Women?s Premier League Round 15 Review
Amongst them was one gigantic upset that set at least one finals contender back on their heels. Football can certainly be a great leveller!
It was a beautiful day for football at Marconi Stadium where the Marconi Stallions were looking for a return to the winner?s list against Blacktown Spartans.
Marconi?s loss to the NWS Koalas last weekend had pushed them outside the top four. They needed to come ready to play in this match to reignite their title challenge.
Blacktown Spartans horror season looked set to continue with a continuing injury toll leaving them very vulnerable. However, they?d tested Marconi in the first round clash so the question was could they do it again?
Marconi made most of the running in the opening minutes but Blacktown were up to the challenge with some strong defence. Blacktown then surprised everyone when Lauren Bruce took a pass on the edge of the centre circle. Sensing that Marconi keeper Courtney Halpin was off her line, Bruce produced a stunning shot which cleared Halpin to hit the back of the net. After five minutes The Spartans were in the lead!
Further woe followed for Marconi when defender Sophie Svinos appeared to pull a hamstring when chasing back in defence. Svinos was forced to leave the field with young reserve grade player Samantha Huynh coming into the game as an early substitution.
The first fifteen minutes of play proved to be very competitive. Blacktown had not taken a backward step and Marconi were struggling to break them down.
The clock had ticked to the eighteen minute mark when Marconi?s Jessica Coates had her side?s first meaningful shot at goal with a powerful strike that flew just wide of the right hand post.
Marconi were able to find some space wide of midfield but the lack of a quality cross wasn?t helping the home team?s cause. Loose passing in defence was also putting Marconi under pressure as Blacktown looked more like the side battling for a top four spot.
In the 34th minute Marconi pounced on a Blacktown defensive error to explode into attack. A sweeping pass to Lindsay Glohe saw the Marconi player race to the by line before crossing to goal where Helen Petinos was unable to get a touch on the passing ball.
This was a game where both sides were in competition to turn the ball over. The team that managed to fix this problem first were going to be the side that left Marconi Stadium with the points.
Marconi?s Marie Svinos earned herself a yellow card when she grabbed a handful of shirt as a Blacktown player raced past her.
Marconi built some pressure through Glohe and Tomkins before Helen Petinos shot wide from 20 metres.
Ninety seconds from half time Blacktown were awarded a free kick after a Renee Tomkins foul which brought the Marconi midfielder a yellow card. Blacktown Captain Bronwyn Jarvis slammed the ball towards goal but, whilst she was on target, the shot caused Marconi keeper Halpin few heart palpitations.
One wondered if the walls of the Marconi dressing room shook at half time as Coach Rob Pearce would hardly have been happy with his team?s first half effort.
Marconi went straight into attack, winning a corner in the second minute after the resumption after an Evelyn Chronis run down the right flank but the kick itself proved ineffectual.
Blacktown?s Doris Osman then made a dazzling run into the Marconi box before being brought down. Cries of ?penalty? rang out from the Blacktown supporters but the referee waved away their requests. It certainly appeared as if Marconi had dodged a bullet.
Blacktown then won a free kick of their own two minutes later with Bronwyn Jarvis shooting well wide of target.
Blacktown?s Bronwyn Jarvis had been a tower of strength in defence for the visitors. After defusing a Marconi attack by intercepting the ball she swung her side into attack. Doris Osman joined in, laying on a great pass for Kristen Ainsworth. The Blacktown flyer ran to the by line before crossing to goal where Marconi keeper Courtney Halpin misjudged the ball. Blacktown striker Zineta de Beer pounced to score and give Blacktown a 2-0 lead.
At this point it appeared that Marconi Coach Rob Pearce may need to be resuscitated on the sideline.
Defender Marie Svinos was then replaced by Samantha Muscat who had scored eight goals in reserve grade over the last two weeks. The Stallions were certainly looking for her to add to her tally here.
Marconi managed to find themselves some opportunities with Petinos, Tomkins and Camilleri shooting wide. In the 64th minute a near miss did bring a corner though and from that situation Marconi found a way back into the game when Samantha Muscat poked the through a mass of bodies to make it 2-1.
Blacktown weren?t about to lie down though. Kristen Ainsworth jinked her way through a gap to race into the 18 yard box before slamming a shot straight to the Marconi keeper.
A free kick followed soon after with Bronwyn Jarvis shooting on target but to the hands of keeper Halpin. Marconi then broke forward with a long ball finding Samantha Muscat racing towards goal but Blacktown keeper Tani Rosekelly advanced courageously to clear the ball.
Marconi were now besieging the Blacktown goal in search of the equaliser.
Tani Rosekelly produced a finger tip save from a Helen Petinos shot, then held a blast from Evelyn Chronis. Blacktown were hanging on by a thread as a revitalised Marconi mounted a stirring comeback.
Rosekelly then flung herself forward at another Evelyn Chronis cross to once again save Blacktown.
Blacktown got a rare chance to pressure Marconi when they won a corner. Marconi keeper Halpin leapt to punch the ball clear but failed to do so effectively. After a couple of rugby union like ?Garry Owens? the ball was finally cleared. This was a reminder though to Marconi that they couldn?t afford to lose focus.
Lindsay Glohe was making inroads for Marconi down the left flank but keeper Rosekelly was putting in a five star performance for The Spartans in goal, snaring everything that came her way.
Trudy Camilleri then received a yellow card for dissent after a free kick was awarded to Blacktown. The frustration on the Marconi player?s faces was obvious.
Blacktown Coach Neil Ross then subbed Kristen Ainsworth with Kirralea Shannon and Hayley Murray with Kaitlin Harms.
Marconi had become frantic in their attempts to find the equaliser. A desperate corner won by Lindsay Glohe saw the ball cleared unconvincingly. Marconi won another corner but Blacktown managed to clear.
The final whistle blew to signal the upset of the season with Blacktown recording their first win of 2011.
The atmosphere on the respective benches after the game told the tale. The Marconi bench reflected the major disappointment. Coach Rob Pearce was in a state of shock. Pearce said that complacency had been a topic of conversation at training during the week but obviously the advice hadn?t sunk in. ?We failed to do the work so we got what we deserved. Full credit to Blacktown on their win? said the Marconi Coach. This now leaves The Stallions with a season defining match next weekend against Manly United FC who are the team on the move.
Blacktown Coach Neil Ross was ecstatic with his side?s performance. He praised their continuing commitment and the efforts of various players who had backed up from duties in Reserve Grade to man the trenches in First Grade. ?Scoring a win against one of the competition powerhouses was also a great way to break our duck? said Ross. One got the impression that the celebrations after the game were going to be substantial.
A tremendous win to Blacktown; one they certainly deserved. Marconi seem to have fallen into something of a rut with today?s effort not being one you?d expect from a team chasing a spot in the finals. With the Marconi Reserve Grade side in cracking form over the last few weeks Stallions Coach Rob Pearce may be forced to consider some changes to his starting lineup in an effort to find the key to motivating his side.
MARCONI STALLIONS 1 (S.Muscat 64m)
BLACKTOWN SPARTANS 2 (L.Bruce 5m, Z.De Beer 56m)
Saturday afternoon saw the Western NSW Panthers up against Southern Branch in Bathurst.
An Eden Stoddard goal gave The Panthers the half time lead before Sammie Wood scored from the penalty spot in the second half to confirm a Panthers victory.
Southern Branch showed plenty of character but the Western NSW passing game created enough opportunities for the locals to grab victory.
That?s three in a row for The Panthers who sneak a little closer to the leading pack in seventh place.
WESTERN NSW PANTHERS 2 (E.Stoddard, S.Wood)
SOUTHERN BRANCH 0
(Time of goals not supplied)
A Michelle Heyman hat trick saw competition leaders the Illawarra Stingrays to a comfortable victory over Sutherland Shire at J.J.Kelly Park.
Arguably the league?s most lethal striker, Heyman punished the Sutherland defence in the 11th minute to open the scoring for the title favourites. Her golden boot was on song again three minutes later to extend Illawarra?s lead to 2-0.
Heyman had to wait until the 46th minute to complete her hat trick but it was great to see the tall Stingray?s target finding the back of the net. This sort of form is a good sign for the big matches ahead.
The Stingrays performance generally was similar to many this season; playing in patches but good enough to find that little bit extra when required. Coach Brett Wallin will be content to maintain his side?s seven point lead atop the table but will be looking for more sustained efforts coming into the finals.
Sutherland Shire tried hard but found the competition just a little too hot. The 3-0 scoreline, though looking quite decisive, at least reflects a positive effort from the visitors.
ILLAWARRA STINGRAYS 3 (M.Heyman 11m, 14m, 46m)
SUTHERLAND SHIRE 0
Inter Lions and Manly United FC fought out a tight tussle at Concord Oval with Manly?s feint semi final hopes on the line against the improving Lions.
This was a tooth and nail encounter with neither side giving an inch.
The 0-0 half time score had Manly fans in particular on edge as a win was the only option for the visitors. Inter weren?t about to stand aside to let Manly have the points though so the arm wrestle continued into the second half.
As the final whistle loomed, with a draw seeming inevitable, Manly?s Emma Stewart became the hero, tucking away an 87th minute strike to give Manly an important win.
Whilst the Manly side were overjoyed to snag the late winner Inter Coach Joe Baldacci and his girls were shattered to have come so close only to be denied in the closing moments.
Another solid effort by the home side but Manly live to fight another day. Next week?s match against Marconi Stallions at Cromer Park now takes on epic proportions as Manly move closer to the top four.
INTER LIONS 0
MANLY UNITED FC 1 (E.Stewart 87m)
The Macarthur Rams v Central Coast FC match was transferred from Lynwood Park to Ron Dine Reserve at Camden due to the condition of the surface at Macarthur?s home ground.
The match itself went as per script with Macarthur running out comfortable 6-2 winners over the visitors.
Macarthur?s effort was highlighted by a Stephanie Haim hat trick. Coach Matt Turvey will be happy to see his exciting young striker back amongst the goals. Haim?s partner in crime, Linda Dudek, continued her sizzling goal streak with another ace strike whilst Renee Rollason snared herself a brace.
Central Coast FC did well to take two goal from the usually miserly Macarthur defence with Angela Murphy and Siahn Bozanic scoring.
However, Macarthur were simply too good, consolidating second place on the competition ladder.
MACARTHUR RAMS 6 (S.Haim 3, R.Rollason 2, L.Dudek)
CENTRAL COAST FC (A.Murphy, S.Bozanic)
(Time of goals not supplied)
The other major match in regards to semi final prospects was at ELS Hall Park where the NWS Koalas took on Sydney University.
The first round clash between these two sides had ended in a 2-2 stalemate so there was sure to be little between the teams with so much at stake.
Former Koalas star Carlie Ikonomou drove a stake through the heart of her former team when converted from the penalty spot in the 15th minute. This proved to be the only score through to half time as both sides fought hard to gain the upper hand.
After the break The Koalas made a valiant effort to find the equaliser. However, they were unable to convert the chances that came their way. Sydney University were, in turn, looking for an opportunity to kill off their opponents with a second goal.
In the 75th minute Sydney University were the side that made the winning move when Erin Wilson scored to give her side a 2-0 lead. The Koalas were unable to peg the visiting team back with Sydney University taking home a valuable three competition points.
The win keeps the University side in third place on the ladder but now gives them a three point buffer over fourth placed Koalas and a four point break on fifth placed Marconi Stallions.
The Koalas are off to Bathurst next weekend to play the in form Western NSW Panthers whilst Sydney University host Round 15?s upset winners, the Blacktown Spartans.
NWS KOALAS 0
SYDNEY UNIVERSITY 2 (C.Ikonomou 15m, E.Wilson 75m)
So, it was a great weekend if you were a Blacktown Spartans fan. Congratulations to Neill Ross, Bronwyn Jarvis and the girls on their first win of the season. Sydney University fans would also be happy whilst supporters of the Marconi Stallions and NWS Koalas would be concerned over their respective defeats.
There are seven rounds to go and the fight for a finals spot is starting to really heat up. A sixth contender now looms on the horizon as Manly United FC sneak their way into the picture. There are some enormous matches coming up in the next fortnight; matches that could make or break the season for a number of teams. One thing it guarantees is plenty of excitement for fans of the Football NSW Women?s Premier League in the closing weeks of competition.
See you at a ground next weekend.
-By Ross Anderson
