Ben Gilby provides a full review of this weekend’s action (21/7/24).
Above: Ellis Glanfield, Murdoch University Melville’s hat-trick hero in yesterday’s superb 3-1 win over Balcatta Etna seen in action earlier in the season. Photo: Denyse RM Photography.
Game of the week:
Perth SC 3-2 Fremantle City
Click on this link to read Ben Gilby’s report of the game, and Rob Lizzi’s photo gallery published on the site yesterday: https://impetusfootball.org/2024/07/21/azzurri-gain-vital-win-over-hard-working-freo/
Round wrap
Hyundai NTC 3-1 UWA-Nedlands
Round 15 opened on Saturday afternoon as the NTC won their first game in five with this success over UWA-Nedlands.
However, they did it the hard way at the Sam Kerr Football Centre as it was the visitors who took the lead with 55 minutes played. Mackenzie Rastatter took advantage of a loose pass from the NTC out on the right wing and earned a throw-in. From here, the ball found Emily Dinsdale further up the same flank and she pulled over a cross which Andrea Preiato met on the bounce in front of home keeper Megan Phillips to score.
It was a lead that UWA-Nedlands held the lead for 10 minutes. Their teenage hosts hit back with an impressive move that started with a throw inside their own half from Harper Collinson for Angelique Clayton. She turned Katarina Visic and then accelerated some 30 yards into space before playing a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Theodora Mouithys who held off Rastatter and slotted a cool finish in off the left-hand post from the edge of the box.
With just under a quarter of an hour to go, Phillips’ clearance in goal found Mia Britton on the right-hand flank. Britton is a player who needs no second invitation to mount a powerful run up the wing, and she put on the afterburners to beat Alyssa Kinkaid, cut in diagonally to the box, and square a low pass to Klaudia Houlis coming in at the back post. The attacker turned the ball home with her second touch from close range.
Whilst UWA-Nedlands pushed hard for an equaliser, three minutes into stoppage time, the NTC completed the job with a third goal. Following a free-kick, Clayton received possession tight on the right-hand touchline just inside her own half. She cut in and found Sakura Leong who played a brilliant first-touch pass with the outside of the boot into the path of Mouithys who advanced into the box and fired past Morgan Springer.
This victory, coupled with Fremantle City’s reverse at Perth SC yesterday restores the NTC’s top-four hopes, as they sit just a point behind the port city side, albeit having played two games more.
Murdoch University Melville 3-1 Balcatta Etna
Murdoch University Melville (MUM FC), who went into this game bottom of the ladder with only one win, gained a huge confidence boost with this superb victory over top-four side Balcatta Etna.
Whilst this was a Balcatta side missing Kat Jukic, Jamie-Lee Gale, Tia Stonehill, and Faye Phillips, with a host of U21 players on the bench, this was still a fantastic result for Steve Atkins’ side.
Ellis Glanfield hit a 14-minute hat-trick, and Isabella Baldin played a part in all three goals as Murdoch University Melville produced a marvellous first half display.
The home side hit the front with 13 minutes on the clock as they won a free-kick after Baldin’s shirt was held by Liana Cook. Ella Mastrantonio’s set piece just inside her own half in a central position came in high and looked to hold up on the breeze, falling for Ellis Glanfield on the edge of the area and bouncing for her to lift the ball over Rebecca Bennett.
Ten minutes later, MUM FC doubled their advantage. Taylor Reid found Baldin in the centre of midfield. She then looked up to lift a pass to Glanfield to her right. Glanfield ran into space, held off Alyssa van Heurck, and slid a finish under Bennett.
It would get better still with 36 minutes played. Balcatta lost possession along their left which ended with Baldin feeding Glanfield once more to stroke the ball home centrally on the edge of the box to huge cheers from the vocal home support.
The visitors pulled a goal back nine minutes into the second period when Abbey Meakins lifted a free-kick into the net from a central position 25 yards out – but that was as close as they could get.
This is a superb win for MUM FC. They may still be bottom – by just a single goal from UWA-Nedlands – but they are alive and have a monumental confidence boost as they build towards next Saturday’s trip to the Sam Kerr Football Centre to face Hyundai NTC.
Perth RedStar 6-1 Subiaco
Perth RedStar warmed up for next Sunday’s huge showdown with Perth SC with this victory over Subiaco at RedStar Arena with Reina Kagami hitting a hat-trick.
They hit the front with 14 minutes on the clock as Abbey Woolley on the right played a perfectly weighted ball forward for Kagami to hold off a defender and fire home first time into the net.
Kagami extended the home side’s advantage just over 10 minutes before the break. Momoko Sakairi’s initial shot was cleared by Shelby Cochran, but only as far as the Japanese star centrally on the box. She looked up and curled a stunning shot between Cochran and Greta Bailey into the roof of the net.
Within three minutes, RedStar hit the back of the net again. Sarah Carroll had acres of space to run into along the right of centre channel. As she reached the box, she laid off to Olivia Wood outside her. Wood played a well-judged pass that dissected the Subi defence across the box for Carroll to take a touch and dispatch a low finish into the left-hand corner of the net.
The visitors gave themselves hope by reducing the deficit four minutes before the interval. Danielle Suckling’s corner from the right was met first time from close range by Bailey.
Less than a minute into the second half, RedStar restored their three-goal cushion with a sensational strike from Wood. Woolley fed Manami Arai on the right, just under 30 yards from goal. Pressure from Arai and Ridley ensured that Subi failed to clear their lines and the ball reached Wood centrally on the edge of the box to fire a first-time rocket into the top of the net. A stunning goal from an in-form player.
Just after the hour mark, the defending champions extended their lead to 5-1. Carla Bennett received possession and drove along the left of centre channel before playing in a pass for Jayna Ridley, positioned centrally outside the box with her back to goal. She turned Savannah Olsthoorn and dispatched a finish into the right-hand corner of the net.
RedStar completed the scoring six minutes from time when Sakairi slid a brilliantly weighted pass through to Kagami that split the Subi backline and she advanced to place a cool finish into the right-hand corner.
Kagami is hitting peak form as the business end of the season is approaching. This, plus the consistent quality of Wood and Woolley, the link-up play of Sakairi, the return of Bennett, and the regular high work rate from all the experienced heads around her mean that RedStar are coming together well.
Next Sunday’s showdown with Perth SC when the top two come together is one that is eagerly awaited.
NPLW WA Ladder Round 15
Round 16 Fixtures
SATURDAY: Hyundai NTC v Murdoch University Melville. SUNDAY: Balcatta Etna v Fremantle City, Perth RedStar v Perth SC, UWA-Nedlands v Subiaco.
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