Perth SC 4-2 Hyundai NTC
Report by Ben Gilby, with photography from Rob Lizzi (27/8/24)
Above: Perth SC celebrate after Georgia Cassidy (12, centre – back to camera) hit a stunning free-kick to restore their lead tonight. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Rob Lizzi.
Perth SC look to have delivered a serious blow to the NTC’s hopes of making the top four after reacting strongly to their opponents’ comeback at Dorrien Gardens tonight.
Two first-half goals from Ella Lincoln looked to have put the home side in the driving seat, but strikes from Theodora Mouithys and Mia Britton drew the teenage visitors level. A trademark stunning free-kick from Georgia Cassidy and a late fourth from Daisy McAllister sealed Perth’s eventual win in a hugely entertaining match.
Azzurri head coach Danielle Brogan made one change to her starting lineup following Sunday’s win at Murdoch University Melville, with Nadia Harvey stepping up from the bench to replace Ruby Marshall.
For the visitors, Ben Anderton brought Megan Phillips in between the sticks in place of Jess Skinner, and Emily Garnett replaced Ruby Cuthbert in the starting line-up.
The home side were rapid out of the blocks and ahead with just two minutes played. Charli Wainwright probed along the left and then cut in to find Lincoln on the edge of the box who cooly slotted home.
The NTC were trying to establish their passing game, but occasionally they lacked accuracy and were a bit too loose which enabled Perth to regain possession. That said, the quartet of Ischia Brooking, Theodora Mouithys, Emily Garnett, and Mia Britton were at the heart of so much that was impressive about the teenage side.
Brooking’s footwork and pace were superb and will excite all Perth Glory fans for the potential of what is ahead when the new A-League Women campaign gets underway. Mouithys’ strength saw her battle with the likes of Tijan McKenna and Baxter Thew throughout the evening, and she more than made her mark against the Azzurri pair.
Garnett was always looking for the pass on the left and offering herself to get involved in her team’s forward momentum, and Britton was involved in an exciting battle on the flank with Thew.
It took 21 minutes for the NTC to get their first serious shot away as Mouithys advanced through the centre, but Stacey Cavill in the home goal held on. Shortly afterwards, the home side responded as McKenna fed Lincoln just outside the box with the NPLW WA top scorer seeing her powerful shot just wide of the post.
Perth came close again just two minutes later when a perfectly weighted long ball from Kim McCartney at the back for Daisy McAllister allowed the midfielder to drive through two defenders and let fly with a punchy effort that Megan Phillips did well to hold onto in the NTC goal. McKenna then picked up possession on the edge of the 18 yard box centrally, run on, and hit a shot just over the bar.
With 12 minutes of the half remaining, Perth SC and Lincoln secured their second of the night in sensational style. Epril Nossent, who worked hard all game playing a key role in linking defensive work with her side’s attacking game, fed McKenna. Still inside her own half, the Young Matilda slid a ball forward to the unmarked Lincoln. The attacker ran on and held off the attempted challenges of both Nelli Johnson and Harper Collinson to fire home across Phillips from an acute angle on the left-hand side of the box.
NTC tried to hit back and had their most consistent spell of attacking football ahead of the break, but found it hard to penetrate the home defence. The Azzurri were set up in a back line of four with two further shielding slightly further up.
The visitors did have a penalty shout turned down with 40 minutes played as a ball in from the right flank looked to have hit Thew on the arm, but play was waved on, and it would remain 2-0 at the interval.
NTC stepped up the intensity after the break and got their reward less than 10 minutes into the second half. Britton advanced to the edge of the box and found Ella Gaspar who was crowded out. Perth cleared, but only as far as Mouithys centrally positioned on the edge of the box. After taking a touch, she curled a glorious shot into the net.
The visitors were fizzing around now, doubling up to win tackles and maintain possession. Their passing was crisper and tighter.
Britton, impressive going forward throughout the evening was also willing to get back and aid her defence, and after McKenna threaded a clever pass out to Cassidy on the left, the NTC star tracked back to nullify the threat.
Chances continued to occur for the NTC. With 67 minutes played, Mouithys turned and shot on the edge of the box but Cavill gathered comfortably. Shortly afterwards, Ella Gaspar’s free kick on the left-hand edge of the box flew just over the top.
They had better luck with just under 20 minutes to go. Johnson won possession in the centre of the park, looked right and saw Britton in acres of space on the right. Taking play up that flank and cutting in, Britton then let fly with a superb shot from the right hand edge of the box that rocketed into the net to bring the NTC level.
Yet parity would last for less than two minutes. Lincoln was brought down by Johnson on the left-hand flank around 25 yards out from goal. Cassidy placed the ball and viciously curled a high shot into the top right-hand corner.
The NTC could never quite gather the momentum again after that, and the home side made certain of the three points as the clock was just about to tick into added time at the end of the half. Lincoln released McAllister from the centre with a perfectly weighted pass into space. McAllister took the ball on before calmly finishing.
Whilst the NTC can mathematically still make the top four, realistically gaining something from this, their game in hand, was vital. All eyes will now be on Fremantle City’s trip to Murdoch University Melville on Friday night when the composition of the top four could be settled once and for all.
Teams: PERTH SC: Cavill, Thew, McAllister, Nossent, McCartney, Harvey, Wainwright, McKenna, Lincoln, Mathers, Cassidy. Substitutes: Marshall, Bohm, Insch, Di Mattina, Johnston.
Scorers: Lincoln 2′, 33′. Cassidy 72′, McAllister 90′.
HYUNDAI NTC: Phillips, Longmore, Garnett, Johnson, Collins, Collinson, Brooking, Mouithys, Houlis, E. Gaspar, Britton. Substitutes: Healy, O’Halloran, Skinner, Archibald, Hope, C. Gaspar.
Scorers: Mouithys 54′, Britton 71′.
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