Women?s Super League Round 14 Review

Of course, APIA Leichardt played and won their catch-up game against Eastern UNSW Lions, taking them back to the top of the table prior to the big clash with Ravens next week.  Elsewhere, top four teams UNSW and Lady Hawks dropped points on a good weekend for the bottom sides.
Feature Match: St George FC vs Gladesville Ravens
A miraculous Ally Crosbie goal has secured all three points for Gladesville Ravens in an unexpectedly competitive contest with St George FC.
Historic St George Stadium was the backdrop for a high-quality footballing contest between two sides experiencing remarkably different seasons.  The home side staved off injuries and absences to key players to put on one of their best performances of the season.
Gladesville?s customary monopolization of possession was once again on show, though the league leaders struggled to convert it into meaningful chances.
Two Fatmah Agar free kicks inside the opening five minutes gave St George some defensive jitters, the second a curling rocket that narrowly missed the top left corner of Hayman?s goal.
Despite the shaky start, the home side were displaying the kind of defensive organization that they?ve been short on this season. Gladesville struggled to find Amanda Bowering in dangerous positions, normally the main source of their creative thrust.
The match settled into a rhythm midway through the first half that it never really got out of.  Gladesville moved the ball quickly and intelligently through midfield and defence, but lacked the combination play required to break down St George?s compact defence and pressing tactics.
The Saints limited Gladesville?s space through the middle of the park, while the Ravens front three were playing way too narrow.  Gladesville keeper Rebecca Colechin did a good job playing as an auxiliary sweeper, stifling any St George counterattacks before they began.  Colechin is a crucial cog in the Gladesville machine, able to play the ball with her feet under pressure to allow her side to play out from defence.
Some stern words from Gladesville coach Paul Wade at halftime had an almost immediate effect just three minutes into the second period. Winger Ally Crosbie, playing noticeably wider, hit a cross-cum-shot from next to the corner flag that deceived the Saints keeper and landed miraculously in the back of the net.  It was a moment of magic from a Gladesville side lacking sharpness in the attacking third.
But it was to be the only major incident in an otherwise uneventful second period played out predominantly through the middle of the park.  Both sides continued to move the ball well through midfield but neither really troubled their opposing goalkeepers.
Fatmah Agar once again showed her quality as Gladesville?s link between defence and midfield, while her opposite number Lauren Gardner had a strong game for the home side.
Gladesville coach Paul Wade was bitterly disappointed with his side?s performance, though he gave credit to St George?s defensive organization.
?I thought St George made it very difficult for us to play.  They closed us down well, but even when we had time on the ball we gave it back to them,? he said.
?We picked it up in the second period, but if I had seen that same of lack of quality in the second half it would have ruined my whole week.?
Despite the defeat, St George boss Ross Gardner was pleased with the way his depleted side thwarted Gladesville?s attacking triumvirate.
?Today we played with much more concentration and showed what we can do,? he said. 
?If we had eleven fit players out there on the field I think we could have given them a bit of a shake.?
?It just shows the potential of what they can do, just like we did last week in fits and starts in the game against Northbridge.?
St George FC 0
Gladesville Ravens 1 (Crosbie ?48)
at St George Stadium
Springwood United have pulled off their best result of the season, holding the high-flying Parramatta Lady Hawks to a scoreless draw at Summerhayes Park.
Lady Hawks were unable to break down a resolute Springwood defence desperate to erase memories of last week?s heavy defeat.  Fortunately for the away side, a collection of poor results from their closest rivals ensured no points were lost.
Springwood United 0
Parramatta Lady Hawks 0
at Summerhayes Park
Northern Tigers and Sydney Olympic have played out an entertaining 2-2 draw at Mills Park.  A first half brace from Olympic?s goal machine Kate Halaska was cancelled out by goals to Conly and Dal Pozzo.
The result keeps the Tigers one point ahead of Olympic in the standings and gives them some good momentum going into their derby match with Northbridge next week.
Northern Tigers 2 (Conly, Dal Pozzo)
Sydney Olympic 2 (Halaska x 2)
at Mills Park
APIA Leichardt Tigers capped off a great weekend with a strong 3-1 win over Nepean FC. The away side were backing up from their best performance of the season the day before in a 2-0 win over the previously undefeated Eastern UNSW Lions.
The Tigers shook off soreness and fatigue to see off the ever-competitive Nepean FC at Cook Park, with goals to Domino, Kickey and Adalis. Coach Tarek Madani admitted it wasn?t a pretty performance, with his side doing what it had to do to get the job done.  APIA will need to freshen up this week before the big clash with Gladesville at Magdala Park next Sunday.
Nepean FC 1 (Rockall)
APIA Leichardt Tigers 3 (Adalis, Hickey, Domino)
at Cook Park
Eastern UNSW Lions rounded out a tough weekend with a 1-1 draw at home to Northbridge. The Lions are starting to plateau a little, with an injury crisis taking its toll. They took just the one point from the six on offer this weekend, though nothing should be taken away from the performance of Northbridge.
UNSW face St George next week while Northbridge are at home in the Northern Derby against Northern Tigers.
Eastern UNSW Lions 1
Northbridge 1
at David Phillips Field
-By Ryan Cropp