Perth SC 3-2 Fremantle City
Report by Ben Gilby, photography supplied by Rob Lizzi (21/7/24).
Above: Ella Lincoln (azure shirt) looks to battle her way past two Fremantle City defenders. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Rob Lizzi.
Perth SC cemented their second-placed spot on the ladder with this important victory over top-four rivals Fremantle City at Dorrien Gardens today.
This meeting of two of the NPLW WA’s most in-form sides – both had won their last four games – ultimately came down to Perth’s slightly better game management, more accurate build-up play, and the better consistency of their quality of balls into the box. But they had to work hard for the win.
The home side brought Melbourne City and Young Matildas’ Tijan McKenna back into their starting line-up and had by far the better of the possession and territory in the opening 15 minutes.
The first chance of the encounter fell to in-form Ella Lincoln just two minutes in, but her advance was ended with a save by Freo keeper Dayle Schroeder.
The Azzurri were looking to use both flanks and their swift passing game to break through the visitors’ midfield. Baxter Thew, Grace Johnston, Georgia Cassidy, and Ella Lincoln were key to this approach in the opening exchanges.
As well as popping up to support offensive moves occasionally, Thew was having a superb game at the back. Her ability to track Fremantle’s dangerous attacker Tanika Lala was crucial in showing the star from the Goldfields the touchline rather than allowing her to cut inside. This, plus Thew’s work rate in tracking Lala’s runs was crucial in denying the visitors’ attacking time.
With a quarter of an hour played, McKenna was brought down by Annabelle Leek on the edge of the box, to the right of centre. Kim McCartney put the ball down and sent a rocket of a shot with a vicious curl on it cannoning against the bar.
Five minutes later, Sam Mathers turned in the middle of the park and drove forward to win a corner on the right.
Abbey Green was the best outlet for Fremantle, with her pace and ball skills vital in driving her team forward, but her team’s Achilles heel for much of the half was a combination of fewer balls into the mix or not being able to find the best outlet for passes.
Sophie Meaden was starting to grow her influence on the game for the visitors as the action neared the half-hour mark. She was looking to link up with Green and Lala as the visitors gained more of a foothold upfront – however, it would be the home side that finally made their greater number of chances pay.
Sam Mathers, in excellent form for the home side in recent weeks also came more into the game, she signalled her quality with an excellent turn and drive forward which resulted in winning her side a corner.
With just over 11 minutes until the break, quality play from Charli Wainwright saw the silky star beat two defenders and win a corner. Mathers popped across to the left to place the ball, before sending a stunning Olimpico into the net to put her side ahead in some style.
Freo responded on the 40-minute mark when Clara Hoarau curled a shot wide from 25 yards after some loose play at the back.
Within a minute, the visitors had better luck as an attempted clearance at the back from Perth cannoned off of McKenna into the path of Alex Poad who shot home from close range.
Freo fashioned another chance as the clock ticked towards added time at the end of the first half as Green found Lala on the left. The attacker beat her marker and fired in a vicious shot that was well repelled by her former NTC team-mate Lilly Bailey in the Perth SC goal.
The home side hit back a minute later with a sumptuous move. Cassidy in the midfield found McKenna outside her who, in turn, fed Lincoln. On the edge of the box, the attacker held off her marker and Daisy McAllister popped up to lend a hand, taking possession away from Sofie Osborne and advancing to slot home a superb finish from the right-hand side of the area.
The Azzurri came out of the blocks fastest at the start of the second half with Mathers hitting an effort from the edge of the six-yard box that initially squirmed away from Schroeder’s reach before the Freo keeper recovered to save.
After Lala had a chance down at the near post, Perth increased their lead, with a goal that had two huge slices of luck about it.
McKenna gained possession in the middle of the pitch and sprayed a sensational low-angled pass into the feet of Mathers in front of her. Mathers had space to run into the box before hitting what looked like a cross-shot that looped up off of Freo defender Leek and then headed on by her unfortunate teammate Catherine Adams and into the net.
There were conflicting emotions for the hosts as, from the kick-off in an incident that looked innocuous at the time, Johnston took a ball to the lower leg and immediately went down in agony before leaving the pitch. She was seen walking around after the game with ice strapped to it, so hopes remain that it will not be too serious.
Both teams pushed forward in an attempt to add to the scoring. Green hit a powerful shot that was off target and for the hosts, McAllister fed Lincoln who held off Maya Spatafore but fired wide of the near post.
Lala then sidefooted a shot goalwards that was magnificently cleared off the line before Lincoln let fly with a powerful shot from a central position outside the area that Schroeder fisted down.
As the game entered its final 10 minutes, both sides created further chances. Lala turned Wainwright in the box but could only fire over the top. For the hosts, a perfectly weighted pass from Annika Stajcic released Epril Nossent whose strong shot went wide of the right-hand post. Lincoln then turned and hit an effort that Schroeder pushed away for a corner.
The final opportunity came two minutes into stoppage time at the end of the 90 when Hoarau turned in the centre of the field and laid a pass forward for Lala. It was the sort of ball that the Goldfields nugget thrives on – she drove forward, approached the area, and as seasoned NPLW WA watchers have come to expect over the past three seasons, calmly drove a shot into the net.
It was too little too late for Fremantle. They showed they have the weapons to cause problems to their top four rivals – but they need to increase the consistency of the quality of their final balls into the box and crispen up their link up play in places.
Whilst there were elements of good fortune for Perth in this game – notably their third goal – their top players stepped up when it mattered to produce strong performances. McKenna was superb with her passing and harrying, Thew had a sensational game at the back, and the trio of McAllister, Lincoln, and Mathers continue to impress offensively.
Perth SC’s next game at RedStar next Sunday looms large on the horizon – and it is one that the entire league will be counting down the hours for.
More of Rob Lizzi’s superb action photos from Dorrien Gardens:
Teams: PERTH SC: Bailey, Thew, Nossent, Johnston, McCartney, Wainwright, Cassidy, McKenna, McAllister, Lincoln, Mathers. Substitutes: Stajcic, Insch, Harvey, Marshall, Papalia, Cavill, Hannan.
Scorers: Mathers 34′, McAllister 45+1′, Adams (OG) 52′.
FREMANTLE CITY: Schroeder, Poad, Leek, Adams, Osborne, Hoarau, Kiama, Meaden, Green, Trueman, Lala. Substitutes: Siah, Spatafore, Lyons, Tanner, Ierino, Mayoe, Boyle.
Scorers: Poad 41′, Lala 90+2.
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