Women’s State League Round 16 Review

A beautiful Sunday afternoon saw the Football NSW Women’s State League enter its sixteenth round in high-scoring fashion, headlined by a commanding 8-1 victory for Bankstown City FC as well as a 6-4 epic between Gladesville and Southern Districts.
Match of the Round – Bankstown City FC vs. Parramatta FC: 8-1
Jensen Park played host to a rather one sided clash between Bankstown City FC and Parramatta FC this Sunday, in a fixture that promised and delivered a large amount of goals.
Indeed, it took only six minutes for Bankstown City to open the scoring. A cross into the box found Samantha Muscat loosely marked. Her first shot was blocked, but the league’s top scorer was able to wriggle her way into a position to calmly knock the rebound into the net.
A few minutes later, Parramatta were gifted a huge opportunity to equalise. A floated freekick into the box was fumbled by the Bankstown City goalkeeper and Parramatta’s Catherine Rogan had an open goal to aim for. However, a scrambling Bankstown defence was able to block her shot.
Bankstown dominated the majority of play, but again Parramatta came close to equalising in the fifteenth minute. A superb run from Vida Opoku-Agyemang saw her wriggle her way past three defenders before cutting the ball back to Kaitlin Hulley on the penalty spot. Hulley sent her shot wide of the goal, much to her own frustration.
However, it was Bankstown who found the second goal of the game, after an impressive cross from Kristen McMahon on the right flank was found by an even more impressive header at the back post from Melissah Parlato, which powered into the back of the net.
They made it 3-0 in the twenty ninth minute, thanks to a somewhat sneaky effort from Samantha Muscat. Over to the sideline to talk to her coach, the Parramatta defence lost track of Bankstown’s striker; upon returning to the middle of the pitch, she was found free at the back post thanks to a superb lofted switch and was eventually able to finish.
Muscat completed her first half hattrick in the thirty fourth minute, as Parramatta’s defence opened wider. Dribbling into the box, her first effort was saved by the keeper. The rebound was powered in by Parlato but blocked by a Parramatta defender. The ball fell at the feet of Muscat, who made no mistake in converting.
Things only worsened for Parramatta, with a mistake from the goalkeeper delivering unto Bankstown City their fifth goal of the first half. An accurate volley from outside the box by Rachel Cassar demonstrated solid technical proficiency but, bouncing short of the goal, should have been an easy catch for the Parramatta keeper. Instead, it slid through her arms into the goal.
Bankstown did not let off, and added their sixth only a minute later. A long range effort from Kristen McMahon found the top right corner.
Parramatta almost found consolation in the forty third minute. A freekick was swung dangerously into the box, where an unmarked Teome Matamua poked it towards goal. Her effort clashed off the upright and back into the play. After a scramble on the goal line, the ball was eventually put out by the Bankstown defence.
The second half began relatively quietly, with Bankstown comfortable in their lead and Parramatta playing more solidly than before the break. It took until the sixty eighth minute for Bankstown to find their first of the half, with Melissah Parlato firing in a powerful shot along the ground from outside of the box into the bottom corner.
Parramatta had the opportunity to reply immediately, again thanks to a dangerous freekick whipped in by Vanessa Ciabatti. Teome Matamua found herself unmarked at the back post, but was unable to guide a header towards the target.
Ten minutes before the end of play, Parramatta finally got themselves a hard-earned goal, thanks to Matamua. A lofted kick forward found her in behind the Bankstown defence, with the ball bouncing perilously. Matamua coolly chipped the ball over the Bankstown keeper before heading it into the goal.
Bankstown finished off the game with an eighth goal, just before the final whistle. Muscat fired in a cross into the box which was guided home with composure by Taylor Pesseco, marking the end of a dominant performance from Bankstown City.
Match Stats
Bankstown City FC                               8 (Samantha Muscat 6’ / 29’ / 33’, Melissah Parlato 21’ / 68’, Rachel Cassar 39’, Kristen McMahon 40’, Taylor Pesseco 90’)
Parramatta FC                                      1 (Teome Matamua 81’)
Sunday 26 July, 2015
Jensen Park, Regent’s Park
Bankstown City FC: 8. Jessica Abrahim, 17. Tania Baban, 4. Liana Babic, 3. Rosie Bacon, 1. Lana Ferreira, 39. Kristen McMahon (40. Genevieve Russo HT), 21. Samantha Muscat, 9. Jami-Lee Mussett (30. Georgia Sanchez 68’), 7. Melissah Parlato (23. Taylor Pesseco 82’), 13. Marie Sim-Sing.
Unused Substitutes: 22. Kirsty Cagan, 12. Lauren Danaskos
Yellow Cards: N/A
Red Cards: N/A
Parramatta FC: 3. Vanessa Ciabatti, 32. Craig Kaytlin, 24.Erin Jones, 29. Teome Matamua, 28. Thazin Oo, 30. Vida Opoku-Agyemang, 7. Jessica Pace, 24. Catherine Rogan, 1. Angel Lea, 4. Kaitlin Hulley, 17. Elizabeth Atfield.
Unused Substitutes: N/A
Yellow Cards: N/A
Red Cards: N/A
Round Summaries
Southern Districts Emeralds vs. Gladesville Ravens: 4-6
Southern Districts did not go down without a fight this weekend, losing in spectacular fashion to the travelling Gladesville Ravens at Ernie Smith Reserve. A hattrick from Sheree Bryant was not enough to outdo a Ravens squad who have been scoring freely, totalling thirteen goals in their last two outings.
After two commanding victories in a row, the Ravens now go within three points of the top four – a remarkable turnaround from their fortunes prior to July. Southern Districts remain rooted to the bottom of the table, but must feel happy with their efforts this Sunday.
Western NSW Mariners FC vs. APIA Leichhardt Tigers: 4-1
The Mariners returned to football in convincing style with a comfortable 4-1 victory over APIA Leichhardt this Sunday, thanks to goals from Sherman, Embleton, Salamoni and Courtney. They now command a four point lead over second placed Bankstown City, with a game in hand.
APIA Leichhardt (twenty points) remain within the top four, but have played an extra game than Mt. Druitt (nineteen points) and Gladesville (seventeen points) below them. Even Parramatta on sixteen points will be determined to challenge the Leichhardt side for their position in the top four. The trip out to Glen Willow Stadium is never an easy one, however, and losing to the Mariners is unlikely to shake their confidence entering the final stretch of the season.
Mt. Druitt Town Rangers FC vs. St. George FC: 1-1
Mt. Druitt continued their steady form in the second half of the season with a narrowly fought draw against St. George FC. They are now undefeated in their four games. St. George, conversely, have not won in their last three games as they stutter towards the end of the season. Goals came by way of Taryn Rockall for Mt. Druitt and Rachelle Wang for St. George.
That being said, Mt. Druitt will ultimately feel disappointed at their inability to claim all three points and establish themselves firmly in the top four. They have now drawn the last three games they’ve played.
– by Daniel Palmer, Women’s State League Reporter