Round 3 Review – State League Women’s
It rained goals this weekend in an action packed round which was topped off by Gladesville Ravens taking on SD Raiders in the Match of the Round.
MATCH OF THE ROUND: Gladesville Ravens 2 drew with SD Raiders 2
A drama filled afternoon finished in Gladesville Ravens collecting their first point of the season in a pulsating 2-2 draw at Peel Park this afternoon.
Both teams took ten minutes to settle into the contest with the two midfields dominated possession to find the first opening of the game.
Gladesville were the first create a chance as Katie Baker pounced upon a teased ball from Stephanie Holmes to crash her effort against the bar.
The front pairing of Brittany Holzheimer and Stephanie Conejeros-Berjerie for SD Raiders combined well in the first half to almost prise an opening.
Conejeros-Berjerie had the first shot for the visitors after her interplay with Holzheimer with a tame effort aimed at Kasia Glennie. Holzheimer followed closely with a wide effort in the 22nd minute.
SD Raiders continued to push forward as Caterina Moio stung the palms of Glennie again as the clock ticked into the half hour mark.
While there wasn’t any goals in the first half, Gladesville had to contend with losing Ayesha Gaunt to a dislocated arm after chasing a ball against Rhea D’Mello.
Ravens coach John Cook was forced into a second change ten minutes after the restart losing goalkeeper Glennie in a close clash with Nicole Monti with first half substitute Brownyn Peddely taking the shirt.
Just after the hour mark though, despite their trials spirited Gladesville took the lead. A corner pinballed around the box before Paige Vansaarloos struck it beyond Karrinda Moodley for 1-0.
Monti almost had a 1966 World Cup moment in the 68th minute when her wicked free-kick smashed the crossbar and almost crossed the line. It stayed out though and it was still 1-0.
Ravens were close to making it two when Eleanor Jones rounded the keeper but her effort was trashed away by Brooke Hankin on the line.
SD Raiders coach Catherine Cannuli responded and made a swift double change bringing herself and Helena Ngauova on.
The change made an instant impact as Cannuli burst down the left and squared it to Ngauova for 1-1 in the 76th minute.
The Raiders have been the comeback queens thus far in State League Women’s and completed the turnaround in the 86th minute when Dominique Caridad found the ball at her feet and fired past Peddely to make it 2-1.
Credit to the home side though, they continued to push and found a late equaliser. It arrived through a corner which Vansaarloos lept highest to nod home and claw back a point.
Afterwards Ravens coach John Cook was delighted to earn a point.
"I was proud of how the girls fought until the end today and earned our first point of the season in a spirited contest which was officiated well"
"They have the luxury of bringing on [Catherine] Cannuli off the bench but my girls showed their spirit this afternoon." Added the Ravens coach.
Conversely Cannuli saw it as two points dropped despite her late appearance.
"We dominated the game and should’ve taken away the three points this afternoon. For myself it was nice to get on and get an assist"
MATCH STATS
Gladesville Ravens 2 (Vansaarloos ’61 and ’91)
GLENNIE Kasia(BIANCHINO ’55), VARSAARLOOS Paige, HOLMES Stephanie(SMITH ’78), GESTIER Hannah, BEATTIE Alex, BAKER Katie Elizabeth(CSABANKO ’66), BREUKERLAAR Isabella, LOYZAGA Noelle(KINCHINGTON ’82), GAUNT Ayesha(PEDDLEY ’35), JONES Eleanor and OSMOND Peta
Yellow cards: nil
SD Raiders 2 (Ngauova ’76 and Caridad ’86)
MOODLEY Karrinda, HAMMOUD Sasha, D’MELLO Rhea, MOIO Caterina(BITTNER ’45), HANKIN Brooke, IGNJATOVIC Natalia, CARIDAD Dominique, MONTI Nicole, KROPE Courtney, HOLZHEIMER Brittany(CANNULI ’74) and CONEJEROS-BERJERIE Stephanie(MGAUOVA ’74)
Subs not used: R Muscat
Yellow card: Krope
Red cards: nil
Western NSW Mariners FC 2 drew with UNSW Lions 2
Western NSW Mariners FC were able to claw out a 2-2 draw in Mudgee against a talented UNSW Lions team.
Kya Godbier and Brooke Whitty finished off two well worked team goals for a Mariners team missing their front three meaning they handed 15 year old Chloe Lanham her debut.
For UNSW they continue to be able to produce goals but need to tighten up their defense to turn these draws into victories.
Parramatta FC 1 defeated by St George FC 5
Three late goals helped St George FC make it back to back victories at Melita Stadium this afternoon.
St George FC found their rhythm late to put away a tired Parramatta FC 5-1 to make it nine goals scored in two weeks.
Renee Mansour scored a hat-trick in first grade after playing reserve grade and Amy Bennett added the other two.
Sheldon Brown netted again for the second consecutive week as consolation for Parramatta FC.
Mount Druitt Town Rangers 1 defeated by APIA Leichhardt 7
For the second week in a row APIA Leichhardt have scored seven, this time away in Mount Druitt.
Dana Buttigieg starred once again for the Tigers with a hat-trick to help them to a 4-1 halftime lead.
Christina Ferreyra chipped in with a brace alongside Lucy Gilfedder and Bojana Poletanovic with the rest of the goals.
APIA Coach Matteo Maiorana hailed his ‘phenominal front three’ as Filiz Urkanci provided four assists to Buttigieg and Ferreyra.
-By Justin Davies, State League Women’s reporter
