Mariners women fall against Sydney FC

In an assertive performance by the Mariners, where the youthful side showed their full potential with a dominating display in midfield, two goals conceded from set-pieces proved to be their undoing.
?We played another great match, though did not get the points which is really frustrating? commented Mariners? coach Stephen Roche.
?I believe tonight?s performance was one of our best of the season; we really dominated possession and we kept them (Sydney FC) stuck in their own half for such a large spell ? the two goals we conceded though were really disappointing.?
A fairly timid opening was brought to life by a venomous volley from the edge of the penalty-area by Kyah Simon. Karina Roweth?s strong burst of speed on the right provided a tantalising cross for Simon who saw her effort diverted away by a scrambling Sydney FC defence.
Teresa Polias? vision out of midfield paved the way for many Mariners? forward forays, before the skillful midfielder took matters into her own hands with a long-range effort that finished wide of goal.
Sydney FC nearly took the lead on 22? minutes via a dead-ball situation. Kylie Ledbrook?s free-kick metres inside the corner stick met the head of Danielle Brogan, who from close-range, headed over the crossbar.
Central Coast goalkeeper Lisa Hartley was the first goalkeeper forced into a save; the shot-stopper comfortably claiming a Leena Khamis effort down at her right-hand post.
Sydney FC made the break through on 33? minutes via the boot of Leena Khamis. The home side?s second set-piece of the evening, again from the right, proved too much for the youthful Mariners.
Central Coast Mariners slack marking of a set-piece resulted in a second Sydney FC goal, again courtesy of a Kylie Ledbrook delivery. Defender Lisa Brogan rose highest in the Mariners? penalty-area to head home for a 2-0 lead.
Camilleri nearly cut the deficit for the Mariners via a corner; the attacking midfielder met Renee Rollason?s delivery on the edge of the penalty-area before rifling toward goal, denied by a late deflection by a Sydney defender.
Young Matilda Kyah Simon was denied late in the opening half when she managed to get behind the Sydney defence. Simon?s fierce effort was parried by goalkeeper Nikola Dieter, preserving the home-side?s two goal half-time lead.
Consecutive corners in the opening minutes of the second-half signalled Central Coast Mariners? intent though, despite the pin-point deliveries from Rollason, a goal was not forthcoming.
Rollason was involved again moments later with a free-kick, and the midfielder?s delivery was once more spot-on, though the final touch from a Mariners player was missing.
Lindsay Glohe?s shot-turn-cross just shy of the hour-mark forced Sydney?s Nikola Dieter into an impressive acrobatic save; deserving of the applause from the crowd.
Teresa Polias? scrambling effort on the edge of the penalty-area allowed Camilleri a look at goal from an acute angle; her drive across goal was well-parried by Dieter.
Leena Khamis then nearly added a third for Sydney FC with a perfect diagonal effort from the left before Teresa Polias hit a late thunderbolt effort from a whole 25-metres that rattled the crossbar, though the Mariners were again denied what would have been a more than deserved goal.
Following the match Polias expressed her disappointment for the missed effort though was optimistic following a great Mariners performance:
?We played a really good match tonight, and we have come away with a 0-2 loss which is disappointing.
?I thought that my shot on goal towards the end might have just fallen in but we couldn?t get the break we needed tonight. I am sure though that this has been one of our best performances for the season without a doubt,? concluded Polias.
Match Details
Sydney FC 2 (Leena KHAMIS 23?, Lisa GILBERT 38?)
Central Coast Mariners 0
Campbelltown Stadium, Sydney
Saturday 22^nd November, 2008
Crowd: 652.
Referee: Prue Donohoe
Sydney FC line-up: 20.Nikola DIETER (gk); 2.Samantha SPACKMAN (15.Jessica SEAMAN 57?), 3.Danielle BROGAN, 4.Alesha CLIFFORD, 5.Lisa GILBERT (c), 6. Servet UZUNLAR, 10.Kylie LEDBROOK, 16.Linda O?NEILL (7.Heather GARRIOCK 80?), 17. Danielle SMALL, 19.Leena KHAMIS (14. Maggie ELHUSSEINI 84?), 21. Jordan MARSH
Substitutes Not Used: 1. Rachel COOPER (gk)
Yellow Cards: Jordan MARSH 23?, Danielle BROGAN 39?, Samantha SPACKMAN 53?
Red Cards: Nil
Central Coast Mariners line-up: 20.Lisa HARTLEY (gk); 2.Caitlin COOPER (c), 3.Lyndsay GLOHE (15.Elizabeth O?REILLY 78?), 4.Rachael DOYLE, 5. Jodie BAIN, 6.Karina ROWETH (9.Ellyse PERRY 81?), 7.Teresa POLIAS, 8.Renee ROLLASON, 10. Kyah SIMON, 12.Gill FOSTER (11.Stephanie HAIM 46?), 13.Trudy CAMILLERI
Substitutes Not Used: 1.Emma-Kate DEWHURST (gk)
Yellow Cards: Karina ROWETH 35?, Caitlin COOPER 67?
Red Cards: Nil
Westfield W League 2008/09 Table 

P = played | W = wins | D = draws | L = losses | F = goals for | A = goals against | GD = Goal Difference | Pts = points
Westfield W-League 2008/09 – Leading Goal Scorers
6- Leena Khamis (SFC)
4- Katie Gill (NJ)
3– Sandra Scalzi (AU), Sharon Black (AU), Lana Harch (QR)
2- Renee Rollason (CCM), Kyah Simon (CCM), Lauren Colthorpe (QR), Sasha McDonnell (CU)
1- Stacy Day (NJ), Cheryl Salisbury (NJ), Danielle Small (SFC), Heather Garriock (SFC), Rebecca Tegg (MV), Marlies Oostdam (MV), Alicia Ferguson (QR), Nicole Bolger (SFC), Sarah Groenewald (MV), Kara Mowbray (CU), Shannon May (PG), Trudy Camilleri (CCM), Victoria Balomenos (AU), Kylie Ledbrook (SFC), Ellie Brush (CU), Collette McCallum (PG), Lisa de Vanna (PG), Donna Cockayne (AU), Clare Polkinghorne (QR), Elise Kellond-Knight (QR), Stephanie Latham (QR), Courtney Beutel (QR), Tameka Butt (QR), Lisa Gilbert (SFC), Kirstyn Pearce (NJ), Nicole Jones (NJ), Amber Neilson (NJ), Marianna Tabain (PG)
Westfield W-League 2008/09 ? Round 6 Fixtures 

-By Joseph Carlucci