Arrive Alive Women?s Premier League Round 13 Review

The top two spots, with Illawarra Stingrays and Manly United FC currently flying high, are also taking on an impregnable look but an upset here and there might put the cat amongst the pigeons.
Down in chilly but always friendly Bathurst the Western NSW Panthers laid out the welcome mat for their visitors from NWS Koalas.
As is often the case when The Panthers are defending their home turf this was a hard fought affair with little between the two sides. A 0-0 half time scoreline reflected the arm wrestle in progress but, in the 60th minute, Megan Embleton stepped up to score and put the locals in the lead. This was an advantage they were to hold until the full time whistle, despite the best efforts of the NWS Koalas.
This was a much needed win for The Panthers, keeping alive their finals hopes. Whilst they are only three points off fourth placed Inter Lions the Concord girls do have a game in hand. The Koalas, as they have in recent weeks, gave a good account of themselves but were unable to overcome a determined Panthers side.
WESTERN NSW PANTHERS 1 (M.Embleton 60m)
NWS KOALAS                           0
At Sydney University Oval the Sydney University girls were looking to continue the current run of form when they took on top four contenders the Inter Lions.
Things started well for the visitors with prolific goal scorer Catherine Cannuli scoring after just seven minutes. The Lions kept up the pressure and thought they?d added to their tally in the 19th minute only to have the goal disallowed. Both sides had their opportunities but Cannuli?s strike proved to be the difference going into the half time oranges.
Eight minutes after half time University striker Kate Trebilcock came to her side?s rescue with a well taken goal that set up a stirring second half. The two teams tried their best to take the initiative but at the end of the day a share of the competition points was the return for the 1-1 draw.
For the visitors this was something of a stumble in their hunt of the top three teams on the ladder. For the home side it showed yet again how much ability this side has when they have anywhere near a full crew aboard.
SYDNEY UNIVERSITY 1 (K.Trebilcock 53m)
INTER LIONS                 1 (C.Cannuli 7m)
At Lynwood Park the Macarthur Rams were out to join Manly United FC in second place by inflicting a second straight defeat on the seasiders.
The first half proved to be a fairly torrid struggle, as one would expect from such an important encounter. Just when it looked as if the teams would go to the sheds with a 0-0 half time scoreline Manly?s Tiarn Powell pounced on an opportunity which gave her side a 1-0 lead.
The Rams were a little shell shocked by this turn of events but came out after the resumption keen to resurrect their chances. In the 63rd minute they were rewarded when the consistent Linda Dudek scored. Were The Rams now going to finish the stronger and claim the points?
Manly United FC 2010 vintage are made of tougher stuff they and within five minutes they?d regained their lead with Tiarn Powell once again on hand to find the back of the net. With 22 minutes still remaining the match certainly wasn?t over but Manly fought tenaciously to maintain their edge. When the full time whistle sounded Manly reigned supreme with a 2-1 win that gives a little more breathing space in the fight for an all important top two finish in the premiership.
Macarthur Rams will be disappointed not to come away with the points but one expects that these two teams will meet again come finals time.
MACARTHUR RAMS 1 (L.Dudek 63m)
MANLY UNITED FC   2 (T.Powell 42m/68m)
J.J.Kelly Park isn?t always the most inviting spot from which to watch football on a cold winter?s day but the Illawarra Stingrays are always very hospitable. Let me clarify that; Illawarra are always hospitable to visiting journalists but not so much to visiting teams who come looking for competition points.
On Sunday it was the Marconi Stallions who came calling. These two sides had put on a stirring show in their first round encounter so fans were licking their lips in anticipation of another exciting game.
Illawarra Coach Brett Wallin went with a different formation to that previous clash in an endeavor to counter Marconi?s strengths. The Stingrays started strongly, pinning the young Marconi side in their own half for much of the opening twenty minutes. It was probably only to be expected then when the competition leaders were first to score after a goal mouth scramble following a Stingrays corner. Former Sydney FC Captain Lisa Gilbert was on hand to score that vital goal.
To Marconi?s credit they lifted their tempo to fashion some goal scoring opportunities of their own but failed to take advantage. In the 34th minute Illawarra?s Trudy Camilleri went on a fine solo run that led to her scoring a great goal which extended Illawarra?s lead to 2-0.
The Stingrays adjusted their formation again now to take on a more defensive feel in an effort to close down Marconi?s increasingly effective counter attack. The move appeared to pay dividends as Marconi?s chances dried up as the second half went on.
The end result was an Illawarra Stingrays win but this was a tough contest in which Marconi gave a solid performance. Given some of the players who are still missing from their line up and those in the starting squad who aren?t 100% fit The Stingrays have an ominous look about them when they can still produce games like this.
ILLAWARRA STINGRAYS 2 (L.Gilbert 19m, T.Camilleri 34m)
MARCONI STALLIONS       0
Finally, the Sutherland Sharks ventured down to South Nowra to do battle with the resurgent Southern Branch side.
Southern Branch had stopped celebrating last weekend?s first win of 2010 about ten minutes prior to kick off. From last week?s winning squad they had lost Maddy Cornell and Nicole Constable to the NSW Country Under 15 side and last week?s hummel Player of the Week Award winner Tiana Phillips.
However, they welcomed back keeper Jessie Strong along with Kate French and Club Captain Louise Lloyd Jones. French is now available to play for Southern for the remainder of the season after completing her medical study ?out bush?.
The biggest concern for the Southern Branch girls and their Coach Shane Duffy was that this reporter had actually tipped them to win. How can you plan to overcome a jinx like that?
The first half was a good one for Southern Branch. Mel Pellow made a number of overlapping runs which caused the Sutherland defence plenty of headaches. Pellow supplied some good crosses to her attackers but Sutherland was able to counter by adjusting their defence accordingly. Sutherland did manage a few attacking thrusts of their own but Southern keeper Strong was up to the task when called upon.
In the 32nd minute last week?s goalscorer Elise Battin was on the end of another right side foray from Mel Pellow to put away the opening goal. The locals maintained this advantage going into the half time break. Heaven only knows what was happening in the Southern Branch dressing room at half time as this was the first time the girls had been in front at the break all season!
The home side continued their enthusiastic approach in the second half as they went in search of a match defining second goal. In the 60th minute though disaster almost struck as Sutherland broke into a one on one situation with Southern keeper Josie Strong. The 16 year old keeper pulled off a dramatic save which surely gave her team a big boost.
In the 78th minute some fine work by Katie French and Lousie Lloyd Jones saw the returning duo conjure up the match winning goal which was credited to Lloyd Jones. Coach Duffy used his bench as tired legs from players who had backed up from earlier games took its toll but Sutherland weren?t able to find their way back into the match.
When the referee blew full time Southern Branch had made it two in a row; overcoming the tipping jinx as well as their opponents.
Whilst this sudden surge of success won?t have Southern Branch heading towards the finals it will give the side a tremendous boost in confidence. Maybe nasty reporters did doubt their ability to hold down a spot in the Arrive Alive Women?s Premier League but they?ve shown in the last fortnight that they do have the fighting qualities required to succeed. Next weekend its Manly United FC at Cromer Park which will certainly test Southern?s new found resolve.
 The Sutherland Sharks now sit alone at the bottom of the ladder. The Sutherland girls just can?t take a trick and they don?t look like shedding the cellar position in the near future. It looks like another disappointing finish for The Sharks unless they can pull together and achieve some results.
SOUTHERN BRANCH     2 (E.Battin 32m, L.Lloyd Jones 78m)
SUTHERLAND SHARKS 0
Does this weekend qualify as another weekend of upsets? Hard to say; some will see Southern Branch?s win as one whilst the 1-1 draw between Sydney University and Inter Lions wasn?t one that would have been selected by most pundits. It probably just shows the enthusiasm of a number of teams in showing that their hearts are still big, even if their points tally isn?t! You?ve got to applaud teams that can keep trying even when the hurdles look insurmountable.
There?s plenty of top football action to be had next weekend as well in the Arrive Alive Women?s Premier League. I look forward to seeing you all at a game next Sunday.
-By Ross Anderson