Sydney City get over the line vs. young Warriors
The Warriors started with intent and it was Demelza Howard who had the games first shot which was charged down by Renee Tomkins, Kraft was then on hand to smash goal ward the rebound but that was also blocked by Mel Khoury in the Eagles goal, but there was nothing any Eagles player could do with Krafts second attempt on goal which whistled into the back of the net to give the scoreboard attendant some to do even before he had a chance to take his seat.
The Warriors who were still winless coming into this game were giving themselves every chance to take something from this game until Amy Sarandopolous equalised for the Eagles after 10 minutes with a strike which Warriors goal keeper Cherrington should?ve handled.
The introduction of young superstar Heidi Makrillos swung the game in the Eagles favour.
Makrillos was found by Amanda Bowering who took one touched rolled the ball around the keeper with her right foot and tucked the ball into an unguarded net with her left to give the Eagles the lead.
Makrillos was like a rose thorn which any gardener would hate, sharp and unable to be handled and it was the young starlet that once again tore shreds of the Warriors 5 minutes later. Winning the ball mid court Makrillos found Steph Ascone another of the Eagles young brigade who played a neat 1-2 around the Warriors defence whos shot went between Cherringtons legs to give the Eagles a 3-1 halftime lead.
The second half saw the Warrior girls huff and puff and should?ve seen them pull a goal back through either Jaqui Frier or Dudman and but Khoury was alert in the Eagles goal.
The Eagles dominated the second half and were never troubled and they extended their lead in the 31st minute when Tomkins found a wide open Makrillos who took one touch and placed the ball under the oncoming Cherrington to make it 4-1.
Full credit to the Warriors girls only two minutes after conceding the highly impressive Jaqui Frier unleashed a lethal strike which gave Khoury no hope and gave a glimmer of hope to the Warriors with 8 minutes remaining.
The Warriors were beginning to mount some pressure and when Demelza Howard cut in from the right and unleased a powerful left footed shot low into the Eagles goal the Warrior girls were now pushing for an equaliser with 2 minutes remaining.
And they had their chances.
First it was the classy Kraft who saw a wide open Frier at the back post but her pass went just behind her team mate when a goal was merely a touch away.
20 seconds later Adriana Cirjak smashed the post with the keeper well beaten much to the dismay of the visiting supporters.
The Warriors had one final roll of the dice with 20 seconds remaining but a brilliant slide tackle by Amanda Bowering stopped Frier from getting a shot on goal just as it seemed the Dural playmaker was to find the space to equalise.
An entertaining game of futsal, The Warriors performance was one that proved their team was much better than their lowly position suggested.
Kraft and Frier were standouts for the Warriors.
While Eagles coach Roy Cowie will be pleased to have gotten the 3 points with some notable absentees. Young startlet Heidi Makrillos was the standout Eagle.
TEAMS
SYDNEY CITY EAGLES : Khoury, Cowie, Sarandopolous, Bowering, Tomkins ? Subs Ascone, Makrillos.
DURAL WARRIORS : Cherrington, Cirjak, Kraft, Frier, Howard ? Subs R. Brown, M. Brown, Liddle, Dudman, Granata, Mahony.
GOALS
Eagles ? Sarandopolous 7?, Makrillos 14? 31?, Ascone 17?
Warriors ? Kraft 1?, Frier 32?, Howard 37?.
CAUTIONS
Eagles ? Cowie
Warriors ? n/a
OFFICIALS
Gavin Lee, James Nikolaidis, 3rd ? Scott Kidson.
