Arrive alive Women?s Premier League Round 4 Review

At Cromer Park Manly United FC maintained their unbeaten record with a 5-2 thumping of Macarthur Rams.
Things had started brightly for the visitors with Stephanie Haim snatching the opening goal of the game in the first minute of play. It took another 22 minutes for Manly to draw level through a Gemma O?Toole goal but the home side had taken the lead just three minutes later when Emma Stewart scored.
Manly held their 2-1 lead into the break. Macarthur tried hard to stay with the competition high flyers but fell further behind in the 67^th minute after Gill Foster converted a penalty. By the 70^th minute Manly had stretched their lead to 4-1 after O?Toole scored her second goal. This looked to have settled the scoring for the day but two late strikes; one to Stephanie Haim in the 90^th minute and a reply from Emma Stewart in the 92^nd minute saw the final score end at 5-2 in favour of Manly United FC.
The Manly side seem to be growing in confidence every week. Their premiership credentials are certainly taking on a fair degree of credibility with some fine results in the first four weeks of competition.
Manly United FC 5 (G.O?Toole 23m/70m, E.Stewart 26m/92m, G.Foster 67m)
Macarthur Rams 2 (S.Haim 1m/90m)
In Bathurst the Western NSW Panthers conceded the opening goal of the match to NWS Koalas Anna McLean in the 15^th minute.  The visitors held this lead into the half time break, despite the best efforts of The Panthers to equalise.
Within three minutes of the resumption they the score was level with Megan Embleton scoring for The Panthers.  Both teams then worked hard looking for the winner with opportunities at both ends. But it was the locals who found the back of the net in the 74^th minute through Teegan Courtney.
That was enough to secure the points for Western NSW Panthers, giving them their third win from four starts this season. This could be classed as a minor upset but The Koalas just weren?t quite good enough today and now fall back to 7^th place on the competition ladder.
Western NSW Panthers 2 (M.Embleton 48m, T.Courtney 74m)
NWS Koalas                      1 (A.McLean 15m)
At Concord Oval Inter Lions were looking to jump back into the winner?s list after suffering their first defeat of the 2010 campaign against Manly United last week.
The home side started brightly but couldn?t find their way to the back of the net. Finally, in the 25^th minute, Catherine Cannuli scored for Inter after some fine lead up work by Natasha Lo Guidice.
If The Lions thought that this goal may open the floodgates they were mistaken. Much as The Lions tried to go forward Sydney University hung in and kept the half time score to the solitary goal difference.
Inter Lions tried hard to increase their lead after the break but muffed a number of good scoring chances. They were made to pay for their wastefulness in the 54^th minute when Trebilcock bobbed up to grab the equaliser for Sydney University.
Neither side could find a winner from there with, I?m sure, mixed emotions at the final result. Sydney University will be happy to take their first competition point of 2010 but Inter Lions may well rue the one that got away.
Inter Lions              1 (C.Cannuli 25m)
Sydney University 1 (K.Trebilcock 54m)
In South Nowra the two teams at the bottom of the Arrive Alive Women?s Premier League ladder went into battle with Southern Branch hosting Sutherland Sharks.
The home team drew first blood with Copland opening the scoring For Southern Branch in just the fourth minute. Things looked even better for the locals some 15 minutes later when Sutherland keeper Bianca Alchi was given her marching orders after a last player tackle on a goal bound Southern Branch player.
At 1-0 down and with only ten players the hopes of the Sutherland side looked shattered but they displayed plenty of character to claw their way back into the match. In the 27^th minute The Sharks were suddenly equal when Melissa Miles scored. Five minutes later the visitors had taken the lead through the boot of Freya Hickey. Sutherland held this slender 2-1 advantage into the half time break.
In the second half both teams battled hard in an effort to claim the three competition points. Sutherland managed to match everything Southern Branch threw at them. Southern Branch did their best but, in the end it wasn?t enough and Sutherland left them stranded at the bottom of the competition ladder after scoring a 2-1 win.
Southern Branch    1 (B.Copland 4m)
Sutherland Sharks 2 (M.Miles 27m, F. Hickey 32m)
Our final match for review is an exciting clash at Marconi Stadium between Marconi Stallions and Illawarra Stingrays. Illawarra were unbeaten coming into the match whilst the youthful Marconi side had been in excellent form with two successive wins.
The Stingrays started explosively with a Hailey Kerrigan goal putting them in front after only two minutes of play. Emma Stanbury added to her already imposing 2010 goal tally with another quality strike in the 24^th minute to bring the scores level.
Former Marconi star Ash Connor put the champions back in front in the 38^th minute to give her side a 2-1 half time lead. Just after the break Jessica Cooper celebrated her return from last season?s injury ruined season with a 46^th minute goal. At 3-1 up it looked like The Stingrays were about to break clear. However, the Marconi babes had different ideas. In the 52^nd minute talented youngster Helen Petinos brought the home team back into the match with a trademark goal before Emma Stanbury completed her brace 13 minutes later to equalise for The Stallions.
Now it was anyone?s game. Would youthful exuberance win out over championship experience?  Alas for The Stallions another former Marconi Stadium resident, Trudy Camilleri, was on hand in the 84^th minute to drive a dagger through the heart of The Stallions and win The Stingrays the game.
This was a fine game of football. Though beaten on the day Marconi gained plenty of admirers with their effort.  The Stingrays march on, still unbeaten and 2^nd on the competition ladder on goal difference behind Manly United FC.
Marconi Stallions   3 (E.Stanbury 24m/65m, H.Petinos 52m)
Illawarra Stingrays 4 (H.Kerrigan 2m, A.Connor 38m, J.Cooper 46m, T.Camilleri 84m)
So, another round of quality football in the Arrive Alive Women?s Premier league comes to an end. Whilst we have two sides undefeated atop the table there is plenty to like about a number of the chasers. I don?t believe that any team would be planning to have their name engraved on the premiership trophy just yet.
See you all next week for the Anzac Day round of football.