NPL 2 NSW Women’s – Round 10 Review
National Premier Leagues 2 NSW Womens Review – Round 10
Round 10 saw plenty of excitement in the National Premier Leagues 2 Womens, as the top three have started to break away from the pack. Let’s get onto the review.
Match of the Round: St George FC 2 defeated Southern Branch FC 1
The Saints are celebrating! St George FC registered their first win of 2019 with a pair of first half goals that secured them a 2-1 success against a tough Southern Branch FC at St George Stadium.
St George FC made it a fantastic Mother’s Day. Amy Bennett and Antonia Sarikakis strikes two minutes apart in the first half made it a 2-nil lead. The Saints saw off a late challenge to register three points and raised important funds for breast cancer.
Southern Branch FC showed plenty of resilience in their second half display. The side emerged energized and took it to the home side. Shaylee Meehan gave them hope with her 83rd minute goal but they look to rebound next weekend.
Taking the field in their pink socks for pink ribbon day, St George FC were the first to test the keeper as Antonia Sarikakis had an effort that was saved well by Southern Branch FC keeper Holly Lewis.
The Saints continued to find joy down the wing through Amy Bennett and Eden Holmes, as both got behind the Southern defense with regularity. The pair worked well to open up the chance for Yadira Renfigo but the striker couldn’t fashion a shot.
Renfigo showed she wasn’t a slouch in the pace department in the 18th minute to create the opener. Renfigo sped past her defender before she cut the ball back to Bennett, the winger took a decisive touch and slotted home, making it 1-nil.
Soon it was double delight for St George. Sarikakis on the other side got in on the act. Again, it was their trio of attackers that created the goal, started by Holmes, a sublime touch from Renfgio as Bennett curved home for 2-nil.
The rest of the first half continued in that pattern. The Saints hammered a shot against the bar in the 27th before Emily Upstone was found smartly by Renfigo but couldn’t convert. Lastly, both Bennett and Renfigo had chances but the scoreboard read 2-nil to St George FC.
Fresh from their half-time pep talk, Southern Branch FC pressed their opponents much more. It created a few half chances for them, as substitute Shaylee Meehan bent an effort wide of the right-hand post with their best chance.
Looking to respond, Renfigo weaved her way past the Southern Branch FC defense but was denied well by the defender at the last moment. The striker had a further chance to finish the contest on the break but couldn’t find the final ball.
Southern Branch FC kept pushing forward. A slick move opened up space for Keely Boon, the substitute shot high. The visitors weren’t to be denied though, Meehan slotted home from a cushioned ball to make it 2-1 in the 83rd minute.
There was some late nerves as St George FC had to defend some set piece opportunities including one that pinballed around the area without getting a touch from a visitor. The home side saw the game out though, registering their first win of the season.
Speaking afterwards St George FC coach Carlo Tini was delighted with the victory although it came at a cost of a few injuries but now, they move on to their double header next weekend:
“Southern Branch really made us work today. We worked hard, it wasn’t an easy win but we got the result in the end. It is a double header next weekend, so we’ll reassess to see how the squad is headed into that.” said Tini.
For Southern Branch FC coach Boon, the second half effort from the visitors pleased him and he hopes they can take that energy into the rest of the season, to move off the bottom of the ladder:
“The girls were all over the place in the first half. The second half was quite close, it would’ve been nice to get a draw but credit to St George. The girls are slowly getting better each week, upping the ante and now aim to keep ourselves off the bottom of the ladder.” said Boon.
Match Stats
Sunday 12 May 2018
St George Stadium, Rockdale
Referee: J. Coutinho
Assistant Referees: H. Lee & C. Lynch
St George FC 2 (Bennett ‘18, Sarikakis ‘20)
Southern Branch FC 1 (Meehan ‘83)
St George FC: 1. DODD Lani, 2. BOMZE Serena, 3. DIAVATIOTIS Jasmine, 5. UPSTONE Emily (6. SMITH ‘73), 7. SARIKAKIS Antonia, 8. BENNETT Amy (9. NICOPOULOS ‘90), 10. RENFIGO Yadira, 11. HOLMES Eden (16. DIMITROPOULOS ‘88), 15. BROWN Sheldon (17. SERT ‘79), 19. GRIFFIN Bianca (14. MARJANOVIC ‘93), 20. SMITH Claire
Yellow cards: nil
Red cards: nil
Southern Branch FC: 1. LEWIS Holly, 4. BOULTON Luella, 5. LEEDHAM Melaine, 6. HONECKER Larni, 7. DOUGLASS Jasmin (9. BOON ‘74), 8. POTTER Matilda-Lee, 10. WRIGHT Bronte, 12. SHARROCK Tanika, 13. ABBOTT Jessie, 16. SEITARIDIS Zoe (11. MEEHAN ‘67), 31. GRIFFIN Jamie
Unused subs: 2. GRAINGER Tilhaney, 17. PEDRO Madeleine, 24. LYONS Bronte
Yellow cards: nil
Red cards: nil
Gladesville Ravens 4 defeated Western NSW Mariners 0
Another week, another victory for Gladesville Ravens. They swept aside Western NSW Mariners 4-nil in an afternoon fixture at Christie Park on Sunday.
Going on the continued success for Gladesville Ravens, Emily Diaz bagged herself another double, taking her tally to fifteen goals for the season. Ravens were made to work for the points though, as Western NSW held them to a 0-0 at the break.
In second half, alongside Diaz’s brace, Amelia Vitek and youngster Jade Pond found themselves on the scoresheet to ease the nerves for the home side. That takes their unbeaten run to 10 with the trip to Sutherland Shire FA to come next weekend.
Sutherland Shire FA 2 defeated SD Raiders FC 1
They were made to work for it, but the unbeaten run continues for Sutherland Shire FA, winning 2-1 against a tough SD Raiders FC side at Harrie Denning Centre.
The first half was a tight contest between two sides that want to be there at the pointy end of the season. Nicole Besz found the back of the net for Shire FA whilst Kristi Pavlicevic was the one for SD Raiders as the sides went to the break 1-1.
Shire FA took control in the second half. It wasn’t the goal glut that plenty of their contests had been thus far. Captain and sharpshooter Jordan Baker took herself into double figures for the season, with the only goal of the second 45 to remain unbeaten.
Regarding the visitors, the result was a tough one for them. SD Raiders FC fell out of the top five for the first time in weeks, trailing Nepean FC, by two points. The work begins for Terry Gray’s side to bounce back next weekend.
Marconi Stallions 0 defeated by APIA Leichhardt Tigers 2
In a tough contest, APIA Leichhardt Tigers kept their run going with a tight 2-nil victory against a stubborn Marconi Stallions side this afternoon at Marconi Stadium.
APIA showed they can find multiple ways to record a victory. This game was a tense struggle where they needed goalkeeper Courtney Halpin to pull off some fantastic saves once again. In front of goal, Ash Palombi swept home their opener after some slick work from Jessica Fallah and Nicole Carmichael opened up the Stallions defense.
Their second came from the spot as Kerrie Ryan slotted home following Jennifer Bissett was fouled in the box after a mazy run. That was enough for three points as the top three now starts to break away from the rest of the competition.
Central Coast Mariners 5 defeated Inter Lions 1
Central Coast Mariners got themselves back to winning ways with a 5-1 victory against Inter Lions on Sunday afternoon down at Pluim Park.
The navy-and-yellow side put in a dominant first half performance to get themselves in control of the contest. Mikala Tucker took the headlines with her brace with Gabrielle Blanch and Iona Snape helping themselves to a goal each.
While the second half didn’t have the goalscoring fireworks of the first, Danielle Wise knocked home her fifth goal of the season to make it five stars for the Mariners. The result puts the Mariners in seventh, five points out of the top five.
Inter Lions were in the loss column again but the side who are the only team without a victory this season did find the net themselves. Bindi Bryce struck in the first half to keep them off the duck egg for the contest.
Nepean FC 4 defeated UNSW FC 1
Nepean FC triumphed in Round 10’s night cap with a 4-1 stroll against UNSW FC underneath the lights at Cook Park on a brisk Sunday night.
Missing a pair of their experience players in Desiree Vassallo and Lauren Gaul, Nepean FC still controlled the contest and got their goals as reward. Stand-in captain Stefanie Trovato led well from the front and netted a goal herself.
Imogen Lane continued on her strong performance last weekend with a goal with Bianca Galayini and Lauren Connell rounded off the scoring. The result saw Nepean FC move into fifth position to make it a fantastic weekend for Alan Tasses and his side.
For UNSW FC, it is another defeat to add to their laundry list. The Students did grab themselves a goal in the contest through Darcey Read’s third of the season, as they remain rooted in tenth position after the weekend.
By Justin Davies (@JustDavies90)
