Sydney Uni overcome Manly after extra time
A fantastic nine-goal thriller took place at Blacktown Sports Park with Sydney University coming out on top 5-4 over Manly United after extra time.
It meant the end of the season for the Manly side who gave it their all in a great footballing show.
Stephanie Ambrose was the star of the show for University, picking up a brace and causing United many headaches.
It was a slow start for Uni though as Manly threatened twice inside the first 10 minutes. First Kristie Crawford had an attempt, which was soon followed by a ferocious volley from Tiffany Patterson that was well saved by Trudy Burke.
Ambrose had a close call when running down the left and playing a ball straight across goal that went through the legs of Elizabeth Grey and cleared to safety by United.
On 25 minutes United had the lead through Emma Stanbury. Poor defending and an inability to clear the ball was punished by Stanbury who smacked the return ball beyond Burke.
Only two minutes later and Uni should’ve equalised. Ambrose broke through the defence and only had Alyssa Harris to beat but her shot went inches wide.
Ambrose was at the thick of it again a minute later, crossing a delightful ball for Evelyn Chronis who just volleyed wide under a heavy challenge from a Manly defender.
Grey had Uni’s equaliser in the 41st minute. Miss communication and a poor reaction in defence saw Grey pick up the ball and burst through on goal. Grey rarely misses from there and she made no mistake, easily playing the ball beyond Harris.
Two minutes later and Uni completed the turn around through Mel Caceres. After some decent build up play, Chronis poked the ball through for Caceres who only had Harris to beat and she did just that for 2-1.
Uni went further ahead 11 minutes after the break through Ambrose. United’s defence sat deep and a great ball in from Taren King found the Uni left winger who scored with the outside of her foot, a well deserved goal.
United pulled a goal back in the 64th minute that gave them some hope of a comeback. The inform Ellen Wheatley found an all-alone Patterson on the right as she slammed the ball beyond Burke.
A quite spell in the game was broken with just over 10 minutes to go after a fantastic team move was almost capped off by Chronis whose shot went just wide.
It was 3-3 in the 83rd minute as United found a dramatic late equaliser. Captain Isabella Walker received the ball and let fly from 25 metres out as all Burke could do was help the ball on as it hit the bar, bouncing over the line and out.
Uni thought they had the winner in the first minute of stoppage time. Carla Trimboli played in Georgia Keen who curled the ball toward the far post, past Harris but not the post to the despair of Uni fans as the game moved into extra time.
The excitement from normal time continued in the additional 30 minutes.
Manly struck first after a Kristie Crawford free kick was put into the Uni net by King, giving Burke little chance to keep it out.
Heather Garriock’s side needed someone to step up and who else but Ambrose. Ambrose sent a free kick into the back of the net mid-way through the second half to take the score to a staggering 4-4.
A deflated United side then fell behind only a minute or so later, this time through Gerogia Keen as the dangerous attacker put the ball beyond Harris making it 5-4 for Uni.
The team in blue wouldn’t give up though and almost found an equaliser from a corner in the dying stages, only for Uni to pull through.
by Nikola Pozder, PS4 National Premier Leagues NSW Women’s 1 Reporter
The match between Macarthur Rams and Blacktown Spartans in the PS4 NPL NSW Women’s 1 is currently under review by Football NSW, a decision for which will be made in due course.
