NPL NSW Womens 2 Round 12 Review

In Round 12 of the NPL NSW Womens 2, UNSW Lions beat Inter Lions, Western NSW Mariners got the better of last place Northern Tigers and second placed Sydney Olympic defeated Sutherland Shire. But it was the exciting encounter between Central Coast Mariners Academy and Southern Branch, one of the games of the season, which was this week’s Match of the Round. 

Central Coast Mariners 3 – 2 Southern Branch – Match of the Round

Central Coast Mariners Academy were able to avenge their early season loss to Southern Branch, winning 3-2 in a pulsating encounter with chances aplenty for both sides.
The Mariners have been unstoppable for much of the season, but Southern Branch pulled off a shock result when they beat them 6-2 in Round 5. Another shock result was on the cards early on when Southern Branch took a third minute lead.
With an early spell of possession high up the pitch, Central Coast were short of numbers at the back and a simple through ball split their defence. While the goalkeeper was quickly off her line, the clearance went straight through the middle of the pitch and Madelaine Costanzo, who had played the initial through ball, was able to finish into an empty net from 35 metres out.
Southern Branch were clearly worried by the firepower Central Coast possessed up front and, under instructions from their coach, the defensive line dropped deeper to nullify the pace of striker Jayme Fressard and right winger Kayla Alexander. But this allowed Central Coast more space in midfield and they were able to gain control of possession and create a dangerous opportunity in the 12^th minute.
With time to face forward in midfield, Tahlor Thackray was able to thread through a pass to Alexander who broke in behind. With a 2-on-1 going forward, only an untimely slip by Alexander as she looked to move into a shooting position prevented Central Coast from levelling the score.
Central Coast were slowly working their way into better goal scoring positions, but with Southern Branch leaving their front three high when they didn’t have possession, there was always a counter attacking opportunity to be wary of. In the 26th minute, goalkeeper Jessica Golledge was forced into making a reflex save from close range after Southern Branch’s SB7 exploited the space left at the back.
But Central Coast’s dominance of possession and territory paid off in the 32^nd minute, when Jessica Dominello scored a cracking equaliser. After a defender misjudged a long clearance from Golledge, Fressard was able to face forward and thread a pass into Dominello. With a touch to control, she cut the ball inside from the left and, after beating a defender, curled the ball into the far top corner.
Central Coast nearly took a lead into half-time, when the pacey Fressard ran onto a long ball. As she ran towards goal, with the ball bouncing and the goalkeeper off her line to close the angle, Fressard hesitated and could only shoot wide past the post.
But early in the second half she didn’t waste a second 1-on-1 opportunity, putting Central Coast in front in the 51^st minute. A defence splitting pass from right back Letisha Waddell found Fressard in a central area and she finished calmly past the out rushing goalkeeper.
Southern Branch were forced to push forward in search of an equaliser and, in the 58^th minute, Central Coast’s pacey forwards were able to combine on the counter attack. Alexander accelerated away from her marker and crossed to Fressard who again failed to finish with only the keeper to beat, although it was on a difficult angle.
Having hit the crossbar at the start of the second half, Southern Branch came close to an equaliser in the 60^th minute, when Maddison Cornell hit a long range shot which skimmed the top of the net as it went over the bar. From the resulting goal kick, Southern were able to regain possession and score, catching out Central Coast’s defence. Cornell intercepted the goal kick and broke in behind, drawing the attention of the goalkeeper before squaring the ball to Costanzo who finished into an empty net.
Costanzo had been Southern Branch’s most dangerous attacker throughout the match and in the 65^th minute she was able to run down the left wing, cut across the recovering defender and draw a foul on the edge of the box. Taking the free kick she had won, Costanzo’s curling effort rattled the crossbar and from a ball put back into the box, her shot on the stretch struck the far upright after beating the goalkeeper.
In the 80^th minute, Southern Branch looked to counter but Golledge was quick off her line and, on this occasion, her clearance was perfect, finding Fressard on the left wing. Fressard cut inside and linked up with Thackray before finding room to shoot just inside the box. Her deflected effort trickled past the goalkeeper and into the bottom corner.
That goal proved to be crucial and while there was still exciting end to end, football in the final minutes of the match, Central Coast Mariners Academy were able to see out the win over Southern Branch.
Inter Lions 0 – 1 UNSW Lions, at Concord Oval
Last time these two sides met, it was the away side (Inter Lions) that narrowly won 1-0 and the same was the case here. In a win which sees them move back into the top four, UNSW Lions defeated Inter Lions 1-0. That is the second loss in a row for Inter Lions, although they remain two points clear of UNSW Lions in third place.
Northern Tigers 0 – 2 Western NSW Mariners, at Mills Park
Northern Tigers have been unable to continue their run of form from a few weeks ago, again losing, this time to Western NSW Mariners. After collecting seven points in three games, Northern Tigers have not been able to pick up another point, losing 2-0 to the struggling Bathurst side.
Sydney Olympic vs Sutherland Shire FA, at Peter Moore Park
Sydney Olympic consolidated their spot on the ladder, winning 3-1 over Sutherland Shire. Having moved into second spot on goal difference last week, with Inter Lions’ loss to UNSW Lions, Sydney Olympic now have a two point buffer over their nearest chasers. Sutherland Shire again fall to seventh spot with the loss. 
Reserve Grade Results:
In the Reserve Grade, Central Coast Mariners Academy defeated Southern Branch 3-1, Sydney Olympic put four unanswered goals past Sutherland Shire and Inter Lions and UNSW Lions and Northern Tigers and Western NSW Mariners both played out 2-2 draws.
– Kate Cohen