Arrive Alive Women?s Super League Round 14 Review

IMG_6875-wr_02


The playing surface at Lambert Park had a battered look to it as the two teams took the field for this important clash. It was obvious that ball control was going to be difficult to master on this bumpy surface.
APIA was the first to have an opportunity when just two minutes in Alicia Cavanagh headed over the bar from a well placed corner.
APIA supplied most of the early pressure but Blacktown was up to the task of closing them down. A strong burst down the right flank by Amanda Xuereb was Blacktown?s first glimpse of venom.
Soon after Lauren Vosota?s dash at goal was halted by APIA keeper Karrinda Moodley, leading to the keeper being red carded and a penalty awarded to Blacktown. Spartans Captain Bronwyn Jarvis stepped up to calmly put away the spot kick to give the visitors a 1-0 lead after ten minutes.
Tani Rose Kelly now moved from her defender role for APIA to cover the position of keeper. Rose Kelly, in turn, made way for Amanda Bowering a few minutes later. Despite the scoreline the APIA side had held a territorial advantage in the opening period but things slowly started to even out.
Lauren Vosota?s speed was proving a thorn in the side of the APIA defence and she sprang the offside trap to break clear before pushing her shot wide of goal. This was great opportunity wasted. Nat Spirovski was similarly dangerous for APIA as her twinkle toes left a host of Blacktown defenders bedazzled.
Blacktown burst forward in the 26th minute through Lauren Vosota and Erin Connell. Just when the movement seemed to have broken down Bronwyn Jarvis served up a delightful ball to Amanda Kearnes who turned her marker inside out before slamming away Blacktown?s second goal. Blacktown?s 2-0 lead looked capable of lengthening as they poured forward in attack.
Some good attacking work by APIA saw Chanel Turner put Natalie Spirovski away down the right. Spirovski outdistanced her defender but her shot sprayed across the front of the Blacktown goal. APIA was working hard to try and get a foothold back into the match but couldn?t find the required chink in the Blacktown armour. A Nat Spirovski free kick was right on target but well held by Blacktown keeper Yeliz Dogan.
A fine run by Kristie Bridge for APIA looked promising but she lost possession when tackled in midfield. The moment came for APIA though from a Blacktown error with Natalie Spirovski on hand to bring one back for The Tigers. After 42 minutes it was 2-1 to Blacktown.
In the shadow of half time Blacktown moved forward in what looked like a fairly harmless manner. Lauren Vosota received the ball just outside the box with her tame looking shot going through the keeper?s hand and bringing up Blacktown?s third goal.
Half time score was 3-1 to Blacktown Spartans.  
After the resumption APIA launched the first attacking raid but Blacktown survived and swept to the other end of the park. APIA looked like they weren?t giving up on getting something from this game, despite the task ahead. Tani Rose Kelly burst in to box but her shot flew way over goal.
The match then developed through an arm wrestle stage where neither side could take the initiative. Possession was being turned over whilst both teams struggled to gain some momentum. Though APIA was pushing players forward their passing game lacked the cohesion to make use of the extra bodies. Blacktown?s counter attacking was bringing more reward than the home team?s efforts at this stage of the match. An APIA free kick did find Alicia Cavanagh in front of goal but she was crunched by the defence before she could get a shot away.
Actual shots on goal were now few and far between. Play seemed to be stuck in the APIA half but there was not much danger being caused to the defence.  Another opportunity fell to APIA in front of goal but neither Alicia Cavanagh nor Natalie Spirovski in tandem could take advantage of the chance.
A cross from APIA Captain Kylie Meehan caused problems for the Blacktown defence soon after but calls for a penalty went unheeded by the referee after a possible hand ball. Without twenty seven slow motion replays and an overhead webcam I couldn?t shed any light on the legitimacy of the call though!
APIA Coach Tarek Madani replaced Kristie Bridge with someone wearing shirt seven. Unfortunately this number wasn?t on my list of players supplied by the APIA club!
Blacktown also used their bench to bring on Edwards, Eedy and Bertens.
A cross by APIA?s number seven saw Tani Rose Kelly fly for a header in front of goal but she was unable to connect and the ball flew safely towards the corner. A counter attack saw Blacktown?s Tamieka Eddy in front of goal but her awkward chance was blocked by the APIA keeper. A further attack saw Connell, Bertens and Edwards involved before Edwards miscued shot fell harmlessly to the keeper.
The full time whistle blew with Blacktown taking a well deserved 3-1 win.
Blacktown Captain Bronwyn Jarvis commented on how difficult the pitch was to play on. ?Bothe teams fought really hard? said Jarvis. ?We came into the match considering ourselves as underdogs because of the squad APIA have.  Obviously the sending off helped us but our girls all put in a big effort? said the Blacktown star. ?I can?t say that we approached this match with confidence but our confidence grew as the match progressed. I?m proud of the girls? commented Jarvis.
The APIA Captain, Kylie Meehan, felt that her side had played very well. ?I thought the send off was a bit harsh but our girls put in a big effort playing one down for eighty minutes of the match? said Meehan. ?I felt that we created a lot more chances than Blacktown, especially in the second half. The girls did a fine job? stated Meehan.
It?s probably true to say that APIA did have more scoring opportunities than Blacktown but the difference was certainly that Blacktown took theirs. APIA had moments where they played like the team they can be, to me, most of their best moments were ones of individuality. Blacktown deserved to get the points for mine but both sides showed enough to say that any finals clashes between the two will be interesting affairs.
APIA LEICHHARDT TIGERS 1 (N.Spirovski 42m)
BLACKTOWN SPARTANS  3 (B.Jarvis 10m, A.Kearnes 26m, L.Vosota 45m)
At Magdala Park the Gladesville Ravens met the Eastern UNSW Lions.
The first half was a tough tussle with both sides having good opportunities. The Lions may even have thought they shaded The Ravens but the first 45 minutes is only half the game.
After the break The Lions made some fundamental defensive errors which led to a goal in the 48th minute. In the 58th minute The Ravens too advantage of some more poor Eastern UNSW defence to slam a shot at goal. This one hit the post before bouncing into the back of the Lions keeper who was on the ground after diving in an attempt to save the original strike. After hitting her back the ball trickled over the line to give Gladesville a 2-0 lead.
In the 74th minute two Eastern UNSW defenders cancelled each other out allowing the Ravens player to break clear and calmly slot away a one on one with the keeper.
The second half effort was uncharacteristically sloppy from Eastern UNSW Lions and, against a team like Gladesville Ravens, decidedly suicidal.
The Ravens march on in their quest for at least a top two berth in the finals having opened up a break on their two nearest chasers; Central Coast Lightning and APIA, who meet in a mid week catch up game later this week.
GLADESVILLE RAVENS  3 (F.Agar, A.Crosbie, G.Atallah)
EASTERN UNSW LIONS 0
At Melita Stadium the Lady Hawks went looking to boost their points tally when they came up against Springwood United FC.
Springwood hung in for 35 minutes of the match but, when the drought broke for Lady Hawks, the goals rained down upon their unfortunate opponents.
At half time the Lady Hawks led 2-0 after goals by Katherine Potts in the 35th and 44th minutes. Seven minutes after half time Grace Ryanhart added a third before Potts completed her hat trick two minutes later.  Katherine Potts had decided on a big day out though and three goals jut weren?t enough. In the 75th minute she added a fourth before Ryanhart scored her second three minutes later.
Lael Kassem finished the scoreboard attendant?s work for the afternoon with the home team?s seventh goal in the 89th minute.
Not much that can be said about this game other than the fact that Lady Hawks were too good. Springwood capitulated rather meekly after their early effort and this was not one of their better days.
LADY HAWKS 7 (K.Potts 35m/44m/55m/75m, G.Ryanhart 52m/78m, L.Kessem 89m)
SPRINGWOOD UNITED FC 0
At Mills Park Central Coast Lightning were the visitors for the battle with Northern Tigers.
This was another hard fought encounter which, at times, got a little spiteful.
Melissa Swinfield opened the scoring for Central Coast in the 15th minute of the match before Keane added a second on 45 minutes.
Being 2-0 down at the break hardly put the Northern Tigers in a good position and, try as they might, they couldn?t get back into the game in the second half. Central Coast couldn?t take advantage of any opportunities either but their 2-0 lead saw them come away with the three competition points. That moves them into third place and they meet fourth placed APIA at Pluim Park during the week in a catch up game.
NORTHERN TIGERS 0
CENTRAL COAST LIGHTNING 2 (M.Swinfield 15m, R.Keane 45m) 
Whilst the Arrive Alive Women?s Premier League will be in hiatus next Sunday the Arrive Alive Women?s Super League will still be in full swing. Be sure to catch up with the action on the Football NSW website next week.
See you at a ground next weekend.