PS4 NPL NSW Women’s 1 Round 2 Review
Round 2 of the PS4 NPL NSW Women’s 1 competition was played on Sunday afternoon, leaving us with four teams keeping their 100% starts in line.
The North Shore Mariners have been the headline act so far, shooting their way to the top of the league after two matches. Football NSW Institute, Macarthur Rams and Manly join them with two wins from two.
North West Sydney Koalas 0-1 Football NSW Institute
At ELS Hall Park on Sunday afternoon, the Football NSW Institute continued their perfect start to the season, coming away with a tight 1-0 victory of the North West Sydney Koalas.
Georgia Plessas scored the only goal of the match, sending the blues to the top of the PS4 NPL NSW Women’s 1 competition.
The Institute started the match with their typical possession based game, starving the Koalas of the football.
Lorena Bugden and Demi Koulizakis were constantly looking to get onto the ball and make something happen early on.
The first chance of the game fell to Helen Petinos just after the 10 minute mark. She managed to steal the ball from an Institute defender on the edge of the area and shot toward goal but the Institute keeper made a good save.
Petinos again let rip from slightly further out in the 19th minute but again the Institute keeper did well.
The Institute wasn’t swayed by these efforts though and continued to move the ball around, waiting for their opportunity.
As the game went on though the Koala’s semed to gorow in confidence as they started to keep more of the ball.
Panayiota Petratos tried to make something happen for the Institute just before the break but her effort was tipped out for a corner with neither side able to break the deadlock before half time.
Petinos was in a shooting mood and she let fly again from distance with Abdullah unable to keep hold of the powerful effort.
The best chance of the game fell to the Institute in the 63rd minute after a Petratos corner made its way to the far post where an on rushing Erin Pridmore could only poke the ball wide of the goal with most of the crowd thinking the ball had hit the back of the net.
A quite Hannah Beard tried her luck for the Koalas in the 73rd minute and what looked a routine save for the Institute keeper almost turned into a howler as she fumbled the ball.
At the other end, Plessas led a counter and shot toward goal with her shot beating the keeper but not the post, hitting and going across goal.
With seven minutes to go on the clock, Plessas left her mark on the match. Dribbling through the Koala’s defence she took a low shot that beat the home sides keeper at the near post, giving the Institute all three points.
Emerging Jets 1-4 Macarthur Rams
At Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility, the Emerging Jets took on reigning Premiers Macarthur Rams.
Coming off a commanding win in the first round, the Rams travelled north eager to add to their great start. The young Jets team pushed Manly all the way but went down by the odd goal.
The Rams showed their experience was of great value to them, building on from a tight 2-1 half time score line to add another couple goals in the second half and take the three points back home.
Ashlee Brodigan scored for the Jets while Georgia Yeoman-Dale, Kate Hensman and Tenealle Hay picked up the Rams’ goals.
Blacktown Spartans 1-1 Sydney University SFC
The Blacktown Spartans hosted their first home game of the season at Blacktown Football Park as they took on Sydney University.
Logan Garard gave the Spartans a first half lead as the home side seemed as though they were on their way to their first win of the season. Stephanie Ambrose had other ideas though and found the equaliser for Heather Garriock’s team in the second half.
The draw meant that both teams registered their first points of the 2015 season as they look to build on from here.
Central Coast 0-4 Manly United
Manly United made the trip up the F1 to take on the newly promoted Central coast at Pluim Park.
Tia Gavin was in fine form for the Northern Beaches side, scoring a hat-trick en route to a comfortable 4-0 victory. Kristie Crawford added the other goal for the away side.
The Coast were in the match till half time, with the scores locked at 0-0. A second half blitz for United saw them take the three points home.
North Shore Mariners 7-2 Illawarra Stingrays
There were goals galore at Northbridge Oval as the North Shore Mariners welcomed the Illawarra Stingrays.
Coming off a big win against Sydney University last week, the Mariners continued their great start picking up a convincing 7-2 win. After taking a 3-1 lead into the break, there was no stopping the on fire Mariners in the second half.
Tara Andrews scored an amazing five goals, adding to the two she scored in round one. Jasmin Courtenay and captain Hannah Bromley scored the other two for the Mariners. Erica Halloway and Katelyn Leadbeatter scored the away sides two goals.
Illawarra has lost its first two games of the season and although it’s still early days, the Preseason Cup Champions will look to open their account sooner rather than later.
– by Nikola Pozder, PS4 National Premier Leagues NSW Women’s 1 Reporter
