Round 11 Review – PS4 NPL 2 NSW Women’s
Sydney Olympic FC have moved to the top of the PS4 NPL 2 NSW Women’s competition after a dominant victory while there were mixed results for the rest of the top four including in our Match of the Round between Bankstown City Lions and Central Coast Mariners.
Match of the Round: Bankstown City Lions 1 drew with Central Coast Mariners 1
Bankstown City Lions missed their chance to go cement their spot in the top four with a 1-1 draw against Central Coast Mariners at Jensen Park today.
Candice Phelan’s opener was cancelled out by a 69th minute Tania Baban strike for the two sides to share the points that both wish had converted to three points.
Fresh from their last ditch victory against Nepean FC last weekend, the Lions started the contest on the front foot – as Doris Osman broke into the area but put the shot right into the hands of Mariners keeper Jess Schultz.
Both teams battled in the midfield as the two sides tested each other out. Caitlin Murphy sent some panic into the Mariners backline from a rolled free-kick that clattered the post and was swept behind to keep it nil-all.
Mariners were pushed back by the Lions for most of the first half but Georgia Davis burst into the box muscling off a defender before a direct shot landed in the hands of Lions keeper Renee Krstanovska.
Right on the half-time break – Alicia Lee worked tirelessly down the wing before she released Joanna Martino in the area, the prolific scorer wasn’t able to find her range and fired it wide.
Straight after the break, Tania Baban had the Lions best chance of the game as she twisted and turned in the box before unleashing a shot that Schultz had to make a full stretch save to deny the Lions striker the opener.
Buoyed by that save – Mariners surprised the home side to take the lead. Candice Phelan was brought on and the striker was dogged in her pursuit of the ball before she curved an effort into the left side of the net for 1-nil.
The goal stung the Lions into action as Baban forced Schultz into another important save then only a last ditch clearance from a wicked Bankstown corner kept the scoreline at 1-nil.
Bankstown City Lions wouldn’t be denied though, Lee raced down the right wing and stood up her defender before cutting back to Baban to finish well for 1-1.
That gave the Lions the wind in their sails against a tiring Mariners defense but bar two chances from substitute Vita Opoku-Agyemang and a late header from Allegra Vickas the game ended squared up at 1-a piece.
Afterwards Lions coach Troy Spink was disappointed not to take all three points.
“I feel we had the better of the match once again but couldn’t convert our chances. Since the Sutherland game we have shored up our defense which is a big thing for me.” Said Spink.
“Today would have been great to put a gap between the rest of the competition but I am happy with the fight and the point in the end.” He finished.
Mariners coach Mark Yule was pleased with the effort against one of the competition’s top teams.
“I felt Bankstown played very well. They controlled the game really well especially after the equaliser as we were running out of gas,” said Yule.
“We remain undefeated in the last few weeks which is good especially after being rusty from a two week break.” He finished.
MATCH STATS
Sunday 25th June
Jensen Park
Referee: D Fupa
Assistant Referees: S. Dealmazio & M. Kimber
Bankstown City Lions 1 (Baban ’69)
Central Coast Mariners 1 (Phelan ’64)
Bankstown City Lions: 2. BABAN Tania, 4. BABIC Liana, 10. MICHEAL Maniso, 11. MARTINO Joanna, 14. PETKOVIC Jelena(ROBINS ’73), 15. VICKAS Allegra, 17. MURPHY Caitlin, 18. OSMAN Doris(LUCIEN ’62), 19. KRSTANOVSKA Renee, 29. LEE Alicia(OPOKU-AGYEMANG’ 79) and 30. IBBOTSON Charlotte
Subs not used: 1. FERREIRA Lana and 26. ROBINS Elise
Yellow cards: nil
Red cards: nil
Central Coast Mariners: 1. SCHULTZ Jess, 4. DAVIS Georgia, 5. WADDELL Letisha, 6. MCATAMNEY Jade, 7. BLANCH Gabrielle, 8. KEANE Oriane(TERRY ’86), 12. OLIVEIRA Katie, 13. KROEMER Jade-Anne(PHELAN ’55), 14. SHORTER Elizabeth, 15. RYAN Madelyn and 16. DUFFY Kate(JOHNSON ’79)
Subs not used: 10. GRANERO Christine and 20. BRADBURY Maddison
Yellow cards: nil
Red cards: nil
Marconi Stallions 4 defeated Nepean FC 0
Marconi Stallions reminded the top four that they are still in the hunt with a 4-nil victory over third place Nepean FC this afternoon at Marconi Stadium.
It was an ambush from the start as the Stallions sprung to a 4-nil half-time lead and three points that has them on the edge of the top four.
Jess Beale continued her goal-scoring form with a brace added to a Kate Hensman and Jacqueline Vorrias strikes made up the scoreline.
It was also a good afternoon for 15 year old Ella Goodwin made her debut in the Marconi starting eleven as the Stallions moved to 14 points for the season.
Gladesville Ravens 3 defeated Inter Lions 2
Gladesville Ravens have broken through for a maiden win in the 2017 PS4 NPL 2 NSW Women’s competition with a comeback victory against Inter Lions.
Inter Lions raced out to a 2-nil lead much like the fixture in Round 2 thanks to some good strikes to stun the Ravens.
Brownyn Peddley led the way in the second half for the Ravens with a brace alongside Hannah Gestier’s first goal of the season to reverse the scoreline from back in round two.
Southern Branch FC 1 defeated by Sydney Olympic 6
It was an afternoon of goals as Sydney Olympic continued their prolific scoring in a comprehensive 6-1 victory down in Nowra against Southern Branch FC.
Danielle Calvi scored a brace in the clinical performance while Madeleine Costanzo got back on the scoresheet for her eighth of the season.
As the goals tumbled in Courtney Holmwood, Rebecca Browning and Gill Bartlett finished off a superb performance from Sydney Olympic to send them to the top of the competition.
Southern Branch FC didn’t leave the game empty handed as Georgia McDonnell scored their lone goal in a long afternoon for the home side.
Sutherland Shire FA had the bye
By Justin Davies, PS4 NPL 2 NSW Women’s reporter
