PS4 NPL NSW Women’s 2 Round 21 Review
Our final four sides have been decided after a roller coaster end to the regular season. With the top three virtually sewn up it was the race for fourth place which provided the most drama in the final few weeks.
At the top, Marconi beat UNSW in a tight encounter, and Southern Branch and Sutherland shared the points in Nowra. While in the battle for fourth spot, the Northern Tigers ended the dream of finals football for Nepean.
The Match of the Round saw the Inter Lions host Sydney Olympic in a winner takes all clash at Concord Oval. The winner would claim fourth spot and live on to next week, while the loser would have their season ended.
Match of the Round
Inter Lions SC v Sydney Olympic FC, 3pm Sunday 16th August at Concord Oval
A hat trick to Danielle Calvi has powered Sydney Olympic through to the finals series. Calvi struck twice before half time and once after to seal fourth spot for Olympic, setting up a showdown next weekend with Sutherland Shire.
There was a distinct lack of intensity in the early going for such an important fixture. Both sides looked a little nervous and were struggling to get the ball under control to build any sort of meaningful attack.
Inter were the first side to really look settled and they piled the pressure on Olympic with a succession of corners. Unfortunately for the home side none of these created a dangerous goal scoring opportunity.
They were made to pay on 24 minutes when Calvi opened the scoring. A lightning counter from Olympic directly from a corner saw Calvi turn on halfway and play in Kate Halaska down the left wing, before her late run into the box was rewarded when Halaska cut the ball back. Calvi’s first touch took it past her defender and she placed her left foot half volley across Natasha Pentecost in the Inter goal and into the bottom corner.
It was the first time Pentecost had touched the ball. Four minutes later Calvi would again punish Inter.
Another combination with Halaska hits Inter on the break again. Calvi acrobatically flicked the ball over her marker on halfway before running onto a return pass from Halaska. Calvi took her shot early and hit it across Pentecost’s right shoulder, and perhaps thinking the ball was drifting wide the Inter ‘keeper didn’t dive for the ball. But it was to be Calvi’s day and the ball kissed the inside of the post and snuck into the bottom corner.
Olympic carried their 2-0 lead into half time knowing that they had Inter exactly where they wanted them. Inter would need to push for goals in the second half, and that would leave space in behind ready to be exploited.
Inter started the second half brightly and immediately began pinning Olympic back and exerting pressure on their back line with yet more corners.
Amanda Seskin in the Olympic goal was excellent during this period as she dominated her area like few ‘keepers in the league can, comfortably dealing with several excellent corners that were swung in by the Lions.
In the 61st minute Pentecost denied Calvi her hat trick by pushing her 25 yard free kick onto the crossbar, and she would be kept busy as Inter committed more and more numbers forward.
Inter would keep pushing, and after surviving several close calls at the back they would finally be rewarded for all of their hard work in the 80th minute.
They had been trying all afternoon to get Christina Ferreyra in behind the defence and she was finally able to outmuscle her opponent and bear down on Seskin’s goal. One v one she poked the ball past the Olympic custodian and despite her best efforts the ball smacked the upright and was in the back of the net before Seskin could react.
2-1. Inter had a lifeline.
Immediately though, Calvi killed the game off. The Olympic lynchpin was able to control and turn in one motion 25 yards from goal, and she put her foot through the ball instantly. As it flew towards the bottom corner Pentecost was at full stretch, and while she got a strong hand behind the ball it wasn’t enough to deflect it wide of the target and it rolled into the side netting to make the score 3-1 with only minutes to play.
Inter tried valiantly to lift again but the task was too great as Olympic expertly slowed the pace of the game and held onto their precious lead.
3-1 it finished to the visitors, who have booked their place in the finals series despite some late wobbles in the final few games.
Inter have fought hard all season and can hold their heads high knowing that they were still in it right until the very end.
UNSW Lions v Marconi Stallions FC, 3pm Sunday 16th August at David Phillips Field
UNSW went down 1-0 at home to premiers Marconi. A much tighter result than many would have expected in this one, although UNSW have shown glimpses of form this season that could push the top sides all the way. If the young Lions team can add a little more quality to their ranks for next season they could be quite a challenger for finals football.
Another regulation close win for Marconi, who once again show that they just know how to get the 3 points in any given contest. Their season truly starts next week against Southern Branch, where they will be looking to fire on all cylinders to claim the silverware they believe is theirs.
Southern Branch FC v Sutherland Shire FA, 3pm Sunday 16th August at South Nowra Football Complex
Southern Branch and Sutherland played out a 1-1 draw down in Nowra. The teams traded second half goals, and Wrylka Colburn continued her hot streak of late, netting the goal for Southern Branch. The point would have been welcome for Sutherland as it sealed their place in the finals series without having to rely on other results falling their way.
Southern Branch have dropped more points in recent weeks than they would have liked, but with little to play for a dip in performance can be expected at times. Both sides can now tune up for their respective semi-finals next week so they hit the ground running.
Northern Tigers FC v Nepean FC, 3pm Sunday 16th August at Mills Park
Nepean couldn’t pull off the miracle they needed as they slumped to a 4-2 loss away to the Northern Tigers. So many fixtures crammed into the end of the season took its toll on the young Nepean side, and you feel that had the weather been kinder to them they may have picked up another result or two and scraped into fourth place.
Bombing forward for goals hasn’t been their game all season, and with the attacking threat posed by the Tigers this was always going to be a tough test. Goals to Tarni Black, Ella Gibson, and a brace for Liana Baker were enough to see the Tigers home. They’ll be happy to finish the season a high note, but they’ll look back and rue several missed opportunities to stamp their mark on the competition this season.
Reserve Grade
UNSW upset Marconi to secure their place in the finals series, defeating them 1-0 at David Phillips Field. Inter drew 1-1 with Sydney Olympic, Southern Branch were held to a 1-1 draw by Sutherland, and the Northern Tigers just miss out on the finals despite overcoming Nepean 2-1 at Mills Park.
By Eamonn Warner, PS4 National Premier Leagues NSW Women’s 2 Reporter
