Round 13 Review – PS4 NPL 2 NSW Women’s
The race continued to heat up as Nepean FC found themselves back in the top four after another fascinating weekend of PlayStation4 National Premier Leagues 2 NSW Women’s action.
It was headlined by Sutherland Shire FA vs Inter Lions in the Match of the Round.
Match of the Round: Sutherland Shire FA 3 defeated Inter Lions 1
Sutherland Shire FA saw off a gallant Inter Lions 3-1 to continue their chase of Sydney Olympic FC at the top of PS4 NPL 2 NSW Women’s with five weeks remaining.
Goals in either half from Brittany Christie and a third strike from Annelotte Birdsall was enough after it was 1-1 at half-time after Melissa Parlato equaliser for the Lions.
The first game of Danny Abboud’s stewardship was encouraging as only after a few sessions his side took it to the second place Sutherland Shire FA for a majority of the contest.
To start the contest though, it was all the home side as Toni Vukasin burst into the box after two minutes before her effort was cleared by the defense.
Raegen Deeley went even close in the 5th minute when she did the hard work and rounded Lions keeper Jessica Broadfoot but the retreating defense was able to stab the ball away.
Sutherland Shire FA thought their early pressure had earnt them the opener as Morgan Maxwell had the ball in the back of the net but after a conversation with his officials it was judged the ball had gone out first.
It was going to take a special effort to unlock the Inter Lions defense and Britanny Christie delivered. She found space before she fired an effort into the roof of the net for 1-nil.
The goal woke up the Lions attack that had sat back for the first half – Melissa Parlato with a potshot that was saved well.
Parlato found the equaliser in the 24th minute though, a quick movement from the Lions gave Angela Gardner space to deliver a delightful cross for Parlato to finish for 1-1.
Their tails up, the Lions pushed forward again eight minutes before the break, as Parlato forced the Sutherland keeper into a save as the corner was well smothered.
Christie could’ve had a brace before the break as she was on the end of a nice Sutherland Shire FA movement that she couldn’t beat Broadfoot.
She did have her second four minutes after the break when a devilish cross only needed the slightest touch from Christie to make it 2-1 Sutherland Shire.
The best chances in the second half fell to Sarah Mandile for Inter Lions but the forward couldn’t add to her three goals for the season.
As the game continued to open up more, Sutherland Shire FA found a third with ten minutes remaining. Once again, their movement with the ball opened up the space for Annelotte Birdsall to finish for 3-1.
Afterwards the Sutherland Shire FA coach was pleased to get the result with some key injuries.
“It was good to get the result today, missing four players. We just have to keep working now and I couldn’t be happier with the girls. It would be good to chase Olympic FC down but we have to keep on doing our work and hope they drop points.” He said.
For Danny Abboud in his first game in charge, it was encouraging to see where the Lions are at this point in the season.
“It is a difficult start but on the football side we played a very good side in Sutherland. I feel we did well and we only worked on a few things so it is a good base for the rest of the season.” Said Abboud.
Match Stats
Sunday 9th July 2017
Harrie Denning Centre
Referee: Gerad Sergeant
Assistant Referees: Luke Di Stefano & John Hughes
Sutherland Shire FA 3 (Christie ’17 and ’49 & Birdsall ’80)
Inter Lions 1 (Parlato ’24)
Sutherland Shire FA: 2. NISBET Genevieve, 3. MUTCH Kelly, 4. BIRDSALL Annelotte, 6. VUKASIN Toni, 7. ELLIS Jessica, 8. MAXWELL Morgan(YEATS ’86), 11. DEELEY Raegan, 14. CHRISTIE Brittany, 15. MANOS Georgia, 16. NELSON Melody(HENRY ’55), 21. GIDNEY Emma
Subs not used: 17. HART Lily and 22. COLLIER Roisin
Yellow cards: nil
Red cards: nil
Inter Lions: 1. BROADFOOT Jessica, 3. ZACZEK Zoe 5. CAVANAGH Rachel, 6. MIKAELIAN Taylor, 7. GARDNER Angela(SHARP ’64), 8. KALOGEROPOULOS Maria, 12. WILSON Hollie(MORRIS ’55(KRISHNAN ’81)), 13. DIFRANCESCO Natalie, 14. MANDILE Sarah, 26. MATEFFY Kate and 30. PARLATO Melissa(VOUSDEN ’77)
Yellow cards: Gardner
Red cards: nil
Gladesville Ravens 0 defeated by Nepean FC 1
Nepean FC has arrested their recent slide with a vital 1-nil victory at Peel Park this afternoon and vaulted themselves back into the top four.
Kaitlin Harms scored her first goal of the season as the lone strike in the contest which saw them overcome the last placed Ravens.
The victory will please coach Alan Tasses after what has been a challenging last three weekends and finally finding the back of the net again.
Central Coast Mariners 3 defeated Marconi Stallions 1
The Mariners have dealt a severe blow to the Marconi Stallions finals hopes with a professional performance in a 3-1 win this afternoon.
A double to Candice Phelan alongside Georgia Davis was enough to put a depleted Stallions side to the sword.
It wasn’t all gloom for the Stallions, youngster Nicole Ossio got their lone goal backing up from the 17s earlier in the afternoon.
After this weekend, the Stallions find themselves in fifth wedged between Nepean FC and tonight’s winners Central Coast Mariners making for an enticing last few rounds.
Sydney Olympic FC 3 defeated Bankstown City Lions 2
The status quo remains at the top of PS4 NPL 2 NSW Womens in a five-goal thriller to round off Round 13 as Sydney Olympic FC triumphed 3-2 at Valentine Sports Park.
All the goals were fired in during the first 45 minutes as Sydney Olympic FC scored their three from a brace to Madelaine Costanzo and Danielle Calvi’s ninth goal of the season.
Bankstown City Lions found the net through Sunny Lucien and Tania Baban in a great contest between two very attacking sides that may meet again in the finals.
Troy Spink took the loss as a marker for the Lions to see where they were at, and where they need to improve in future against the table toping Olympic FC.
Southern Branch FC had the bye
-By Justin Davies, PS4 NPL 2 NSW Women’s reporter
