Round 10 – National Premier Leagues Women’s 2 Review
Drama, wind machines, plenty of action. No, it wasn’t the Eurovision Song Contest. It was Round 10 of the National Premier League 2 Womens, as Sydney Olympic FC rule the roost but Central Coast, APIA and Gladesville are on their tail.
Match of the Round: Sydney Olympic FC 5 defeated Nepean FC 0
Another day, another impressive performance from Sydney Olympic FC. They flattened Nepean FC with a 5-nil on a wet afternoon on the synthetic pitch at Seymour Shaw.
Nepean FC competed well for half an hour, but a burst of goals between the 30th and 55th minute, where Sydney Olympic FC piled on four goals, sent them on course for three more points for their imposing points tally.
Lieke Bever and Kristy Kunovski got themselves braces on a rainy afternoon at Seymour Shaw while Kristy Rohrer hooked home in the 89th minute to complete the five-star performance which put them seven points clear of their challengers.
Through the opening quarter of the contest, Nepean FC held their own, but Sydney Olympic FC looked dangerous when they broke quickly and if not for their profligacy. Both Siahn Bozanic and Lieke Bever were played in but thrashed efforts wide.
Eventually last year’s premiers class shone. A delightful chipped ball fell into the path of Bever, the striker did well to touch it past the goalkeeper, making it 1-nil to Sydney Olympic FC.
Alix Waddell found some rare space for Nepean FC. She cut inside her defender well, created space then forced Olympic FC keeper, Amanda Horafios into a rare save, as Alan Tasses continued to cut a frustrated figure on the bench.
His frustration grew as Olympic FC doubled their lead in the 40th minute. They broke quickly on the counter, streaming forward like spartans into battle, it fell to Kristy Kunovski to tap home making it 2-nil.
Two minutes later it was three. Danielle Calvi, who has eight goals in her previous four games, turned provider. Her pinpoint cross fell perfectly for Kunovski to complete her brace. The premiers flexed their muscle in a quick 15-minute spurt.
Bever completed her brace eight minutes after the break. Calvi had a pair of assists, the striker stroked through a perfect ball her team-mate to run onto, round the keeper and slot home for 4-nil, as Nepean FC were sinking without a trace.
Not content to sit on their lead, Olympic FC surged forward continously. Bozanic and Costanzo both sent efforts high into the stands before Nepean FC substitute Lauren Connell flashed wide herself.
Olympic FC would make it a five-star performance at the death. Diedre Barham teased in a delightful corner that allowed Kristy Rohrer to join into the scoring fun. She hooked an effort into the goal as the premiers ran rampant.
Afterwards George Beltsos commended the clinical nature of the side and called it one of their best performances of the season.
“I thought Nepean played well, tried hard. Our girls were clinical with their chances, scored some good goals. I thought the first fifteen minutes of the second half was our best performance of the season,” he said.
For Alan Tasses, he admitted that it was women against girls at times this afternoon as Nepean FC look much more to the future.
“They’re a good football. It was women verse young girls today – as a club we’ll get the rewards in a few years once these girls mature,”
“We matched them for the first thirty through sheer enthusiasm. After that they out-witted us, out-smarted us and found the goals.” Finished Tasses.
MATCH STATS
Sunday 13 May 2018
Seymour Shaw
Sydney Olympic FC 5 (Bever ’31, ’40, Kunovski ’42, ’53, Rohrer ’89)
Nepean FC 0
Sydney Olympic FC: 2. TAYLOR Eloise, 3. MIRKOVIC Madeleine, 4. BARHAM Deidre, 6. HALASKA Kate (21. HOWARD ’81), 7. CALVI Danielle (16. JOHNSON ’79), 8. BOZANIC Siahn, 9. COSTANZO Madelaine (12. CHEN ’84), 10. BEVER Lieke, 11. ROHRER Kristy, 18. KUNOVSKI Kristy (17. KHOURY ’79), 20. HORAFIOS Amanda
Subs not used: 36. SAADE Sihaeem
Yellow cards: nil
Red cards: nil
Nepean FC: 3. DAVIDSON Aisling, 6. BALLARD Monique, 9. PELLE Britney (14. CONNELL ’66), 10. GALAYINI Bianca (7. HAARING ’80), 11. STEDMAN Madeline, 12. WADDELL Alix, 13. VASSALLO Desiree, 15. WHEELER Cassandra, 20. MALAS Narmin, 21. TROVATO Stefanie (8. LANE ’64), 26. CLARKE Emma (17. PARKER ’64)
Subs not used: 1. BARTELS Danielle
Yellow cards: nil
Red cards: nil
Inter Lions 3 defeated Western NSW Mariners 1
Danny Abboud said the points would come, and his statement came true. The Lions produced a stellar performance to record their third victory of the season this afternoon at Concord Oval.
Inter Lions lead throughout the whole 90 minutes, against a tough Western NSW Mariners side, as Kirilee Cook opened the scoring as the home side headed to the break a goal to the good.
The Mariners equalised through Teegan Courtney in the second half before strikes from Inter’s Samara Hammoud and Zoe Zaczek ended the comeback, although the Lions keeper had to produce some key saves to confirm the points.
Gladesville Ravens 1 drew with APIA Leichhardt Tigers 1
Gladesville Ravens have shown they won’t be pushovers, as they held off a spirited APIA Leichhardt Tigers, for a 1-1 draw at the refurbished Christie Park #2.
Both sides felt each other out in the first half, two prolific attacks were cancelled out by some dogged defense. The two managers afterwards both admitted it was probably a fair that neither side could find the winner.
It seemed a game played in fast forward. Lucy Gilfedder has a magnificent game for APIA and topped it off with a good finish that looked to have sent the points to Leichhardt. Football goes for the full ninety though.
Ravens clawed their way back into the contest in the 86th minute, new signing, Emily Diaz popped up to rifle home into the net, and make sure the points much like a box of favourites were shared by the two sides.
Marconi Stallions 3 drew with SD Raiders 3
Defense was seemingly optional at Marconi Stadium this afternoon, as the Stallions and Raiders played out a wild 3-3 draw in wet conditions.
Cassidy Chidgey got the SD Raiders off to a perfect start – her pair of goals had them surging before Demelza Howard cut into their lead, her fifth goal of the season, gave the Stallions hope headed into the half-time chat.
Maybe some Freaky Friday styled body swap happened at the break, because it was all Stallions in the second half. Jessica Beale and Vanessa Hoff fired the home side into the lead, as they completed a remarkable comeback.
In such a wild game, there was one final twist. Sophia Hamilton was the saviour for the Raiders as she thumped home, meaning the points were shared between two sides that probably, needed three.
UNSW FC 1 defeated by Central Coast Mariners 2
They left it late, but Central Coast Mariners winning run continued, Candice Phelan scoring late to break the students hearts, in a closer contest than most envisioned.
For a majority of the first half the students were content to sit back which played into the slick Mariners hands. They opened the scoring as Candice Phelan added to her phenomenal scoring record this season with her 19th strike, as that score-line remained into the break.
Renato Jelen urged his side forward in the second stanza, and it brought instant reward. Sarah Blaydon arrowed home to make it 1-1 as the students could sense that an upset alongside the sweet aroma of the food in the air at Valentine Sports Park.
Sadly it wasn’t to be for the home side. The Mariners showed the grit of a top four team, as Candice Phelan completed her brace, her 20th of the season, four minutes from the end which propelled the coastal side into second.
Southern Branch FC vs St George FC was washed out
By Justin Davies
