Arrive Alive Women?s Premier League Round 6 Preview

You could take her out for a slap up dinner at the best restaurant, have her at your place for the day or do something special to show her how much you care. You best buy her a nice card, even some flowers and don?t forget to tell her how much you love her. Then, after dispensing with all the sentimental stuff, you can either sneak out the back door or throw Mum in the car and head off to an Arrive Alive Women?s Premier League match for the afternoon. Who said that I don?t know the way to a woman?s heart? Good on you Mum!
The weekend offers some tantalising clashes at both ends of the competition table. Certainly the match of the round is at ELS Hall Park where we have the 2008 Grand Final replay between NWS Koalas and Macarthur Rams. The two sides have suffered just one defeat apiece this season; The Koalas at the hands of Manly United FC, The Rams to the Illawarra Stingrays.
A lot of water has passed under the bridge since Grand Final Day last season. The Rams haven?t suffered too much damage to their roster in the off season whereas The Koalas have lost a number of very talented players. To The Koalas credit though their 2009 season has risen to the occasion thus far, showing that they?ll remain a force to be reckoned with in the league no matter who pulls on a Koalas shirt.  Certainly last Sunday?s draw with the lowly placed Penrith Nepean United was something of a shock but The Koalas are sure to be ready to rock and roll for a big game like this one.
The Rams have really started to hit their straps in the last few weeks. Big wins against Marconi Stallions and Penrith Nepean United show that the defending premiers are ready to repel any challenges to their crown. Last week?s washed out match against Sydney University will allow some players to get over some niggling injuries and be cherry ripe for this encounter. The engine to the Rams Ferrari, Kylie Ledbrook, is playing with plenty of confidence whilst players like Stephanie Haim, Renee Cartwright and Sigrid Manty are in form. Macarthur?s side is growing in confidence every week.
This should be a tip top game of football. There?s never much between these two sides although The Rams always seem to have the edge. It?ll be close but I can?t go past Macarthur Rams to take the points.
At the other end of the ladder the Sutherland Sharks meet Penrith Nepean United at Harrie Dening Centre.
The Sharks have had little joy this season, conceding 31 goals in five games whilst not being able to bother the scoreboard attendant themselves. Their dreadful start to the year culminated in an 8-0 thrashing at the hands of Manly United FC last Sunday. Coach Michael Michaels will be wondering just what he can come up with to turn his team?s fortunes around. Purely on the competition standings alone The Sharks must give themselves some chance in this game but a few injuries have hit at the worst of times.
Penrith Nepean?s season had not been a hell of a lot more gleeful than Sutherland?s before last week?s spirited draw with NWS Koalas. Taryn Rockall?s equaliser breathed a touch of belief into the Penrith cause. The inspiration may have come at the right time with a possible three points on offer here giving Penrith a chance to gather some momentum. Games are won on the park though so Penrith will have to work hard to take walk away from Harrie Dening Centre with their first win of the season.
Neither team will want to lose this one. Sutherland are leaking plenty of goals at the moment. Penrith Nepean United?s good effort last week has me leaning their way in this game.
The Illawarra Stingrays finally get to play at their home ground on Sunday after weeks of nomadic wanderings whilst issues with J.J.Kelly Park were addressed.
Illawarra have certainly picked a vital clash with which to return home; a clash with the high flying Manly United FC. The Stingrays have looked very good at various stages this season but are suffering from a staggering injury toll that threatens to derail their title challenge. Much has been made of the variety of attacking options The Stingrays have in their arsenal. But the injuries have hit hardest in their defensive line and games like this one are where that hurts. Michelle Heyman was in tip top form against Marconi last week. She will be looking to add to her tally this Sunday.
Manly United FC have been very impressive so far in 2009. The girls from the peninsula have displayed plenty of attacking options themselves with some fast, flowing football. They certainly got plenty of target practice against Sutherland last Sunday whilst their win against The Koalas was a quality performance. Gill Foster is in tip top form but she?s not alone. Manly are producing good football all over the park and appear to have found the consistency they lacked in 2008. They are real contenders for honours this season.
This will be a cracker of a game. I?m just wondering if the ever lengthening list of injuries is finally going to catch up with Illawarra. They?re side I enjoy watching but I?m going to tip Manly United to remain atop the competition table with a narrow win here.
Our final Arrive Alive Women?s Premier League match for review this week is the Marconi Stallions v Sydney University game at Marconi Stadium.
Marconi have really struggled so far this season. Their roster has been decimated by retirements, transfers and injuries. They are a shadow of the side that performed so well in 2008. I must say though that The Stallions showed plenty of ticker last week, despite going down 3-0 to Illawarra Stingrays. Marconi had some chances that they failed to grasp. Coach Mauro Tacco took the opportunity to blood some youngsters in the latter stages of the game and these kids gave notice that Marconi?s never ending nursery of talent will continue to serve them well.
The Sydney University girls will go to bed on Saturday night not knowing whether to expect a downpour of biblical proportions or some sort of natural disaster that causes yet another game to be postponed. It seems that every week something stops the University team from getting onto the field. On the three occasions that University have got to kick a ball in 2009 they?ve looked to be more than competitive. If they are to challenge for a finals spot this season then Sunday?s match is one that they must win.
I think that this game is a toss of the coin job. I?m leaning towards Sydney University but this one could go either way.
So, having now explained a variety of reasons why you should a) take Mum to a football game this Sunday or b) take yourself and suffer the consequences later, I expect all true women?s football fans to enjoy some Arrive Alive Women?s Premier League action this Sunday. I have already made my excuses to both my wife and mother so, if anyone is looking for some help in tendering an alibi, I?m more than happy to help. See you at the park.

-By Ross Anderson