Round 18 Review – PS4 NPL NSW Women’s
In what will be a memorable final day of the season, Sydney University were crowned 2016 Premiers of the PlayStation 4 NSW NPL Women’s competition.
Sydney University 2-2 Macarthur Rams
Sydney University and the Macarthur Rams played out an intriguing 2-2 draw at Lynwood Park.
Both sides would walk away happy having secured the Premiership, for Uni and finals football for the Rams.
It was imperative for both sides to win coming into this one in what was expected to be a conservative game.
Instead, the game exploded within the opening minutes.
First Leena Khamis had a decent opportunity for the home side but didn’t trouble Trudy Burke all that much.
On two minutes though, Evelyn Chronis missed a golden opportunity to give Uni the lead.
Breaking through the defence and moving in on Shamiran Khamis, the speedy Uni winger couldn’t compose herself, blasting well over the bar.
The Rams then hit back straight away with their own chance, but again Renee Rollason couldn’t trouble Burke.
The high pace continued and a couple minutes later, the Rams were lucky to clear their lines.
Rachel Soutar’s dangerous low cross was somehow scrambled away by Rollason as Georgia Yeoman-Dale waited to pounce.
It was the Rams that would open the scoring on 10 minutes.
A long ball from the back was poorly dealt with by the Uni defence, allowing the experienced Khamis to take a touch and delightfully play in Kylie Ledbrook.
Ledbrook showed all her class, calmly half-volleying the ball beyond an outstretched Burke.
In the 18th minute, the Rams had Shamiran Khamis to thank.
A dangerous corner in from Steph Ambrose saw Laura Donnely rise highest, but the Rams defender headed the ball toward her own goal, only for Khamis to make a fantastic fingertip save.
In the 27th minute, Uni had an equaliser.
Soutar’s well plaved free kick from distance could only be parried onto the bar by Khamis, allowing Emma Stanbury to come in and tap the ball home.
Nine minutes before half time Chronis was threatening again.
This time pouncing on some confusion in the Rams defensive line, only for Khamis to stand tall and save.
Two minutes later and Leena Khamis produced some magic.
Doing well to beat her markers, she found space on the edge of the area to curl a ball toward the top corner, only for the ball to smack the woodwork where the post and crossbar meet.
Ledbrook then delivered a perfect cross that was begging Khamis to get any sort of touch on, but the Rams striker couldn’t.
A minute before the break though the Khamis had her goal.
A square Uni defence was caught out by a dinked ball over the top which Khamis took advantage of, volleying beyond Burke to give her side the lead heading into half time.
Rollason had the first opportunity of the second half but her free kick from the edge of the area didn’t test Burke.
The second half didn’t bring the excitement of the first with a real battle taking place between both teams.
Neither side could create a clear-cut opportunity in the first 25 minutes of the second period.
In the 76th minute though, Uni had their equaliser.
A corner wasn’t cleared by the Rams as Khamis was caught off her line, allowing Grace Henry to volley the ball into the back of the net.
Despite both teams pushing hard, neither could find the decisive winner.
Illawarra Stingrays 3-2 North West Sydney Koalas
JJ Kelly Park hosted an important match between the Illawarra Stingrays and North West Sydney Koalas.
Both sides needed to win and hope results went their way.
The home side got off to the best possible start, taking a two goal lead after a couple of Koala errors.
With the Premiership riding on the result, the Koalas fought back, stealing a goal on the stroke of half time to go into the break 2-1 down.
As the away side pushed for an equaliser, the Stingrays doubled their advantage, making the score 3-1.
Again the Koalas halved the deficit, to make for an intense finish.
Victory wasn’t enough for the South Coast based side though, missing out on finals football through goal difference for the second straight season.
For the Koalas, they missed out on the Premiership but will have finals football to look forward to as the battle for the Championship begins.
Blacktown Spartans 3-2 Emerging Jets
In a match with no competitive imperative, the Blacktown Spartans hosted the Emerging Jets.
In a highly entertaining first half, the sides went into the break locked at two goals apiece.
Eden Carter and Cassidy Chidgey each scored for the Spartans, while Lucy Kell and Indianna Asimus scored for the Jets.
It would be Chidgey who’d get her second and the Spartans’ winner though, to finish the season on a high for the Blacktown based team, winning 3-2.
Football NSW Institute 2-2 Manly United
At Valentine Sports Park on Sunday, Football NSW Institute hosted Manly United.
The Institute went into this one with nothing to lose while United just needed a point to guarantee finals football.
They got the all-important draw they were looking for, with 2-2 being the final score.
Louise Neville and the on fire Remy Siemsen got amongst the goals for the travelling side.
Manly continue their unbeaten run into the finals next week as they look to spring a surprise on their opponents.
North Shore Mariners 3-2 Marconi Stallions
Northbridge Oval was the venue for the clash between the North Shore Mariners and Marconi Stallions.
The Stallions still had some chance of playing finals football but had to win along with a few results to go their way.
It was the Mariners though with nothing but pride to play for that hit the front, moving into the break to lead 2-0.
The Stallions kicked into gear in the second period and made a game of it but it was too little too late as the Mariners took all three points with a hard fought 3-2 victory.
It means the Mariners finished seventh while the Stallions missed out on finals and finished in sixth.
