Round 1 Review – NPL 2 NSW Women’s
Welcome back football we missed you! After four months off, the National Premier Leagues 2 NSW Womens competition roared back into action. Five contests produced thrills, spills and goals in a spirited weekend of action.
Match of the Round: Gladesville Ravens 1 defeated by St George FC 2
The first Match of the Round back produced the upset of the first weekend as St George defeated Gladesville Ravens, 2-1, on a crisp afternoon at Christie Park.
St George FC got off to the perfect start in the competition restart with three points. It was a stoic display from the Saints who scored twice through Tulley McEvoy and Alicia Lee then spent most of the second half defending but held firm to take the result.
For Gladesville Ravens, it was a day where nothing went right. Midfielder Carlie Ikonomou had the ball on a string with her set piece delivery – scoring the Ravens only goal – but for the most of the contest the ball refused to bounce the Ravens way.
The shrill of referee Tom Emezey’s whistle meant after four long and challenging months, football was back. Both sides got into their work quickly as Jamaica Marshall offered the first shot in anger for Gladesville Ravens.
Next it was Ravens midfield maestro Carlie Ikonomou who warmed the hands of St George FC keeper Amy Orphanides with a shot. Long range efforts were the main method for Gladesville with their attack in the first half.
St George FC didn’t have the pile up of shots, they converted their first of the afternoon. A cushioned ball through the middle found the stride of Tulley McEvoy who arrowed into the bottom corner for 1-nil.
Gladesville almost produced an instant response through Kristy Rohrer. She picked up the ball outside the area and unfurled a shot that rattled the frame of the goal then defender Eleanor Lidbetter swooped onto a loose ball, forced Orphanides into another save.
Whilst the Ravens were wasteful, St George FC were clinical. Some neat interplay between McEvoy sent Alicia Lee through and the striker struck well to make it 2-nil, as the upset brewed.
Saints captain Amy Bennett had the final chance before the break to add to the score line but her shot was saved well. St George took a healthy 2-nil lead into the half-time break.
At times in the second half, it felt like the pitch was tilted towards the St George FC goal. Ravens peppered them with shots headlined by Marshall’s header being kicked off the line in the 47th minute.
Rohrer went close again in the 54th after she ghosted into the box but Orphanides stood tall then another header from the Ravens whistled wide. One positive was Ikonomou’s delivery which caused chaos every time.
Against the run of play, Genevieve Russo had two shots to put the contest to bed. Russo crashed her effort against the post then has a low shot gobbled up by Ravens keeper Kasia Glennie.
Fittingly, Ravens goal came through Ikonomou. The midfield took her mark like a fast bowler and bounded in, flighted the ball and sailed it into the net for 2-1. Ravens could sniff the chance to snatch something from the contest.
Ikonomou put it on a plate for Summer McShane-Cale who flashed wide then Annalise Schiraldi was left with her hands thrust into the air after being unable to turn home. St George FC had a chance on the counter but couldn’t tuck home.
Into the final embers of the contest, Ikonomou tried to take it upon herself to deliver but after finding some space shot right at Orphanides. St George FC rode the white knuckle ride and took home all three points tonight.
Speaking afterwards, St George FC coach Mark Cuppit was delighted with the result as the Saints got the shortened competition off to a perfect start:
“We were well organised tonight. We worked on the low block to deny their counter. We know Gladesville’s modus operandi is to shoot from distance and we had to stop that. It is a good start. I thought we were close against Marconi but this is a good start for us.” said Cuppit.
Match Stats
Sunday 19 July 2020
Christie Park, Macquarie Park
Referee: T. Emezey
Assistant Referees: A. Emezey & T. Maubray
Gladesville Ravens 1 (Carlie Ikonomou)
St George FC 2 (Alicia Lee, Tulley McEvoy)
Gladesville Ravens: 1. GLENNIE Kasia, 3. GESTIER Hannah (32. VLANGOS ‘68), 4. LIDBETTER Eleanor 5. FISHER Alanna, 6. IKONOMOU Carlie, 7. ROHRER Kristy, 9. SCHIRALDI Annalise, 12. MARSHALL Jamaica (23. McShane-Cale ‘68), 22. MIKAELIAN Taylor, 30. FORBES Annabel (8. ZACZEK ‘45), 33. LONG Teagan (28. ANDREW ‘76)
Unused subs: 15. FRENCH Jackie
Yellow cards: nil
Red cards: nil
St George FC: 1. ORPHANIDES Amy, 3. MINAS Joanna, 4. NACHAR Sarah (10. CUPITT ‘63), 6. RUSSO Genevieve, 7. LEE Alicia, 8. BENNETT Amy, 9. LUCIEN Sunny (12. KENSITT ‘71), 11. MCEVOY Tulley, 15. PEZZOTTA Sara, 16. ZOUROUDIS Jasmin (14. MARJANOVIC ‘83), 18. MOMSEN Brodie (5. MAMO ‘72)
Unused subs: 25. WANG Rachelle
Yellow cards: nil
Red cards: nil
Southern Branch FC 0 defeated by Sutherland Shire FA 3
It was business as usual for Sutherland Shire FA as they triumphed 3-nil against a game Southern Branch FC side in the early kick-off Sunday afternoon down at South Nowra Football Complex.
Sutherland Shire FA were within touching distance of the Grand Final and set about their work in the two rounds before the break and this contest to rectify that mistake. All three goals in the contest were scored in a first half blitz for the visitors.
Jordan Baker got them started then off-season recruit Stevie Donougher also found the back of the net. There was an unfortunate own goal from Southern Branch’s Luella Boulton which rounded off a bright start from Sutherland Shire FA.
Central Coast Mariners 1 defeated Nepean FC 0
Central Coast Mariners weren’t at their fluid best but snuck past Nepean FC 1-nil in a close contest at Pluim Park on a bright Sunday afternoon.
Both sides took their time to find their rhythm after four months without football. They battled hard but the game went into the break locked at 0-0.
The Mariners have prided themselves on their ability to find an extra gear late in a contest and they delivered a sucker punch late in the contest. Iona Snape fired home to keep all three points on the coast.
Nepean FC remain upbeat despite the defeat. Coach Alan Tasses praised the spirit of the young side which was missing a chunk of their squad through availability but remained in the contest in one of the toughest away trips in National Premier Leagues 2 Womens.
UNSW FC 2 defeated Inter Lions 0
The Lions continue to roar after resumption with their comfortable 2-nil success against Inter Lions at Seymour Shaw on Sunday afternoon.
Before the lockdown, the Students were unbeaten and showed they hadn’t lost a step in the four months that passed, banking three points with goals in either half. Coach Steve Greenwood will be pleased in the manner of their victory against the Lions.
Francesca Fernandez finished off some slick passing in the first half to make it 1-nil then after the break, Miranda Summersby-Mitchell doubled the advantage with a wonderful strike from the edge of the box to complete the result.
North Shore Mariners 3 defeated SD Raiders 1
North Shore Mariners downed a resolute SD Raiders FC 3-1 in their opening contest at Northbridge Oval on Sunday afternoon to round off the first weekend of action.
The Mariners got off to a fast start, scoring twice in quick succession through Evelyn Chronis to give them a two-goal buffer headed into the break. The second half was a much more open affair with both sides pushing forward and trading chances.
SD Raiders pulled a goal back in the second half through Sarah Mandile. The play started on the left then fell to Brooke Hankin, who turned well and played in Mandile to fire home for 2-1.
Rochelle Johnson added gave the Mariners their two-goal buffer back late with a strike to gift the home team all three points. Both coaches were pleased with the effort in the first game back from the lockdown and look to brighter times next weekend.
Marconi Stallions had the bye
By Justin Davies (@JustDavies90)
