Finals Series Round 2 Review – PS4 NPL 2 NSW Women’s
The PlayStation4 National Premier Leagues 2 NSW Women’s Grand Final is set. Sydney Olympic FC will take on Sutherland Shire FA after a dramatic preliminary final this weekend.
Preliminary Final: Sutherland Shire FA 4 defeated Bankstown City Lions 3
Sutherland Shire FA has edged a pulsating PS4 NPL 2 NSW Women’s Preliminary Final 4-3 AET against a strong Bankstown City Lions side this afternoon at Valentine Sports Park.
Much like the rest of the season, Sutherland Shire FA had to come from behind to secure victory. A pair of penalties to Jordan Baker alongside strikes from Danielle Wise and a dramatic late goal from substitute Morgan Maxwell did the job.
Bankstown City Lions looked to cruise towards the grand final after they struck twice in the first half through Joanna Martino and Liana Babic. Alicia Lee handed them the lead once again with her 71stminute effort.
After they went 120 minutes last weekend, Bankstown City Lions looked to start strong to avoid a similar fate and they got the perfect start on four minutes. Joanna Martino lofted a superb free-kick over Shire FA keeper Emma Gidney for 1-nil.
The Lions continued to pile on the pressure, Doris Osman tried to curve an effort into the net but it fell safely to Gidney. Next Sunny Lucien was rolled through but couldn’t test Gidney much either.
They would find a second on 26 minutes – when after some nice passing opened the space, Liana Babic chipped one from outside the box to make it 2-nil.
Sutherland Shire FA needed to wake themselves up quickly, they responded to going two behind with a pair of chances for two of the sharpshooters of PS4 NPL 2 NSW Women’s. Raegan Deeley and Jordan Baker both forced Lions keeper Renee Krstanovska into key saves.
Ibbotson almost provided a gut-punch that could’ve finished off the Shire FA. She threaded a cushioned ball through to Lucien, who decided to finese a shot that narrowly went over the bar.
It would be the Shire FA that would strike just before the break. Danielle Wise was quickest to react after Krstanovska spilled the ball and poked it into the net for 2-1.
Buoyed by their goal before half-time, Sutherland Shire FA soon had a second. Jordan Baker was cut down in the box. She duly dusted herself off and levelled things up at 2-2.
Lions coach Troy Spink responded by bringing on Alicia Lee, the forward scored a late winner earlier this season against Nepean FC.
She would be the catalyst again in the 71st minute – Lee much like Wise for Shire FA’s second, was quick off the mark to stab home restoring the 3-2 lead.
As the game ebbed and flowed, once again Shire FA found a way back into the contest. Baker weaved her way into the Lions box before she was taken down in the box again. This time her spot kick hit the post but she quickly righted that wrong as we were locked up at 3-3.
Bankstown City Lions thought they had the dramatic winner in the 90th minute, striker Tania Baban strode into the box and fired a shot that rippled the side netting although some in the crowd thought it was in.
So for the second time in as many weeks, Bankstown City Lions were headed into extra-time. This time the extra period didn’t produce much action as two tiring sides willed themselves forward.
Baker produced a low free-kick that deflected off a team-mate and bounced harmlessly wide off the post as Krstanovska was left rooted to the spot.
Just as penalties seemed to be inevitable, Shire FA found a winner. Baker weaved through a tired defense before substitute Morgan Maxwell smashed home at the far post to hand them a dramatic 4-3 win.
Afterwards the Sutherland Shire FA coach was happy to get one over Bankstown City Lions.
“It was a great game of football. We started slow, gave them a goal head start then finally worked into the game. I think we deserve to be in the Grand Final after the hard work all season.” He said.
For Lions coach Troy Spink, the loss was a bitter pill to swallow.
“It should’ve never got to extra-time, we dominated the game and outside of twenty minutes in the second half, this game was ours.” Said Spink.
Match Stats
Sunday 27th August 2017
Valentine Sports Park #3
Referee: T. Kineai
Assistant Referees: C. Gray & C. Hoit
Sutherland Shire FA 4 (Baker ’61 & ’77 , Wise ’44 and Maxwell ‘118)
Bankstown City Lions 3 (Martino ‘4, Babic ’26 and Lee ’71)
Sutherland Shire FA: 2. NISBET Genevieve, 3. MUTCH Kellie(CHRISTIE ‘7), 4. BIRDSALL Annelotte, 7. ELLIS Jessica(VUKASIN ’88), 9. WISE Danielle, 10. BESZ Nicole, 11. DEELEY Raegan(MAXWELL ’66), 12. BAKER Jordan, 15. MANOS Georgia, 21. GIDNEY Emma and 48. HENRY Grace
Subs not used: 16. NELSON Melody and 36. JAMES Georgia
Yellow cards: Baker
Red cards: nil
Bankstown City Lions: 2. BABAN Tania, 4. BABIC Liana, 9. LUCIEN Sunny, 11. MARTINO Joanna, 13. OPOKU-AGYEMANG Vida(LEE ’61), 14. PETKOVIC Jelena, 17. MURPHY Caitlin(WOJTOWICZ ‘105), 18. OSMAN Doris, 19. KRSTANOVSKA Renee, 30. IBBOTSON Charlotte(MUSCAT ‘118) and 34. RUSSO Genevieve
Subs not used: 20. SAADE Sihaem and 38. CASSAR Rachel
Yellow cards: Murphy, Baban and Babic
Red cards: nil
-By Justin Davies, PS4 NPL 2 NSW Women’s reporter
