by Ben Gilby (23/3/25)
Above: Daisy McAllister, who hit two goals for Perth SC as they came from 1-0 down to defeat Fremantle City on Saturday night. Photo: Rob Lizzi.
It was a truncated opening round of NPLW WA action with two matches – Hyundai Football West Academy (formerly Hyundai NTC) against Balcatta Etna, and Murdoch University Melville’s home game with Subiaco both postponed due to extreme heat.
Whilst the program was halved, there was still plenty of hugely enjoyable action on view.
UWA-Nedlands 2-5 Perth RedStar
Perth RedStar overturned a 2-1 half-term deficit to hit back to defeat UWA-Nedlands on Sunday.
RedStar welcomed back striker Caitlin Doeglas from her time at the Glory in the A-League Women, as well as Abbey Woolley being named on the bench.
It was the home side that hit the front with 22 minutes played. From a throw-in, Melina Franklin combined with Alyssa Kinkaid to play the ball into the edge of the box. A bout of head tennis ensued before it fell for Franklin to hit a stunning volley from around 20 yards that flew into the net.
The lead lasted for just over 12 minutes. Kaitlyn Bellanca drove possession forward to the left-hand flank for Caitlin Doeglas to escape forward and drive a shot goalwards that UWA-Nedlands keeper Janina Sauer got a touch to and under pressure from Renee Leota, it looked like the final touch came off a defender as it rolled over the line.
But just as they did so often last season, the home side proved to be stubborn opponents, and five minutes before the break hit the front once more.
Samara Riches’ free-kick on the left-hand edge of the area came in high in the sun, RedStar keeper Gabby Dal Busco could only push it up, and coming in fastest to turn the ball over the line from the closest of range for UWA-Nedlands was Chloe Gaspar.
It was a lead that the home side would hold until just before the hour mark. Bellanca picked up possession midway inside the UWA-Nedlands half and switched play across to the right-hand flank where the ball was nodded on to Sarah Carroll who broke into the box and rolled a cool finish under Sauer to level the scores.
Just as you would expect from RedStar, they continued to up the ante and hit the front for the first time in the game less than two minutes later. From the centre of the park, Leota lifted a perfectly weighted pass into the stride of Jayna Ridley who advanced towards the edge of the area to slide a classy finish past Sauer.
The visitors added two further goals in the final 12 minutes. First, Grace Monteiro gathered possession in the centre midfield and laid a pass off for Leota outside her on the right-hand flank. Leota turned her defender excellently and fed a pass into Ridley who in turn played in Jay Coleman to side-foot home first time on the edge of the box in a central position.
Then in the last minute of regulation time, Doeglas sent a corner into the box from the right that Coleman met on the half-volley at the near post to make it five.
Both sides will take positives from this opening hit out in the fierce heat. UWA-Nedlands showed that they have the character to make life hard for the best in this league. RedStar’s five goals all had class oozing out of them. There’s quite a season of fun and games ahead in the NPLW WA.
Teams: UWA-NEDLANDS: Sauer, C.Gaspar, Gibson, Cain, Kinkaid, Preiato, Visic, Dinsdale, Seeley, Franklin, Riches. Substitutes: E.Gaspar, Hartley, Muller, Dadswell, Rodrigo, Large.
Scorers: Franklin 22′, C.Gaspar 40′.
PERTH REDSTAR: Dal Busco, Carroll, Doan, Teixeira, Ridley, Dunn, Bellanca, Monteiro, Leota, Coleman, Doeglas. Substitutes: Woolley, Lornie, Shilton, Finnegan, O’Donohoe.
Scorers: Own Goal 34′, Carroll 59′, Ridley 61′, Coleman 78′, 89′.
Perth SC 2-1 Fremantle City
Two goals in a seven minute spell either side of the hour mark from Daisy McAllister – the second of which was an outrageous piece of individual skill – saw Perth SC come from behind to beat a talented Fremantle City side.
The visitors were doing their best to disrupt the Azzurri’s plans by chasing everything and looking to force the fatal error. From one such rapid closedown, they grabbed their chance.
With nine minutes played, Freo’s efforts earned turn over ball in the middle of the park which saw Leyna Wood play a lovely little flick to allow Mikayla Lyons to advance towards the area, draw her former teammate Dayle Schroeder in the Perth goal and calmly slot home.
Lyons was absolutely outstanding, particularly during the first half. She was pulling the strings and so instrumental in causing the Azzurri major headaches.
Freo took hold of the centre midfield which enabled them to create two further half chances just before the half hour. First, the ball was lifted through for Sofie Osborne to run onto, before dispatching a shot that Schroeder held at the second attempt. Then, a cross from the right found Lyons in space at the back post, but her effort went wide.
Freo conjured up one further chance when Sophie Meaden was fouled on the right, 25 yards out. Lyons chipped into the mix for Spencer to head over.
Perth came back into the game in the final 20 minutes of the opening half as they switched their point of attack to the flanks with great success. Marshall had already been probing well along the right, but now this was added to by excellent use of the pace of both Jess Flannery and McAllister on the left.
McAllister advanced along the left with 17 minutes remaining on the first half clock and drove into space before unleashing a powerful shot that Phillips held brilliantly.
Shortly afterwards, Flannery made the most of her skill to escape down the same flank before cutting in to dispatch an effort that flashed just wide of the far post.
Then, just before the break, Nossent advanced to play a high ball towards the left-hand post for Flannery to shoot low, but Phillips pushed out for a corner.
The Azzurri were the strongest out of the blocks in the second term and substitute Maja Archibald had an immediate influence on proceedings. Making yards down the right, the former NTC teenager played in McAllister inside her on the edge of the box for a low shot to flash wide of the far post.
Perth SC were putting a lot more pace into their passing and there was more zip in the legs as well, which had the desired impact.
Ten minutes into the half, Archibald picked up possession in the centre of the park and drove forward before unleashing a powerful shot that only just went over the top.
Shortly afterwards, a cross came in high from the right to the back post where McAllister gathered, turned her defender, and fired in a low shot into the far corner of the net to level the scores.
Just 60 seconds later, the home side came close again, as Kim McCartney sent a trademark long-range free-kick narrowly over the top.
On the hour mark, Freo gave a reminder of their own threat when Alex Poad released Lyons to advance into the box and drive a shot against the bar before the Perth defence could clear for a corner. The resulting flag kick came in and just flashed wide of the back post.
Then came the moment of the match with 63 minutes played. Violet Longmore’s throw in around 30 yards inside the Freo half on the left found McAllister who lifted the ball over her defender before hitting a stunning drive that flew across Phillips and into the right-hand corner of the net. Pure genius from the Azzurri star.
Fremantle responded by bringing Abbey Green on, and the former Perth Glory A-League player looked to create along the right. The port city side dominated much of the last 10 minutes, but Perth were disciplined and hard-working to deny the visitors any real sight of goal.
Indeed, the home side did have two further chances of their own with Flannery seeing a shot from distance fly just wide before Tamsyn Hannan broke through and lifted an effort wide of the right-hand post.
This was an important win for Perth SC over an opponent who will be a consistently strong threat all season long. Character, grit, determination and skill were all on display as the Azzurri claimed the three points.
Teams: PERTH SC: Schroeder, Nossent, McCartney, Boehm, Longmore, McAllister, Collins, Mathers, Flannery, Tana, Marshall. Substitutes: Ottobrino, Insch (for Flannery 88’), Hope, Archibald (for Marshall 46’), Cavill, Hannan (for Tana 72’).
Scorers: McAllister 56’, 63.
FREMANTLE CITY: Phillips, Poad, Leek, Osborne, Spencer, Lush, Kiama, Meaden, Siah, Wood, Lyons. Substitutes: Green (for Lyons 69’), Adams, Mayoe, Reynolds (for Poad 79’), Johnson, Healy.
Scorer: Lyons 9’.
Round Two Fixtures:
Fremantle City v Balcatta Etna, Murdoch University Melville v Perth SC, UWA-Nedlands v Subiaco, Perth RedStar v Hyundai Football West Academy.
impetusfootball.org 