Women?s Premier League Round 16 Preview

Surprise defeats by top four contenders in recent weeks have opened the door for Manly United FC to storm back into the race whilst Macarthur Rams, who were adrift in fifth place only five weeks ago, have moved to second.
As Marconi Stallions found out last weekend in their shock defeat at the hands of Blacktown Spartans any game is now a potential banana skin for the finals aspirants as the pressure mounts.
The Manly United FC v Marconi Stallions clash this Sunday at Cromer Park takes on vital importance with a Marconi loss potentially seeing them lose touch with the top four and even be overtaken by Manly.
The Stallions have really gone into free fall in the last fortnight. The loss to NWS Koalas was one thing; a narrow defeat to a fellow top four opponent is disappointing but not terminal. However, a similar loss to the team at the bottom of the ladder without a win in 2011 rings alarm bells for Marconi. They?ve not played well in either game and, with the Marconi Reserve Grade side running hot, it may be time for Coach Rob Pearce to consider some changes before it?s too late. Diminutive striker Samantha Muscat has scored eight goals during a two match stint in Reserves before scoring as a second half substitute last weekend against Blacktown. Her form may entitle her to a recall to the starting line up. Marconi?s title challenge isn?t dead yet but it?s in urgent need of some resuscitating.
Manly United FC have steadily worked their way back up the ladder after a pretty ordinary first round. They now have a winning streak which stretches four games, punctuated by two washed out fixtures which are still to be played. The positive for Manly is that they seem to have learnt how to win again. The negative is that they are not playing anywhere near their best. With some big games coming up in the next three or four weeks the seasiders really need to step up a gear. Last weekend a late Emma Stewart winner snared Manly the three points against Inter Lions. A desperate Marconi may prove a much more difficult assignment for the home side who will be looking to some of their stars to lead the way with big performances.
These two sides both need three points desperately. That guarantees that Cromer Park won?t be a place for the feint hearted come Sunday. Expect a no holds barred battle as either team?s season may take a significant blow with a loss.
Macarthur Rams take the trip down south to Ison Park this week to meet the improving Southern Branch.
Macarthur Rams have made giant strides up the ladder on the back of some exciting football. Stephanie Haim and Linda Dudek have found their goal scoring touch again with Dudek in particular having been very impressive. The presence of Renee Rollason in the Macarthur side has obviously had a big effect on the opportunities that the two strikers are receiving as the Sydney FC W League star has run roughshod over opposing defences. Many people are now starting to mention Macarthur as the team that can end the Illawarra Stingrays stranglehold on Premier League supremacy. There?s a lot of water yet to run under the bridge for those predictions to come to fruition but The Rams are certainly in the title race right up to their necks.
Southern Branch have proven surprisingly competitive in the last few weeks; especially so since winning their first game of the season over Blacktown Spartans. The battle with player numbers still hangs over the sides heads though as massive first half efforts have often been stifled by tiring second half performances as players who have backed up from earlier games have started to feel the pinch. Nonetheless, Southern have restored some pride in their club and are no pushovers. This weekend won?t be easy but expect another determined effort by the home side.
Macarthur Rams have plenty of momentum and won?t be keen to see it stalled by the side which currently sits in twelfth place. Southern Branch will be thoroughly tested in this one.
NWS Koalas, smarting from last weekend?s defeat by Sydney University, will travel to Bathurst to meet a Western NSW Panthers side that has found their winning groove.
The Koalas are sitting in fourth place on the ladder. Like so many of the other top six sides in the competition losing is not an option for the NWS girls as it could mean a nasty tumble out of finals contention. The added danger for The Koalas is that they meet the league?s top two sides in the next fortnight; Macarthur Rams in Round 17 followed by the Illawarra Stingrays in Round 18. A loss to The Panthers on Sunday may therefore prove fatal. The Koalas haven?t been in stunning form in the last two weeks but they have proven very competitive against strong opposition. Coach Gerry Gomez will have worked hard at training this week to have his girls primed for a strong performance.
The Panthers have now won three in a row; knocking over Sutherland Shire, Central Coast FC and Southern Branch in quick succession.  Sunday would appear to offer a significant step up in class for Western NSW but it?s worth remembering that the first round clash between these two teams saw a narrow 2-1 win to The Koalas. Western always seem to lift when they?re on home territory; a fact that NWS should be wary of. Sammie Woods has been in strong form for The Panthers and is a potential match winner for the locals.
I don?t expect this to be easy but The Koalas have a lot more hinging on this game than The Panthers. Surely that will motivate them towards a strong effort.
The third placed Sydney University play host to Blacktown Spartans at Hensley Athletic Field on Sunday. The Spartans are still over the moon after their first win of the season last Sunday.
The University side came through a tough struggle with NWS Koalas last weekend, coming away from ELS Hall Park with a very important three points. The win gave them a three point buffer over the fourth placed Koalas whilst leaving them just two points behind second placed Macarthur Rams. Games against Manly United FC and Marconi Stallions loom in the coming weeks so Sydney University?s season may well be defined by their results in those games. I like the look of the University squad. In the two matches I?ve seen them play this season they?ve produced forty five minutes of quality rather than ninety minutes but the potential is certainly there for all to see. They may yet have a major bearing in the title race.
Blacktown Spartans have every reason to be proud of their effort against Marconi Stallions last week. Battling a major injury toll a number of Blacktown players backed up from lower grades to upset The Stallions on their home turf. Captain Bronwyn Jarvis and goalkeeper Tani Rosekelly led by example with fine performances that inspired a memorable victory. Now they?ve come up with a winning formula can Blacktown taste further success? Unfortunately  a by product of their win is that future opponents will not be taking The Spartans lightly which will make surprises harder to achieve. However, there was much to like about their effort; who?s to say they can?t do it again?
Sydney University shouldn?t require too much motivation here. A win is a must. They will need to stay focussed as Blacktown will take plenty of confidence from their upset of Marconi.
Illawarra Stingrays will head north to tackle Central Coast FC at Pluim Park.
The Stingrays have suffered only one stumble this season; a controversial 1-0 loss to Macarthur Rams in Round 13. Since then the defending champions have been relatively untroubled in accounting for Inter Lions and Sutherland Shire. With a seven point lead in the competition Illawarra have the fate of the premiership title in their own hands. Michelle Heyman?s hat trick last Sunday is a timely reminder to Central Coast of the danger the W League star can offer. With four goals in two games the lethal right boot of the Illawarra star is obviously in good fettle as the premiers prime themselves for another finals campaign.
Central Coast FC have experienced two washed out games and three losses in the last five weeks. They?ve bled six goals apiece against Manly United FC and Macarthur Rams whilst going down courtesy of an own goal to Western NSW Panthers. That form hardly reads encouragingly leading into a game against a side working towards their third successive Women?s Premier League title. Central Coast FC won?t go down without a struggle but they will need to lift considerably on their recent performances to be competitive against the Stingrays.
Illawarra Stingrays may not have quite the same ninety minute focus in 2011 that they?ve shown in previous successful seasons but they are the benchmark by which every other side in the league is judged. They will present Central Coast FC with a very hard task on Sunday.
Finally, over at the Harrie Dening Centre, the Sutherland Shire girls are up against Inter Lions in a mid table clash that should provide plenty of interest.
Sutherland, tough they now sit eighth on the ladder, still appeal to this writer as one of the improving sides of 2011. There is a different attitude in the team and, after a couple of poor results early, Sutherland have become consistently competitive against almost any side in the league. They still lack an attacking presence; a player who can be relied upon to score goals regularly, but the girls are producing much more sustained efforts than what we?ve seen from the Shire teams in the past couple of seasons. They brought off a surprise or two, but then been victims themselves in a couple of games they would have been expected to win. They?re a youthful side though so experience will bring with it a tougher approach.
Inter Lions started the season with little fanfare. They lost a number of players from last season?s Grand Final squad and were something of an unknown quantity. Unfortunately things did not progress well as the losses mounted and the few ?name? players remaining departed for various reasons. Coach Joe Baldacci has worked hard to consolidate his team with the rewards coming over the last six weeks with a much more positive set of results. Though beaten by both Illawarra Stingrays and Manly United FC in the last fortnight The Lions have given a good account of themselves. The young faces who?ve come into the side have acquitted themselves well.
This is a clash between two sets of promising young players. It promises to be an intriguing matchup which should keep fans of both teams entertained.
The football has had semi final feel about it over the last few weeks with plenty of very competitive matches. The teams in the lower half of the competition ladder are proving to be thorns in the sides of many of the finals contenders as we work towards the defining rounds of the season.
See you at a ground this weekend.
-By Ross Anderson