PS4 NPL NSW Women’s 1 Round 10 Review
It was an interesting start to the second half of the PS4 NPL NSW Women’s 1 competition.
The Rams keep in tact their undefeated start to the season while the finals places are no clearer this week with things getting even tighter. There was a first win of the season for the Central Coast also.
MATCH OF THE ROUND
North Shore Mariners 3-2 Sydney University
It was a high scoring encounter full of turnaround at Wentworth Park as the North Shore Mariners came away with an important 3-2 victory over Sydney University, to make it two wins from two against them this season.
The result meant that the Mariners jumped Uni on the ladder, moving into third place while Heather Garriock’s team sit in fourth.
It was the away side that threatened first in the opening minutes from a corner. A well whipped in ball bounced around the six yard box but Elizabeth Grey couldn’t poke home it as the Mariners cleared their lines.
In the eighth minute the Mariners had their first chance as Bronte Bates broke through down the left. Her goal bound effort was saved well by Trudy Burke as she tipped the ball out for a corner.
Uni perhaps looked slightly more threatening than the home side and looked like they would break the deadlock first.
It would be the home side that would hit the front though with a goal of the season contender. A loose ball was played to Rhianna Pollicina who let go with a pile driver from the edge of the area on the right as the ball finished in the top corner, giving Burke no chance.
In the 42nd minute Mel Caceres would find the Uni equaliser. A perfectly weighted through ball from Olivia Price found Caceres who had no problems slotting the ball home as the teams went into the break locked at 1-1.
The second half was much like the first, with a real battle going on between the two sides. The home side thought they had the lead again but Bates was rightly adjudged offside by the officials.
Uni captain Grey had the away side in front in the 60th minute. Great work on the edge of the area by Caceres saw her lay the ball off for Grey who placed the ball over the keeper and into the back of the net, to turn the score around in their favour. It was a great finish by the Uni striker as she gave Erin Herd no chance in goals.
The home side went in search of an equaliser and stepped up their play, creating various half chances.
Successive corners had Uni on the ropes and the pressure was too much as the Mariners finally capitalised on one. A deep corner found the head of captain Hannah Bromley who rise highest in the box to head the equaliser home in the bottom right corner with nine minutes left of the clash.
The home side weren’t keen on settling for a draw and pushed for a winner as Uni seemed to stop. A defensive lapse saw Amelia Vitek gifted a golden opportunity for the Mariners but she skewed her shot wide of the upright.
Only a minute later though and Vitek had what was to be the winner. A great ball through by Bronte Bates saw Vitek break through and place the ball beyond the on rushing Trudy Burke from a difficult angle.
Garriock attempted to awaken her side with late substitutions but her side couldn’t find another equaliser.
North West Sydney Koalas 2-3 Illawarra Stingrays
It looks like the Illawarra Stingrays are the team to watch this season as they came up trumps in another goal fest, this time against the North West Sydney Koalas.
The South Coast side took a 2-1 lead into the break and finished the match 3-2 winners.
The inform Jordan Baker scored a brace for the away side with Lucy Nolan getting the other. Amy Dahdah found her self back on the scoresheet for the Koalas along with Shayna Killey.
The Stingrays continue their rise as they move into seventh place while the Koalas drop to second last on the ladder.
Blacktown Spartans 0-2 Macarthur Rams
League leading Macarthur Rams travelled to Blacktown Football Park to take on the Blacktown Spartans in hope of keeping their undefeated start to the season going.
They would do just that, scoring a goal in each of the halves to come away 2-0 victors.
Victory for the Rams meant that they extended their lead on the table to eight points while the Spartans sit just outside finals places in fifth place.
Emerging Jets 1-1 Manly United
Manly United travelled to Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility to take on the Emerging Jets.
It would be the Jets who held their own against the high flying Manly side, cancelling out Tiffany Paterson’s first half strike with one of their own in the second period for the match to end in a draw.
Manly remain in second place on the ladder, despite dropping two points while the Jets sit in eighth.
Central Coast 1-0 Football NSW Institute
In search of their first victory of the season, the Central Coast welcomed the Football NSW Institute to Pluim Park.
It would be a celebratory day up the Coast as the home side scored their first points of the season, securing a vital 1-0 win. The Coasts best performer so far this season, Adriana Jones scored the lone goal that was enough for their hard fought victory.
The victory should give the Central Coast some much needed confidence as they push for better results following a vast improvement in their play over recent weeks.
Institute, having got back to winning ways last week, are back on the losing list this week and will look to turn around their results as soon as possible.
– by Nikola Pozder, PS4 National Premier Leagues NSW Women’s 1 Reporter
