Ben Gilby provides a full report from the game of the week, plus all the details from the other matches in Western Australia’s NPL Women’s competition (23/7/23).
Above: Gemma Craine jumps for joy with Poppie Hooks after scoring for Perth SC in their hugely important win at Fremantle City yesterday. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Cat Bryant.
Main report of the week
Hyundai NTC 2-1 Balcatta Etna
The NTC ran out winners over Balcatta Etna on Sunday afternoon at E&D Litis Stadium in a vital game in the race for the top-four thanks to two goals in as many minutes in the early part of the second half.
This was the NTC’s first NPLW WA match after a fortnight’s break for National NTC challenge duty – a busy period for the teenage side. They did have the benefit of naming a full-strength side for this encounter with a very strong bench as well.
Conversely, Balcatta were missing key players Tia Stonehill, Kim McCartney, Epril Nossent, and Sadie Lawrence for a match that was crucial in the top-four race.
NTC had by far the better of the first half in terms of possession, territory, and the corner count, but the visitors were well organised at the back with Baxter Thew and Elizabeth Doust particularly impressive along with the ever-reliable Gabby Dal Busco in goal.
That strong defence was in evidence on 11 minutes when Mischa Anderson released a teasing ball through which saw Thew hold off the significant threat of new Perth Glory signing Tanika Lala superbly.
This was the beginning of a flurry of opportunities for the hosts. Another new Glory arrival, Georgia Cassidy, hit a trademark long-range bullet that landed in the arms of Dal Busco from 25 yards. Then, the third new Perth Glory signing in the NTC squad, Grace Johnston sent a corner in from the right which Lala met with a firm header, but Dal Busco saved.
Just before the half-hour mark, Maja Archibald smashed a shot from the edge of the box that was well blocked by Doust. There was one further half-chance for the NTC as Lala slalomed through the middle before being stopped in her tracks by Lauren Continibali.
It was an opening 45 of half chances, but such was the NTC’s creativity, it was frustrating from their perspective that it remained goalless at the break.
The hosts remained in charge of the possession at the start of the second half, and they ultimately secured the points with two goals in quick succession.
With 55 minutes played, Doust’s clearance at the back went straight to Cassidy, left of centre, 20 yards out, and, as is her wont, the talented teenager noticed Dal Busco slightly off her line and fired home a shot that flew into the net.
Moments later, it was 2-0. Anderson picked the pocket of Balcatta substitute Bianka Grdjan and found Lala out on the right. Her ball into the box was turned home by Klaudia Houlis from close range.
The visitors, with substitute Daveskadar Tamru so influential, then rallied. Andrea Bulgaru found Tamru in the box, but her shot rolled past the left-hand post. There was then a lengthy delay as Monique Prinsloo and NTC keeper Lilly Bailey went in bravely for the ball, with the latter requiring treatment before continuing.
With 11 minutes remaining, Balcatta grabbed a lifeline. Tamru was fouled on the left, and Continibali floated in a high flee-kick to the back post. Bailey punched clear, but the visitors came again and forced a corner on the right. Continibali played it in high to the back post, Thew headed across goal for Tamru to head high into the net above the NTC defenders on the line.
The final chances of the game both fell the NTC’s way. Substitute Violet Longmore broke along the left and lifted a cross in which Lala headed over. Then, as the clock ticked into stoppage time, Lala supplied a ball in for Houlis, but Thew intervened brilliantly.
This victory closes the gap between fourth-placed NTC and Fremantle City above them. With two games in hand on the teams above them in the race for post-season football, the NTC hold the key to so many team’s potential outcomes this season. How they cope with such a crowded run-in that also includes a State Cup Semi-Final in this busy period for them with so many three games in a week scheduled will be telling.
Teams: HYUNDAI NTC: Bailey, Collinson, Anderson, Tanner, Cuthbert, Cassidy, Johnston, Archibald, Houlis, Lala, Tana. Substitutes: Powell, Collins, Brooking, Phillips, Britton, Johnson, Longmore.
Scorers: Cassidy 55′, Houlis 57′.
BALCATTA ETNA: Dal Busco, Bulgaru, Davis, Doust, Thew, Roach, Continibali, M. D’Opera, Mohammad Zainurrafiq, Bricklebank, Prinsloo. Substitutes: Grdjan, Tamru, Morgan, G. Comito, I. Comito, McGlinn, Robertson.
Scorers: Tamru 79′.
Weekly Wrap
Murdoch University Melville 2-2 Perth RedStar
Leaders Perth RedStar came from behind twice to claim a point against Murdoch University Melville (MUM FC) at Besteam Stadium on Friday night.
Having suffered an agonizing defeat deep into stoppage time at Subiaco last time out, MUM FC needed something from this game to maintain their top-four hopes, and they hit the front in some style with 17 minutes played as Charli Wainwright rifled in an Olimpico from the left-hand side.
Ten minutes before the break, the visitors levelled as Chiori Ikeda advanced along the right and found Jay Coleman who in turn played a pass out to Reina Kagami to fire home from outside the box.
Murdoch University Melville went back ahead five minutes into the second half with another stunning strike. This time, it was Sam Mathers who gained possession and lifted an exquisite shot over RedStar keeper Maya Diederichsen and in.
The leaders equalised within two minutes as a corner on the right came in for Coleman to turn home beautifully on the volley.
The outcome offered renewed hope for the chasing pack, particularly for second-placed Perth SC ahead of their own Sunday showdown with Fremantle City.
Curtin University 3-7 Subiaco
The second match on Friday night was a 10-goal fest at Edinburgh Oval as Subiaco picked up a second successive win.
Whilst on paper this was a clash of the bottom two, Subi picked up a superb win over top four hopefuls Murdoch University Melville last week, and are comfortably clear of struggling Curtin. Indeed, Greg Farrell’s charges will be looking to push further up the table over the closing weeks of the season now.
Subi hit the front with two minutes played. Danielle Suckling broke through and fed former Perth Glory legend Marianna Tabain who shot low into the net. It was 2-0 a quarter of an hour later with Suckling the creator once more as she fed Frankie Murray to slide in to score. It would be 3-0 to the visitors at the break as Dakota Van Vugt was played through and ran into acres of space to roll the ball home. The visitors increased their lead further within three minutes of the re-start as Suckling hit an effort that rocketed into the top of the net.
However, Curtin, without a win all season, showed great character to hit back. Tiana Botha won possession and played in Hannah Storey who brilliantly slotted home. Within four minutes the hosts were back to 4-2 as they took advantage of a muddle in the Subiaco defence allowing Brianna Corbett to sidefoot home.
The match ended with a stunning spell of four goals in the final 12 minutes. Subiaco went back out to a three-goal lead. Tabain started the move and played in Jasmine Gray wide on the left. After several recycles, Suckling added another assist by rolling the ball for Taylor Reid to thump home. Then came an absolute stunner of a strike from Corbett to bring it back to 5-3. The Curtin player flicked up the ball as it came into her from the wing and, from outside of the box, volleyed home a glorious goal.
Within two minutes, Subi stretched their lead to 6-3 as Reid chased down the home goalkeeper and won the ball allowing Van Vugt to fire home from the edge of the box into an empty net.
The final goal came two minutes from time as Ingrid Gomez Basallo played in Tabain who finished what she started on the evening by slipping the ball into the net.
Fremantle City 0-2 Perth SC
Fremantle City’s title hopes took a potentially terminal dent after a second successive defeat at home to a top-four challenger as two goals from former Perth Glory striker Gemma Craine extended the Azzurri‘s current strong run of form.
This victory, Perth’s fifth on the trot, a run that has also brought a longer unbeaten run of eight games, means they have cut Perth RedStar’s lead at the top to just three points – although the team from the northern suburbs could extend their lead if they win their game in hand against Hyundai NTC.
Both teams marked Pride Round with special kit, and it would be the visitors who hit the front when Jess Flannery played the ball in for Craine to nod home from inside the six-yard box.
They made sure of their victory when Jaime Duncanson found Craine to smash home from outside of the area.
This is potentially a huge win for Perth SC as the league enters the business end of the season and sets up next Sunday’s showdown between themselves and leaders Perth RedStar.
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