Ben Gilby provides a full review of this weekend’s action along with photography from Rob Lizzi (7/7/24).
Above: Daisy McAllister cracks in a shot for Perth SC against Murdoch University Melville on Saturday. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Rob Lizzi.
Balcatta Etna 0-2 Perth RedStar
Perth RedStar returned to the top of the ladder with this hugely important win over potential title rivals Balcatta Etna at Home Group Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The visitors went into the game on the back of a run of two losses in their last four NPLW WA games, but as well as having the opportunity to widen the gap between themselves and Balcatta to eight points, there was the additional motivation of marking both Jayna Ridley’s hundredth appearance for the first team and Bronwyn Studman’s final game before moving to Melbourne with victory.
The home side, unbeaten in the league since their previous meeting with the champions, brought Lucy Jerram back into the starting line-up, and last season’s top scorer Tia Stonehill came in on the bench. RedStar were without leading scorer Caitlin Doeglas.
The early stages saw both teams playing it carefully until the first chance arrived with seven minutes on the clock. A beautiful exchange from RedStar’s Olivia Wood and Jayna Ridley found Sarah Carroll positioned centrally outside the box. The former Perth Glory star crashed in a shot that took a deflection which fell for Mischa Anderson to hit a low follow-up that Rebecca Bennett got down to hold in the Balcatta goal.
Wood had a superb match. She was hugely influential with runs, and strong link-up play with Ridley. She would also cause real headaches in shooting positions for the home side as the game developed.
Balcatta fashioned their first real opportunity on the quarter-hour mark as Jerram played an excellently weighted threaded pass to Faye Phillips on the right-hand side of the box. Phillips’ shot from 10 yards out was pushed away by RedStar keeper Gabby Dal Busco for the first of three corners in succession.
The home side were now growing into the game. Rachel Jarvis was stamping her authority on proceedings. Her runs into space and eye for a perfectly weighted pass were making her a key part of Balcatta’s performance. Allied with continually smart link-up play with Jerram, it meant that Pete Rakic’s side were beginning to show their potential.
In order to fully cause RedStar problems though, they needed to improve with their accuracy in front of goal. With Abbey Meakins dropping deeper, Balcatta would have to find other ways of troubling their former custodian Dal Busco.
RedStar would show the way when it came to shots on goal – but, crucially in the opening half, they were faced by Rebecca Bennett in superb form for the hosts. The former Perth SC goalkeeper made three crucial saves in the space of 18 minutes.
First, Studman gained possession on the left and played into Ridley outside her, just on the edge of the box. She in turn threaded a pass through for Manami Arai who saw a powerful shot repelled by Bennett.
Then, Arai played in a low ball from the right for Wood who was unmarked, but Bennett was able to gather due to the RedStar attacker being unable to get enough power behind her shot.
Shortly afterwards, Momoko Sakairi fed Wood who this time connected superbly, with Bennett denying her once more.
Balcatta were not without chances though. Just after the half-hour mark, Meakins’ free-kick wide on the left came in low and forced Dal Busco to get down to her near post to push away for a corner. Then, just before the interval, Monique D’Opera provided a high ball in from the right but Jukic headed over the top.
The key exchanges that would ultimately prove decisive in this match occurred 10 minutes after the break. Balcatta advanced as Jerram beat Andreia Teixeira before curling a shot from just over 10 yards that came crashing back off the right-hand post. Jamie-Lee Gale’s follow-up was then repelled by a flying save by Dal Busco.
Within 120 seconds, the hosts were to pay the ultimate price for those misses. A short corner on the right for RedStar was played for Reina Kagami to cut in from the by-line and beat two defenders before laying a low pass across for Wood to control and hit a low shot into the net from inside the six-yard box.
RedStar’s consistent ability to punish opponents for failing to take chances is something that sets them apart from the rest in the NPLW WA – and it happened again here with a deserved goal for Wood.
The visitors controlled the possession and territory with ruthless abandon for rest of the second half.
Two minutes after the goal, Ridley found Kagami who hit a low shot just wide of the left-hand post before Carroll fed Wood which led to the RedStar attacker hitting an outrageous effort with the outside of her foot that twisted into Bennett’s arms.
The second goal for the defending champions came with 67 minutes on the clock. Liana Cook’s clearance from defence for Balcatta only found RedStar’s Abbey Woolley just outside the box. She squared to Carroll who then played a one-two with Kagami before supplying a pass for Wood. Positioned to the right of centre, the number 10 hit a first-time shot into the net from 15 yards for a superb strike.
The visitors kept pushing to extend their lead further. Leota hit a shot over the top, and shortly afterwards, the same player showed great determination in chasing a seemingly lost cause as the ball looked to be rolling out for a goal-kick, but the New Zealand international chased it down and played out to Arai. The Japanese attacker supplied a pass for compatriot Kagami who hit a shot just over.
Leota was involved again twice more in the closing stages. First, with two minutes remaining, she fed Kagami outside the box, but the eventual shot went wide of the right-hand post. Then, two minutes into stoppage time, she was found by Wood’s cross in the middle of the box but saw her shot go over the top.
Balcatta could only fashion two further opportunities. Alyssa van Heurck’s cross was headed away initially by Carroll but the ball fell for Meakins to hit a stunning first-time volley from around 25 yards that Dal Busco pushed away.
Then, deep into stoppage time, Meakins fed Jerram who advanced, but excellent defending by Woolley made the angle for a shot increasingly more acute and Jerram’s final effort went wide.
After defeats against top-four rivals Perth SC and Fremantle City over the last month, this was a statement-making success for Carlos Vega Mena’s side this afternoon. They were back to their ruthless best.
Balcatta have suffered a major dent in their NPLW WA championship hopes, but one thing that the league has taught us this season is that on any given day, anyone in the top four can beat each other – and that bodes well for the Top Four Cup in September.
Teams: BALCATTA ETNA: R. Bennett, Cook, D’Opera, van Heurck, St. Pierre, Meakins, Jarvis, Jukic, Jerram, Phillips, Gale. Substitutes: Davis, Godding, Cornall, Stonehill, Bricklenbank.
PERTH REDSTAR: Dal Busco, Woolley, Teixeira, Studman, Anderson, Sakairi, Kagami, Carroll, Ridley, Arai, Wood. Substitutes: C. Bennett, Dunn, Ritchie, Doan, Leota, Odonohoe.
Scorers: Wood 56′, 67′.
Referee: Stephen Knight.
Perth SC 6-1 Murdoch University Melville
Round 13 opened on Saturday evening with Perth SC comprehensively defeating Murdoch University Melville to put maximum pressure on leaders Perth RedStar ahead of their tricky trip to Balcatta Etna the following day.
In a game played in very wet conditions, the home side hit the front with 12 minutes played as Grace Johnston advanced up the right flank to square a pass across the edge of the box which was allowed to run on for Daisy McAllister to sweep home with aplomb into the right-hand corner.
Five minutes later, The Azzurri doubled their advantage when Johnston motored up the right once more and found Ella Lincoln on the edge of the box. With her back to goal and closely marked by two defenders, Lincoln laid off a pass for Sam Mathers behind her to slot home across Manon Gebauer for a goal that was almost a carbon copy of the finish for Perth’s opener.
Twelve minutes before the break, Danielle Brogan’s side looked to have made the game safe. Mathers took possession inside her own half and dissected the MUM FC midfield to play in Lincoln who turned before rolling a pass into Johnston ahead of her, who timed her run to perfection to run diagonally past Tiana Klomp, draw Gebauer and guide the ball into the right-hand corner of the net.
There was still time for a further two goals before the break. First, there was another cool finish from McAllister, this time stationed on the right-hand edge of the box after being found in acres of space by Lincoln. Then, with less than 30 seconds of the half remaining, more magic from Lincoln saw her found in the box. The attacker held off Ella Mastrantonio, turned, and hit a low shot across Gebauer from around 10 yards out.
Ten minutes into the second half, the visitors got a consolation of sorts when Luana Ascenzo-Cabello threaded a ball forward that Nyana Jayme picked up on a diagonal run across the Azzurri box to hit first time across Lilly Bailey and in.
With 15 minutes remaining, Perth restored their five-goal advantage with the final goal of the encounter as Lincoln played a high pass across from the right flank for Mathers on the edge of the box to the left centre. She turned her marker and floated a glorious effort into the top of the net.
More of Rob Lizzi’s photos from the match at Dorrien Gardens
Teams: PERTH SC: Bailey, Thew, Nossent, McCartney, Harvey, McAllister, Wainwright, Papalia, Lincoln, Mathers, Johnston. Substitutes: Atkinson, Marshall, Insch, Hannan, Stajcic, McKenna.
Scorers: McAllister 12’, 38’. Mathers 17’, 75’. Johnston 33’, Lincoln 45’.
MURDOCH UNIVERSITY MELVILLE: Gebauer, Sabean, Klomp, Burdett, Dewar, Mastrantonio, Patience, Ascenzo-Cabello, Reid, Glanfield, Jayme. Substitutes: Adu-Boaduo, Baiamonte, Ellis, Cook, Baldin.
Scorer: Jayme 55’.
Subiaco P-P Hyundai NTC
This game was postponed due to the NTC competing in the National Youth Championships. It has been rearranged for Wednesday 24th July with an 8pm kick-off.
UWA-Nedlands P-P Fremantle City
A waterlogged pitch at the UWA Sports Park led to this game being postponed. At the time of writing no date has been set to play the match.
NPLW WA Ladder Round 13
Fixtures
STATE CUP SEMI-FINALS: Tuesday: Perth SC v Fremantle City (7pm). Wednesday: Balcatta Etna v Perth RedStar (7pm).
NPLW WA ROUND 14: Saturday: Hyundai NTC v Perth RedStar. Sunday: Balcatta Etna v UWA-Nedlands, Fremantle City v Murdoch University Melville, Subiaco v Perth SC.
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