Round 12 Review – NPL Women’s NSW
Round 12 of the National Premier Leagues Women’s NSW competition continued to deliver the thrills, with the ladder still remaining close from top to bottom after the weekend’s action.
Read on for our full wrap-up of the latest round.
Match of the Round – APIA Leichhardt 0-0 Illawarra Stingrays at Lambert Park
The spoils were shared at Lambert Park on Sunday evening in the National Premier League’s Women’s NSW match of the round between APIA Leichhardt and the Illawarra Stingrays.
In a real finals-like match up, both teams battled hard, in the end, unable to be separated and having to settle for a point each.
Click here to view the full report.
Northern Tigers 2-1 Western Sydney Wanderers at North Turramurra Recreation Area
The Northern Tigers jumped back into the winner’s circle last weekend, courtesy of a 2-1 victory over NWS Spirit, which would have left them ready to take on the Western Sydney Wanderers in a clash at home. For the Wanderers, a run of four losses has seen them fall down the ladder into ninth place, meaning this clash will have been seen as an important moment to reignite their season.
The Tigers were rewarded for their endeavour throughout the opening forty-five with a goal just prior to halftime that began at Olivia Cartwright smashing a half-volley attempt from a decent range, which deflected wildly onto the head of Josie Wilson who smartly setup Haley Johnson to finish it off at the back post. The home side lead 1-0 just before halftime.
Johnson almost had herself a brace late on in the second half, however she found herself tumbling after being dragged by her shirt, which led to the referee duly awarding a penalty to the Tigers. The Tigers No. 9 then calmly stepped up to fire her spot kick into the bottom left corner to give her side a 2-0 lead in the 78th minute.
A consolation for the Wanderers in the 87th minute put the Tigers on the back foot in the closing stages of the match, with substitute Catalina Wyrzynski putting the finishing touches on a terrific cross from the left wing by volleying the ball at the back post. The Wanderers make it 2-1.
The Tigers were able to hold on, and would ultimately see out the 2-1 victory in front of the home fans at North Turramurra Recreation Area on Saturday evening.
Newcastle Jets 0-4 Sydney University at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility
The Newcastle Jets were well-defeated by UNSW in their visit to The Village Green in Round 11, a surprising result considering they bested the previously undefeated league-leading Mt Druitt Town Rangers the weekend prior. Sydney University were sitting toward the bottom of the ladder heading into this fixture, and will have wanted to upset the similarly-positioned Jets in their visit to Lake Macquarie.
Talia Kapetanellis kicked-off proceedings for her side after finding luck with a speculative strike from range that Ally Boertje was unable to keep a hold of at the near post, leading to Sydney Uni taking a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute.
The second half began perfectly for Sydney Uni, with Kapetanellis earning herself a brace within a minute of the return to the pitch via a thumping drive into the back of the net. 2-0 to Sydney Uni in the 46th minute.
Captain Jaime Beaufils showcased real class to drive into the box and score Sydney Uni’s third of the day; a piledriving finish into the bottom right corner. 3-0 in the 50th minute.
Jennifer Kokoris wrapped the game up for her side in the 63rd minute after spotting Boertje off of her line and lining up a quality finish from the left edge of the box that curled beautifully into the back of the net. The goal meant that Sydney Uni would ultimately leave Lake Macquarie with a well-earned 4-0 victory.
Macarthur Rams 0-3 NWS Spirit at Lynwood Park
A stop-start season has seen the Macarthur Rams accumulate a league-worst eight losses total, though the arrival of several returning faces to the squad will undoubtedly have a positive impact – whether it is enough to push them into the top four is another question entirely. Despite a loss last round to the Northern Tigers, NWS Spirit are doing well to challenge for a place in the top four and will have been determined to get the win over the Rams at Lynwood Park.
A wonderfully coordinated counterattack from NWS Spirit would lead to the black and yellow notching the opening goal of the evening in the 8th minute, with Ella Abdul Massih ultimately scoring after picking up on the goalkeeper’s initial save from her strike. 1-0 to Spirit early on in the first half.
Spirit were showing plenty of quality in their build-up and found plenty of confidence in cutting through the Manly midfield. The visitors then doubled their lead just prior to halftime when Skye Halmarick made a brilliant run to compliment a superb pass from midfield in behind the Rams defence and assuredly buried a sensational hit into the top right corner. 2-0 to Spirit in the 47th minute.
Halmarick’s second of the evening was secured soon after the halftime break, with the Spirit No. 9 treating the spectators to a rocket of a finish on a cold night at Lynwood Park in the 48th minute. Spirit would then see out the match 3-0 winners.
Manly United 0-2 UNSW at Cromer Park
Manly United’s form of late has left them teetering on the edge of dropping out of the top four, however they have time to keep themselves in the fight for first place or finals with the season nearly at the halfway point. Fresh from a huge win over the Newcastle Jets, UNSW will be hoping to upset Manly in front of their loyal home fans at Cromer Park.
The fans would take in a tense opening forty-five minutes between Manly and UNSW in the first half, with neither side able to muster a shot on target despite carving out a few attacking forays of their own.
UNSW required plenty of patience and a moment of magic to break down a Manly side who were clearly determined to keep a clean sheet in the match. The visitors took the lead late on in the match when Abbey Lemon took a chance from range that sailed beyond Manly goalkeeper Nicole Simonsen and into the net in the 76th minute. UNSW were ahead 1-0.
The away team were buoyed by Lemon’s fantastic strike to give them the lead away at Cromer Park, and piled on the misery for the home fans following Aya Yamahata’s finish on the line after a header at a corner knocked the crossbar and deflected back to the well-placed No. 4 for UNSW’s second of the evening. 2-0 to UNSW in the 82nd minute.
UNSW would ultimately leave Cromer Park victorious with a late 2-0 win.
Gladesville Ravens 2-3 Bulls FC Academy at Christie Park
The Gladesville Ravens have struggled for consistency this season and are moving further away from the top four with each passing week. Comparatively, Bulls FC Academy have found an incredible momentum with four games won in a row, leaving the side in a strong position to challenge for a place in the top four.
A brilliant first half for the Ravens saw them take a 2-0 lead before half-time, with Allyssa Ng Saad opening the scoring for her side through a quality header at the back post in the 28th minute and Lexie Moreno firing a piledriver of a penalty into the top of the net in the 36th minute.
However, the Bulls would begin their comeback late on in the second half through their captain Elizabeth Grey – the Bulls defender able to get her head to a loose ball in the box at a corner to make it 2-1 in the 69th minute.
It was a showstopping performance from Amber Luchtmeijer that sealed the comeback for the Bulls though, with the classy striker firing a low finish into the bottom right corner in the 79th minute before sending her team into raptures after picking up on a defensive clearance in the box and placing a first-time hit into the bottom corner for the lead in the 91st minute.
The Bulls would ultimately see out the match deserved 3-2 winners after a brilliant second half performance.
Sydney Olympic v Mt Druitt Town Rangers – WASHED OUT
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Words by Matthew Badrov
