Arrive Alive Women?s Premier League Round 20 Review

The top two teams on the competition leader were both put to the sword by the third and fourth placed teams respectively in performances that showed that the finals will be anything but a two horse race.
Over at ELS Hall Park the NWS Koalas were playing host to the defending premiers, the Macarthur Rams. The Koalas record against The Rams in recent seasons hadn?t been a good one but Claude De Francesco?s new look side was ready for the challenge.
The Rams started strongly and were the team to exert the early pressure. Macarthur created some half chances but couldn?t quite pop the cork on the champagne. As the half progressed The Koalas grew in confidence, with the game starting to even out.
Good combination from Carlie Ikonomou, Stephanie Ascone and Britt Ring with the latter?s centre finding Rachel Jones whose header missed its mark. The Rams then pushed upfield resulting in a fine strike by Linda Dudek which was brilliantly saved by Koalas keeper Anne Rutlidge. Stephanie Haim followed up on the rebound but her shot was deflected for a corner.
The Koalas had another opportunity when a poor back pass from The Rams defence was nearly pounced upon by the eager Koalas forwards.
The Rams were prowling though and, in the 20^th minute, they struck. After a long free kick from Renee Cartwright the ensuing play saw the ball go to Linda Dudek. She ran into the box as a Koalas defender tried to shepherd her wide of goal. However, Dudek managed to get inside the defender and release her shot which beat the Koalas keeper for the opening goal.
One wondered if this may have been a signal for The Rams to move into overdrive but it seemed more like a touch of cruise control. Yes, they started to gain territorial advantage but The Koalas were scrambling well to close down the attacking raids. 
Good play from The Koalas saw Britt Ring break away before linking with Georgina Stylianos.  The Koalas won successive corners through this attack with the second corner bringing a great header from Rachel Doyle which was cleared off the line by Rams defender Laura Donnelly.
The Koalas were starting to test The Rams and, in the 37^th minute, a Koalas free kick saw Georgina Stylianos burst onto the ball. Stylianos muscled her way through the defence, determinedly winning the ball. Suddenly she?d threaded her way into the box where she finished in style. This was a great individual goal which squared the ledger for The Koalas at 1-1.
Stylianos caused more headaches for The Rams defence before half time before passing to Tash Loguidice to run at goal. Unfortunately the young Koala striker couldn?t manage a clear shot on goal but this was a sign that the locals were far from overawed by their illustrious visitors. The half time break came with a promise of plenty of excitement in the second half.
The second stanza commenced with both sides pushing forward. The two teams both win corners but Rams did little with their opportunity. The Koalas play short corner bringing a shot that?s saved off the line again by Laura Donnelly. Laura had certainly earnt her stripes for the day with two important contributions.
The Rams brought pressure on The Koalas through good play from Sigrid Manty who almost picks up a tap away from the advancing Koalas keeper. Stephanie Haim then made a break down the left before crossing to Linda Dudek who headed over the bar. The Rams were looking dangerous but The Koalas weren?t doing a bad job themselves.
In the 54^th minute the home side won a throw in. Natasha Loguidice has obviously been watching the English Premier League and has perfected the ?Delap throw?. Her big throw in to the Rams box appeared to have the defence mesmerised. The Koalas sent in a stinging shot which was blocked by Rams keeper Michelle Grigg but the rebound was slotted away by Stephanie Ascone. Suddenly the NWS girls had found the lead!
Macarthur lifted with Stephanie Haim prominent. She worked with Kylie Ledbrook to try and prise open the Koalas defence but the two Rams stars were unable to find the back of the net. At the other end Tash Loguidice?s long throw ins were still causing problems for The Rams, winning Koalas another corner which brought a fingertip save from the keeper.
In the 69^th minute Dudek, Ledbrook and Baker combined well to launch a Rams attacking raid. The resulting cross into the box saw Rams players leaping as the Koalas keeper tried to field the ball. The ball was dropped amongst a bobble of bodies before someone, maybe Stephanie Haim, gets enough on it to score the equaliser. The Koalas spectators were not happy, believing their keeper was fouled but it was suddenly 2-2. Now it was anyone?s game.
Again thoughts turned to whether the big name Rams squad would run over the Koalas girls in the remaining minutes. The answer to that theory came within four minutes of the equaliser. Yet again a long throw in from Tash Loguidice bamboozled the Macarthur defence. Whilst everyone in maroon watched the ball bounce Koalas Britt Ring charge through to head the ball into the back of the net and put The Koalas into a 3-2 lead.
The Rams players looked shell shocked. They had every reason to be and The Koalas weren?t finished! Almost immediately Georgina Stylianos made another strong break down the right flank. Georgina laid the ball back into the centre where the queen of the long throw, Tash Loguidice, was on hand to smash the ball into the back of the Rams net for what surely had to be the clincher.
And so it proved to be. The Rams couldn?t come back and it was The Koalas in the final stages who almost added to their tally. This was certainly a win to be savoured by The Koalas faithful!
Rams Coach Matt Turvey just shook his head in amazement. Turvey said that his girls had been going through the motions in the last few weeks. Usually Macarthur?s biggest asset is their passing game but Turvey lamented how poorly it was working at the moment. He let out a deep sigh and said ?I don?t know what to say!?.
The NWS Koalas Coach Claude De Francesco was all smiles however. De Francesco said it had just been one of those games that everyone hopes for. He?d instructed his girls to go out and enjoy the game; something they?d obviously carried out to the letter. De Francesco suspected that Rams intensity may have been down a little. It had been a good day for The Koalas also from a Club Championship point of view with results elsewhere. De Francesco was especially happy for his younger players, singling out 16 year old Stephanie Ascone for a special mention.
This was a very good game of football. If the finals series produces similar matches then all the fans of the Arrive Alive Women?s Premier League are in for a treat.
NWS Koalas        4 (G.Stylianos 37m, S.Ascone 54m, B.Ring73m, N.Loguidice 76m)
Macarthur Rams 2 (L.Dudek 20m, S.Haim 69m)
At J.J.Kelly Park the Illawarra Stingrays were hoping to celebrate the conformation of their Premiership with a win over Manly United FC.
As at ELS Hall Park though, things didn?t go quite according to plan. Manly set the locals back on their heels in the 7^th minute when Elyce Bates opened the scoring. Illawarra struck back in the 19^th minute of the half when the ever reliable Michelle Carney found the back of the net for the home side.
The two teams remained locked at 1-1 into the half time break. The second half saw plenty of action with both teams looking for the winner. But, to the dismay of the Stingrays supporters, Manly were the team who rose to the occasion, with Liz Morrison scoring in the 80^th minute to give her side another big win.
The Stingrays would have been relieved to hear the news from ELS Hall Park concerning Macarthur?s defeat. They will have been disappointed, however, not to clinch their Premiership in more convincing style. Manly proved, once again, that they are right in the race for the title with a stirring performance.
Illawarra Stingrays 1 (M.Carney 19m)
Manly United FC     2 (E.Bates 7m, E.Morrison 80m)
At Harrie Denning Centre the Sutherland Sharks and Penrith Nepean United sides renewed the rivalries with this being the decider in the three round sparring contest.
The Sharks struck first in the 31^st minute when young striker Selva Barroso scored. Sutherland managed to hold this narrow lead into the half time break but Penrith came out hard after half time looking for the equaliser.
It came in the 71st minute when evergreen Anissa Tan grabbed her opportunity to bring Penrith level. Whilst the two sides searched hard for the goal that would break the deadlock it wasn?t to be and the game finished a 1-1 draw.
Both sides deserved something out of this game. A draw was a fitting result.
Sutherland Sharks        1 (S.Barroso 31m)
Penrith Nepean United 1 (A.Tan)
At Marconi Stadium, The Stallions and Sydney University did battle. Both sides were looking for a moral boosting win but, try as they might, neither side could get their noses in front.
In the end a goalless draw ensued which probably summed up the disappointment of the season for both clubs. With one more round to go the 2010 season would be something that both clubs are already planning for.
Marconi Stallions  0
Sydney University 0
Next week sees the final round of the Arrive Alive Women?s Premier League prior to the semi finals. This weekend has shown what a great finals series we?re in for. However, next week we say goodbye to the other four sides in the league, all of whom have given us some thrills during the 2009 season.
I can?t wait for the finals; four talented teams, all with claims for the title. Champagne football is the likely outcome for all Arrive Alive Women?s Premier League fans.
-By Ross Anderson