North Shore Mariners crowned 2020 NPL 2 NSW Women’s Champions

We made it in the end everybody. Through all the twists and bends, the National Premier Leagues 2 NSW Womens competition finished off the season with a hard-fought Grand Final which saw North Shore Mariners crowned Champions.

Grand Final: North Shore Mariners 5 defeated Marconi Stallions 0

North Shore Mariners completed their unbeaten season with a five-star performance as they blew away Marconi Stallions 5-nil and were crowned Champions today at Valentine Sports Park.

The one-sided Grand Final was a testament to the strength of the North Shore Mariners side. The Mariners were a complete unit across the park as Golden Boot Evelyn Chronis opened the scoring then Siahn Bozanic side footed home. Rita Boateng and an own goal rounded out the scoring on a wonderful afternoon for the North Shore side.

Whilst the result didn’t go their way, Marconi Stallions fought until the final minute of the contest in their shortened season. The Stallions were undefeated until their loss this afternoon and will take lessons into next year’s campaign to go one better.

On a warm afternoon at Valentine Sports Park, both sides got into their work quickly. Tania Baban had Marconi Stallions first effort of the contest as North Shore Mariners worked themselves into their groove.

The Mariners didn’t take long to strike gold. Defender Caitlin Campbell drifted in a devilish free-kick which pinballed like Sonic the Hedgehog before Golden Boot Evelyn Chronis headed home for a 1-nil lead.

North Shore Mariners continued to find success from the set piece. Rochelle Johnson was released quickly from a free-kick before she over-hit the cross. Next, a slick move which featured Madeleine Mirkovic, Chronis and Johnson saw the latter blaze over.

It continued to be one-way traffic in the hot conditions. Marconi Stallions were made to chase the ball and it helped the Mariners score their second. A delightful cross fell to the foot of Siahn Bozanic to side foot home for 2-nil.

When these two met earlier this season, Marconi came back from a two-goal deficit and looked to repeat the dose today. Danielle Bishop floated into the left side and shot straight followed by Samantha Huynh’s tame free-kick was their best work of the half.

There was a rubber stamp and the name started to be etched onto the trophy as North Shore Mariners fired in a third goal before half-time. Again, it came from out wide when a cross was whipped into the area and took a deflection from Renee Tomkin for an own goal and 3-nil.

The half-time oranges didn’t dissipate North Shore Mariners hunger for goals. Johnson got her head onto another well delivered Campbell free-kick which flew wide. Bishop tried to respond for Stallions from her free-kick but custodian Trudy Burke was safe.

2020 has been a breakout year for Mariners striker Rita Boateng. She took her turn to light up the Grand Final with a swift counter. Johnson started it and cushioned the ball to Boateng for the sharpshooter to slide home for 4-nil.

Boateng’s pace has tormented defenders all season and it played out perfectly for North Shore Mariners fifth goal of the contest. There was a mix up with Stallions custodian Renee Krstanovska which left Boateng free to roll into the empty net, 5-nil.

The result was well in hand but the Stallions kept looking for a consolation score. Hannah Voloder, Bishop who hit the base of the post and striker Baban all had chances which were denied as the game drifted to full-time.

North Shore Mariners were crowned Champions for the National Premier Leagues 2 NSW Womens competition. Attacker Rochelle Johnson was awarded the Player of the Match for her huge performance as the Mariners completed an undefeated season.

Speaking post-match, Mariners coach praised the collective effort of his side in the one-sided decider and enjoyed the results as the Mariners finished the season undefeated:

“The girls have done well all season. We took out the Premiership, went undefeated and we ticked all the boxes this season headed into the future. From a club perspective, it was strong.” said Lee.

“I think today was great acknowledgement for the girls for what they’ve done all season. Rocky has been tireless all season in her work for us. She ran them ragged which helped to create the goals for us. It was a great performance all round.” finished Lee.

MATCH STATS

Sunday 11 October 2020

Valentine Sports Park

Referee:

Assistant Referees:

Fourth Offical:

North Shore Mariners 5 (Boateng 2, Bozanic, Chronis, OG)

Marconi Stallions 0

North Shore Mariners: 1. BURKE Trudy, 2. PIRIZ Sarah, 6. MIRKOVIC Madeleine (12. BEARD ‘81), 8. CHRONIS Evelyn, 11. BOATENG Rita (25. GYZEN ‘73), 13. DI SCIASCIO Erica, 14. BOZANIC Siahn, 15. GREY Elizabeth, 22. CAMPBELL Caitlin (5. EVANS ‘61), 34. JOHNSON Rochelle (10. MARZANO ‘66), 35. CLOUT Tessa

Unused subs: 31. CROUCH Jasmine

Yellow cards: nil

Red cards: nil

Marconi Stallions: 1. KRSTANOVSKA Renee (32. SOLLECITO ‘74), 2. VOLODER Hannah (30. BONOVAS ‘63), 3. BISHOP Danielle, 5. HUYNH Samantha, 7. TOMKINS Renee, 10. VOLODER Emma, 16. OSSIO Nicole (33. OLIVA ‘45), 17. FEATHERSTONE Lauren (25. DAL BON ‘80), 18. MANNA Melina (15. WALTON ‘56), 36. TAVARES Erin Leah, 40. BABAN Tania

Yellow cards: Huynh, Manna

Red cards: nil

By Justin Davies (@JustDavies90)