PS4 NPL NSW Women’s 1 Round 13 Review
The Macarthur Rams have extended their lead a top of the PS4 NPL NSW Women’s 1 competition following round 13.
The Rams now hold a six-point gap in front of second placed Manly United with a game in hand and are taking giant leaps to a second successive Premiership.
Blacktown Spartans 1-1 Emerging Jets
A second half equaliser by Tara Pender for the Blacktown Spartans saw them rescue a point against the young Emerging Jets on Sunday afternoon at Blacktown Football Park.
Both sides started the game trying to hold possession and move the ball around the park.
Neither side could really create a serious goal scoring opportunity in the first 20 minutes as both sides were testing each other out.
A free kick outside the area in the 22nd minute gave the Jets an opportunity to take the lead. Kobie Ferguson stepped up to take the set piece but her effort went well over the bar.
The away side found the lead 10 minutes before the break. Excellent work by Georgia Little on the right by-line saw her cut a ball back toward the penalty spot. Clare Wheeler reacted best and quickest to slam the ball beyond Sarah Easthope with a quality composed finish.
Linda O’Neill looked to get the home side back into the game and her run through midfield saw her make space for a shot. Her well struck effort seemed as though it would creep into the bottom corner of the goal but the jets keeper made a fantastic save to keep her at bay.
Wheeler could’ve had her second in the 42nd minute but it was Easthope’s turn to pull off a great save, tipping the ball out for a corner.
A minute before the break and the Jets had another opportunity. Wheeler again made a late run into the box with her touch taking her wide. Her quick turn and cut back found Kally Lewis whose goal bound shot was parried and then gathered by Easthope.
The Spartans came out in the second half eager to get an early equaliser and put the Jets under immediate pressure.
Tara Pender thought she had found the equaliser in the 51st minute after the Jets keeper spilled the ball. Her lobbed effort from the edge of the area seemed to be heading in before Brooke Miller cleared the ball in the last second off the line.
After the early pressure the Jets seemed to find their feet and started playing the ball around again.
In the 71st minute though Pender had her equaliser, albeit through a deflection. Great work by returning captain Alix Roberts saw her play through Teigen Allen who delivered a delightful ball for Pender. Running onto the ball, Pender flicked it toward the far post as it was deflected over the line by a Jets defender.
Roberts should’ve had the winner in the 82nd minute, latching onto a Linda O’Neill ball in the box but she scuffed her shot wide, not troubling the keeper.
Ferguson had another opportunity from a set piece with five minutes to go, this time hitting a much better shot toward goal. A fully outstretched did well to get her fingertips to the ball, tapping it out for a corner.
Spartans attacker O’Neill then had another opportunity to steal it in the 88th minute after great work from Pender on the right but her driven shot hit the side netting.
Neither side could take the three points in the end despite finding hard for the win.
Manly United 0-0 Illawarra Stingrays
Manly United were out to stop a resurgent Illawarra Stingrays at Cromer Park on Sunday afternoon.
United succeeded in that, holding the South Coast side to an intense scoreless draw. The stalemate saw Illawarra fall back out of the top four while Manly remained in second place.
Macarthur Rams 2-0 North West Sydney Koalas
The North West Sydney Koalas were out to spring a surprise at Lynwood Park as they took on the Macarthur Rams.
The away side kept their own but couldn’t quite hold out the top of the table side as the Rams came away with all three points. A goal in either half was the difference as Elisha Williams and the on fire Georgia Yeoman-Dale got on the scoresheet.
The win see’s the Rams inch closer to another Premiership while the Koalas are fading away from a finals place.
North Shore Mariners 6-2 Football NSW Institute
It was a massive game at Northbridge Oval on Sunday afternoon as the North Shore Mariners welcomed the Football NSW Institute.
We saw quite the battle in the first half as the Mariners edged the Institute by the odd goal in the opening 45, leading 3-2.
After the restart there was only one team on the park as the Mariners smashed another three goals into the Institute net to escape with a 6-2 win.
Siahn Bozanic scored an impressive hat-trick for the Mariners while Rhianna Pollicina came back to haunt her old club with a brace. Daisy Arrowsmith found her self on the scoresheet also for the Mariners.
Goals to Princess Ibini-Isei and Demi Koulizakis saw the Institute keep pace with the Mariners only in the first half.
The win moves the Mariners back into the four while the Institute sit in eighth place, being just as many points behind fourth place.
Sydney University 6-0 Central Coast
It was always going to be a tough road trip for Central Coast to one of the most dangerous teams in the league, Sydney University.
After the opening stanza, the scoreboard already read 5-0 in favour of the home side. The Coast regrouped in the second half as Uni added another for the full time score of 6-0.
Stephanie Ambrose scored two for Uni while Rachael Soutar, Natasha Prior, Clare Woods and Georgia Keen all added to the scorleine.
Uni moved back up to third place on the ladder with the win, closing the gap with second placed Manly to three points.
– by Nikola Pozder, PS4 National Premier Leagues NSW Women’s 1 Reporter
