Round 1 Review – PS4 NPL NSW Women’s
The PlayStation®4 NPL NSW Women’s season kicked off in style, with 24 goals scored in only five games.
Interestingly, there were no draws in round one with three home team wins and two away team victories.
Match of the Round
Macarthur Rams 1-0 Manly United
The Macarthur Rams showed on Sunday they’ll be in the mix once again, defeating Manly United by the odd goal in the opening round of the PlayStation®4 NPL NSW Women’s competition at Lynwood Park.
Kristina Maksuti’s first half goal was enough for the home side to take all three points in a tight contest between two quality side’s.
Despite immense pressure from the away side, Shamiran Khamis seemed an immovable object in the Rams goal, making a number of fantastic saves.
The first chance fell to Manly after some persistent work down the left by Remy Siemsen, only for Sham Khamis to be quick off her line to thwart any danger.
This seemed to awaken the home side and only a minute later, Kylie Ledbrook combined with Maksutui down the right.
Ledbrook took a shot from a difficult angle but forced the United keeper into a great save.
Maksuti was in the thick of it again from the resulting corner, heading the ball inches over the Manly bar.
The Rams striker would find herself in with another chance on 16 minutes after a mistake from the Manly defence, only to be thwarted by the United keeper again.
But on 18 minutes Maksuti would have her goal. Another corner from the right saw her rise highest in the box, this time heading the ball down and into the back of the net for the Rams lead.
Manly threatened with a few half chances but it was the home side’s defence that stood strong.
When the Rams defence was finally broken in the final seconds of the first half, Khamis made a fantastic save to keep her side in front.
A low ball in from the right found an unmarked Siemsen all alone at the six-yard box, only for Khamis to stick a hand out and block the striker’s goal bound effort out into a corner.
United began the second half with a fantastic opportunity in the 49th minute.
Natasha Prior rose highest to connect with a free kick, only to send her header inches wide of the goal.
Only a minute later and again Siemsen was denied by Khamis.
A fantastic ball in from the right saw Siemsen power a header toward goal, only for the Rams custodian to make a great reflex save.
The battle between the two continued and in the 60th minute, the Rams keeper came on top again.
Siemsen dribbled well into the box, unleashing an effort with her left foot but again Khamis tipped the ball wide for a corner.
In the 76th minute, Prior sent a long ball over the Rams defence that evaded everyone.
Siemsen followed the ball and finally beat Khamis, only this time to be denied by the wood work.
The Rams could’ve finished it late on but Elisha Williams’ shot was well saved.
Norm Boardman’s team stood firm in the dying stages to get their season off to the perfect start.
For United’s Chris Williams, despite the defeat, there were a lot of positives on show from his team and he will rue some missed chances throughout the 90 minutes.
Match stats
Macarthur Rams 1 (Maksuti 18’)
Manly United 0
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Lynwood Park
Macarthur Rams: 1. S. Khamis, 2. T. Polias, 3. C. Walsh, 5. E. Ralston, 6. D. Brekic, 7. K. Cameron, 9. L. Khamis, 10. K. Ledbrook, 15. R. Galea, 17. E. Williams, 19. L. Ralston, 20. W. Shorrocks, 23. L. Featherstone, 27. D. Bishop, 29. K. Maksuti, 41. K. Henley-Sadgrove.
Manly United: N. Orgill, C. Coelho, S. Franco, E. Minett, S. Nenadovic, M. Neville, C. O’Brien, T. Olsen, H. Dews, N. Prior, J. Sekulich, R. Siemsen, I. Walker, J. Wharepouri, A. Wilson, S. Yatim.
Emerging Jets 1-6 Football NSW Institute
Two young, up and coming sides did battle at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility as the Emerging Jets hosted the Football NSW Institute.
It was a tight contest in the first half with the Institute going into the break ahead by the solitary goal.
In the second half though, there was only one team in the match with the Preseason Cup runners up putting on a masterclass.
They put another five in the back of the Jets net with the home side scoring a consolation to make the score 6-1.
It’s a fantastic start to the season for Craig Foster’s girls while the Jets have some work to do.
Northern Tigers 1-5 Blacktown Spartans
The new girls on the block opened their campaign against the Blacktown Spartans at Charles Bean Sportsground.
Pat O’Sullivan’s side didn’t get off to the greatest of starts, moving into the break 3-1 down.
It didn’t get any better for the home team in the second period as the rampant Spartans added a couple more goals to make it 5-1.
Cassidy Chidgey chipped in with a brace while Rhianna Pollicina, Patricia Charalambous and Amy Dahdah got the other goals for the visitors.
Eilidh Mackay picked up the lone goal for the Tigers.
An excellent opening to the 2017 season for Andrew Mastoris and the Spartans.
North Shore Mariners 1-0 North West Sydney Koalas
We had a derby to open the 2017 campaign at Northbridge Oval as the North Shore Mariners took on last season’s beaten finalists North West Sydney Koalas.
In what was possibly the shock of the round, the Mariners came away with the spoils, taking all three points with victory by the odd goal.
Zoe Halpin scored the winner, sending a stern message across the league of what they can expect from the Mariners.
Stephen Peters won’t have been happy with the result his girls posted and will look for an immediate reaction in a week’s time.
Illawarra Stingrays 2-7 Sydney University
The 2016 Champions Sydney University travelled south to take on the Illawarra Stingrays at JJ Kelly Park.
With a large number of players missing from Brett Wallin’s squad through injury, it was always going to be a tough start for the Stingrays.
Uni moved into half time leading 3-1, with the Stingrays still in with a chance.
But the competition favourites wouldn’t stop there, going on with the job in the second half, rounding the match out with a 7-2 victory.
Clare Wheeler, Nikki Flannery and Rachel Soutar each picked up two goals while Georgia Yeoman-Dale scored the other for Heather Garriock’s side.
Stingrays captain Michelle Carney and Blaize Kendis picked up the goals for the home team.
The Champions have started where they finished last campaign and will look to continue this as the season moves on.
For Wallin’s team, as their star players return, they will only get stronger and improve as the season moves forward.
-By Nikola Pozder
