Balcatta Etna 2-1 Perth SC
Report by Ben Gilby with photo gallery from Rob Lizzi (16/6/24)
Above: Liana Cook (facing left) celebrates her winning goal for Balcatta Etna earlier today. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Rob Lizzi.
Balcatta Etna gained a hugely important victory in their bid to push for the NPLW WA title as they came from behind to defeat Perth SC in the battle of the sides placed third and second at Grindleford Reserve this afternoon.
The home side made four changes to their starting lineup from their previous game a fortnight ago, with Tia Stonehill missing out and the trio of Lucy Jerram, Monique Prinsloo, and Monique Godding on the bench. Coming into the team to replace them were Monique D’Opera, Jamie-Lee Gale, Kat Jukic, and Faye Phillips.
Perth SC came into the game hot on the heels of last weekend’s superb win at Perth RedStar, and unsurprisingly named an unchanged starting line-up.
The encounter began in heavy rain, and Perth developed a chance just before the quarter-hour mark as Jess Flannery danced her way along the left before cutting in to supply Ella Lincoln who saw her shot go over the top.
Shortly afterwards the visitors hit the front. Awarded a free-kick, right of centre around 25 yards out, Kim McCartney stepped up and crashed a stunning shot high into the left-hand side of the net.
Perth continued to create the better opportunities and Georgia Cassidy sent a viciously curling free kick in from the left flank that Rebecca Bennett held.
The visitors were well-disciplined in the opening 25 minutes. They worked hard to tightly mark Balcatta and doubled up on occasions to deny the home side’s dangerous attackers time and space. It was largely successful as the likes of Abbey Meakins were unable to establish as much possession as they would have liked in this period of the encounter.
However, as the half wore on, it would be the combination of Jukic and Gale who became increasingly influential for the home side. Their ability to run into the channels and find space reaped rewards. With just under half an hour on the clock, Gale picked up possession from a loose goal kick from Stacey Cavill in the centre of the field outside the area. Playing a one-two with Jukic, Gale’s eventual shot went over the top.
However, just three minutes later, Balcatta were level. Rachel Jarvis gained possession in the middle of the park and laid a pass off to Gale who found Meakins ahead of her. The Impetus NPLW WA Player of the Month for May played a devastating low pass to dissect the Perth defence allowing Jarvis the time and space to advance and slot the ball past Cavill.
This set the confidence surging through the home side. Balcatta got their passing game going, looking for space to advance as Gale began purring through the gears. Nine minutes before the break, they hit the front.
St. Pierre’s throw on the right, midway into the Perth SC half began a move that ended with Gale sending in a low cross to the near post. The visitors had three chances to clear, but failed each time allowing former Azzurri star Liana Cook to send a low shot into the net.
From the resulting kick-off, Perth looked to respond. Lincoln was played through to hit a powerful shot that was well-held by Bennett. Then, Flannery was found on the left-hand edge of the box and held off St. Pierre to fire in an effort that Bennett saved.
The final chance of the half fell to the home side. Andrea Bulgaru was fouled on the right, 10 yards in from the touchline. Gale’s floated free-kick was cleared, and Balcatta went in ahead at the break.
The second half was more of an arm-wrestle with clear-cut chances few and far between. Indeed it took until the hour mark for the first major opportunity to arise. Epril Nossent threaded a beautifully weighted pass through for Lincoln but a sensational tackle from Alyssa van Heurck who ran back to put in a block denied the Perth hot shot.
Lincoln was being generally well marshalled by Balcatta who were working hard to either force her out wide or into hitting shots from longer range.
The home side’s first opportunity of the second 45 came halfway through as Cook released Gale, but Cavill saved well.
Grace Johnston was introduced for Perth SC as she continued her eagerly awaited return from the injury that cut short her superb first A-League Women campaign for Perth Glory.
As the game moved into its final 15 minutes, there was another half chance for the home side to confirm their win. Cassidy was shown a yellow card for pulling back a Balcatta player. The resulting free-kick from Gale was floated in towards the back post, but neither Jukic nor Cook could get up high enough to get their heads on it.
Whilst the last 10 minutes were largely full of Perth SC possession, the home side largely kept them at arm’s length. The closest the Azzurri came was when a free-kick was sent into the box which Bennett repelled excellently with a double save at the near post.
The final opportunities fell to Balcatta deep into stoppage time. Jukic curled an effort over the top from outside the box on the left flank. The resulting goal kick was picked up instantly by Meakins who hit a shot that was deflected out for a corner.
This outcome will be frustrating for Perth SC as it allows Perth RedStar to re-establish their five-point cushion over them at the top of the ladder. Balcatta remain third, a point behind the Azzurri, but with a game in hand (away to Fremantle City).
More of Rob Lizzi’s photography from Grindleford Reserve:
Teams: BALCATTA ETNA: Bennett, Bulgaru, St. Pierre, van Heurck, D’Opera, Jukic, Phillips, Meakins, Jarvis, Cook, Gale. Substitutes: Davis, Jerram, Bricklebank, Prinsloo, Godding, Cornall.
Scorers: Jarvis 30′, Cook 34′.
PERTH SC: Cavill, Thew, Nossent, McCartney, Bohm, Wainwright, McAllister, Cassidy, Lincoln, Flannery, Marshall. Substitutes: Stajcic, Johnston, Harvey, Mathers, Papalia, Hannan.
Scorers: McCartney 16′.
Our full review of the other three games will appear on the site tomorrow.
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