Round 22 Review – NPL Women’s NSW
Inclement weather played its part in Round 22 of the National Premier Leagues Women’s NSW competition, however there was still plenty of action around the grounds.
Have a read of our full report of the weekend’s matches.
Match of the Round – Manly United 1 v Bulls FC Academy 1 at Cromer Park
Bulls FC Academy were held to a 1-1 draw at a wet and windy Cromer Park on Sunday evening in the National Premier Leagues Women’s NSW competition.
Isabella Coco Di Sipio scored in the first half to put the visiting Bulls ahead, but her goal was cancelled out by an Anita Zordan penalty late in the second half.
NWS Spirit 0-3 APIA Leichhardt at Christie Park
Round 22 kicked off at Christie Park with NWS Spirit hosting APIA Leichhardt in an important clash at Christie Park. Spirit’s surprise loss last weekend to Sydney Olympic will not have completely dented the side’s hopes of pushing for a top four spot, however coming up against an APIA side who had surged into 3rd place ahead of this weekend could not have come at a worser time for the home side.
APIA took the lead in wet and windy conditions through Jessica Seaman, who stood strong in the middle of a crowded 18-yard box during a corner routine to knock a firm header toward goal that Spirit goalkeeper Tiahna Robertson was unable to keep out despite getting a hand to it. Seaman then wheeled away in celebration before taking a tumble over a downed teammate and laughed it off to rejoice in taking a 1-0 lead in the 36th minute.
Sophie Hoban sparked an impressive counterattack to secure her side’s second of the afternoon following an excellent tackle in midfield and subsequent run. The APIA attacker then played in Ashlie Crofts, who diligently squared the ball across the box to an open Charlotte Lancaster for a thumping finish into the bottom right corner. 2-0 to APIA in the 43rd minute.
Crofts was then in the right place at the right time in the second half to earn a goal for herself, after Robertson prevented a Claudia Cicco header that was destined for the bottom right corner and the APIA captain kneed the ball over the line. APIA take a 3-0 lead in the 82nd minute.
It was a dominant performance from the visitors, who ultimately won out 3-0 in the end.
UNSW 3-1 Gladesville Ravens at The Village Green
The Village Green hosted a crucial matchup between two of the competition’s in-form sides on Saturday evening. Though inconsistency has marred their progress this season as times, UNSW have proven themselves to be worthy competitors for a spot in the top four in recent weeks. For a Gladesville Ravens squad on a run of seven matches undefeated it will hurt knowing they have likely hit form too late in the season, however they will still be determined to cause damage to the sides above them in the weeks leading up to the end of the season.
A penalty was awarded to UNSW just before half-time when a cross into the box led to a Ravens defender getting their arm onto the ball in an attempt to control a clearance from her teammate. Aya Yamahata then calmly stepped up to dispatch the spot kick with ease. 1-0 to UNSW in the 44th minute.
Georgia Plessas doubled her side’s lead in the 56th minute after seeing her teammates well-marked on the edge of the box and electing to swerve a lethal strike toward Ravens goalkeeper Shamiran Khamis, who was unable to keep a hold of the ball and ultimately saw the ball cross the line behind her. 2-0 to UNSW.
Substitute Abbey Lemon came on in the second half and made an instant impact, scoring in the 71st minute after only arriving onto the pitch two minutes prior. 3-0 to UNSW.
Eliza Familton clawed back a goal for her side, scoring a consolation in the 89th minute to make it 3-1. However, UNSW were able to stave off any subsequent attacks from the visitors to successfully earn the three points.
Macarthur Rams 1-4 Illawarra Stingrays at Lynwood Park
Although they were unable to overcome the Mt Druitt Town Rangers last time out, the Rams have been an improved side of late and will have high hopes of upsetting an Illawarra Stingrays team that will be desperate for the three points at Lynwood Park. A win for either side is essential here, though the Stingrays will be fancying their chances with several Rams players preparing for international duty.
The Stingrays were quick to get the goals flowing in the opening forty-five as Siobhan Edwards smartly held off her defender before squaring the ball to Caitlin Cooper, who shifted the ball onto her left foot and let fly from range with a quality strike that bobbled into the bottom left corner. 1-0 to the visitors in the 17th minute.
A smartly-worked sequence of play saw Tara Cannon’s pinpoint ball land in the penalty area and cause chaos for the Rams defence, leading to Sofia Christopherson setting up an open Ella Giles for an emphatic finish into the back of the net from close range. 2-0 to the Stingrays in the 22nd minute.
Edwards added a third successive goal for her side in the 30th minute after she latched onto a Rams clearance in the box and delivered a superb volley past goalkeeper Tahlia Franco. It capped off a dominant first half display from the Stingrays and sent them into the sheds with a 3-0 lead.
However, the Rams showed plenty of urgency early in the second half and scored after Sakura Nojima’s free-kick forced a save from Brianna Edwards that bounced into the path of Sophia Brokenshire, who promptly buried her finish. The Rams make it 3-1 in the 63rd minute.
Though the Rams had their fair share of attacking chances, the Stingrays dashed any hopes of their opposition making a comeback after Edwards played a neat one-two on the edge of the area and darted into the box to unleash a confident finish that Franco was unable to keep out despite getting a hand to it. The visitors take a 4-1 lead in the 89th minute and held onto it for the remainder of the match.
Newcastle Jets 1-0 Sydney Olympic at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility
The Newcastle Jets are playing for pride at this point in the season and will want to put on a courageous display in front of their home fans against a Sydney Olympic side who have mounted a resurgence in form over the past two months. A midweek draw for Olympic against the Mt Druitt Town Rangers is the latest in a run of solid results for the visitors in the second half of the season.
The first half was characterised by limited chances and strong defensive displays from both backlines, with both the Jets and Olympic fighting hard to gain the upper hand early on. It meant that the two teams would head into the halftime break at 0-0 after a hard-fought opening forty-five at the Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility.
The Jets then broke the deadlock early on in the second half, with Emma Dundas creating space in midfield to setup Alexis Collins on the right side of the 18-yard box. The attacker then made a dangerous foray into the box before squaring the ball with a pinpoint cross that was met by half-time substitute Makayla Clifton for an assured finish from just in front of Olympic goalkeeper Annalee Grove. 1-0 to the Jets in the 47th minute.
After going on an extended run of losses, the Jets finally scored themselves a win and a vital three points.
Western Sydney Wanderers 0-2 Sydney University at Wanderers Football Park
Western Sydney Wanderers host Sydney University at Wanderers Football Park in a clash between two sides sitting toward the bottom of the ladder. Despite the fact both teams are near one another on the ladder, they could not be in more starkly different situations. The Wanderers are winless in their last eight games whilst Sydney Uni have been stacking up the wins at this late stage of the season.
It was an even contest throughout the opening half, with both teams making attacking forays but being unable to capitalise on their strides forward.
That was until Sydney Uni’s Talia Kapetanellis decided to take the reins in the match after drifting inside from the right wing with little pressure on her and unleashing a phenomenal strike from range that curled inside before swerving in underneath the post, eclipsing Wanderers goalkeeper Aimee Hall on route to the back of the net. 1-0 to Sydney Uni in the 40th minute.
Poppy Tay’s excellent run on the left wing created the visitors’ second of the evening, with the Uni winger holding off her defender and storming into the box to setup Jenny Hill, who saw her subsequent shot blocked and ricochet over to Kapetanellis. The Uni attacker then fired a first-time strike that produced a brilliant reaction save from Hall, however it would ultimately be in vain as Kapetanellis latched onto the rebound to notch her brace. 2-0 to Sydney Uni in the 54th minute.
Sydney Uni would successfully hold onto their lead for the remainder of the match and ultimately took the three points away from Wanderers Football Park.
Northern Tigers v Mt Druitt Town Rangers – Washed Out
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Words by Matthew Badrov
