Womens State League Round 12 Review
Rain postponed much of Round 12 in the Womens State League, but there were plenty of goals in the two matches that went ahead.
Danielle Calvi, Lisa Mitchell, Gillian Rosconi and Taryn Rockall illustrated why they are the danger women of this competition with some tremendous individual displays.
Match of the Round
Mt Druitt Town Rangers 4-7 Sydney Olympic. Popondetta Park, 3pm.
Sometimes when you least expect it, a game of football breaks out. As rain lashed through Sydney, Popondetta Park was judged to be dry enough for the match to commence. Those who braved the conditions were well rewarded with an eleven-goal thriller that saw the visitors come away with a well-deserved victory.
After losing top spot on the ladder, Sydney Olympic came to the foot of the Blue Mountains keen to put in a good performance and take home all three points. From the outset, the women in blue and white looked hungrier and more determined, throwing themselves into every challenge and shouting encouragement to one another.
With the reserves match finishing in controversy after a late red card, plenty of feeling was carried into first grade, with both sets of players not willing to give an inch to their opponents. But in the first twenty minutes, it was all Sydney Olympic, as the vistors number ten Sophie Scott dominated the midfield.
Unable to play out of their own half, Mt Druitt were left to rue early mistakes as turnovers allowed Sydney Olympic to dictate play and create the better chances. On ten minutes, Sophie Scott curled a delightful left footed shot over the keeper’s head, finishing off some tidy build up play by Zahrah Shaddad.
Two minutes after the restart, Shaddad and Scott combined again, almost replaying the earlier move that earned Olympic the lead. This time, however, the goalkeeper was up to the task.
However, Olympic didn’t have to wait long to get on the scoresheet again, with Danielle Calvi turning on the style in partnership with Lisa Mitchell up front. After Calvi cannoned a shot off the post, the striker was again on hand to score a wonder goal off a Kate Mitrevki free kick. Pivoting on her left foot, Calvi volleyed her skipper’s cross into the back of the net with venom, putting the visitors two up within twenty minutes.
Less than ten minutes later, Calvi pounced on a mistake from the Rangers’ defence to put Olympic three ahead.
With the match looking over before the first half had even finished, the home side dug deep, with Taryn Rockall, Nubia Lopez, Lalovi Lealaiauloto and Natasha Vaccari all putting in plenty of work to reel their opponents back in.
Stung by Olympic’s blitzkrieg attack, Rockall showed her experience, getting more touches on the ball and allowing Rangers to hold possession for longer periods. With ten minutes remaining before the break, a Rockall set-piece special from thirty yards left Sarah Veli-Gold with no chance in goal, as the ball sailed into the top right hand corner.
With the home side in with a sniff, the second half started with a bang, as three goals were quickly scored in five minutes. Rockall had the first, scoring almost instantly from the restart. After combining neatly down the left wing with Mia Vallieres, Rockall’s somewhat speculative effort was too good for Veli-Gold, and suddenly the visitors’ lead was cut to just one goal.
However, just as the home crowd started to sense a comeback, Lisa Mitchell outpaced the Rangers defence before thrashing home her shot from an acute angle. Two minutes later, Mt Druitt’s Nubia Lopez was in the right place at the right time to poke home Taryn Rockall’s shot off the rebound. With forty minutes remaining on the clock, it was 4-3 Olympic, and game on.
Then came the rain, and things started to get a little messy as tired legs started to take their toll on both sets of players. Ashleigh Jones, who had impressed for Mt Druitt in the reserves, came off the bench and immediately made an impact up front, pressuring the visitors defenders as they tired.
On sixty-five minutes, it was Jones’ harrying that drew a foul in a dangerous area. With Taryn Rockall on a hat-trick, she surprised everybody by unselfishly teeing up Emma Hampton, whose stinging drive slammed into the top corner of the net, drawing the two teams level for the first time.
A draw may have been a fair result, but there was one final twist left in an already pulsating match. Having been inspirational for the home side, Rockall was terribly unlucky to concede a handball in the box, allowing Danielle Calvi to complete her hat trick and give the home side the lead with less than twenty minutes remaining.
It wasn’t easy for the visitors, however, as Mt Druitt showed why they are one of the toughest teams in the competition. A fantastic diving save from Olympic’s reserve keeper Sihame Saape kept Nubia Lopez’s shot out, before another Danielle Calvi goal and an unlucky own goal for Mt Druitt secured a gutsy win for the visitors.
The players from both sides must be applauded for putting on such a tremendous show in trying circumstances. Both teams had players backing up from reserve grade, but neither side left anything to the imagination, throwing themselves into every challenge and contesting every loose ball. While Olympic were winners on the day, Mt Druitt can take a lot out of the match.
Sydney Olympic coach George Beltsos was relieved with the win, but felt his side had deserved the points on the day. “After two straight losses, we showed some of the hunger that’s been missing from our game.”
Elsewhere in the Competition
Western NSW Mariners v Southern Districts Emeralds. Proctor Park, 3pm.
In Bathurst, the Mariners were too strong for Southern Districts, as goals from Teigan Cox, Erin Holder and a double from Gillian Rosconi was enough for the home side to maintain their spot at the top of the table. The Emeralds’ Vanessa Ciabati was also on the scoresheet in a high scoring match.
Gladesville Ravens v APIA Leichhardt Tigers. Peel Park, 3pm. WASHOUT.
UNSW Lions v St George Saints. David Phillips Complex, 3pm. WASHOUT.
Southern Branch v Bankstown City. Jensen Park, 3pm. WASHOUT.
Parramatta Lady Hawks v Nepean FC. Melita Stadium, 3pm. WASHOUT.
Reserve Grade
In the reserves, Sydney Olympic did enough to earn a one goal victory over Mt Druitt in a tough battle, while Western NSW Mariners did it easy against Southern Districts Emeralds.
-By Joe Gorman