A wet and wild weekend in NSW meant that only three matches were played in the #NPLWNSW competition.
There’s a new leader at the top of the competition ladder after round 13 with Sydney Uni taking the mantle.
Football NSW Institute 3-1 Blacktown Spartans
The Football NSW Institute recorded a major victory on Sunday in the early kick off on Sunday afternoon, defeating the Blacktown Spartans 3-1.
The drop in form continues for the highly fancied Spartans who now have only one win in their last seven outings.
For the Institute, for the first time this season they managed to go two games now without defeat and will look to build on this form.
A fantastic first half from the Institute in difficult conditions were enough for them to take the spoils at Valentine Sports Park.
It was the visitors that started the better and spurned two great opportunities to take the lead early on.
The first came after 25 minutes for the Institute though as the Spartans were unable to clear their lines, as Mary Stanic-Floody blasted an effort toward goal, taking a deflection on it’s way in.
Two minutes later it was two after some nice build up. It was Stanic-Floody again, this time with a spectacular finish from the edge of the area, finding the top corner.
Sienna Saveska scored a hat trick last week and added another to her goal scoring tally with a smart taken shot from outside the area, wrong footing the Spartans keeper.
With half time beckoning, the Spartans gave themselves a lifeline. As h Crofts picked up the ball from the left, moved onto her right and let rip, finding nothing but the top corner with a wonderful strike.
There’d be no goals in the second 45 as the Institute held on for a big 3-1 win.
Emerging Jets 1-4 Sydney University
Sydney University had to make the trip north on Sunday to take on the Emerging Jets, returning from Lake Macquarie with all three points in the bag.
The victory moved Emily Husband’s team to the top of the competition ladder with the Northern Tigers game postponed.
Rola Badawiya continued her superb goal scoring form finding the top corner with a fine finish after a Holly Caspers cut back after just five minutes.
Five minutes later Uni doubled their lead as Badawiya secured her brace, rising highest from a corner to make it 2-0.
10 minutes from half time it was 3-0 as Sarah Morgan found the back of net from a free pick outside the box.
It got worse before the break for the Jets as Uni added a fourth. Badawiya completed her hat trick after a fine team move saw her cross turn shot cross the line and into the back of the net.
The Jets had a consolation with about 20 minutes to go. Claire Adams saw her free kick rebound off the bar, only for Jets captain Saffron Grass to head home from inside the six-yard box.
NWS Spirit 0-0 Macarthur Rams
In the final game of the night, the action took us to Christie Park as the NWS Spirit and Macarthur Rams shared the spoils.
As the rain relentlessly pelted down all game, neither team was able to find a breakthrough.
The best chance of the first half went the way of the home team but Sophie Harding was not able to beat Chloe Carmichael in the Rams goal.
The visitors would go close next, Laura Murtagh crossing in from the right, Katie Offer in the Spirit goal didn’t hold the ball but Leena Khamis could not react quick enough.
It was Macarthur who grew in confidence, Beth Gordon going close next, her effort just going over the bar.
With the Rams needing the points, it would be them to put most of the pressure on in the second period.
It wasn’t until the introduction of the Kylie Ledbrook that the Rams looked increasingly threatening.
The first chance came after a Ledbrook free kick was spilt by Offer, only for the rebound to be blocked off the line by Erin Pridmore.
Gordon then had another effort which looked set for the top corner, in the end going just wide of the goal.
Soon after it was Ledbrook again that turned creator this time, her corner finding the head of Madison McComasky who could not direct the ball goal wards from about a yard or so out.
The veteran almost caught Offer out again, this time the Spirit keeper taping the ball out for another corner.
Spirit looked dangerous on the counter and Sunny Franco looked to sneak in on a couple occasions but Carmichael was up to the task.
In the end, neither team could break the dead lock with the Rams going home arguably the more disappointed of the two.
Matches Washed Out
- Sydney Olympic v Manly United
- Illawarra Stingrays v Bankstown City
- APIA Leichhardt v Northern Tigers
-By NPL NSW Women’s Chief Writer and Commentator Nikola Pozder