Round 7 Review – State League Women’s
In yet another exciting round in the Women’s State League SD Raiders FC welcomed a pointless Parramatta FC while Western NSW Mariners FC faced UNSW and APIA Leichhardt Tigers FC welcomed St George FC.
Western NSW Mariners FC 3 (Kallie Sargent, Tegan Courtney, Jasmin Courtenay) vs UNSW 4 (Christine Lucantonio x2, Cassandra Christopher, Tahlia Nolan) Sunday 21st May, 3pm, Glen Willow Stadium
In what proved to be a highly entertaining clash UNSW came away with three points in their game against Western NSW Mariners FC.
UNSW’s win was even more impressive due to them playing three games in the space of seven days.
UNSW started the better of the two teams as they found themselves 2-0 up barely 10 minutes into the contest as Christine Lucantonio and Cassandra Christopher found the back of the net for UNSW.
In what was an even game, both teams looked to push forward and create chances as Western Mariners looked to get back into the contest which they did before half time.
Two individual mistakes from UNSW allowed the Mariners to pull level 2-2.
First Kallie Sargent grabbed one back for the Mariners after a defensive lapse for the Saints. Tegan Courtney then levelled the scores as she hit a shot from about 35 yards which looped over the UNSW goalkeeper.
Barely five minutes into the second half though UNSW went 3-2 up as Christine Lucantonio grabbed her second of the game.
In a free flowing game, the Mariners pulled level for a third time mid-way through the second half after a handball call. Goal scoring machine Jasmin Courtenay continued her free scoring ways as she converted the resulting penalty.
The action had not finished yet as UNSW then grabbed a winner with barely five minutes left on the clock as Tahlia Nolan secured the three points for UNSW.
SD Raiders FC 0 vs Parramatta FC 0, Sunday 21st May, 3pm , Ernie Smith Reserve
In what proved to be the most unexpected result of the weekend Parramatta FC picked up their first point of the year against top of the table SD Raiders FC who were left frustrated in taking a solitary point from the game.
Parramatta FC will take a lot of confidence from this performance as now look towards building into a more positive second half of the year.
SD Raiders will see this as two valuable points dropped and with the tightness of the competition will be aware they cannot afford to many more slip ups as we enter the second half of the year.
SD Raiders certainly had their chances but lacked the clinical finishing of previous weeks.
SD Raiders coach Catherine Cannuli will now be looking to get her team up for next week as they play a dangerous St George outfit.
APIA Leichhardt Tigers FC 7 (Dana Buttegeigx2, Lucy Gilfedderx2, Carla Canini, Rebecca Watts, Rachelle Wang) vs St George FC 0, Sunday 21st May ,7pm, Lambert Park
In the late Sunday kick off APIA Leichhardt Tigers FC flexed their Premiership muscles as they dismantled St George FC 7-0 at Lambert Park.
St George FC had no answers for the power and speed of APIA as they were completely overrun all over the field.
APIA Leichhardt had five different scorers as Dana Buttegeig and Lucy Gilfedder both helped each other to braces while Rebecca Watts, Carla Canini and Rachelle Wang who was playing against her former team all chipped in with one each to round out the scoring.
In a clear sign of intent from the defending premiers they raced to a 4-0 half time lead as they blew St George away early on.
APIA coach Matteo Maiorana was understandably pleased with his sides performance.
“I’m extremely proud of my team, any team coached by Carlo are tough to beat and St George have always been a team we have struggled against and today coming into the game we knew we needed our best and we were”.
St George coach Carlo Tini on the other hand conceded today that his team were just not good enough against a very strong APIA team. The inability of his team to be able to handle the pace of APIA was shown in the final score-line as Carlo must now pick his team up for next Sunday’s challenge of SD Raiders FC.
-By Sebastian Kalos
