Ben Gilby provides a detailed report from one game and a round-up of all the other matches in Western Australia’s NPL Women’s competition (28/8/23).
Above: Fremantle City celebrate Abbey Green (6)’s sensational late winner at Perth RedStar yesterday. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Denyse McCulloch.
Main report
Perth RedStar 2-3 Fremantle City
A superb hat-trick from Abbey Green inspired Fremantle City to come from behind to send champions Perth RedStar to their first NPLW WA defeat since the season’s opening day.
Green’s first strike, a cool finish inside the box had given the visitors an early lead, however with just over 20 minutes to go, goals from Olivia Wood and Sophia Neal had put RedStar in front lead only for Freo’s Perth Glory attacker to turn the game on its head.
With the hosts already confirmed to have retained their NPLW WA title, Fremantle knew they had to win to have any chance of securing the double chance in the Top Four Cup by finishing second. Faye Chambers’ side produced a dominant first-half performance as they set about trying to earn that right.
The visitors had their foot on the pedal from the early stages. Seven minutes in, Jamie-Lee Gale won possession from Quyen Doan and sent a swerving shot in from the corner of the box that was turned away for a corner by Maya Diederichsen in the RedStar goal.
Within four minutes, Freo hit the front. A free-kick was played forward from inside their own half, which Green headed over her marker and slotted calmly into the net.
Shortly afterwards, Gale supplied a pass from the right towards Green, positioned on the edge of the box, and the Perth Glory talent sent a viciously curling effort just wide of the left-hand post.
Perth RedStar sought to work their way back into the possession and territory count, but were, at this stage, unable to match the penetration and creativity of Fremantle for whom Gale, in particular, was in outstanding form along the right in combination with Tash Rigby and Green. The home defence were having a tough time trying to keep the trio subdued.
Just before the half-hour mark, Rigby sent a ball in for Nina Boorman to power a bullet header goalwards but was ruled offside. Annabelle Leek also saw a free-kick fly over the top in this spell.
As the game neared the interval, Freo created two further chances. Gale broke free once more on the right to play a perfectly paced ball in for Olivia Trueman, whose header was just pushed away by Diederichsen. Then, into stoppage time, Leek powered in a free kick from the edge of the box that bounced in front of the RedStar keeper before being scrambled away.
Fremantle went in deservedly ahead – but despite the dominance of possession and territory, it was only a one-goal lead – and RedStar are masters at making the opposition pay for not turning chances into sufficient scoreboard leads.
Indeed, that looked to be the case as Carlos Vega Mena’s side started the second period by forcing two early free-kicks outside the box and a flurry of corners. The arrival of Olivia Wood as a substitute after the break was giving the home team added impetus.
Wood was the source of RedStar’s leveller 13 minutes in. Reina Kagami found Chiori Ikeda outside the box, and a neat ball through found the substitute who took a touch, and let the ball bounce twice before firing a vicious half-volley into the net.
Wood had an opportunity to put her side in front when she was played through one-on-one with Freo keeper Indiana Antones but blazed her shot over the top. However, with 68 minutes played, RedStar had better luck and hit the front as Ikeda’s corner from the left curled in and was met by the head of Sophia Neal.
Seasoned NPLW WA watchers may well have been forgiven for assuming that was that, and RedStar would go on to record a routine win. Yet Fremantle were not done, as Green stepped up to the plate showing her immense talent.
Just five minutes after the hosts hit the front, a free-kick outside the area was cooly turned in by Green to level the scores.
Both sides had their chances in the final 10 minutes. First, Rigby burst through for the visitors but her eventual shot was held by Diederichsen. For RedStar, Jayna Ridley put a low ball across the byline from the right for Neal, but the shot went wide of the near post.
Then, as the clock ticked towards stoppage time, Fremantle were awarded a throw-in near the byline on the right-hand side. Gale’s throw found Green with her back to goal with seemingly nothing on. However, the attacker had other ideas. She turned her defender and sent an absolute rocket of a shot curling into the top left-hand corner. It was a moment of sheer class from a quality player.
Whilst Perth SC’s win over Balcatta Etna results in Fremantle City finishing third, denying them the double chance in the Top Four Cup, this result and the way it was achieved will be a huge confidence boost for the port city club going into post-regular season football.
Perth RedStar are undoubtedly deserved champions for another superb season – but this outcome will give renewed hope to the other sides in the top four that the champions are beatable as the season reaches a thrilling conclusion.
Teams: PERTH REDSTAR: Diederichsen, Dunn, Teixeira, K. Carroll, Doan, Kagami, S. Carroll, Ritchie, Ikeda, Leota, Neal. Substitutes: Coleman, Odonohoe, Ridley, Wood, Woolley, Mogridge, Goud.
Scorer: Wood 58′, Neal 68′.
FREMANTLE CITY: Antones, Leek, Adams, Osborne, Rigby, Boorman, Rigby, Waltman, Boorman, Cain, Gale, Trueman, Green. Substitutes: Kiama, McCulloch, Spatafore, Hawkins.
Scorer: Green 10′, 73′, 90′.
Referee: Stewart Beattie.
Weekly Wrap
Perth SC 5-1 Balcatta Etna
Perth SC secured second spot on the final table with a comprehensive win over Balcatta Etna in their first game at Dorrien Gardens since 21st May.
The Azzurri hit the front with 23 minutes played as Ella Lincoln was played in and lifted a skillful finish over Gabby Dal Busco from outside the box. They doubled their advantage seven minutes later when clever work from Jess Flannery, who was able to run into space and thread a perfectly weighted pass for Lincoln to sweep home once more.
Six minutes before the interval, it became 3-0 as Liana Cook was found in space with a crossfield pass. Cook looked up and saw a space in the top right-hand corner of the net which she instantly fired the ball into for another brilliant finish.
Balcatta needed to respond quickly, and within three minutes of the restart, reduced the deficit. Tia Stonehill applied a rapid press to Ruby Marshall who was in possession with success, and in idiosyncratic style, motored away and curled home a classy finish from the edge of the box to seal the Golden Boot with her 24th goal of the campaign.
Yet any hopes of a dramatic comeback from the visitors were dashed within moments as Gemma Craine, stationed centrally around 15 yards outside the box played in Lincoln outside her in space. The attacker turned E.J. Doust and curled a low shot into the right hand corner of the goal to complete her hat-trick.
With just under 20 minutes remaining, Cook completed the scoring with her second of the afternoon. A Perth corner from the right wasn’t cleared allowing Judy Connolly to direct the ball goalwards and Cook turned to fire in from right of centre.
Hyundai NTC 5-0 Curtin University
The NTC will once again go into the Top Four Cup in fourth place despite a comfortable win over a Curtin University side who end the season having lost all 21 of their matches.
A team showing a number of changes from their regular starting line-up hit the front with just seven minutes played thanks to a sensational individual goal from Emily Garnett. The left-sided midfielder danced along her flank before cutting in and firing a brilliant finish just inside the box past Danielle Petch in the Curtin goal.
Twenty-three minutes in the hosts doubled their lead as a long ball was played through for Theo Moulthys to run onto and slot home. Six minutes before the break, a cross-shot on the right from Louise Tana flew into the far top corner of the net.
Eleven minutes into the second period, the NTC went 4-0 up as a poor attempt at a clearance from the visitors allowed Garnett through to run into acres of space and lift the ball over Petch.
A series of unfortunate events for Curtin led to the final goal of the encounter in stoppage time at the end of the match. Petch came out to meet a cross which in turn was directed past her by Mia Britton. The ball rolled agonisingly in slow motion towards the goal with two visiting defenders unable to prevent its progress over the line which was ensured by Mischa Anderson.
The NTC now have an exciting end to the campaign with the State Cup Final against Murdch University Melville next weekend followed by a Top Four Cup trip to Fremantle City the week afterwards.
For Curtin University, this has been a torrid season with 21 defeats out of 21, only eight goals scored and 168 conceded. Their status next season remains in question. State League Division One champions-elect Hammersley United have turned down promotion.
However, Football West rules state that if that division’s runners-up – who will be either Perth AFC or UWA Nedlands – meet promotion criteria then they have the right to play off against Curtin for a place in next season’s NPLW WA. It will be a few weeks before that can be unravelled.
Murdoch University Melville 0-0 Subiaco
Match abandoned after 11 minutes
Friday night’s match at Besteam Stadium was ended prematurely by the officials after one of the floodlight towers went out eleven minutes into the match. At the time of writing, the scoreline of 0-0 looks set to be recorded as the outcome of the game rather than any rescheduling.
Murdoch University Melville now go on to next week’s State Cup Final against Hyundai NTC at the brand-new State Football Centre. For Subiaco, their 2023 campaign is done.
NPLW WA FINAL TABLE 2023:
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