Women’s Premier League – Round 17 Wrap

The NSW Women’s Premier League served up some surprises this week and the fight for the premiership is as uncertain as ever.  This weeks results just drove home the fact that almost any team on their day can knock off anyone. 
The fight for finals football is just as uncertain as the fight at the summit of the competition as the chasing pack won’t lie down.
Central Coast Mariners Academy 0-2 Northbridge FC
In the early game on Sunday afternoon at 1pm at Pluim Park, the Central Coast Mariners Academy welcomed the mid table Northbridge FC.
The Mariners were playing their second game in two days after accounting for the Sutherland Sharks in a rescheduled game on Saturday. In what was their first win since the 12^th of May, the Mariners were looking to make it a perfect weekend as they took on Northbridge.
Northbridge though had their own fight on their hands. With their top 5 hopes fading, they knew that only a win on Sunday afternoon and a strong run in to the end of the season would see them take part in finals football,
Northbridge backed up their tag as favorites in this one and would sure enjoy the drive back home as they came away from Pluim Park with a 2-0 win. Daisy Arrowsmith picked up a brace for Northbridge on their way to victory.
The result meant a massive improvement for the Mariners who went down to Northbridge by a staggering 8-1 last time out.
This win was imperative for Northbridge in their fight for finals football and keeps them In touch with the teams above them. As they moved into equal 5^th but 6^th on goal difference.
Sutherland Shire Football Association 0-2 Manly United
At Harrie Denning centre on Sunday afternoon at 3pm, the 11^th placed Sutherland Shire Football Association took on the 8^th placed Manly United FC. Sutherland played on Saturday afternoon up the coast against the Central Coast and went down 6-2.
Sutherland was looking to improve on their first round defeat when Manly won 4-0 at Cromer Park. They were also trying to avoid consecutive defeats, day after day.
Manly who is in a similar situation to Northbridge in the fight for finals football knew that victory was crucial against Sutherland and that any slip ups will surely mean the end of their faint hopes of playing in the finals.
United made sure that they’d try to have a say in the final run in to the end of the season as they came away from Harrie Denning Centre with a comfortable 4-0 win, replicating their Round 6 victory over Sutherland. The win keeps Manly there abouts in the run in but will need results to go their way without dropping any points. 
Marconi Stallions 4-3 Inter Lions 
At Marconi Stadium on Sunday at 3pm, those who braved the cold, windy conditions were treated to a real footballing affair, full of turnarounds and goals.
Marconi would have felt that their one point gained last week was in fact three points lost having dropped a two goals lead against fellow premiership contenders the Illawarra Stingrays. They sat in second position, two points behind league leaders the North West Sydney Koala’s having played a game less. 
The Inter Lions have been unpredictable of late and one of the most inconsistent teams in the competition, losing by high margins, then wining, then losing and so on. One of the title contenders during the first half of the season, they are now fighting to keep their spot in the top five and have found their position under threat from the chasing pack.
The first game between the two sides at Concord Oval was a complete white wash for the Stallions who came away with a heavy 4-0 win.
This time around, it was a different affair. Fans at Marconi Stadium were treated to a seven-goal thriller. The first half of the match went the way of Inter as they headed into the break 2-1 up against the favourised Stallions.
The Lions then dropped off slightly and the Stallions came straight back into the match coming away with a highly entertaining 4-3 win. Trudy Camilleri and Nicola Bolger both got doubles for the Stallion while Catherine Canulli came back to haunt her former club with a brace as Maria Kalogeropoulos got the Lions other goal. 
This win see’s the Marconi Stallions reclaim top spot on the competition ladder ahead of Wednesday nights blockbuster catch up game against the North West Sydney Koala’s.
This loss see’s the inter Lions drop out of the top five for the first time this season. Sitting two points behind Sydney University, it will make for some finish to the season.
Blacktown Spartans FC 0-4 Illawarra Stingrays
At Blacktown Football Park on Sunday afternoon, in another home game for the Blacktown Spartans, they welcomed the 3^rd placed Illawarra Stingrays.
The Stingrays minor premiership hopes almost slipped away from them with minutes remaining last week before they pulled from two goals behind to draw with the high flying Marconi Stallions. The draw kept them in the hunt for 1^st place with only a few rounds remaining in what has turned into a four horse race for top spot on the competition table.
A win for the Stingrays over the Spartans would keep them in contention with the leaders, anything else would see them drop off the pace and their dreams of lifting the minor premiership would be minimal.
Blacktown have had some good results of late and are one of the only sides to have kept playing through the torrid weather of the last month. Finals football will stay only a dream for the Spartans as there is almost no chance of them making the playoffs. They do though still have places to fight for, for next season and pride.
In Round 6, at JJ Kelly Park, the Stingrays came away with a 2-0 victory. They improved this time around, coming away from Blacktown Football Park with a comfortable 4-0 win making the drive back down the coast all that sweater. The speedy Jordan Baker grabbed a brace and the Stingrays play maker Michelle carney got the other 2 for a comprehensive win.
Northern Tigers 0-8 Sydney University SFC 
At 3pm on Sunday at Parklands Oval, the bottom placed Northern Tigers welcomed the 6^th placed Sydney University SFC.
With the end of the season around the corner, the Northern Tigers are yet to taste victory this season. Sitting in bottom place, the wooden spoon seems highly likely for the Tigers this season and as the end of the season nears, they’ll be looking to register that first win and move off the bottom of the table.
It really couldn’t get tougher for the Tigers as they took on the in form Sydney University SFC. University have hit a purple patch of form and are on a good run of form, hitting their peak at the perfect time in the season. They’ve reeled in the Lions in 5^th spot and finals football looks viable for them with the form they’re in. 
In Round 6 of the competition, University came away with a comfortable 7-0 win at home. This time around, they went one better and put eight passed the hapless Tigers keeper as they registered a 8-0 victory.  Samantha Spackman and Meegan Shepherd both got braces for University while Maree Patikas, Jemma Griffin, Erin Wilson and an own goal rounded off the rout. 
This win put University inside the top five with the close of season coming. It will be an interesting few weeks in the battle for 5^th place. 
Macarthur Rams 1-1 North West Sydney Koala’s 
At Lynwood park on Sunday afternoon, we were treated to an interesting encounter between two teams fighting out for the minor premiership. The Macarthur Rams welcomed top of the table North West Sydney Koala’s.
A late surge from the Rams has ensured them of having a say in the fight for the minor premiership and sitting in fourth place they’re chasing the pack in the four horse race. A win here would see them edge ever closer to the league leaders and sit only a point behind them.
The Koala’s have been slightly shaky of late but still held onto top position at the start of play on Sunday afternoon. To stay in top spot they knew they had to win away at Lynwood Park.
The first time these two met, scores were all square at 2-2. This time around it was much of the same as the spoils were shared 1-1.
This result meant that the koala’s moved into second place on goal difference behind the Stallions. In saying that, the koala’s have an opportunity to redeem themselves on Wednesday night as they take on the Stallions in a highly intriguing catch up game. 
For the Rams, they stayed in fourth position, still four points behind the leaders with a chance of stealing the minor premiership.
 Rescheduled Round 14 –
Central Coast Mariners Academy 6-2 Sutherland Shire Football Association
At Pluim Park on Saturday afternoon at 1pm, the Central Coast Mariners Academy welcomed the Sutherland Shire Football Association.
In the battle between the two sides with the longest names in the competition, in a goal fest, the Mariners came away with a comfortable victory to score their first win since May.
Central Coast stays in 10^th position on the league ladder but have now extended the gap between them and the unwanted wooden spoon and will look to build on that win for the rest of the season. 
Sutherland stay in 11^th and will look to avoid the wooden spoon, sitting only three points ahead of the Northern Tigers in last place.