Arrive Alive Women?s Premier League Round 15 Review
Whilst the weekend?s round didn?t produce any major upsets it did provide us with some excellent games of football, a number of which went right down to the wire. The top four still have a five point break on the rest of the field but Western NSW Panthers, at least mathematically, can still push their way into the finals.
In Bathurst, the Western NSW Panthers put their finals hopes on the line when they played host to the Sutherland Sharks.
The Sharks season hasn?t been one to remember and things didn?t get any better over the weekend. With a significant number of their first grade squad unable to travel to Bathurst for the game The Sharks were always going to be up against it and so it proved as the match progressed.
Megan Embleton added to her impressive goal tally for The Panthers with the opening strike in the 11th minute. Churchland added a second for the locals before half time to give the Western NSW girls a strong half time advantage.
After the break Sutherland tried to lift but The Panthers were too strong. Goals to Braun (60th minute), Embleton (64th and 70th minutes), Diduszko (85th minute) and Churchland (89th minute) saw the Western NSW side surge to a solid 7-0 win.
The Panthers played well but the defining moment in the season arrive next weekend when they meet Manly United FC at Alec Lamberton.
Sutherland?s makeshift side tried their best but were outclassed on the day. I think both the players and Coach Michael Michael may be looking forward to the season?s end.
WESTERN NSW PANTHERS 7 (M.Embleton 11m/64m/70m, K.Churchland 30m/89m, R.Braun 60m, L.Diduszko)
SUTHERLAND SHARKS 0
At ELS Hall Park the NWS Koalas met what turned out to be an under strength Marconi Stallions side.
A number of Marconi players were unavailable to play after suffering injury in the National Titles at Coffs Harbour during the week. Coach Rob Pearce had to call on a number of the club?s Under 16 squad to assist in first grade on the day.
The Koalas were in front after only three minutes with Evelyn Chronis scoring the opening goal. With another goal to Kraft in the 36th minute the Koalas had staked their claim on the match with a 2-0 lead at half time.
Two minutes after the break Rachel Jones extended the Koalas lead to 3-0. The Stallions struggled to get into the game and a brace by Di Marco of Koalas in the 80th and 83rd minutes followed Marconi?s only bright spot; a 71st minute goal to Melissa Cox.
The Koalas have leapfrogged Marconi into seventh spot and could potentially finish as high as sixth. Marconi look to be in free fall; unfortunate given the promise they showed earlier in the year.
NWS KOALAS 5 (E.Chronis 3m, K.Kraft 36m, R.Jones 47m, C.Di Marco 80m/83m)
MARCONI STALIIONS 1 (M.Cox 71m)
In South Nowra the Southern Branch girls met Inter Lions in what, on paper, looked a mismatch. However, football games are not played on paper!
Laura Robertson, a newcomer to the Southern Branch line up who was found playing in the local competition, showed her nose for a goal by slamming in the opener for the locals. If this didn?t put the Inter girls back on their heels the fact that they went into the sheds at half time down 1-0 would certainly have had the visitors scratching their heads.
Southern had taken the game too Inter and, with a little more finesse here and there may have lead by more at half time.
As an upset loomed, Inter Lions Captain Catherine Cannuli stepped up to bring her side back into the match with a 61st minute equalizer. Southern still looked as if they would take something from the match but in the dying moments Ferreyra struck for Inter to rob Southern of a result.
A matter of so near and yet so far for the Southern girls who gave The Lions a much tougher assignment than they?d bargained for.
Inter will need to lift their standard next weekend when they run into Illawarra Stingrays at Concord Oval.
SOUTHERN BRANCH 1 (L.Robertson 13m)
INTER LIONS 2 (C.Cannuli 61m, C.Ferreyra 87m)
At Sydney University Oval the Sydney University girls rolled out the welcome mat for the visiting Macarthur Rams.
The first half took on a decidedly negative look for the home side with the trouble starting early when Renee Cartwright scored for Rams in the third minute of play. Deadly Stephanie Haim doubled the lead nine minutes later. Mahoney got one back for the home side in the 38th minute before Haim added a third Rams goal in the 42nd minute.
With Macarthur going to oranges as 3-1 leaders the game seemed safely in the visitors back pockets but University hadn?t yet surrendered. Within three minutes of the restart Olivia Kennedy scored for Sydney University before Kate Trebilcock equalized for the University side in the 69th minute.
A comeback of monumental proportions looked on the cards but just when Sydney University seemed to have all the momentum The Rams hit back with Stephanie Haim completing her hat trick with a 74th minute strike.
That goal was the clincher for Macarthur; as they held on to take the three points over a spirited University side. Macarthur retains third spot on the competition table via goal difference. The Sydney University side sits sixth.
SYDNEY UNIVERSITY 3 (O.Kennedy 48m, L.Mahoney 38m, K.Trebilcock 69m)
MACARTHUR RAMS 4 (S.Haim 12m/42m/74m, R.Cartwright 3m)
Our proposed match of the day on the weekend was certainly the top two clash between Illawarra Stingrays and Manly United FC.
The Stingrays were unbeaten going into the match and, with both sides nearing full strength once more, a titanic struggle was expected.
I don?t believe that the crowd would have been disappointed with what they got as both sides went about their work with gusto. The Manly side is a strong, physical side and, coupled with their ability to play good football, they will test any side. The Stingrays though were equal to the task and, after a scoreless first half, the locals were the first to score three minutes after the break. A fine Illawarra movement was finished by a trademark Lisa Gilbert header, giving the Illawarra girls the advantage.
The game didn?t let up from here as Manly went looking for an equalizer whilst having to be careful that the fluent Illawarra attack didn?t catch them napping. In the 78th minute the Manly side got reward for their efforts with Liz Morison bagging the equalizer.
Both sides tried hard to snag the three points in the closing 12 minutes of the game but it wasn?t to be with the match ending at 1-1.
If this is a taste of what the finals action is going to be like between these two sides I say bring it on! The two teams will be stronger next time with key players Gill Forster (Manly) and Michelle Carney (Illawarra) sure to be fully recovered from their arduous spectating campaigns at the recent World Cup in South Africa.
ILLAWARRA STINGRAYS 1 (L.Gilbert 48m)
MANLY UNITED FC 1 (E.Morison 78m)
The Arrive Alive Women?s Premier League competition has just three weeks remaining before the finals. Next weekend sees a couple of monster clashes with Western NSW Panthers playing Manly United in Bathurst and Inter Lions hosting the Illawarra Stingrays. Be ready for some fireworks and plenty of goalmouth action.
See you at a game next weekend.
– Ross Anderson
