Arrive Alive Women?s Premier League Round 7 Review
Match of the Day Sydney University v Marconi Stallions
Marconi started brightly with early chances to Helen Petinos after some good lead up work from her strike partner Emma Stanbury.
Sydney University replied inside the ten minute mark with a header by Kate Trebilcock from a corner being pushed just wide of the post. But it was Marconi who opened the scoring with a fine finish by Jessica Coates giving the visitors the lead at the nine minute mark.
University certainly weren?t backing off though. The locals continued to come forward in search of the equaliser. Marconi were getting in behind the University defence in transition though with the pace of the Marconi strike duo being a real headache for the home side.
Marconi had a near thing denied when Helen Petinos made a run but was fouled as she ran to the edge of the penalty area. However, Petinos broke away and was in a one on one situation with the keeper but the referee had already called the foul rather than play advantage. This may have been a telling moment for The Stallions.
University exerted some pressure of their own at the other end of the park but Erin Wilson?s attempt flew over the cross bar. Sydney University burst forward with some good play by Lauren McLean and Erin Wilson but the Marconi keeper was able to defuse the opportunity. Soon after though Marconi keeper Halpin misjudged a ball and Kate Trebilcock pounced on the ball to bring her side level. It was now 1-1 after 19 minutes.
Again some persistence by Trebilcock almost turned a half chance into gold as she dispossessed a defender before knocking the ball across the goal mouth. The Marconi defence looked a little lackadaisical and Olivia Kennedy almost made them pay.
Suddenly it was Sydney University who were dominating possession and opportunity. Erin Wilson was proving difficult for the Marconi defence to handle with many a foray down the right flank. University presented Marconi with their first chance in some time when a defender turned over the ball to Jessica Coates whose cross into the University penalty area was put wide of the goal by Helen Petinos. University almost doubled their lead though when Marconi?s Kyrra Rawnlsey lost the ball to a persistent Kate Trebilcock who unfortunately kicked straight to the keeper.
After a free kick was awarded to Marconi and Emma Schiller was yellow carded the University girls brought play to the opposite end where after a free kick of their own, they nearly doubled their score. Marconi had a courageous effort from keeper Courtney Halpin to thank for remaining level on the scoreboard. Marconi?s defence seemed to lack urgency and University were keen to make them pay.
At half time the score was 1-1 with University having the better of the half.
The second half opened with Marconi having the first chance when a Kim Griffen air swing is pounced upon by Emma Stanbury but Stanbury?s shot doesn?t trouble the keeper. A Marconi corner then caused problems for University who fail to clear farther than the boot of Liz O?Reilly whose point blank shot is brilliantly deflected over the bar by University keeper Emma Dewhurst.
The two sides were now trading football blows with University trying to match Marconi?s lift in tempo. Kate Trebilcock was continuing to turn the Marconi defence inside out. It was her lead up work which led to Hannah Kimber firing off a sensational shot from wide on the right which looped over the keeper?s head, into the back of the net. University had now grabbed a 2-1 lead and an upset appeared to be looming.
Marconi attempted to fight back immediately with some good lead up work seeing Stanbury and Petinos combine before Petinos shot wide. If Marconi had been the favourites for this game then they certainly knew they had a fight on their hands.
Marie Svinos and Liz O?Reilly combined well to fashion a chance for The Stallions but they were unable to take full advantage. Marconi then won a free kick about 30 metres from goal but Liz O?Reilly?s well hit place kick was well taken by keeper Dewhurst. Some frustration now seemed apparent in the young Marconi side?s play. Was their relative inexperience playing into University?s hands?
A University corner was then fumbled by keeper Halpin but the resulting challenge saw University striker Trebilcock given a yellow card. Erin Wilson then made a great run for University before her cross found Trebilcock?s head in front of goal. Halpin was equal to the task though, pulling the ball down safely to keep her team in the match.
Marconi then launched an attack that ended with a Helen Petinos shot deflected onto the cross bar.
After a Sydney University replacement which saw Amy Bowyer replace Mary Vlachos the home side took an iron grip on the match. A shot from Olivia Kennedy hit the cross bar. Marconi keeper Halpin tried to punch the deflection clear but it found the head of the ever present Kate Trebilcock and hit the net to give University a 3-1 lead at the 75 minute mark. Trebilcock was having a blinder for University.
Marconi tried hard to regroup but University seemed to be holding all of the aces. University matched everything that the young Stallions were throwing at them. Their 3-1 lead was certainly looking safe.
The full time whistle blew with an upset but well deserved 3-1 win to Sydney University.
Sydney University Captain Emma Kate Dewhurst was very pleased with her side?s win. ?It?s finally coming together for us after a lot of bad luck with injuries? said Dewhurst. ?We?ve had our problems but the girls played really well today. We hope to continue this form in the coming weeks? said the University Captain.
Marconi Captain Kyrra Rawnsley was disappointed with her side?s loss. ?Sydney University played really well. They were keener to the ball than we were and things just didn?t go our way? said Rawnsley. ?We stepped up a gear towards the end but it was too late. Some of our young players may have put too much pressure on themselves but our team is improving all the time? said The Stallions leader.
This was a good game of football. Marconi?s early goal looked ominous for University but they put in a spirited performance to turn the tide. If they can continue to play in this manner the Sydney University side will cause plenty of headaches for the more fancied team in the second half of the competition.
SYDNEY UNIVERSITY 3 (K.Trebilcock 19m/75m, H.Kimber 53m)
MARCONI STALLIONS 1 (J.Coates 9m)
In Bathurst the Western NSW Panthers played host to Manly United FC.
The Panthers recent run of good form looked set to be tested on Sunday and so it proved.
Liz Morrison opened the scoring for Manly in the 11th minute. Manly Captain Gill Foster doubled the visitor?s lead just three minutes later. The Panthers were unable to make an impression on the Manly lead prior to half time.
The second half saw Western NSW doing their best to get back into the game but they were finding the Manly defence tough to crack. In the 75th minute Liz Morrison bobbed up again to extend Manly?s lead to 3-0 before delivering the coup de grace in the 82nd minute with her hat trick goal.
Manly were just too good on the day. The Panthers were gallant as always but found the going tough against one of the league?s premier sides.
WESTERN NSW PANTHERS 0
MANLY UNITED FC 4 (E.Morrison 11m/75m/82m, G.Foster 14m)
At ELS Hall Park the NWS Koalas were looking to find some form against the struggling Sutherland Sharks side.
The Koalas didn?t have to wait too long to get the ball rolling with Adriana Cirjak putting the home side ahead inside the first minute of play. Melissa Miles hit back for Sutherland in the 9th minute but The Sharks were unable to maintain that momentum.
Evelyn Chronis then regained The Koalas advantage in the 13th minute with the home team holding that 2-1 lead into the half time break.
Things got no better for Sutherland in the second half though with a double from Kraft for NWS in the 54th and 62nd minutes followed by a goal to Sophie Svinos in the 75th minute.
The finals score line of 5-1 would have been a big boost for the battling Koalas but the result did little to halt the woes at Sutherland. The Koalas will be hoping to move their season forward from here. Sutherland appears to have a lot of work to do.
NWS KOALAS 5 (A.Cirjak 1m, E.Chronis 13m, K.Kraft 54m/62m, S.Svinos 75m)
SUTHERLAND SHARKS 1
At J.J.Kelly Park a depleted Illawarra Stingrays side did battle with Inter Lions.
Inter Lions were dominant in the first 20 minutes as The Stingrays struggled to keep the visitors at bay. The Lions had a number of opportunities with Catherine Cannuli hitting the cross bar with a long range shot.
It was no surprise then when the Inter Lions Captain did open the scoring for her side with a bold strike in the 26th minute of play. With Inter right on top Illawarra looked in plenty of trouble. However, in the 36th minute The Stingrays ace striker Ash Connor went for a solo dash which ended with her expertly slotting away the equaliser. The two teams went to half time locked 1-1.
The second half saw the locals lifting and dominating possession. Inter Lions seemed content to play on the counter but were lucky to withstand a number of strong attacking forays from the Arrive Alive Premier League 2009 Champions.
Try as they might though neither side caused the scoreboard attendants any more trouble with the two sides sharing the competition points. The two teams managed to help raise over $1500.00 during the day for Ovarian Cancer Research.
ILLAWARRA STINGRAYS 1 (A.Connor 36m)
INTER LIONS 1 (C.Cannuli 26m)
Southern Branch laid out the welcome mat for Macarthur Rams at South Nowra but The Rams were in no mood to return the hospitality.
The Rams had built a 4-0 lead by half time with a hat trick to Stephanie Haim and one to Linda Dudek. The rout continued after half time with Dudek also completing here hat trick along with net busters from Lauren Ralston and Sigrid Manty.
Southern Branch, unfortunately, had no answer to the Macarthur firepower and slumped to their seventh defeat in seven games.
For Macarthur this match was a nice build up for the Grand Final replay next weekend with Illawarra Stingrays. For Southern Branch it was a continuance of what?s looking like a horror season for them in the Arrive Alive Women?s Premier League.
Macarthur Rams 8 (S.Haim 3m/28m/36m, L.Dudek 7m/60m/89m, L.Ralston 70m, S.Manty 78m)
Southern Branch 0
So Mother?s Day in the Arrive Alive Women?s Premier League did supply a surprise or two; some much needed points for one or two sides and an unexpected hurdle for some others. Whatever the case we saw our usual high calibre brand of football from the state?s best female footballers.
See you all next weekend.
-By Ross Anderson
