Arrive Alive Women?s Super League Preliminary Final Preview

Wade Park in Orange will be the venue for this winner take all encounter as the two ?country cousins? attempt to extend their season by one more week.
Last Sunday saw contrasting emotions for the two sides. The Southern NSW FC side had quite a fight on their hands against Central Coast Lightning. However, a late strike by Emma Cobb saw Southern NSW safely through. Western NSW Panthers ran into the all conquering Inter Lions side in the major semi and, after a close first half, were outplayed by the Minor Premiers in the second stanza.
The two previous meetings between the two teams earlier this season have both resulted in wins to Western NSW Panthers. The game at Ison Park in Round 2 went to The Panthers 1-0, the match at Alec Lamberton Field in Round 11 went to the Bathurst side by a score of 3-1. Matches between these teams are always hard fought. The two teams met in the Preliminary Final last season with Western NSW Panthers winning their way into the Grand Final. They?ll be hoping that history repeats itself come this Sunday.
Whilst the statistics say that The Panthers have had the best defence in the league this season they?ve struggled to score goals. Of the four semi final teams Western NSW have scored the least number of goals. Southern NSW FC, on the other hand, have the second best scoring rate after Inter Lions. Of the three teams still remaining in the title race though Southern NSW have conceded the most goals. What do they say about statistics? There are lies, damn lies and statistics but you?d think the facts and figures must give some guide to the fate of this match.
Western NSW Panthers will be looking to the likes of Gillian Rosconi and Olivia Bird to ignite a goal scoring flourish. Rosconi was a regular on the score sheet in 2008 but has struggled to find the room to do the same damage this season. Still, the Western NSW Captain is a big game player and this is certainly a big game. Wily Coach, Paul Waine, will be looking to fire his girls up for a shot at redemption against Inter Lions next week. The Panthers are the only side to lower The Lions? colours this season. But it won?t be easy getting another Grand Final berth against a determined Southern NSW side.
Southern NSW FC left it late last week but a winner is a winner no matter when it?s scored. After looking like they may miss the finals not that long ago the Nowra girls now find themselves at exactly the same stage they reached last season. They?ll be looking to go one better in 2009 by winning through to the season finale. Their hopes will rest heavily on the ability of their leading goal scorers Emma Cobb and Louise Lloyd-Jones to snatch an early advantage. With the Western NSW side battling to score goals this season having to chase down a goal would put them under significant pressure. Southern NSW are capable of playing some exciting football but will the miserly Panthers defence allow them the space?
This should be a tight affair. This sort of match is the type in which The Panthers have excelled in 2009. They?ve managed to tough it out, keep at it and wear their opposition down. To me, that?s the sign of a well disciplined football team. Southern NSW will need to open the game up and see if they can find the razzle dazzle to get The Panthers off their game. Coach Shane Duffy is sure to have a game plan in mind to enable his side to spring an upset.
I suspect that Wade Park may not be warm and inviting at this time of the year but I?m confident that the supporters of these two teams will have plenty of action to keep the body temperature clicking over. After Sunday one team will be planning for 2010, the other will be working on a way to beat the Inter Lions side for the title of Champions.
Good luck to both sides on the weekend.
-By Ross Anderson