by Ben Gilby and Ella McShane (15/6/25)
Above: Abbey Green (right), who added to her goal tally for the season in Fremantle City’s 13-0 win against UWA-Nedlands on Saturday. Photo: Celina Lyons.
Balcatta Etna 1-0 Perth SC
Balcatta produced a superb display across the park to become the first side this season to defeat Perth SC in the NPLW WA.
Due to a postponement earlier in the season, this was the first time that these two sides had faced each other in 2025. It was a high-quality game that showcased an excellent tactical battle, resulting in an impressive win for the home side, thanks to Lucy Jerram’s goal after 56 minutes that capped off a superb personal performance by the striker.
Balcatta had the better of the first half. From the earliest exchanges, it was apparent they would be pushing up hard and fast whenever Perth were in possession, particularly targeting the Azzurri’s playing out from the back. This rapid press earned the hosts a lot of turnover ball, forcing throw-ins and corners, which made it challenging for the visitors to break out of their own half.
Lucy Jerram and Frankie Murray were particularly instrumental in creating for Balcatta along the left. As the half wore on, Izzy Foletta’s control and ball-playing skills also became more influential.
The hosts forced three openings in the final quarter hour of the half. With 32 minutes played, from a free-kick inside their own half, Foletta fed Jerram, who in turn found Murray on the left. Her pass across for Abbey Meakins resulted in a shot that Tijan McKenna cleared off the line.
Four minutes later, Foletta started another move down the left when the Perth Glory A-League Women defender found Jerram once more, and the attacker’s shot was pushed across goal by Dayle Schroeder.
Then, just before the break, more high pressing by Balcatta saw them win possession on the right, which saw Jamie-Lee Gale hit a shot that Schroeder repelled strongly.
The second period was more even, and the first opportunity fell the way of the visitors six minutes in when McKenna’s drive forward ended with a long-range shot from a central position that Bennett held.
Then, with 56 minutes on the clock, the hosts hit the front. Ella Marwick took up possession in the middle of the field and fed Jerram, who advanced dangerously on the left again and drove a shot in from the edge of the box on that flank past Schroeder.
Perth responded well and played a patient passing game into space that delivered them more opportunities and territory, but whilst the build-up was successful, they weren’t quite able to force Bennett into making saves.
Balcatta had two further chances to increase their lead in the final 10 minutes. First, Meakins combined with Jamie-Lee Gale, who put a cross in for Jerram, but her effort was over the top. Then Gale herself was denied by a superb diving save by Schroeder after she drove up the right.
Then, two minutes into stoppage time, the Azzurri had a chance to take a point. Lincoln, on the left edge of the box, showed great strength and control to hold off a defender and then sent a shot curling towards the top right corner of the net, only for Bennett to produce a superb flying save to push it over the top.
Teams: BALCATTA ETNA: Bennett, Davis, van Heurck, Foletta, Murray, Jarvis, Marwick, Spadano, Meakins, Jerram, Gale. Substitutes: Comito, Cook, Hargreaves, Britton, Duncanson.
Scorers: Jerram 56′.
PERTH SC: Schroeder, Nossent, McCartney, McKenna, Longmore, Collins, Archibald, Mathers, Lincoln, Flannery, Tana. Substitutes: Ottobrino, McAllister, Ingrey, Marshall, Rennie.
Fremantle City 13-0 UWA-Nedlands
by Ella McShane
Fremantle City’s winless run of four games came to an end in some style as they recorded a big win over UWA-Nedlands in the club’s annual Pride game.
Although chances looked equal for the opening 25 minutes, Abbey Green put the early seal on what turned out to be a dominant Fremantle City lead. Despite a box controlled by a quick tempo and plenty of action, Green was able to make an outstanding two-touch cross to volley the ball into the back of the net.
Equitable possession continued until the 27th minute when Fremantle City threatened. A spaced defence and misjudged run off her line from UWA goalkeeper Madison Large, saw the second Fremantle goal achieved in a very nonchalant manner. The ball rolled across the goal line, and on the record as an own goal from Ginger Cain.
In mere minutes before halftime, Fremantle seized unremarkable control, netting three goals in four minutes. Sophie Meaden ignited the trifecta with a clean run down the last third of the left flank to seamlessly convert.
Erin Siah closely followed suit, tapping a cross from Leyna Wood from the left wing into the right corner of the goal. And just to round off the half, Annabelle Leek converted a corner, cementing an astonishing 5-0 lead before the halftime whistle.
Fremantle took no time reintroducing themselves after the break, Green beautifully exploiting space, was able to take the port city side to 6-0 at just 46 minutes. Still hungry for goals, Green was able to push the ball up her favourable half of the field and catch Large off her line. The visiting defenders slowed down momentum, but the former A-League Women star got a touch just before overtaking the goalkeeper to maintain the onside position. Fremantle now 7-0 up.
Siah secured Fremantle yet another goal by converting a cross from the wing. Although the goal was allowed on this occasion, the maintenance of the onside position can be questioned.
Yet another Freo corner was converted at 66 minutes. Tatem Spencer was able to kick the ball behind her shoulder and into the goal. In rapid succession, substitute Mikayla Lyons’ cross from the left wing secured the dominant 10-0 lead.
Just when we thought Green’s day at the office was drawing to a close, the number 15 wrote her name on the scoresheet for the fourth and final time. The powerful strike came from an impressive distance and bumped the score line to 11-0.
To seal off a stellar afternoon, Leyna Wood secured two goals in stoppage time at the end of regulation time. On both occasions, the American analysed play well and positioned herself in the prime spot to seal the deal on a cross. All in all, it finished off an outstanding 13-0 win.
Teams: FREMANTLE CITY: Phillips, Poad, Leek, Osborne, Spencer, Adams, Kiama, Meaden, Green, Siah, Wood. Substitutes: Ireland, Yeo, Lyons, Reynolds, Johnson.
Scorers: Green 10′, 46′, 49′, 82′. Cain 29′, Meaden 41′, Siah 42′, 58′. Leek 44′, Spencer 67′, Lyons 71′, Wood 90+1′, 90+2′.
UWA-NEDLANDS: Large, C. Gaspar, Cain, Riches, Rodrigo, E. Gaspar, Preiato, Dadswell, Short, Dinsdale, Franklin. Substitutes: Kinkaid, Muller, Hartley, Gibson, Visic, Reid, Carr.
Murdoch University Melville 0-5 Perth RedStar
by Ben Gilby
A spell of four goals in 26 first-half minutes led the way for Perth RedStar to hit top spot on the NPLW WA ladder for the first time this season.
One of the stars of the show in the first half was Lauren Continibali, who was involved in three of RedStar’s four goals in the opening 45.
With 14 minutes on the clock, it was her run up the right and low cross across the face of the goal that allowed an unmarked Caitlin Doeglas to turn the ball home.
Eight minutes later, it was 2-0, and this time the pair reversed their roles. Doeglas drove up the left and squared the low pass for Continibali to tap home at the back post.
Renee Leota grabbed the third just after the half-hour mark as the visitors cut through the battling home defence once more. Quyen Doan saw a shot deflected up off Sophie Patience and out to the left flank for Doeglas. The Perth Glory A-League Women attacker played the ball back to Leota at the back post. Her first shot was saved by Jemma Skinner, but the rebound fell perfectly for the New Zealander to nod home.
Five minutes before the break, it was 4-0 with a superb goal from Grace Monteiro, who gained possession outside the box in a central position and beat three would-be tacklers and broke into the box to slot home.
One further goal followed, just over 15 minutes from the end, when Jayna Ridley’s cross from the right was volleyed home by Sarah Carroll from close range.
That’s now seven wins in a row for the defending champions, and their next league game, after next week’s break for the State Cup Quarter-Finals, is a mouthwatering trip to Dorrien Gardens to face Perth SC.
Teams: MURDOCH UNIVERSITY MELVILLE: Jemma Skinner, Symons, Denona, Malata, Patience, Jorquera, Baldin, Saraceni, Cleminson, Ellis, Glanfield. Substitutes: Richards, Mohan, Hotchin, Bui.
PERTH REDSTAR: Jess Skinner, Woolley, Dunn, Bellanca, Doan, Bennett, Monteiro, Carroll, Doeglas, Leota, Continibali. Substitutes: Dal Busco, Ridley, Lornie, Mogridge, Gray, Ingrey, Devitt.
Scorers: Doeglas 14′, Continibali 22, Leota 31′, Monteiro 40′, Carroll 76′.
Subiaco 3-5 Football West Academy
by Ben Gilby
Football West Academy (FWA) came back from 3-2 down with three goals in five minutes to defeat Subiaco at a wet Rosalie Park this afternoon.
The visitors hit the front with nine minutes played when a free-kick on the left-hand edge of the area was chipped in, and Lacey Heys rose highest to nod home on the six-yard box.
FWA doubled their lead just after the quarter-hour mark when a one-two involving Heys ended with the ball going out to Sakura Leong at the back post to turn in a low shot from an acute angle.
However, Subi hit back with two goals in 12 minutes at the end of the half. First, Tayna Campos and Marianna Tabain combined in the middle of the park, and the ball into the danger zone came off visiting defender Nelli Johnson to fall for So-Yi Kim to calmly round Daisy McGreadie Cole and turn it home.
Then, with a minute of regulation time remaining, Tabain fed Kim, who sent a curling shot goalwards that McGreadie Cole blocked with her foot, only for Greta Bailey to dispatch into the net.
The home side took the lead on the hour mark when a superb move by Kim saw her beat both Johnson and Andie Williams-Jones with some aplomb before turning the ball home brilliantly.
Once more, the game turned on its head as an incredible spell of three goals in five minutes restored the FWA’s control over proceedings.
Indeed, Subi’s lead lasted only five minutes, and a one-two between Theodora Mouithys and Emily Garnett ended with the former’s shot being saved by Monique Todd. A clearance fell perfectly for Garnett on the edge of the box in a central position to dispatch a powerful shot into the net.
With 68 minutes played, the teenage visitors took the lead as Garnett hit a long-range shot from a central position that was saved by Todd, but fell kindly for Klaudia Houlis on the left edge of the box to turn home.
Then, with 20 remaining, Garnett collided with Todd in the box. Despite strong protestations from the home side, a penalty was awarded. Garnett picked herself up and saw her penalty come crashing down off the crossbar and hit the extremely unfortunate Todd on the head as it came down, with the ball just touching the net before coming back out.
It was tough on Subi, but the Football West Academy showed great battling spirit in coming back to clinch this win, which propels them up to second on the ladder.
Teams: SUBIACO: Todd, Burdett, Rudd, Hope, Campos, Suckling, Bailey, Tabain, Papalia, Kim, Harvey. Substitutes: Hughes, McCulloch, Steele, Robinson, Tyne, Silver.
Scorers: Kim 32′, 60′. Bailey 44′.
FOOTBALL WEST ACADEMY: McGreadie Cole, Santos, Johnson, Williams-Jones, Leong, Houlis, Dumont, Heys, McAuliffe, Mouithys, Garnett. Substitutes: Santich, Collinson, Barlow, Kuzamba, Brady, Borg, Dalton.
Scorers: Heys 9′, Leong 16′, Garnett 65′, (pen) 70′. Houlis 68′.
Ladder
Perth RedStar P 12 Pts 28 GD +36
Football West Academy P 12 Pts 27 GD +17
Perth SC P 11 Pts 26 GD +25
Balcatta Etna P 10 Pts 22 GD +17
Fremantle City P 10 Pts 12 GD +6
Subiaco P 10 Pts 10 GD -8
UWA-Nedlands P 12 Pts 6 GD -40
Murdoch University Melville P11 Pts 0 GD -51
Fixtures
STATE CUP QUARTER-FINALS: 19th June: Balcatta Etna v Hamersley Rovers. 20th June: Football West Academy v Perth SC. 22nd June: Murdoch University Melville v Perth RedStar, Fremantle City v Subiaco.
NPLW WA ROUND 13: 28th June: Football West Academy v UWA-Nedlands, Perth SC v Perth RedStar. 29th June: Balcatta Etna v Subiaco, Fremantle City v Murdoch University Melville.
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