Round 13 – NPL NSW Women’s Review
There was a reshuffle in the top five in the NPL NSW Women’s competition while the North Shore Mariners secured their first win in two months.
Football NSW Institute 5-1 Illawarra Stingrays
It was a tale of two halves at Valentine Sports Park on Sunday between the Football NSW Institute and Illawarra Stingrays, with one side taking advantage of their chances.
A smashing second half by the Institute saw them come away with a commanding 5-1 victory.
Courtney Nevin was the standout for the home side in the second 45 minutes with a goal and a couple assists.
Evelyn Chronis should’ve had the visitors in front after eight minutes, getting to the back post but not being able to head the ball on target in what would’ve been a certain goal.
It was quite the tactical battle between both sides with neither able to crack the others defensive barriers.
Kyra Cooner-Cross had the first chance for the Institute on the half hour mark, testing the palms of the Stingrays keeper.
Illawarra went the other way and went close again.
Erica Halloway delivered a cross from the right as Michelle Carney headed toward goal, before Jada Mathyssen-Whyman made a fine save as the Institute cleared their lines.
Liana Danaskos then played a sublime through ball for Chronis with the winger arriving inches late to the ball and the attack coming to nothing.
Cooney-Cross was next to try her luck but her effort went well wide of the post six minutes before the break.
Special praise must go to Institute captain Angelique Hristodoulou who was a commanding presence in defence for the home side.
A minute before half time Caitlin Cooper barged her way into the box, shooting and forcing Mathyssen-Whyman into another save before Chronis spurned the chance to send the Stingrays in front, sending the rebound high and wide of the goal.
It was Chronis in the thick of it again on the strike of half time, this time getting on the end of a shot-come-pass from Danaskos, only to tap the ball wide of the target.
It took only three minutes in the second half for Institute to hit the front.
A short corner wasn’t closed down by the Stingrays before Courtney Nevin let fly, with her shot taking a deflection before hitting the top corner.
Nevin’s lethal left foot was causing major issues and on 55 minutes it was 2-0.
Another short corner was poorly dealt with by Illawarra as Nevin’s cross found the head of Sheridan Gallagher who found the back of the net.
The Institute onslaught continued as Rachel Lowe almost made it three on 58 minutes.
The striker let rip with a fine strike from outside the box, only for Kya Stewart to save well.
Carney came close on 67 minutes for the Stingrays but couldn’t get enough on the ball to beat Mathyssen-Whyman.
Susan Phonsongkham was having a quite game for her standards and went close to adding to the score line on 70 minutes but she couldn’t find the back of the net.
Cooney-Cross lead a counter attack for the Institute two minutes later, dancing her way through three defenders before only stinging the palms of Stewart.
Carney went close up the other end but her near post volley couldn’t find the target.
Corners and Courtney Nevin were the away sides undoing and it happened again 10 minutes from the end.
Another Nevin corner was poorly dealt with, allowing substitute Shadeene Evans to bundle the ball home.
The Institute weren’t done there though and added another only a minute later.
Phonsongkham was played though and easily placed the ball beyond Stewart to make it 4-0.
Talitha Kramer had a consolation for the away side five minutes before full time with a wonderful strike into the top corner.
Phonsongkham made it 5-1 in the 87th minute, outmuscling her marker before placing the ball into the bottom right corner for her second of the day.
In the final minute of normal time, Matyhssen-Whyman showed why she is one of the most talented keepers in the country with a fine save to keep the score at 5-1.
Manly United 2-1 Sutherland Shire
We almost had the shock of the season in the late kick off at Cromer Park on Sunday night between Manly United and Sutherland Shire.
The bottom placed side in the competition took a first half lead through captain Jordan Baker and went into the break 1-0 to the good.
A shocked home side needed to react in the second half and managed to find an equaliser through Emily MInett.
Chloe O’Brien found the winner for United as they came away with all three points after suffering an almighty scare.
The 2-1 victory pushed Manly into second place on the ladder.
Blacktown Spartans 3-1 Northern Tigers
Blacktown Spartans more or less ended the Northern Tigers finals hopes on Sunday afternoon.
Blacktown went into half time leading 2-1 thanks to goals from Gab Marzano and Sarah Yatim, while Jade Booty scored for the Tigers.
Rhianna Pollicina made the points safe for Blacktown in the second half to complete the 3-1 win.
Emerging Jets 1-4 NWS Koalas
The Emerging Jets welcomed the North West Sydney Koalas to Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility.
The Koalas were desperate for all three points to keep their finals hopes alive as the season moves toward the end.
They did just that, coming away with a resounding 4-1 victory to keep them in sixth place on the ladder.
North Shore Mariners 1-0 Bankstown City
The North Shore Mariners hosted Bankstown City at Northbridge Oval on Sunday afternoon.
North Shore were winless since round four and were desperate to get a victory to get their season back on track.
Hannah Peric managed to edge them in front as they held on for their first win in two months.
Sydney University 1-1 Macarthur Rams
It was one of the key matches of round 13 as Sydney University welcomed the Macarthur Rams to Sydney Uni Football Ground.
The league leaders lead at half time thanks to a Nikki Flannery goal, going into the sheds at 1-0.
The Rams fought back though and equalised with only 10 minutes to go on the clock as Georgia Yeoman-Dale found the back of the net.
Late in the game Kylie Ledbrook saw red for a second yellow card but the score remained at 1-1.
The result leaves Uni at the top of the table while the Rams drop to fifth place.
