Round 4 Review – NPL 2 NSW Women’s
As the competition moves into it’s second month, the contenders and pretenders for this year’s crown have started to emerge after another pulsating weekend of NPL 2 NSW Women’s action.
Match of the Round: Inter Lions 1 – UNSW FC 1
Inter Lions continue to make strides as they finally got onto the paddock and got their first points in a hotly contested 1-1 draw against UNSW FC on a steamy afternoon at Mason Park.
Delighted to have clear skies to get onto the pitch, an admittedly rusty Inter Lions got the ideal start when Dominique Caridad unleashed a bomb to open the scoring. They had a flurry of chances to kill off the contest early through Sarah Mandile but UNSW FC held firm.
The students found their groove and equalised through Harley Johnson as the two sides prepared for a drinks break in the hot conditions. The temperature of the contest continued to lift although neither side were able to find a breakthrough and had to share the points.
Danny Abboud afterwards admitted that his side were rusty after a pair of washed out fixtures but they shook of that rustiness quickly, as powerful striker Sarah Mandile tested UNSW FC keeper Nadine Knights twice within the whistle.
Former SD Raider, Dominique Caridad, showed the UNSW FC defense why they can’t allow her room to operate. The skillful attacker found enough space in the midfield to unleash a powerful shot that flew over Knight’s head for 1-nil.
Not settling for their one-goal advantage, Caridad stung the palms of Knight again in the 18th minute before a nice sequence of passing, opened up the space for Mandile to whistle an effort wide of the post.
UNSW FC took their time to find their feet, as the pressing from the Lions never allowed them to be comfortable on the ball. Once they did get a foot onto the ball, a slick cutback found Harley Johnson on the spot for 1-1.
The Lions roared back into action, as winger Georgia Bourbous combined well with Taylor Mikaelian like pineapple and pizza, as they cut through the students defense but Knight continued to stand tall as it went to the break locked up.
After the break, the Lions had a prime chance within 90 seconds to break the deadlock. Zoe Zaczek hooked in a teasing ball that Rhonda Succar couldn’t wrap her foot around to make enough contact.
Most of the second half was played between the two boxes, as the best chances came from the set piece.
Caridad almost surprised the students with a free-kick just inside the attacking half as UNSW struck their two free-kicks truly, and at Natasha Pentecost.
The robust attacker showed her touch as she killed a ball before sliding in Succar then receiving the cutback that was directed right at Knight.
Mikaelian had the best chance of the second half as much like Caridad in the first, she found a pocket of space in the attacking third, before she fired high.
For UNSW FC, Altman looked certain to send the three points their way until a timely block from the Lions defense repelled her attack and saw the points shared.
Afterwards Inter coach Danny Abboud was pleased with the improvements made despite not taking all the points tonight.
“The signs were there tonight. We worked hard on keeping the ball and that paid off for us today. Credit to our team, we dominated possession and were unlucky to not kill the game off. I hope it won’t be one of those seasons of doing that and coming home with nothing.” said Abboud.
For Renato Jelen, with another tough contest in the books, he was confident that UNSW FC has established themselves in the NPL2 Womens competition.
“We feel like we’re on the right track. It was an even game but once they lost energy we dominated. We kept the ball well and equalised. The girls are on their way up and we want to set a statement,”
“I think we know where we are now. We can give anyone in this division a good game.” Finished Jelen.
Match Stats
Monday 2nd April 2018
Mason Park, Homebush
Inter Lions 1 (Caridad ’10)
UNSW FC 1 (Johnson ’26)
Inter Lions: 1. PENTECOST Natasha, 2. COOK Kirilee, 3. ZACZEK Zoe, 4. GARDNER Angela, 5. BARTLE Shailee, 6. MIKAELIAN Taylor, 7. BOURBOUS Georgia(15. TANEA ’77), 8. IGNJATOVIC Natalia, 9. SUCCAR Rhonda(13. MATEFFY ’71), 10. CARIDAD Dominique(16. LORENZO ’84) and 14. MANDILE Sarah
Subs not used: 11. VOUSDEN Alex and 12. COLOSIMO Alex
Yellow cards: Caridad
Red cards: nil
UNSW FC: 1. KNIGHT Nadine, 2. KRIESLER Alice, 3. HANSLOW Tahlia, 4. CASSERLY Tara(20. BURNS ’63), 5. SUMMERSBY-MITCHELL Miranda, 8. MILLER Lucinda, 9. ALTMAN Amy, 10. TANAKA LUCANTONIO Christine(13. BLAYDON ’75), 11. JOHNSON Harley, 16. OLRICH Andrea and 29. MCCORMICK Grace(15. CHRISTOPHER ’75)
Subs not used: 12. MILISAVLJEVIC Tiana and 19. BANNISTER Georgina
Yellow cards: nil
Red cards: nil
Southern Branch FC 1 – Marconi Stallions 8
There were six different scorers for a dominant Marconi Stallions side in an 8-1 thrashing of Southern Branch FC Saturday night down in Nowra.
The Stallions cruised to the victory in part to a 3-nil half-time lead, before they plundered four more in the second that sealed the Stallions first victory of the season.
Demelza Howard and captain Hannah Voloder scored braces while Amanda Lauric, Jessica Beale, Summar Richardson and Vanessa Hoff found joy on a happy night for the Stallions.
It hasn’t been a good few weekends for Southern Branch but Brittany Anderson gave them some consolation with her second half strike.
Nepean FC 1 – Gladesville Ravens 1
Wasting chances has become a frustratingly, recurrent theme through Nepean FC’s season as the team from the golden west spurned a number of chances in a draw against Gladesville Ravens.
They got the ideal start when Erin Connell found the net on the fourth minute. Nepean continued to dominate the contest but missing star striker Stefanie Trovato, the Ravens goal continued to lead a charmed life.
Alan Tasses has constantly reminded his side that they can’t be making crucial mistakes at NPL level and from a seemingly innocuous free-kick and a small error, Eleanor Lidbetter equalised for Gladesville Ravens.
Lidbetter showed the precision of a surgeon as she placed the set piece in the small space between the bar and Danielle Bartels to make it 1-1.
The draw left Tasses frustrated once again with Nepean FC’s lack of finesse, but on a bright note continues their unbeaten start to the competition, as they chase finals football once again.
SD Raiders 2 – Central Coast Mariners 1
In a tight and close tussle, SD Raiders showed that extra grit to get themselves back in the winner’s circle with a 2-1 decision this afternoon at Ernie Smith Reserve.
Cassidy Chidgey opened the scoring for SD Raiders with her fifth goal of the season before Jordan Evans equalised for the Mariners to make it 1-1 headed to the break.
After the break, the Raiders found the winner as Hannah-Rose Davey made it goals in consecutive weeks with a superb striker that sent all three points to the Raiders.
Sydney Olympic FC 8 – St George FC 2
The SS Sydney Olympic FC continues to smoothly sail through the National Premier Leagues 2 Womens waters with a comprehensive 8-2 win this afternoon against St George FC.
Last year’s premiers were ruthless in their dismantling of the Saints.
Madelaine Costanzo got herself a bag full with four goals while Lieke Bever helped herself to a hat-trick and Rochelle Johnson rounded out the real good performance as Bill Papas noted.
A maiden victory continues to elude St George FC and while they have been defensively frail, the Saints haven’t had trouble finding the net down the other end.
Leanne Sharp picked up a brace as the Saints look to their home fixture against Nepean FC to move off the relegation places.
APIA Leichhardt Tigers 3 – Western NSW Mariners FC 1
It wasn’t a virtuoso performance from APIA Leichhardt Tigers but they did enough, making it three straight victories, in a 3-1 stroll in the late kick-off tonight at Lambert Park.
Ashleigh Palombi showed her skills with both her head and feet. The striker used both to add two more goals to her impressive tally in the season, as APIA Leichhardt dominated the contest from the first minute to the last.
Sarah Urquhart was cool from the spot for APIA Leichhardt Tigers second goal, soon after Western NSW Mariners had equalised through Meaghan Kempson, who arrowed home from a superb cutback.
Next weekend is a big test for the Tigers as they face reigning Premiers Sydney Olympic FC and hope to stay close to the standard bearer of National Premier Leagues 2 Womens.
-By Justin Davies, National Premier Leagues 2 Womens reporter
