Hooks goal wins it for Stingrays

The Illawarra Stingrays made a statement on Sunday night with a 1-0 win over UNSW in the National Premier Leagues Women’s NSW round 23 match of the round.

An early goal inside the opening 10 minutes from Poppie Hooks was enough to secure the three points in this one.

This match had much riding on it with finals and premiership hopes hanging by a thread for both teams.

The win puts the Stingrays in a good position in terms of finals football but more importantly, their hunt for the premiership is still well and truly on.

As for the visitors, this result will come as a major setback, their fine form of late has come undone with this defeat and finals football may be a stretch now.

The match was played as though it were a finals game, very tight and tense with neither side giving the other much room to manoeuvre.

It was in the eighth minute that the Stingrays would score what would end up being the winning goal.

A free kick left of the box was taken by Siobhan Edwards, finding Poppie Hooks who rose highest, heading the ball back the way it came and into the side netting, a lovely header to open the scoring.

The difficult conditions didn’t make the game easier to manage with winds and rain causing both teams issues.

Edwards created some more issues down the left, cutting back for Brooke Hudson who had a goal bound shot blocked out for a corner.

Aside from a couple long distance shots from either side, neither could fathom an opportunity to write home about.

It was in the second period that UNSW began to put their foot down in search of an equaliser.

Allira Toby was picked out by Angelique Hristodoulou but she couldn’t get the touch right inside the area.

UNSW then went close with consecutive crosses from the right, first Maryam Mostaghimi forced Brianna Edwards into a wonderful save before Allira Toby’s header came off the upright.

With time running out for the visitors, they pushed hard for an equaliser in the final moments of the game.

Toby went close, having her shot blocked after a corner.

Then Hristodoulou’s cross almost snuck into the far top corner.

Despite desperately pushing for the goal, UNSW were unable to find the equaliser with the Stingrays securing a massive victory.

Match Stats

Illawarra Stingrays 1 (Hooks 8’)

UNSW 0

Sunday, 10 August

Sir Ian McLenahan Park

Illawarra Stingrays: 1. B. Edwards, 2. Cannon (17. Thompson), 3. McKenie, 4. Hooks, 7. Middleton, 8. S. Edwards, 11. Matos, 12. Keep, 15. Cooper, 20. Giles, 34. Hudson (56. Baggio).

Substitutes Not Used: 15. Nisbet, 27. Halios-Lewis, 31. Rochaix, 70. Rowley..

Yellow Cards: B. Edwards, Middleton.

Red Cards: Nil

UNSW: 21. Langman, 4. Yamahata, 10. Smith, 12. Tobu, 13. Singh (16. Cassachia), 15. Mostaghimi, 17. Hristodoulou, 18. Plessas (29. Naccari), 19. Camilleri, 47. Quilligan (32. Stinziani), 56. Limon (11. Santos).

Substitutes Not Used: 24. Nealand.

Yellow Cards: Nil.

Red Cards: Nil.

-By Nikola Pozder