Let’s check out the mini reviews from Round 2 of the National Premier Leagues NSW Women’s competition.
Match of the Round – Blacktown Spartans 0 v Sydney Olympic 1 at Blacktown Football Park
Sydney Olympic made it two wins from two starts as they defeated the Blacktown Spartans 1-0 in a hot and steamy round 2 ‘Match of the Round’ National Premier Leagues NSW Women’s fixture at Blacktown Football Park on Sunday.
The only goal of the game came midway through the first half as Ash Irwin rose to head home from a Teresa Polias corner.
Click here to read the full match report!
NWS Spirit 2 v Macarthur Rams 1 at Christie Park
In what was a spirited match between two quality teams, it was NWS Spirit FC that proved too strong defeating the Macarthur Rams 2-1 at Christie Park in a tightly contested affair.
It seemed as though the first forty-five minutes would go scoreless when the hosts were given a last-minute penalty via a handball from Rams defender Amalia Plummer.
Up stepped Monique Holder who showed her calm and composure and put NWS Spirit in the lead just as the half-time whistle blew.
Spirit took some confidence from their opening goal and continued to press, seeing more opportunities fly through in the second half.
However, the Rams didn’t hold off, dismissing any advancements that their hosts made.
It wasn’t until the 76th minute when Holder found the back of the net for a second time, managing to get a clean strike in from a corner.
In true Macarthur spirit, Stephen Peters’ side battled on and pegged one back with five minutes remaining.
A deep free kick found its way to the feet of experienced NPL NSW Women’s campaigner Leena Khamis who made no mistake.
It was to be too little too late as NWS Spirit FC held on for a memorable win against last year’s Champions.
Illawarra Stingrays 0 v Manly United 3 at Macedonia Park
Manly United took all three points after they recorded a 3-0 win over the Illawarra Stingrays at a sun-soaked Macedonia Park.
The tough 30 plus degree conditions didn’t stop Manly from turning the pressure up on their hosts nice and early which set the tone of the match.
Emily Minett kick started her dream day as she took advantage of some poor Stingrays defending and slotted home in the ninth minute of the game to give her side the early lead.
After going into the break leading 1-0, Manly United stretched their margin further in the 55th minute.
Minett once again made a nuisance of herself as she finished off a neat goal showing her class after once again intercepting a poor Stingrays play in midfield.
Manly’s 3-0 win was secured, and it was the ‘Player of the Match’ Minett again who netted her hattrick in the 80th minute after a powerful finish.
APIA Leichhardt 0 v Bulls Academy 0 at Lambert Park
APIA Leichhardt and Bulls FC Academy played out a scoreless 0-0 at Lambert Park as the newly promoted outfit came away with a precious point against one of the stellar teams of the Women’s competition.
Sophie Hoban thought she was going to put APIA ahead in the 11th minute.
After some smart build up play with Ash Crofts, Hoban smashed her shot that was going goal-bound only for Bulls keeper Trudy Simmons to expertly save it.
Simmons was at it again as she lunged herself to the ball after Isabella Coco-Di Sipio saw her shot smothered by the Bulls number one.
Crofts was up next as she saw her shot saved by Simmons yet again in the final minute of the first half as the referee blew for the break.
The second half saw a fair bit of action transcend but it wasn’t until the last ten minutes of the game that saw all the drama unfold.
APIA’s Isabella Habuda was given a neat through-ball from half-way as she chased it, saw Burke off her line. Habuda took a few touches and then took a shot, but it was Simmons to the rescue again pulling off a fantastic save that kept her side in the game.
There were several other opportunities that fell to the hosts, but the Bulls hung on for a 0-0 draw in Sydney’s Inner West.
Bankstown City FC 1 v Gladesville Ravens 1 at Jensen Park
Jensen Park saw a tight affair take shape as Bankstown City FC and Gladesville Ravens played out a highly entertaining 1-1 all draw.
The newly promoted NPL NSW Women’s side drew first blood and stunned their much-fancied opponents going ahead midway through the first half – Keisha Allen was the hero as she pounced on a loose ball to smash home a huge goal for the visitors.
The Ravens thought they had done enough to have secured a famous win but four minutes from time were stung with a late equaliser.
Bankstown’s Stephanie Ambrose sent in an inch perfect cross that was slotted in by Siobhan Edwards and it was enough to earn her side a point.
Sydney University SFC 2 v Northern Tigers 2 at Valentine Sports Park
In one of the games of the season so far, Sydney University SFC and the Northern Tigers played out an amazing 2-2 draw at Valentine Sports Park.
The goal action started in the 21st minute when a great through-ball from Rojin Polat found ace striker Stephanie Augoustis who calmy poised herself in front of goal and gave Emily Husband something to cheer about early on with a great finish.
It was to be the only goal of the first half as Uni went into the break in the lead in what were tough conditions for both teams due to the extreme heat that hit Sydney’s West especially.
The half-time talk by Tigers coach Jake Stephenson seemed to have paid off as his troops hit an equaliser in the 48th minute.
Caitlin Doeglas went charging down the right-wing and sent a dangerous cross into the box which Uni keeper Chelsea Hromek handled but the ball dropped to the feet of Gemma Woolley as she made no mistake smashing home from close range.
The Tigers then hit the lead in the 55th minute as they smelt blood in the water after knocking in their equaliser only moments earlier.
Jessie Wharepouri lobbed through a dangerous free-kick that evaded the Uni defence which was met on the head of Wooley who nodded home her second goal of the game.
The action continued to pile as both teams showed their class, but it was Uni who stepped it up once more and grabbed their equaliser in the 72nd minute.
Tigers keeper Jodie Drever gave away a poor pass that fell to the feet of Augoustis from her own penalty area and the Uni striker made no mistake picking up her second goal of the match.
It was to be the final goal as the match ended 2-2 with both teams sharing the spoils.
Football NSW Institute v Emerging Jets – MATCH POSTPONED