Round two in the NPL NSW Women’s competition was one full of late drama, incredible comebacks and some experienced victories.

Football NSW Institute 1-2 Illawarra Stingrays 

The Football NSW Institute hosted the Illawarra Stingrays at Valentine Sports Park on Sunday afternoon. 

It was the away side that got off to a blistering start, racing off to a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from captain Michelle Carney and Talitha Kramer.

The Institute halved the deficit on the half hour mark courtesy of a Holly McNamara penalty.

It was Institute’s captain making the most problems for the Stingrays, going close shortly after on two occasions.

But the home side couldn’t break down the stubborn Stingrays as the away side held on to take their first three points of the campaign.

Macarthur Rams 1-0 Emerging Jets 

At Lynwood Park the Emerging Jets gave some account of themselves accounts Macarthur Rams on Sunday afternoon.

The Rams had two fine chances in the first half to break the deadlock, one coming off the post.

Leena Khamis then should’ve had them in front mid-way through the second half but her shot went wide.

Things got tougher for the home team as the Jets started growing in confidence and a red card Olivia Sloan made things even harder.

It would be Khamis though who would become provider, slipping in Laura Murtagh who outmuscled her defender before placing the ball beyond the on rushing goalkeeper.

That was enough for the Rams as they made it two from two.

North West Sydney Koalas 2-3 Manly United 

An intriguing match at Christie Park where the Champions showed that champion spirit against the North West Sydney Koalas.

It was the home side that got off to a fine start, taking the lead after only three minutes when a Koalas corner was headed into the goal by a Manly defender.

Eight minutes later it was 2-0 as Rachel Perrins tapped home after a parried Sophie Harding shot.

Morgan Roberts almost made it three mid-way through the first half but her header cannoned off the upright.

10 minutes into the second half, Emily Minnet halved the deficit on the volley.

Minnet then had the equaliser three minutes later after a fine header from a Jane Vanzino cross.

With all the momentum, Manly pushed for the complete turnaround.

And it didn’t come until the 92^nd minute as Kahli Johnson showed some individual brilliance to find the winner with the last kick of the game.

Bankstown City 0-1 Blacktown Spartans 

It was a tight match at Jensen Park as the Blacktown Spartans travelled to take on Bankstown City.

It was the home side that looked the better on the evening but neither side could create a proper first half opportunity.

Bankstown had the first chance of the game through Georgia Plessas after some neat work down the right by line by Logan Garard at the start of the second half.

The Spartans then had a chance of their own through Galea but Natalie Milenkovski stook firm.

From there it was all the home side as chance by chance built up.

Bethany McGhee came off the bench and was bearing down on Clarke in goal, only to square the ball for Petratos before the ball was somehow scrambled away.

McGhee was in the thick of it creating another opportunity for Price.

It seemed as the game would finish a draw but then the Spartans stole the show.

A fine cross by Rosie Galea in behind the defence found the head of substitute Michelle Dal Bon who headed beyond Milenkovski.

A real smash and grab victory that coach Brad Attard enjoyed.

“A thriller at Bankstown,” said Attard.

“The girls dug deep for the 90 minutes and I think that last minute goals sums up what they deserved.”

His opposite number Matthew Costantini was not as pleased after the game and regretted the missed opportunities.

“If you don’t take your chances you don’t win games,” said Costantini.

“We switched off for a split second and it cost us , similarly to last week.

“We just want to play good football and improve on last season, try improve and give the club a good reputation.”

By: NIKOLA POZDER, CHIEF NPL NSW WOMEN’S WRITER 

Only two games were played in NPL NSW Women’s top tier football in round one with four matches postponed due to players with W-League commitments. 

Two new coaches kicked off their season’s in the best way possible with comfortable victories. 

Manly United 3-1 Bankstown City 

The home side hit the front after 15 minutes after Bankstown failed to clear their lines.

Sophie Nenadovic pounced on the loose ball in the box and blasted home on her return to Cromer Park.

Only seven minutes later and the home side doubled their advantage.

Libby Copus-Brown showed her unselfishness with a neat ball across goal to Kahli Johnson who slotted into an empty goal.

Bankstown pulled one back 10 minutes before half time in stunning fashion, finding the top corner on the half volley.

Plessas needed to exit play though with what seemed a serious shoulder injury mid-way through the second period.

Caitlin Jarvie’s spectacular goal was worthy of the winner though with 20 minutes to go, finding the top corner with a powerful effort from some 35 metres.

North West Sydney Koalas 0-3 Macarthur Rams 

Macarthur Rams and Stephen Peters got off to the best possible start at Christie Park against the North West Sydney Koalas.

It took the away side only three minutes to hit the front as Renee Rollason headed home courtesy of a Kylie Ledbrook corner.

They held this lead until the half time break.

Captain Rollason had her second, heading home once more to make it 2-0 with just over 20 minutes to go.

Bethany Gordon made the points safe for Macarthur with a special finish in stoppage, finding the top corner from an acute angle.

By – NPL NSW Women’s Chief Writer Nikola Pozder 

 

The underdog showed fantastic character and heart to once more come from behind, only this time to claim the Championship. 

Sydney University had already began engraving their name on the trophy but it wasn’t to be as Manly United came away with what turned out to be a comfortable victory.

It wasn’t just a battle for the Championship between Sydney University and Manly United but a battle between two coaches to finish their incredible runs at their respective clubs with the best possible accolade.

United started well, taking confidence from last week’s game despite not having their super star Remy Siemsen available.

The Premiers would take the lead though after only nine minutes.

A deep corner by Rachel Soutar found Teigen Collister at the far post.

Only Collister knows how she didn’t score but instead her effort hit Grace Maher and the ball crossed the line in bizarre fashion.

Uni took control from here and created a few more half chances through set pieces and the dangerous Collister down the left.

But it would be the drinks break that changed the game.

Manly came out a different team and had their equaliser soon after.

A fine delivery by last weekend’s hero Libby Copus-Brown found the head of Emily Minett who powered a fantastic header into the back of the net.

It gave further life to the United attack as they grew in confidence.

It was another set piece that would undo Uni.

Uni didn’t deal with a cross in from the left which Tara Andrews took full advantage of, making no mistake and putting United in front at the break.

The second half it was expected Uni would come out with all out-attack mentality.

Instead it was fine game management from Manly.

Chris Williams’ team did everything right, slowing the game down at set pieces, disciplined in defence, direct when going forward and breaking down the play.

Uni had no answer and couldn’t break down the stubborn Manly wall.

Despite throwing everything forward in search of an equaliser, Alex Epakis’ side couldn’t find that elusive goal to send the game to extra time.

Chris Williams would win the sideline battle and finish his final game in charge of Manly with a victory.

Through my time as the NPL NSW Women’s writer, I’d like to take a moment to thank these two incredible gentlemen for all the work they have done for the women’s game in this state.

They will be sorely missed in the 2021 season and I wish them the best of luck in their future career endeavours.

By Nikola Pozder, NPL NSW Women’s writer 

The 2020 National Premier Leagues NSW Women’s top tier Grand Final has been settled with Sydney University once again ready to battle for the title when they face a hungry Manly United who dashed Sydney Olympic’s house in an epic match-up.

Here’s how both matches unfolded in the official Football NSW review.

It was like watching ‘The Titanic’ for Sydney Olympic fans.

Cruising, in control…then chaos as the ship sunk.

George Beltsos’ girls fell at the same hurdle last season and it was memories of that heart break after 90+ minutes at Peter Moore Field.

The home team started like a house on fire with Sarah Yatim and Cortnee Vine causing early problems.

It was a nothing through ball through that led to the first goal.

With Vine chasing down the pass, Nicole Simonsen didn’t clear the ball well enough, falling to the worst possible player for United, Teresa Polias.

Polias took one touch and let fly with a sublime shot from almost halfway, finding the back of the net for a 1-0 lead.

Remy Siemsen should’ve had United level almost immediately but could only manage a shot straight at Jada Mathyssen.

Not long after though, Manly had their equaliser.

Sunny Franco was played in behind the defence, held off Charlotte McLean and blasted beyond Mathyssen to make the score 1-1.

As the match moved toward half time, the home side hit the front once more.

Julia Vignes crossed with her weaker right foot into the danger area as Aimee Phillips got in between two defenders to head the ball home.

The second half looked like Olympic comfortably planning their grand final position.

Until Siemsen created a fine chance and forced an even better save from Mathyssen.

That would be Siemsen’s final effort as she succumbed to an injury, while from the resulting corner, Mathyssen herself looked to sustain a serious shoulder injury, also forcing her off.

The game continued in the same pace as it had with Olympic looking the more dangerous.

But then it was the Elizabeth Copus-Brown show.

She took Mackenzie Hawkesby for a spin, twisting and turning before getting away inside the box and crossing to the far post to an eagerly awaiting Claudia Cholakian who had the easiest of jobs heading in the equaliser.

With the game looking set for extra time, Copus-Brown would deliver again, this time from a corner finding Corrine Winkler who forced the ball home.

Olympic pushed hard for an equaliser but the United defence stood firm.

Chris Williams’ side now plan for another grand final and hope to have Siemsen ready to go for it.

Sydney University 4-0 Northern Tigers 

Sydney Uni booked their place in the 2020 grand final after defeating the Northern Tigers at Arlington Oval.

The score line shows it was a dominant performance from the Premiers but it was much tougher than you think.

It was the home team who were more dominant as you’d expect with chances falling to Demi Koulizakis, Julie Anne-Russell and Kendall Fletcher but the Tigers defence stood firm.

It was a fortuitous goal that would give Uni the lead on the stroke of half time.

Bianca Galic let fly from distance, only for the ball to clip Koulizakis on the head and make its way into the goal.

Uni continued to push forward but were kept at bay all until Grace Maher produced something special in the 84^th minute.

Maher picked up the ball inside her own area, dribbled into the Tigers half and blasted a shot into the back of the net from some way out in style.

Was followed was a Tigers collapse as only three minutes later it was 3-0.

Clare Wheeler rounded off a nice team move at the far post, smashing the ball home.

Substitute Michelle Heyman then completed the scoring in stoppage time with another fine goal after starting and subsequently finishing the move with a powerful strike from just inside the area.

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By Nikola Pozder, NPL NSW Women’s writer 

What a finish to the regular season in the National Premier Leagues NSW Women’s competition we witnessed on Sunday afternoon.

Stoppage time drama at one end and a comfortable win at the other saw the playoff positions get shaken up as Sydney University Football Club officially took out the Premiership. 

Blacktown Spartans 1-3 Sydney Olympic

The Spartans knew that a draw would be sufficient enough against Olympic to book their finals place.

A stoppage time collapse though would mean their finals dreams were over.

It was the away side that took the lead in the second period when Casey Dumont went down rushing out to a through ball as Mackenzie Hawkesby tapped home into an empty net.

Three minutes from the end of regular time, Candace Sciberras broke into the box and scored her first of the season, thinking they’d secured finals football.

In the 92^nd minute though, Spartans’ hearts were broken as Cortnee Vine went down in the box, earning and slotting home the penalty.

Only two minutes later, Vine wrapped up the points for Olympic with a blistering run from within her own half, ending the Spartans’ season.

 

Northern Tigers 5-1 Macarthur Rams

Northern Tigers had to win and win big, along with hoping results went their way.

Everything went their way and they secured their second consecutive finals appearance.

Gema Simon had the Tigers in front in the eighth minute before a minute later Daisy Arrowsmith made it 2-0.

Laura Murtagh then halved the deficit and put the Rams back into the game.

Arrowsmith restored the two-goal buffer with a special finish, toe-pocking the ball beyond Sham Khamis.

Ellie Brush then rose highest at a corner to head the ball into the back of the net.

Arrowsmith secured her hat-trick from the spot and rounded off the 5-1 victory.

 

Manly United 4-0 APIA Leichhardt

Manly got the job done at Cromer Park against APIA Leichhardt with a comfortable victory.

Four goals and a clean sheet means United move into the finals full of confidence.

Goal scoring machine Tara Andrews kept her run going with a brace while Sunny Franco and Remy Siemsen got the other two.

It was a disappointing end of the season for APIA who expected so much more after such a positive start to life in the top-flight.

With the club high expectations, there will definitely be an inquiry at lambert Park to discuss where things went wrong.

 

Emerging Jets 0-5 Football NSW Institute

At Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility, the Emerging Jets hosted Football NSW Institute.

It was the travelling side that started the better, going into half time three goals to the good.

They added another two in the second half to close off the 5-0 win.

 

Sydney University 3-1 Illawarra Stingrays

The Premiers continued with their fine form, accounting for the Illawarra Stingrays on Sunday afternoon.

Kendall Fletcher and Annabel Martin had Uni in front at half time.

Fletcher got her second while Olivia Price picked one up for the Stingrays for the 3-1 Uni victory.

 

North West Sydney Koalas 4-0 Bankstown City

It was one-way traffic at Christie Park as the North West Sydney Koalas finished their campaign off with a sound victory over Bankstown City.

Sophie Harding had the first goal of the game, bundling the ball home after a fine initial save by Annalee Grove.

Harding had her second with a looping header from a corner with 30 minutes remaining in the game.

It was three soon after as Alisha Bass scored from distance in style, the ball coming off the upright before hitting the back of the net.

The rout was complete when Harding rounded off her hat trick with a calm finish beyond Grove.

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By Nikola Pozder, NPL NSW Women’s writer