Round 17 Review – PS4 NPL NSW Women’s

Huge matches took centre stage when the PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues NSW Women’s Round 17 went into overdrive with the North West Sydney Koalas v Football NSW Institute highlighted as the Match of the Round.

North West Sydney Koalas 2-1 Football NSW Institute

It was a routine win for the North West Sydney Koalas against the Football NSW Institute at ELS Hall Park.

A brace to Tara Andrews was enough to see them through with a 2-0 victory as the Premiership comes down to the final round of the season.

With Sydney University winning their catch up games, comfortably, the Koalas could not afford to drop any points or their Premiership fight would be over.

The Koalas stated their intent early, pressing high on the Institute defensive line with Tara Andrews closing down the away side’s keeper in the opening seconds.

After a couple half chances, the Koalas should’ve taken the lead on six minutes.

A mix up in the box saw Natalie Penman pop up with the ball but her volley from the six-yard box was easy for the Institute keeper.

Stephen Peters’ high press was working well as the Institute struggled to get out of their half in the opening exchanges.

Caitlin Campbell was a force in the backline for the Koalas and was stamping her authority on the game, taking control.

Penman was again involved in the 10th minute but Angelique Hristodoulou made a good save from the one on one.

In the 13th minute though it should’ve been 1-0 to the young Institute team.

A rare foray into the Koalas half saw Rachel Lowe move on into the box, only for her shot to skew inches wide of the post.

The home side got the well-deserved opener on 19 minutes.

Hristodoulou couldn’t hold a well struck volley from Erin Pridmore from outside the area as Andrews wasn’t asked twice, stealing in and tapping the ball into an empty net.

Andrews almost turned provider after a nice flowing move on 27 minutes, only for Penman to strike the post.

Only a couple minutes later it was Shayna Killey’s chance to score, but she put her effort wide of the left hand post.

The Institute persisted with their philosophy of playing out from the back and keeping the ball, working very well at times.

With 32 minutes on the clock, Killey was brought down in the box.

Andrews stepped up to the spot burying her effort in the right corner, as Hristodoulou didn’t even move.

Andrews was in the mood and four minutes before half time she should have had her hat-trick.

First a deflected shot from the edge of the area went just wide for a corner before heading agonisingly high from just outside the six-yard box from the ensuing corner.

The Institute came out stronger in the second period and had a couple half decent chances early.

After that though, it was back to the Koalas dominance as Andrews and Killey continued to be a nuisance.

Lowe went close with 15 played in the second half for the Institute, but again her effort went wide.

In the 70th minute only Jade Booty knows how the score didn’t become 3-0

Again, fantastic work by Andrews down the left saw her play a square ball across goal to Booty who under minimal pressure managed to miss the whole ball.

Minutes later Booty returned the favour for Andrews but the tall striker couldn’t control her effort.

Some great work by sweeper keeper Chloe Avgoustou thwarted a couple of dangerous Institute attacks in the second half.

Booty did well to make some space 10 minutes from the end after a lob pass from Andrews, only to hit the ball on the bounce way over the bar.

Rachel Perrins then had a chance to put the home side further in front but she rushed her shot and missed the target with the clock ticking.

Lowe was rewarded for her hard work throughout the match with two minutes remaining.

The nippy forward burst into the box as Avgoustou saved the initial attempt before Lowe hammered the ball into the back of the net.

It was all the Institute could do as the Koalas brought the game to a close.

Emerging Jets 0-7 Macarthur Rams

In the early game on Sunday at Lake Macquarie Football Facility, the Emerging Jets hosted the Macarthur Rams.

The Rams need points to continue their fight for a finals place while the Jets would avoid the wooden spoon.

There was only one team out to play though as the young Jets side felt the effects of two games in two days.

Four goals in the opening 45 minutes, as well as another three were enough for a convincing 7-0 victory.

The win puts the Rams in fourth place on the ladder in what will come down to the final round of the season.

Manly United 2-0 North Shore Mariners

It was local derby day on Sunday at Cromer Park as Manly United took on the North Shore Mariners.

The Mariners finals hopes were over but they would love nothing more than to dash their rival’s chances.

United knew that a win would inch them ever closer to a finals spot in what has been a remarkable season for them.

The young side from Manly did the job though and showed their maturity, taking a 2-0 win.

Remy Siemsen and Harley Johnston scored a goal each for the home team who now sit in third place on the competition table.

Marconi Stallions 1-0 Blacktown Spartans

Tense football is what awaited us at Marconi Stadium as the Marconi Stallions and Blacktown Spartans did battle.

Any points lost would more or less mean the end of the season for the Stallions.

The Spartans were coming in to this one keen to ruffle some feathers and have some impact on finals football.

A sole strike from Rhianna Pollicina was enough though for the home side to keep their finals hopes alive.

The Stallions are now only one point out of the top four in what will be an exciting final week of the regular season.

Sydney University V Illawarra Stingrays To be played Tuesday 2nd of August at Sydney University Football Ground at 7:30pm.

-By Nikola Pozder