Arrive Alive Women?s Super League Round 5 Review
It?s probably that Aussie thing that we all have where we applaud the underdog but it?s good to see teams rise to the occasion though they may not necessarily be favoured. So it is with Round 5 of the Arrive Alive Women?s Super League.
The match of the day status in this round certainly seemed to sit with the Sydney Tigers v Southern NSW FC clash at Lambert Park. I don?t think it would be disputed that The Tigers would start the popular picks in this game but that didn?t deny the fact that Southern NSW were in with a chance on recent form.
I?d love to say that I can write a long and exciting article on what occurred in this game. However, family commitments saw me elsewhere and the details I received from the game are sketchy. Suffice to say that Southern NSW FC put the highly fancied Tigers on the seat of their pants with a solid 3-0 win. Now, I don?t even have the timing of Southern?s goals but I can tell you that the girl described in Southern?s squad list as, and I quote, ?our glamour girl?, Melanie Armitage got on the scoresheet. Melanie was joined on the goalscoring list, hardly unusually, by the magical Katie French. Katie is now paying $2.20 on Sportstab each week to score a goal for Southern. I?ve heard that Katie doesn?t like me using that Golden Boot tag all the time but, really, what valuable metal are this girl?s boots made of? Young Lisa Stockman rounded out the list for Southern in what was a memorable win.
Sydney Tigers had a pretty forgettable day, missing an early penalty and with concerns over injuries to key players. Most worrying of those would be an Achilles worry for the in form Lisa Gilbert. Hopefully the Sydney FC W League star will be on the mend quickly. One loss isn?t terminal for The Tigers. Championships aren?t won or lost in May. But this loss is a wake up call.
Sydney Tigers 0
Southern NSW FC 3 (M.Armitage, K.French, L.Stockman)
Not to be outdone, up at Pluim Park the Blacktown Spartans decided to do their bit for the outsiders with a 2-0 win over Central Coast Lightning. Once again I have little to go on regarding the way this match panned out but I do know that one of my favourite Spartans players, Bronwyn Jarvis, grabbed one goal for The Spartans with the second being an own goal from Central Coast. That?s two wins now for The Spartans who certainly do look a different side this season. Hopefully they can keep their run of success in motion.
Central Coast would be disappointed with this result. According to the form guide they were entitled to look at this game as a possible three points. However, games are won on the field not in the form guide. The Lightning won?t be looking forward to their trip to Bathurst next weekend for a game with the competition leaders, Western NSW Panthers.
Central Coast Lightning 0
Blacktown Spartans 2 (B.Jarvis, own goal)
Speaking of those table toppers, Western NSW Panthers, they made the trip to Melita Stadium to tussle with the league?s newcomers, PCYC Lady Hawks.
The Lady Hawks dream start to the season came a cropper during the week when they were handed a football lesson by the Sydney Tigers. However the PCYC girls were keen to erase the memory of that game against the Panthers.
However, The Panthers drew first blood in the 21 minute through Olivia Bird. The visitors doubled their lead in the 39th minute when their goal scoring Captain, Gillian Rosconi, added to her tally for 2009 with a well taken strike. The Bathurst girls held this 2-0 lead into half time before adding a third through Lauren Diduszko in the 62nd minute.
The Lady Hawks were game and never stopped trying. The Panthers were a little too good though with this win ensuring they set the pace for another week in the Arrive Alive Women?s Super League.
PCYC Lady Hawks 0
Western NSW Panthers 3 (O.Bird 21m, G.Rosconi 39m, L.Diduszko 62m)
Inter Lions were hoping to rediscover their form after a miserable weekend in Bathurst last week when they met Northern Tigers at Ron Routley Field. Things didn?t prove quite as easy as The Lions may have thought though they did walk away with the three points.
A Northern Tigers side suffering heavily with injury and containing a host of Under 16 players kept the high flying Lions scoreless going into half time. A momentary Tigers lapse just after the break saw Catherine Cannuli pounce to grab a 1-0 lead for the locals. The Tigers hung in before Inter scored what seemed to be the clincher in the 61st minute through Dani Calvi. You have to say though the little ?Tigresses? have big hearts. Within four minutes of Calvi?s goal Stephanie Le Strange replied for Northern Tigers to put them back in the match.
The remainder of the match saw both sides battling hard but Inter were a touch too classy on the day. The Tigers should give themselves a pat on the back though for a sterling effort. The Lions will need to be wary next week when they meet an in form Southern NSW FC side in a match that should be worth going a long way to see. Is there any chance of moving this one to Concord Oval?
Inter Lions 2 (C.Cannuli 47m, D.Calvi 61m)
Northern Tigers 1 (S.Le Strange 65m)
Our final game for review from Round 5 is the St George FC v Gladesville Ravens match at St George Stadium.
Both sides were keen to grab the three points from this one, with a solitary win being the total of success between the two teams. The ravens had an early set back with a player being red carded in just the 15th minute. Gee, I wish I could tell you which player it was! But, let?s not let little matters like that detract from our enjoyment. The first half was an evenly shared battle with both sides having chances to open the scoring. The half time scoreline of 0-0 certainly appears to have been an accurate appraisal of the game.
The second half belonged to The Ravens though with Osmond grabbing the vital opening goal in the 56th minute. St George attempted to raise another effort but the visitors put the game to bed in the 70th minute with a goal from Ashley Hulme.
The St George coach expressed disappointment with his side?s second half performance. St George FC are still seeking their first win of 2009. Supporters will hope that the initial victory is just around the corner. The Ravens get back in the winners list after a three week break. A meeting with Sydney Tigers next weekend is their reward.
St George FC 0
Gladesville Ravens 2 (P.Osmond 56m, A.Hulme 70m)
The competition table is tightening up with a cluster of teams sitting just behind the breakaway leaders Western NSW Panthers and Inter Lions. Northern Tigers and St George FC sit at the bottom of the ladder but St George FC have two games in hand. Next week promises another interesting round of matches with a few more upsets possible. What better way to spend Mother?s Day than at the football? I hear my mother expressing her disgust already!
-By Ross Anderson
