Women?s Premier League Preliminary Final Review
ELS Hall Park was not in what could be described as peak condition for the match but, as they say in the classics, it?s the same for both sides. This promised to be a real finals game between two evenly matched sides.
The Koalas suffered a major blow prior to kick off with inspirational striker Jo Burgess ruled out in the warm up.
The opening ten minutes went briskly as both sides committed to attack. Unlike the semi final a fortnight ago Marconi didn?t enjoy the same dominance with The Koalas mounting plenty of pressure of their own. Both teams withstood some goal mouth scrambling but neither managed to fashion what could be called a shot at goal in the early stages.
On the 15 minute mark Marconi sprung the offside trap to send Helen Petinos bursting into space. Her cross was a pinpoint one but Evelyn Chronis was unable to find the target at the back post.
Brooke Koster then made an incisive burst for The Koalas but the Marconi defence were able to close her down before the damage became fatal.
The Stallions gradually started to gain a foothold in midfield, building a number of attacks that had the Koalas defence back pedalling.
Marconi were playing with confidence. Any scoring chances being created seemed to be coming from the girls in blue with The Koalas struggling to keep the visitors at bay.
The Koalas did put together some good passages of play; one in particular which involved Stylianou, Logarzo and Perrins which had The Stallions feeling nervous but the home side were unable to turn the lead up play into a worthwhile strike on goal.
Similarly Camilleri and Urkanci combined well for Marconi but Urkanci?s cross was inches from being perfect for the advancing Petinos.
With the clock steadily closing on the 45 minute mark The Koalas caused some signs of distress in the Marconi defence with a couple of minor errors from the visitors giving the girls in yellow and black a chance
But Marconi broke from defence with Coates racing clear before passing to Petinos. The Stallions striker tried to weave away from a defender inside the penalty area only to be ankle tapped. Whilst Petinos stayed on her feet the referee pointed to the spot; penalty to Marconi!
Jessica Coates stepped up to take the spot kick; comfortably converting to give her team a 1-0 lead three minutes from the break.
The Stallions put further pressure on The Koalas in the final moments of the half but The Koalas held. The 1-0 lead was a just reward for a strong half from Marconi.
The second half commenced with a determined looking Koalas side winning an early corner and then a free kick. The latter saw a flying Anna McLean leaping above the pack in the Marconi goalmouth to put a glancing header past Stallions keeper Courtney Halpin. Within two minutes of the resumption the two sides were level again at 1-1.
Marconi were stung into action with Trudy Camilleri instigating at attack which saw Jessica Coates loom dangerously into the NWS penalty area but her shot flew high over goal. Jodie Bain then retrieved the ball from a Koalas counter attack before putting a nice ball through to Jo Saliba. The defence closed quickly on Saliba, forcing her to shoot early and off target.
Despite conceding so soon after half time Marconi appeared to have regained their composure quickly. They certainly took charge of the middle of the park once more with Trudy Camilleri playing an inspired role.
Renee Tomkins then supplied a quality ball for Jessica Coates on the edge of the Koalas box. Coates laid the ball off to Saliba who blasted at goal only to find the safe hands of Koalas keeper Lizzie Durack.
Camilleri soon after put Petinos into an attacking position only for Koalas defender Rachel Perrins to appear from nowhere to save the day.
Marconi then received a free kick to the left side of The Koalas goal. Petinos tried a short lay off to Saliba but Marconi turned over possession without testing the NWS defence.
The Koalas troubled Marconi on the break with a miskick from Jodie Bain seeing Anna McLean running down the flank for The Koalas but her cross was volleyed clear by Sophie Svinos.
At the 68th minute mark both coaches went to their benches; Marconi?s Rod Pearce replacing Jessica Coates with Samantha Muscat and Koalas Gerry Gomez bringing Maree Patikas into the game for Georgina Stylianou.
Marconi?s own hesitance in releasing the ball was getting them into trouble; turning over possession for Anna McLean to blast wide from 20 metres.
A rare Koalas corner was wasted. Marconi broke but had another situation arose where a one touch pass would have seen Saliba race away. However, the pass was delayed, The Koalas won the ball and a cross to goal saw Brooke Koster head wide.
Marconi again went forward from the goal kick with Sam Muscat careering away before shooting wide.
Evelyn Chronis then did some fine work before finding Saliba in front of goal. Saliba couldn?t get enough control to shoot and The Koalas eventually cleared. Muscat again went close as Marconi attacks came in waves.
Still, The Koalas showed signs of life. The Stallions had wasted a lot of opportunities; could NWS find a way to win a match in which they?d largely been dominated?
Lara Nelson came into the match for Rachel Jones for Koalas with ten minutes remaining.
Patikas and Logarzo interchanged passes before the ball was played to Jessica Seaman whose shot carried over the Marconi goal.
After some fine lead up work from Camilleri and Saliba Renee Tomkins jinked and turned on the edge of the box before unleashing a thunderbolt which was sensationally saved by a diving Lizzie Durack. The Stallions won successive corners but to no avail as The Koalas battled gallantly.
Inexplicably The Stallions defence then went to sleep in front of their own goal, offering an opportunity to Brooke Koster. Her shot was full of power but was saved from point blank range by a brilliant Courtney Halpin.
Durack then had to clear the ball from the tip of Samantha Muscat?s boot. A Marconi corner then caused havoc in the Koalas defence, with substitute Nicole Ransom clearing off the goal line. Play was now going end to end as both sides sought to find a winner.
However, time beat both sides with the referee?s whistle signalling full time. We were headed for extra time.
The extra time period gave the enthusiastic throng of spectators plenty more of the action they?d enjoyed during the first ninety minutes. Play flowed from end to end with both teams having chances to grab the lead.
A Samantha Muscat shot from the right of goal clipped the bottom of the cross bar and flipped away; Koalas had a goal disallowed for offside. A Marconi corner saw a melee of bodies in front of goal but the cry of ?hand ball? from the Marconi faithful went unheeded by the referee.
Courtney Halpin did her best to knock out Koalas player Brooke Koster when a clearance hit Koster in the head from point blank range. They breed them tough at The Koalas though as, after a brief moment of treatment, Koster got to her feet and played on.
Trudy Camilleri was in everything but her super human effort couldn?t create a fairy tale finish for The Stallions. This was a game of a thousand chances but, alas, each side had only one goal to show for it.
The thirty minutes of extra time failed to provide a deciding goal so the two teams moved to penalties.
Marconi keeper Courtney Halpin gave her side an early advantage with a fine save but The Stallions couldn?t hold on. Lizzie Durack came up with some heroics in goal for The Koalas, Marconi faltered and suddenly the NWS Koalas were through to the Grand Final!
The joy on the faces of the Koalas players was matched by the devastated look of the Marconi squad. This had been a marvellous match. Though it?s an old clich? the one about ?neither team deserving to lose? was apt in this case.
Koalas Coach Gerry Gomez was both relieved and proud. His Father?s Day dinner with his family was now going to be even sweeter. Gomez had every reason to be proud; his side may not have had the better of the game but they kept fighting and always looked dangerous.
Marconi Coach Rob Pearce was, to put it simply, gutted. He thought his team had done enough to win but their season was now over.
If next week?s Grand Final is even half as good as this match then we?re all in for a fantastic afternoon?s entertainment.
NWS KOALAS 1 (A.McLean 47m)
MARCONI STALLIONS 1 (J.Coates 42m)
NWS Koalas win 4-2 in penalties.
Other results from junior grades were as follows;
Under 12 Girls Marconi Stallions 2 Blacktown Spartans 0
Under 14 Girls Manly United FC 3 Sutherland Shire 0
Under 16 Girls Southern Branch 2 NWS Koalas 1
Reserve Grade Marconi Stallions 1 Illawarra Stingrays 0
We look forward to a big crowd and plenty of excitement next Sunday at Jensen Park when the Football NSW Women?s Premier League Grand Final Day takes place. If you?re a fan of girls/women?s football or a football fan generally then Jensen Park will certainly be the place to be.
See you all at the ground next weekend!
-By Ross Anderson
