility. The goal arrived through Sharpe, who earned herself a brace with a smart finish at the near post at a corner in the 26th minute, which meant that the Jets were able to take a 2-1 lead into the break.
Substitute Rita Boateng made an instant impact for her side in the 49th minute after racing down the left wing and making a classy run into the box before squaring a pass through a crowded area to Holly Dalrymple, who assuredly made it 2-2.
A defensive mishap in the 56th minute handed back the lead to the Jets, with the Rangers defence running into one another on the way to clearing the ball off the line. 3-2 to the Jets.
The Jets were flying at this point and showed no signs of slowing down after Annika Driscoll won a challenge on the right wing and fired an excellent cross in for an unmarked Marni Duggan to place a first-time volley into the bottom corner. 4-2 in the 57th minute.
Alexis Collins wrapped up proceedings for her side in the 89th minute by taking advantage of the minimal numbers in the Rangers half to finish off a counterattack from her side. 5-2 the final score as Newcastle end Mt Druitt’s unbeaten run.
NWS Spirit 3-0 Western Sydney Wanderers at Christie Park
NWS Spirit FC are one of the NPL Women’s form side as of late, with four wins in their last five matches giving coach Tony Candy plenty to be proud of as his side ahead of a potentially high-scoring clash with the Western Sydney Wanderers. The Wanderers have endured a rollercoaster campaign so far and will have wanted to upset Spirit’s recent run by taking the three points away from Christie Park on Sunday evening.
Spirit were raring to go from the early stages of this matchup, with Skye Halmarick delivering goal no. 1 of the day after meeting a corner at the back post and guiding the ball into the net. 1-0 in the 8th minute.
A goal-saving challenge by Wanderers goalkeeper Jasmin Selva to deny Halmarick a certain opportunity to double her side’s lead saved Western Sydney’s blushes in the 24th minute.
Unfortunately for the Wanderers though, Halmarick could not be stopped in the 33rd minute as the ball fell at her feet following the visitors’ attempt to clear a corner and was promptly dispatched into the opposite corner by the Spirit striker. 2-0 in the 33rd minute.
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Words by Matthew Badrov
