This one really matters for Tottenham Hotspur

Impetus’ Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Rachel Cohen looks ahead in depth to tomorrow’s huge game in the WSL relegation battle against Reading with both a match preview and her report from Spurs boss Vicky Jepson‘s media conference this afternoon (19/5/23).

Above: Beth England – her influence on tomorrow’s game for Tottenham is potentially season-defining. Photo: Suvadeep Biswas for Impetus.

If Tottenham Hotspur win against Reading this Saturday, they are safe in the WSL for another year.

Lose or draw and, depending on goal difference and how Reading perform against Chelsea in their last game, Spurs may require a point away at West Ham United on the final day.

There are some other scenarios involving Leicester City and Brighton & Hove Albion (currently one place above and one place below us) but they are less likely to occur.

For those who like calculating such things, there is even an outside chance that West Ham are relegated but that involves a complicated scenario of Reading and Leicester winning all their next games, Brighton beating Everton (but losing to Leicester) and Tottenham losing to Reading and then beating West Ham. It also requires that Reading wins their games by big margins and/or that West Ham lose heavily.

The complications of relegation scenarios aside, the big takeaway is that Tottenham’s game tomorrow matters.

The fact that it will be the second game in a double header is a whole other issue.

That there are issues that span the club, for instance that neither Spurs men’s nor women’s teams have a permanent manager nor an obvious plan, is another.

But for now, let us focus on how the team ended up in this relegation battle and what might happen on the pitch on Saturday.

How we got here

Let’s start by remembering what a total shit show this year has been.

First off, while everyone is now focused on Arsenal’s injury crisis (with the team suffering another serious injury just this week) there was a period earlier in the season when Spurs had four players out with ACLs, and another handful with long-term injuries.

Fans were not always told what the injuries were because the club operates in relative secrecy (although this has improved with Vicky Jepson taking the helm) but also because there is less media interest in injuries to players at a middling WSL team, especially where none of the injured players are Lionesses, nor even golden boot contenders. In the midst of all this one of our summer signings (Ramona Petzelberger) disappeared for eight months before returning in our last game to play a few minutes against Manchester United.

Above: Ramona Petzelberger: Back in the team after eight months. Photo: Spurs Women

And then there was the bad luck. This season has been a revelation in how many things can go wrong all at once.

Like when Spurs beat Brighton 8-0 and were cock-a-hoop, due to play Everton the next weekend at home. But a waterlogged pitch meant the game was cancelled. So, instead their next game – four weeks and an international break later and all momentum gone – was Chelsea away. Spurs lost that game 3-0. And, a month later, when they finally played Everton, it was a dark snowy rail strike hit Wednesday evening and everything that could go wrong did go wrong, losing that one 3-0 as well.

The bad luck was not just around postponements, but also related to losing important players to suspensions at bad times. Ashleigh Neville was suspended for a foul committed in response to herself being fouled in the dying minutes of that same Everton game. As a result, she missed the game against Villa that Tottenham lost by a single goal.

A few weeks later Eveliina Summanen, increasingly the team’s most important midfielder, got retrospectively suspended for ‘that’ red card incident against Manchester United, something that no one in women’s football had ever been suspended for before, and missed two winnable games: Reading in the FA Cup (which the team lost on penalties) and Liverpool in the league (a game lost by a single goal).

And you could argue the team was unlucky in having to face a series of top-four teams just as things were starting to improve on the pitch at the start of 2023. This meant that the run of defeats that had begun pre-Christmas was extended and as it did it became more and more of a weight – with players clearly under pressure and committing mistake after mistake.

Injury and bad luck notwithstanding there has undoubtedly been bad decision-making, and things going wrong on the field. Most critically, as discussed in the pre-Christmas period, players who do not seem to understand where each other will be. There has also been a widespread lack of fitness which has impacted both players’ ability to win contested balls and has also meant that at any one time, throughout the season, about half the squad were on managed minutes.

The consequence has been a season in which team selection and substitution decisions have more often depended on player availability than tactics.

Above: Beth England, whose impact has been massive. Photo: Spurs Women.

There have been signs of improvement in the period since Christmas. Not just the introduction of Beth England – although the impact she has had cannot be understated. But beyond her we have seen moments, even longer periods, when players seem to be finding each other in space, predicting runs, lining up as if they do not know what they are doing. But these periods have not yet been sustained enough to extend across an entire game, let alone span games.

The upcoming game

For the first time this season, it looks like Spurs will have a full, or nearly full, squad available tomorrow. Meaning that there are actual options and tactical choices.

Given the relegation fight, and that what is necessary is to come away with a point, it is likely that the Interim Manager, Vicky Jepson, will set the team up relatively conservatively.

Unlike her predecessor, Rehanne Skinner who used a back-three in some games, especially against bigger teams, Jepson has stuck with a back four with Molly Bartrip and Shelina Zadorsky as the central pairing when available. Given that Reading is not the most attack-minded of teams it is likely she will do this again.

But if the focus is on not losing (rather than winning) we may see Neville starting as a fullback rather than being given the freedom to roam forward. That would be a shame but for a crucial game makes sense. If that is the case, it may be that Kerys Harrop starts on the other wing. She is not the paciest of strikers but is a more natural full-back than Amy Turner with excellent positional sense and the ability to contribute to the attack.

Harrop also had a very good game when she came on as a substitute against Reading in the reverse fixture. Turner has, however, heretofore been un-droppable (starting every single WSL game) so this would be a first start on the bench if it happens.

Asmita Ale, the other option at fullback, has had almost no minutes under Jepson. That is a shame, as she is an excellent young player who started the year strongly. She even played well in her last full 90 – against Aston Villa away, when she was one of Spurs’ best players. But the only start she has had under Jepson were 59 minutes in the draw against Aston Villa at home.

With a three-month gap since her last start, it was unsurprising that she started the game a little rusty but improved as it went on. The risk is that if she is not getting game time and with her contract up this summer, Ale may leave the club. That said, given that she has been out of favour, and if Jepson sees her as a risk, it is unlikely she will use her much in this game given its importance.

It is unclear what determines who is in goal. If it’s about ensuring that two keepers have equal game-time (they played 11 games each last season) then we will see Becky Spencer between the sticks, as she has to date played in nine games; Tinni Korpela has played in 11. If it is about form, then Korpela’s calmness and shot-stopping against Manchester United may see her preferred. Her save percentage is also currently about 20 percentage points higher than Spencer’s.

Across Spurs’ previous games against Reading (they have played three times this season: winning, losing, and drawing – in that order) Tottenham have struggled to win midfield battles, and it is likely that these will again prove crucial.

In this game, Spurs’ midfield lineup may hinge on where Jepson decides to play Summanen. We understand that she was dropped for the Manchester United game to ensure she did not pick up a yellow card suspension in that game which would have meant that she was unable to start this game. But that game showed how much less control Spurs have with her out of the team so they will need Summanen at her combative and hard-running best if they are going to get hold of – and keep – the ball against Reading.

If she starts in a holding midfield position it would be good to see her partnered with either Ria Percival (who looks to have come back from injury with all her tenacity intact) or Drew Spence (who can swing between being easily Spurs’ best player and invisible).

Above: Eveliina Summanen has become increasingly important to Spurs. Photo: Spurs Women.

But Jepson may opt to play Summanen as a number 10. This is a position from which she has shown that she is effective at leading the press (Spurs have otherwise been poor at pressing high). She has also scored three times in the three games in which she played 10 to England’s nine. If Summanen does play higher Jepson may then opt for Percival and Spence as holding midfielders behind her. Or she may bring in Angharad James to play alongside either of them.

James has had moments since joining Spurs last summer, with flashes of passing vision and her effort cannot be criticised, but has been inconsistent and at times seems flustered on the ball. Whether that is down to how she is being used or her as a player is unclear.

Alternatively, if Summanen plays further back, there is scope to give Kit Graham another start. Graham was one of only a few players to impress in the game against Manchester United. Her vision produced two excellent through balls that lead to Spurs’ only chances in an otherwise barren first half.

Looking to the wings Spurs have a plethora of options. But it essentially boils down to a choice between more technical players (Celin Bizet and Mana Iwabuchi most obviously) and more speedy players (Jess Naz and Rosella Ayane). In the last game, Jepson chose to have one of each on the pitch, with Bizet and Naz starting. Since they did decently in the time they had, it may be that they have done enough to claim their berths against Reading.

When she came on as a substitute for Naz, Ayane looked stronger than she has done in earlier games this season, and impressed with her speed and ability to run with the ball. But she still seems to lack awareness of other players, too often playing with her head down – indeed it is the combination of this with her undoubted potential that makes Ayane so frustrating to fans. Iwabuchi also got minutes against United but seemed a little off the pace and lacking strength on the ball. This is a little surprising since these were attributes she possessed in her first games after she joined Spurs. 

There is, of course, no discussion about selecting the striker: Bethany England. Spurs’ saviour. Or she will be if Spurs are saved.

If, however, we get to the point where Spurs really need a goal, or where they are on top and can play more attacking football, I hope that Jepson gives Nikola Karczewska a chance. We know that she has goals in her, that defences find her difficult and that her hold-up play is impressive. It would be good to have an opportunity to see what she can do, ideally playing as a second striker.

Above: Nikola Karczewska: It would be good to see her get some minutes. Photo: Spurs Women.

The good news is that, even while Spurs are far from the finished item, and while the season has been painful at best, and that even now the team is yet to find an identity, Spurs do finally have a range of players available who can be introduced and, especially going forward, can create new problems.

This is exciting. And I hope we see Jepson making the most of it – making early changes if needed and using all five substitutes to affect what is happening on the pitch. It does not sound like a lot, but if this were to happen it would mark a major step forward, even while the time left in the season to develop the team is all but gone.

Most importantly, a deeper squad with options for the formation, lineup, and substitutions mean that it is that much more likely that the team will come away with three points. If they do, fans can all exhale. They can even go to Spurs’ final game of the season – a potentially tricky trip to Chigwell Construction Stadium – and enjoy a game that does not matter at all.

The above article was originally published at: https://spurswomen.uk/2023/05/18/this-one-matters/

Jepson: Men’s team fans should get behind the badge and support us tomorrow

Above: Tottenham Hotspur interim head coach Vicky Jepson. Photo: Forbes.

In her pre-game press conference, Interim Tottenham Hotspur head coach Vicky Jepson sent a message to Spurs men’s team fans.

“If they support that badge, it doesn’t matter who’s wearing it. They should support anybody that’s wearing it. So whether it’s the men’s team or the women’s team, they should be getting behind and definitely cheering them on tomorrow. 

“If you’re at the men’s game tomorrow and you’re supporting them against Brentford then stay afterwards because we’ve got a big game after that and we need as much support as we can to get behind our women’s team. And, by the way, they’ll be surprised with the quality and the talent that will be shown on that pitch from both teams.”

Jepson spoke about the importance of going after the six remaining points, saying that it was not just this game against Reading on which the team was focused, but also the final game away at West Ham United. “We’ve always said we want to accumulate as many points as we can. There’s six points left in the league, so they’re the six points that we’re going to go for.”

Jepson also answered a question that many Spurs fans have been asking for the last two seasons about the mystery that is Spurs shared goal-keeping duties. She denied that there was any conscious attempt to give equal minutes to Becky Spencer and Tinni Korpela (last season they played 11 games each and so far this season it has been nine and 11, respectively).

Above: Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Tinni Korpela. Photo: Catherine Ivill

“Keepers aren’t selected to equal their minutes, that’s for sure. They’re selected on who we feel is right for that game against that opponent and, I’m definitely not going to be answering who will be starting in goal tomorrow, but I appreciate the question.”

In good news, the Spurs boss confirmed that there were no major injury worries – with Nikola Karczewskwa back fit. Rather, for the first game this season, there will be more players available than spaces on the bench and so there will be tough decisions to make.

“We’ve got 10 subs available, and we can only name nine on the bench. So that’s always hard. The thing is in training at the moment, we’ve trained so well. Every single player has been training so well. So we’re in a great place. That’s a tough decision when you’ve got to leave somebody out of the squad, and when everybody deserves to be in the squad.” 

Finally, Jepson clarified that she was not involved in thinking about contract renewals for the (approximately half dozen) players who will be out of contract at the end of this season. “Those decisions are way above my head at the moment.” While helpful, that does not, of course, answer the question of who is making those decisions.”

Pride at doubleheader success

Pride Park v AFC Normanton

To complete their season in the tier seven Derbyshire Ladies League Division One, Impetus partner club Pride Park played two back-to-back matches of 60 minutes against AFC Normanton. ‘Doug Outt’ reports.

Above: Pride Park’s first game with AFC Normanton was their designated #HerGameToo fixture, and the squad proudly pose with the banner. Photo: Shaun Hardwick.

Match one:

Pride Park 8-0 AFC Normanton

Pride brought the season to a close with a double-header against AFC Normanton at Moorways on Sunday, the first of which was officially the ‘home’ fixture and the club’s designated #HerGameToo fixture to mark the club’s partnership with the Her Game Too campaign. 

Double headers can be very difficult games to negotiate, both physically and mentally and there was the additional pressure of knowing that two wins would secure at least third place in the league.

In the first of the two games of 60 minutes, Pride got off to a good start scoring three goals in the first 13 minutes. The opener came from a Tash Allderidge corner which was met in the centre of goal by Summer Evans and her header was glanced over the line by Beth Jones with five minutes played. 

Five minutes later Steph Eadon did well to bring another Allderidge corner down under control in the box, evade a challenge, and slot home from close range. The third goal of the opening salvo came three minutes later when Millie Holmes swept a ball down the line for Jones, who ran on before squaring across goal for Evans to finish.

Although Jones had a couple of further chances which were off target, and Allderidge saw a free kick deflected behind off the defensive wall – and another shot well saved – Pride were unable to add to their lead despite having the better of territory and possession before the end of the first half of 30 minutes. 

Pride were slow to get started in the second half, with just a Maja Znamirowska shot wide of the post in the first ten minutes after the restart but, almost as if someone had flicked a switch, they seemed to suddenly click, with five shots and five goals within 12 minutes.

Above: Summer Evans, who scored twice for Pride Park in the first match, and would add a hat-trick in the second encounter. Photo: Shaun Hardwick.

Evans got things started on 41 minutes when Jade Howell’s kick upfield was glanced on by a defender, controlled by Evans and slipped past the keeper. Znamirowska made it five three minutes later, stooping to head home Evans’ pin-point cross.

Arguably the pick of the bunch, after 46 minutes, came from Steph Eadon’s 40-yard diagonal cross-field pass which was brought down inside the area superbly on her chest by Evans, before she squared for Jones to make it 6-0. Two minutes later, Eadon nipped in ahead of the defender on the edge of the area to reach Izzy Wilsoncroft’s long throw and hit a dipping shot beyond the ‘keeper.

Completing the scoring after 53 minutes, Evans’s cutback after a run down the right was finished by Jones. 

In the midst of that scoring spree, Normanton had a chance to pull one back, but the shot from a central position in front of goal was saved by Howell. It was Normanton’s only shot on target and although they had two further efforts in the closing minutes, both were off target – ensuring Pride kept a fifth clean sheet of the season in the league and sixth overall for the season.

Having completed the first objective the players had twenty minutes to rest before the second game. Having shown they had the physical and technical ability, the challenge would be to show the mental strength to be able to maintain the standard and repeat the performance in the second game. 

Scorers: Jones (3), Evans (2), Eadon (2), Znamirowska.

Match two:

AFC Normanton 1-10 Pride Park
Above: Beth Jones, scorer of five goals in the second match against AFC Normanton to take her tally on the afternoon to eight. Photo: Shaun Hardwick.

The second instalment of this double-header and the final game of the season, also at Pride Park’s Moorways home, but officially a ‘home game’ for AFC Normanton, was initially a slow burner as far as Pride were concerned.

Despite taking the lead after 12 minutes when Impetus sponsored Ella Kew’s perfectly weighted pass put Steph Eadon in the clear on the left, before she cut in and finished at the near post – the lead only lasted two minutes before Normanton equalised.

A minute later, Eadon collected a loose ball in midfield and put Beth Jones through on goal and she rounded the ‘keeper to restore Pride’s lead. Despite this, Pride were not playing at the level or at the tempo they had shown in the first game and were not as effective either with or without the ball.

This gave Normanton the opportunity to get forward more and shortly after going behind again they worked their way in behind Pride’s defence a little too easily, but the shot was saved by Jade Howell. There were a couple more attempts on goal for Pride but without reaching the performance level of the first game it remained 2-1 and delicately poised at half-time. 

Pride were a very different proposition from the start of the second half, Summer Evans making it 3-1 within two minutes of the restart. There was then a brief respite of ten minutes for Normanton, during which there was a lengthy stoppage for an injury to Pride’s Annie Laight who was unable to continue, after jarring her knee, before Pride unleashed a veritable blitz, scoring five goals in a 12-minute spell. 

Beth Jones got things rolling on 42 minutes. Three minutes later Steph Eadon’s cross was met with a firm header by Tash Allderidge, turned aside by a fine save by the goalkeeper – Hannah Kwiatek anticipated well and was on hand to finish from close range.

Above: Tash Allderidge powers a header towards goal for Pride Park during the second match. Photo: Shaun Hardwick.

A minute later Ella Kew was unfortunate to see her header come back off the crossbar from Tash Allderidge’s corner, but it was 6-1 after 48 minutes when Beth Jones came out on top from a three-way tussle for the ball with a defender and the goalkeeper, to slot home. 

It was Beth Jones again four minutes later, this time latching on to Jade Howell’s kick, running behind the defence and shooting across the ‘keeper to finish inside the far post. Steph Eadon advanced down the right before turning and playing the back to Izzy Wilsoncroft – her ball into the box was headed home by Summer Evans to make it 8-1 after 54 minutes. 

Summer Evans added a ninth two minutes later, collecting Sophie Ayton’s through ball and rounding the keeper to score and complete her hat-trick. In the fifth minute of time added on, Beth Jones scored her fifth of the game and her 47th of a remarkable season when she was played in by Millie Holmes to round off the win for Pride.

After a slightly sluggish first half, Pride burst into life in the second period and – as in a similar spell in the first game – were absolutely clinical in front of goal. 

Going into the doubleheader, Pride knew that two wins would secure third place in the League. Having won the first game so convincingly, there was an additional mental challenge going into the second game and, although it took a little while to get going, the test was passed with flying colours, demonstrating the growing maturity of the team, as two emphatic wins ensure at least a third-place finish for Pride who finish the season with a run of five consecutive wins.

Scorers: Jones (5), Evans (3), Eadon, Kwiatek.

Pride Park FC – Impetus partner club 2022/23. Photo: Shaun Hardwick.

Suffolk FA Women’s Cup Final Photo Gallery

Hannah Parnell was pitchside to capture this EXCLUSIVE collection of images from the big game at Colchester between Needham Market and Bungay Town (19/5/23).

Above: Needham Market lift the Suffolk FA Women’s Cup following their 6-0 win over Bungay Town in the final. Photo: Hannah Parnell for Impetus.

To read Darrell Allen’s match analysis from the press box at Colchester, click on this link: https://impetusfootball.org/2023/05/17/cup-final-joy-for-needham-market/

Clash of the Titans: Gotham FC faces OL Reign

by Denise Duffy and Jonathon Hagger (18/5/23)

Above: Gotham FC’s Ali Krieger in the huddle. Photo: Devon Cafaro / Gotham FC.

Third-ranked Gotham FC faces a significant challenge as they take on OL Reign, the second-ranked team in the NWSL, at Lumen Field on May 21, 2023. It will be a matchup to watch as these two equally matched teams go head to head. The outcome will have implications for the league standings.

Following a 1-0 loss against the Washington Spirit, The Reign will be looking to get back on track with a win against Gotham FC. The emotions will be running high as OL will be playing in front of a spirited and vocal home crowd.

Both teams have the same match results to this point with 4 wins -1 draw – 2 losses. The only difference is a significant goal difference advantage to the Reign who had a resounding win against Chicago Red Stars, 5-2 in a previous match.

Gotham FC Head Coach Juan Carlos Amorós is instilling in the team a drive for continuous improvement. “We need to compete against ourselves and our performance the game before, get better to impose our style”. Playing at their best is an absolute must if Gotham hopes to bring down the might of the Reign. 

TEAM COMPARISONS

Lynn Williams is having a blinder of a season leading many team statistics for both offence and defense. Williams is pressing hard to be included in the US Women’s team for the World Cup in July 2023. With Mewis, Taylor, and Farrelly feeding her quality passes, combined with her poise when opportunities arise, goals are on the menu almost every week.

Williams has overtaken Sam Kerr for the total number of goal-scoring creations, meaning goals and assists. And beware any team that thinks Williams is going to tire out – she is not. Watching Williams play for ninety-plus minutes is a captivating experience as goals in this hectic league can and do happen right up to the last whistle.

Above: Bruninha in action for Gotham FC. Photo: Devon Cafaro / Gotham FC.

Allie Long is the central pivot for many of Gotham’s plays. Long emerges as a visionary force in the midfield, asserting her dominance and exerting significant influence on the team’s direction of play. The Orlando Pride worked out how to keep Long off the ball in the last match and OL Reign will do well to take lessons from that performance.

It’s also important to look across the rest of the Gotham squad to understand what’s working well. This match will be won or lost depending on how well each team’s midfield controls the flow and pace of the match. Gotham is blessed to have a midfield that consists of strong leaders and they are going to need to be at their very best. Its essential players these players bring their A-game.

  • Kristie Mewis – Midfield. Mewis is one of the team’s leaders in shot creating actions. Mewis is left footed and a very physical player. She is not afraid to put her body on the line when needed.
  • McCall Zerboni – Midfield. With 14 years experience playing in the NWSL, Zerboni is ready to engage in any and every situation. Zerboni has been used as a super sub regularly by the Bats. She anchors the midfield when the pressure is on.
  • Sinead Farrelly – Mid/Forward. Coach Amorós describes Farrelly as being “a fantastic play marker, she gives us clarity going forward, and is comfortable on the ball. We’ve seen her fitness grow over the season after the long break from the game. She’s been good for the team overall”.

The OL Reign are a very strong goal scoring team. They can create opportunities when there appears to be no way through. Coach Laura Harvey emphasised her team does well when they can move the ball around, as said after last week’s loss “because when we can switch the point of attack, when we can keep possession and switch it around the back or move the ball. We become a better team because of it.”

Above: OL Reign’s Alana Cook. Photo: Rob Kinnan / Imagn.
  • OL Reign Forwards. The Reign have perhaps the most dominant assembly of forwards across all of the NWSL teams. Boasting names like Rapinoe, Latsko, and Balcer the Reign are an attacking menace.
  • Jess Fishlock – Midfield. Fishlock has scored 3 goals in 7 matches and is the top-rated player according to Fotmob.
  • Phallon Tullis-Joyce. The Reign are sticking with a good thing and have made Tullis-Joyce their number-one starting goalkeeper. She has started every match and has an enviable goals saved rate of just under 80%. If finding a way through the Reign defence wasn’t a big enough challenge getting the ball past Tullis-Joyce will be just as difficult.  

What to expect in this match –

  • OL Reign were beaten 1-0 by the NC Courage. The Courage lacked the high-quality accuracy of passing we have become accustomed to and were on the back foot with only 39.3% of possession. The Reign will be looking to continue to dominate in this possession statistics.
  • Gotham has a dynamic attack option when playing down the right wing with Taylor

Smith and Yazmeen Ryan, both providing a constant threat when they combine. Sinead Farrelly is writing a thriller of a comeback story and is stamping her authority on the game. When opportunities arise to score, Farrelly can finish them.

  • The OL Reign vs Gotham FC will be the must-see match in the next round of the NWSL. These two powerhouse teams will both be looking to gain an early advantage so the first 20 minutes could well be complete mayhem! 

Keeper – Abby Smith (probable) or Mandy Haught (possible) vs Phallon Tullis-Joyce. Statistically, there is little difference between the performances of Smith and Tullis-Joyce this season. The key difference between the two is Gotham FC’s super high press tactic that requires their goalkeepers to complete a high number of actions outside the box, in a sweeper-type role. Gotham were only able to keep a strong Orlando Pride goalless through the sheer brilliance of Abby Smith. Both Jonathon and I are giving the checkmark to Abby Smith. Forget any history, her current form is absolutely switched on.

Backline – Krieger, Edmonds and Bruninha vs Hiatt, Cook and Huerta. OL Reign has a slight edge because several have national team aspirations. These games are pure proving ground for that.

Midfield – The OL Reign often play in a 4-2-3-1 formation meaning they have very good coverage offensively and defensively. Fishlock and Sonnett provide cover in front of the back four while Rapinoe, Balcer and Latsko float in offensive roles. Gotham have shown a liking for using the full width of the field and will be looking to unleash Farrelly and Mewis on the sidelines. Precision passing will be essential.

Front Line – Reign’s Bethany Balcer and Gotham’s Lynn Williams. The form that Williams has been playing with so far this season gives her an edge in this matchup. Balcer has scored three goals and given 1 assist through 7 games with two of those goals in the walkover against Chicago. The Gotham defenders will have their hands full with Balcer being able to shoot with both feet as well as being a big threat in the air. We again are giving the edge to Gotham.

Coaching – Laura Harvey v Juan Carlos Amorós. Like all the elements of this match the two coaches are difficult to separate in terms of an advantage. Harvey has a team of hardworking stars and Amorós has a team full of experience and class. Edge goes to Harvey. I think she will have no problem motivating her team in front of their hometown fans at Lumen Field as she directs them from her water cooler.

Back Office – Allie Long recently described the feeling and vibe among the team as “there’s something special we are building on the pitch”, and off the pitch, “our entire staff, from top to bottom, having them here feels like a fresh new start and they’re creating a winning culture. This team is on a mission together and we need each and every player”. OL Reign has a winning culture, however Gothams stock is experiencing a bull market.

Fans, Stadium and Social Media – Playing at home in front of a very energetic and engaged fanbase will give the Reign an edge over the travelling Gotham FC.

Penclawdd take West Wales Womens’ & Girls’ League Cup Final glory

Above: Penclawdd with the West Wales Womens and Girls’ League Cup. Photo: Perry Dobbins.

Penclawdd 4-2 Johnstown

Report and photo gallery from Perry Dobbins (18/5/22)

This match was one of four matches played at the Old Road Welfare Ground, Briton Ferry which included the under 14’s, under 15’s, and under 16’s league cup finals.

In the Ladies Final, the first of eight goals came within the first three minutes through Jenkins for Johnstown, this lead lasted nearly to half time with Davies equalising one minute before the break.

Three minutes following the re-start Hambleton made it 2-1 to Penclawdd with Davies providing the assist and with Davies scoring again on 52 minutes and Bibb on 55 minutes the match was being stretched away from Johnstown.

Johnstown did score on 69 minutes through an unknown scorer to make it 4-2 but it was only to be a consolation as Davies completed her hat trick with a penalty on 74 minutes.  

Perry Dobbins’ photo gallery from the West Wales Womens’ & Girls’ League Cup Final:
Above: The Johnstown squad that played in the West Wales Womens’ & Girls’ League Cup Final. Photo: Perry Dobbins.

West Ham United v Chelsea Photo Gallery

Chris Myatt was pitchside at the Chigwell Construction Stadium to capture all the action from last night’s WSL London derby (18/5/23).

Above: Chelsea’s Sam Kerr might not have been on the scoresheet, but her teammates hit four to top the table. Photo: Chris Myatt for Impetus.

West Ham United 0-4 Chelsea

Chelsea went two points clear at the top of the WSL after a comfortable win at West Ham United last night, extending the East London side’s losing streak to 10 league games.

Niamh Charles put the visitors ahead just before the quarter-hour mark, and it would remain that way until the break. Three minutes into the second period, Pernille Harder doubled the advantage with Sophie Ingle making the game safe with 26 minutes left. Erin Cuthbert completed the rout three minutes into stoppage time.

West Ham have not won in the WSL since December, but for Chelsea, they know that a win over Arsenal on Sunday, and defeat for Manchester United in their derby with City would clinch a fourth straight WSL title.

Chris Myatt’s exclusive photo gallery from the Chigwell Construction Stadium for Impetus:

We welcome Chris Myatt to Impetus. To find out more about him and the rest of our contributors based worldwide, click on this link: https://impetusfootball.org/about-our-contributors/

Teams: WEST HAM UNITED (5-3-2): Arnold, Shimizu, Fisk, Cissoko, Tysiak, Smith, Evans, Parker, Longhurst, Brynjarsdottir, Asseyi. Substitutes used: Snerle (for Tysiak 55′), Thestrup (for Evans 65′), Hayashi (for Brynjarsdottir 65′), Atkinson (for Asseyi 81′).

CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Musovic, Carter, Buchanan, Eriksson, Charles, Ingle, Fleming, Rytting Kaneryd, Cancovic, Harder, Kerr. Substitutes used: Cuthbert (for Fleming 69′), James (for Cankovic 69′), Reiten (for Harder 69′), Svitkova (for Kerr 81′), Abdullina (for Charles 81′).

Scorers: Charles 13′, Harder 48′, Ingle 64′, Cuthbert 90+3′.

Referee: Louise Sanders.

Attendance: 1,373.

Everton v Arsenal Photo Gallery

Karl Vallantine was pitchside at Walton Hall Park to capture all the best of the action in a vital midweek WSL match (18/5/23).

Above: Caitlin Foord (centre), who hit two goals on her first start for Arsenal after injury. Photo: Karl Vallantine for Impetus.

Everton 1-4 Arsenal

Arsenal took a major step towards Champions League qualification with a commanding win at Everton.

Matildas star Caitlin Foord made her first start since returning from injury and made an immediate impact scoring two of the Gunners’ goals. However, this positive news was laced with another of Jonas Eidevall’s team suffering a serious injury as Lia Walti was caught by Aggie Beever-Jones and stretchered off with the Everton teenager receiving a red card as a consequence.

Foord’s brace was part of a flurry of four goals in a 13-minute spell. The former Sydney FC star struck her first when dispatching Noell Maritz’s pass into the bottom corner. Katie McCabe doubled the North London side’s lead five minutes later with a shot from distance.

Foord dispatched her second just six minutes later heading in after Toffees’ keeper Emily Ramsey produced a save from Stina Blackstenius’ effort. Lotte Wubben-Moy’s header completed Arsenal’s scoring three minutes before the break. Katja Snoeijs nodded home a consolidation for the hosts near the end.

Arsenal are now three points clear of Manchester City in third place – the final Champions League spot – but this weekend sees a major test as the top four face each other. Arsenal travel to Kingsmeadow to face leaders Chelsea, and there is a Manchester derby, both matches taking place on Sunday.

Karl Vallantine’s exclusive photo gallery for Impetus from Walton Hall Park:

Team: EVERTON (3-4-1-2): Ramsey, K. Holmgaard, Bjorn, S. Holmgaard, Sorensen, Wheeler, Galli, Veje, Bennison, Beever-Jones, Snoeijs. Substitutes used: Sevecke (for Galli 45′), Hope (for Veje 62′), Stenevik (for S. Holmgaard 63′), Finnigan (for Sorensen 73′), Christiansen (for K. Holmgaard 73′).

Scorer: Snoeijs 86′.

ARSENAL (3-4-2-1): Zinsberger, Wubben-Moy, Beattie, Carvalho Souza, Maritz, Maanum, Walti, McCabe, Pelova, Foord, Blackstenius. Substitutes used: Taylor (for Carvalho Souza 45′), Kuhl (for Walti 54′), Queiroz Costa (for Foord 67′), Catley (for McCabe 89′), Godfrey (for Blackstenius 90′).

Scorers: Foord 29′, 39′. McCabe 33′, Wubben-Moy 42′.

Referee: Cheryl Foster.

Attendance: 1,350.

Cup Final joy for Needham Market

Needham Market 6-0 Bungay Town

by Darrell Allen (17/5/23)

Above: Needham Market’s two-goal hero Mia Etheridge celebrates after scoring in the final last night. Photo: Hannah Parnell for Impetus.

Eastern Region Premier Division side Needham Market secured the Suffolk Women’s Cup on Tuesday night at Colchester United’s JobServe Community Stadium with victory over a Bungay Town side who play two tiers lower in the Norfolk Women and Girls’ League Division One.

Fine first half

The pre-match expectation was that Needham Market were strong favourites with score predications as high as a 15-0 win for the tier five side. Therefore, Bungay Town really had nothing to lose.

As expected, Needham Market dominated the ball all evening but early chances from Ellie Rossiter, Eva Hubbard, and Paige Wakefield were wasted. Bungay and the crowd began to sense this may not be the walk in the park that was billed. One of Bungay’s biggest threats is the former Ipswich Town star, Zoe Cossey and it was clear from the off she had the quality to make Needham think. For good measure, Cossey had two shots on target of her own in the opening half.

Mia Etheridge broke Bungay’s resistance on 25 minutes after receiving a brilliant ball from Wakefield but that was all the favourites could manage in the opening half as Bungay stood firm.

A fatal fifteen

Knowing what had happened in last year’s final and having had the half-time break to regroup, what followed at the beginning of the second half was something special from Warren Lewis-Claxton’s team.

Four goals between the restart and the hour mark quickly did away with any thought this might be a contest and gave the tier five team clear daylight. A calm finish from Nicole Pannifer from the edge of the box got it going before Eva Hubbard made it three. The game’s stand-out moment then followed as Lina Nagib struck a thunderbolt of a ball into the net in stunning fashion.

Ellie Rossiter then smashed past the keeper to make it a fifth different goalscorer and round off a fatal fifteen minutes from a Bungay perspective. It had gone from 1-0 to 5-0 in a flash and now for Darren Renwick and his team, it was all about keeping a positive attitude from the remaining half an hour to ensure this didn’t end up embarrassing in terms of the scoreline.

Fantastic Flatman

In a cup final where one team is regarded as a clear favourite, the person who has the hardest job is often the goalkeeper of the underdog. Maddie Flatman in goal for Bungay Town was exceptional, particularly during the first half period where she stood firm to deny Rossitter, Hubbard, Wakefield, and others.

After the fatal fifteen where the game slipped beyond them, Flatman continued to be a shining light as she made repeated saves to keep the score respectable, and only a second goal of the evening from Mia Etheridge was let past her in the final half an hour on the 81st minute. After how the second half had started, it was a performance to be proud of for the keeper.

Leading by example

Bungay’s captain Charnelle Riggall deserved this night so much. The smile as she led her team out at the Jobserve Community Stadium in Colchester, the joy as she came off at half time knowing her team had rattled their superior hosts and the pride as she led her team up for the runners-up medals were three truly special sights to witness.

History makers Bungay Town who were in the Suffolk Women’s Cup final for the first time in their history conducted the evening in such a way that was a credit to Norfolk and Suffolk football, their club, and most importantly themselves. For Riggall, after many years building this project at Bungay Town this was a night that meant so much. They really did put the club properly on the map on Suffolk FA’s big night of the year.

A true team effort

Market backed by around 300 supporters including a drum from their regular goalkeeper who was cup tied. The atmosphere from the drum and supporters sounded more like 3,000. Needham Market is a proud institution as former players and friends of the club backed them in numbers and roared them on to success. It was a great family feeling for Darren Renwick’s team too as Renwick himself had his family occupying the technical area with him to enjoy a landmark day for him and his team.

A fabulous occasion

Roared on by 399 spectators, Needham Market and Bungay Town delivered an unforgettable occasion. Whilst, as expected that Warren Lewis-Claxton and his team won comfortably, Bungay Town made them think and have to really have a big half-time talk. Fifteen dominant minutes from the tier five side where they went up the gears and blew Bungay Town aside was the difference.

The Suffolk FA and Colchester United ran a brilliant evening and it really feels like this is the perfect home for such an occasion as all the recent finals have been so well staged. For Needham Market, this was the case of getting the job done which they did by turning on the style when they needed. Whilst for Bungay Town this was all about history and making themselves proud. Both clubs went home very happy and proud of their evening’s work. It was a night of joy and a great football occasion.

Teams: NEEDHAM MARKET: Gibbs, Pannifer, Hubbard, Bloomfield, Catchpole, Rossiter, Balfour, Etheridge, Nagib, Hall, Wakefield, Substitutes: McGarth, Brawn, Sharp, Nunn, Thomas.

Scorers: Etheridge 25′, 81′. Pannifer 47′, Hubbard 51′, Nagib 53′, Rossiter 58′.

BUNGAY TOWN: Flatman, Renwick, Roos, Flatt, Galer, Riggall, Rowland, Hood, Foster, Cossey, Goulder. Substitutes: Purling, Serghiou, Fenn, Leeks, Adams.

Referee: Tom Ling.

Attendance: 399.

“It’s absolute rubbish to say that women’s football has never had it better”

Janet Mitchell, chairwoman of Impetus’ partner club Chorley, who play in the tier four FA Women’s National League speaks to Ben Gilby about the harsh realities of financial impact for clubs beneath the top two leagues of the English pyramid (17/5/23).

Above: Chorley (sky blue) taking on Newcastle United in the FA Women’s National League Division One North this season. The two clubs are cut from very different cloth. Photo Via Chorley Women.

Since the European Championship Final, the mainstream media have run countless articles on the explosion of the women’s game. Massively increased crowds, visibility, and recognition of players. Yet beneath the top level of the game, all is far from well.

In tier four alone this season, two clubs – Wymondham Town and Hounslow – failed to complete the campaign and folded. Wymondham were a club that experienced sustained success in regional-level football, but just over six weeks into their debut season in tier four, posted on their Twitter feed that they had to withdraw from the FA Women’s National League Division One South-East due to losing “a number of players during the summer, two retiring, and a number of players out with longer-term injuries.”

These are the stories that no one in the mainstream media seem to be aware of. The Lionesses’ won the Euros, crowds are significantly rising in the WSL and Champions League, so everything is great in women’s football in their view.

Chorley are another club that are trying to ride out the storm of being a tier-four club. Non-aligned to any men’s club, the Lancashire club have been punching above its weight impressively for years, but as chairwoman Janet Mitchell revealed, it’s getting harder and harder.

“In my opinion based on my experience, it’s worse than ever financially. We have seen £0 more investment in the club yet prices for all our facilities (for which we don’t own our own) have gone up.

“Frankly, it’s absolute rubbish that women’s football has never had it better, obviously the WSL is seeing record attendances which is all well and good, but for the FA Women’s National League (FAWNL) and below nothing has changed apart from price raises and raised expectations. 

Above: Chorley celebrate during their superb FA Cup run last season. Photo via Chorley Women.

“It’s fantastic that our Lionesses are getting the limelight and deservedly so but, the reality at tier four is that the younger players coming into the game now expect a lot more than the reality; we’ve had players/parents whose expectation is that they would be paid at this level, which may be true with some teams but for clubs like ours this has become a real concern in terms of being able to compete financially with other teams.”

Whilst the FA point to the achievements of the Lionesses, the guarantee of extra PE time and access to football for girls at school, the assistance given to clubs like Chorley, for Dawson, is lacking.

“I think they are aware (of how hard it is), but I don’t think much is being done to help. Funding is being made available to clubs that either own their own ground (I know of one women’s club that has its own facility) or have a three to 10-year tenure at a ground. This is unrealistic for many women’s clubs.

“The FAWNL has released a ‘Minimum Standards’ strategy for 2024/25 which in theory is absolutely fantastic as it means clubs at tier four will have really decent facilities for games but we (like several others) don’t have that option without a serious amount of money coming our way, it’s a real concern to us how we are going to meet these targets and if we can’t, what will happen to us.”

I asked the Chorley chairwoman if she was in a position to discuss the situation with the FA’s Director of Women’s Football, Baroness Sue Campbell, what would be the most urgent points you would wish to put to her and what would be the most important immediate things she could do to help.

For Dawson, it comes down to a redistribution of funding: “More money to be put into grassroots; bottom-up funding rather than top down. Women’s clubs need their own facilities. It’s about time we saw money being put into the right places. There are at least eight women’s and girls’ clubs in a little town like Chorley, yet none of them have a home.

“Most of us are using a men’s ground for matches and training at schools and leisure centres; there aren’t enough pitches to cope with the demand.  If a women’s and girls ‘Hub’ was built in a town like Chorley it would be packed out and could only be a positive in the community.

Above: Youngsters from Chorley-based Euxton Girls walk out with their heroes last season. Photo via Chorley Women.

In terms of aiding lower-level clubs, the FA would point to increased prize money in the FA Cup this year as an example of how they support clubs below the top two tiers of the women’s game. However, even the reality of that doesn’t come close to helping to pay the bills in the same way it can for lower-level men’s teams.

“There is absolutely no denying that the increase in the FA Cup prize money has been good for clubs,” said Dawson. “But it’s unlikely most grassroots clubs will earn more than £1-£4,000 and in reality, that wouldn’t even cover one of our training facility costs for the season!”

On top of the funding issues for lower-level clubs, the financial climate around the cost of living crisis is also having an impact, but Chorley’s chairwoman believes the major issue is that grassroots clubs cannot keep up with the demands placed on them in the face of the growth of interest in the game.

“The cost of living crisis has had a very negative impact in terms of literally all our costs rising, but I don’t think it’s the main influencer. The main issue is that the game is growing exponentially and clubs just can’t keep up in terms of the demands being put on them, financially and structurally.

“There are more and more women’s and girls clubs being formed which on one hand is absolutely amazing but on the other it’s too quick and there just simply isn’t the structure in place for it nor it seems the finances to support it.”

As a consequence of the financial pressures, it is becoming increasingly rare for women’s teams not aligned with men’s clubs to prosper as they did in the past. In the last month, Crawley Wasps, who have been at tier three for several years have just announced that they are merging with a men’s club. Dawson believes that the impact of this on clubs, like her own, which are non-aligned, is hugely challenging.

“This is something which I am very passionate about. If you look at our league alone you will see that the teams who have merged with their male counterparts tend to have the most financial power and in turn the most appeal to players.

“I don’t think it’s any secret that teams in our league, for example, Newcastle United, are offering their players packages we could only dream of. I don’t have any issues with clubs merging it makes good financial sense if the offer is right but what concerns me is that it appears that it is the only way women’s clubs can progress to higher levels.

“Where are the women’s clubs? Surely the game is big enough now for investment in women’s clubs or at least absolutely 50/50 shared facilities where men’s and women’s teams are true equals?  There must be lots of towns (like Chorley) that have the ability to create a women’s club; where is the money/interest for that.

Chorley are a self-funded, independent club. The reality of the huge increase in finances needed just to be able to tread water for another 12 months, never mind aiming for a more productive campaign, is, to be blunt, scary for Dawson.

“I am seriously concerned looking at our finances; we have always been extremely careful with our money as we have to be as a self-funded and independent club. However, year on year the pressure ramps up on what we can afford.

“Playing at tier four brings a huge amount of financial pressure from tier five, as of course, we play at national level rather than regional and the FAWNL are always striving to make the league more professional which ultimately is something that has my full support but, I do wonder how long teams like Chorley will be able to survive the cost. As you said earlier several well-established clubs have already fallen by the wayside this season.

“We run three fundraisers per season to support the club which honestly, in my opinion, is not what we should have to do at this level, but without those, we would not survive half a season. We also rely on sponsorship and subs from our reserve and development teams.”

Above: Chorley’s home ground – Coppull United’s Blainscough Park. Photo: Gibbo’s 92.

We ended our discussion pondering on whether it is inevitable that the Lionesses’ successes and the imminent World Cup will just see youngsters be exposed to the top players and go to watch the top level of the game simply because the WSL remains affordable to watch in person and it is still pretty easy to get tickets to top matches – unlike the men’s game when England have success, and increased attendances trickle down to the third and fourth tiers of the men’s game.

Dawson believes that clubs like Chorley can still prosper from increased attendances, but need to have support to improve their spectator facilities.

“I consider the club to be lucky in that we have a very loyal fan base at Chorley. We regularly get 100 supporters on a match day and considering we have no cover or seating, I think thats amazing. The FAWNL are also pretty good in terms of CPD events in regards to social media and marketing. 

“The real issue with getting people to games and to a certain extent player interest once again comes back to finance and facility. For example, if our home ground (Coppull United FC) had an upgrade in terms of undercover seating, turnstiles, repairs to car parking/fencing, grass pitch investment, I believe more people would come to games.

“They do a fantastic job at Coppull at making supporters feel welcome and at home and it’s an amazingly homely club, something we have been really fortunate to have. This is an attraction in women’s and girls’ football and when we have mascots for our home games we always get positive comments about the club, but with investment, I am sure more could be done and the profile of women’s football in the area would only get better.”

Artwork: Graphics by PW.

Big names back in town but Okino still dominates in NPLW Victoria classic

by Kieran Yap (17/5/23)

Above: Alana Jancevski back on the field for Bulleen Lions. Photo: Bulleen Lions Instagram.

Bulleen and Preston brought back some big guns and FV Emerging’s latest rising star delivered again, but it was Heidelberg United and the Boroondara-Carey Eagles that produced the most incredible match and the only win of the round.

FV Emerging 1-1 Southern United

Knox Regional Football Centre hosted the encounter between two sides in need of a win. FV Emerging have been impressive this season. Importantly, they have been difficult to beat despite facing much older and more experienced teams each week. But they entered this game with only one win so far this season.

Still, they were in a better position than the visitors. Southern United came into the round winless, they have difficulty scoring and have conceded 26 times. It made for a good opportunity for both sides to improve their record.

Southern United’s defensive woes continued early in this game, but the reason was not surprising. Alana Cortellino has been one of the breakout talents for FV Emerging this season, and she scored the opening goal in the 12th minute.

The winger has been a constant menace this season. Her acceleration with the ball and willingness to attack space without it, have seen her score three times this season, but create many other chances through crosses, or corners won.

On this occasion, she finished off the move. Candice Kilderry drove along the left flank and created space for herself to put in a dangerous low cross. Cortellino arrived at the back post to smash home the opening goal of the game.

Kilderry has been another of FV Emerging’s standout players this season. She has the ability to choose both the correct option with her passing and time the ball to perfection. As it was the previous week, Kilderry was the key to unlocking a defence.

The lead would not last. Southern United pushed for an equalizer in an entertaining first half. When Isobel Coppel intercepted a pass at halfway, she immediately put Rhiannon Kelleher into space on the right.

The cross was dangerous but did not find its target, but did find the back of the net. Ehva Gutszmit was the unlucky recipient of an own goal to her name. She was well positioned and had to stick a foot out, sometimes the ball just spins the wrong way and full credit should go to Kelleher for the quality and speed of the ball in.

The draw does not help either side too much, but there are more concerns right now for Southern United than FV Emerging. To state the obvious, they need to find a way to score more goals. They face South Melbourne next week, in another tough test.

South Melbourne 1-1 Calder United

Calder United welcomed back Raquel Derales and Natasha Dakic from Western United for their trip to South Melbourne. The home side included Francesca Iermano following her stint at the same A-League Women club.

Before the round, South Melbourne were in fourth place, and starting to steadily improve. Calder have struggled for results, but performances have been positive. Young midfielder Bella Sewards has been very consistent while Fiorina Iaria has often shown flashes of match-winning potential.

For all of Calder’s inclusions this week, South Melbourne has Danielle Wise. The Golden Boot winner of 2022, is a threat from every half chance, long ball forward or in this case defensive error.

It was Elle Talevski’s under-hit back pass that gave Wise the opening she needed. The striker raced onto the ball and although she was pushed wide by the defence. Wise was able to square it to Janna Lawson to give South Melbourne the lead in the ninth minute.

Wise had the chance to double the lead close to halftime. She got in behind the Calder defence and controlled well before hitting a half volley at goal. The opportunity was denied with a good close-range save by Natalie Picak.

It would be a costly miss, as Calder equalised before the break. Sewards and Iaria linked up to win a corner for the visitors. Sewards’ delivery caused chaos in the box and the ball was eventually thrashed home with a well-placed Keiwa Hieda strike.

The draw was enough to see South Melbourne move up a spot on the ladder with a game in hand over second-place Alamein. Calder stay in the bottom half in eighth position but will add Alana Cerne back into the squad soon. The Western United star scored in both cup finals for Calder United last season and is currently with the Australian Under 23 side. She will greatly improve their chances for the rest of the season.

Bulleen Lions 1-1 Preston Lions

Caitlin Friend’s Bulleen side boasted some big-name recruits for their match against Preston Lions on Monday night.

Alana Jancevski, Paige Zois, and Tiffany Eliadis returned to the club following their seasons with Perth Glory and Melbourne Victory. The newly recruited Grace Taranto was also named in the squad. The Canberra United midfielder starred for South Melbourne last season and is an impressive addition to the team.

Tyla Jay Vlajnic was announced mid-week but was not on the team sheet, and there is a strong possibility more A-League Women’s players will join the club as they seek to climb the ladder.

Headlining the new signings and starting up front is former Melbourne Victory fan favourite Maja Markovski. The possibility of her and Jancevski linking up is a thrilling prospect for fans and neutrals.

Bulleen have been organized this season, and youngster Rosie Rodger has been creative in attack, but until now the side has lacked a strong finisher up front. They have scored many of their goals through forward pressure or well-worked set pieces.

Preston have begun the season stronger than Bulleen and named Emma Checker in the side for her first appearance of the season. The Matildas’ defender was in excellent form as the home side dominated the attack for much of the game.

The new signings did not gel immediately but still looked dangerous. When Zois was introduced off the bench, the attacking passes looked more fluid and dynamic.

Despite the game being largely played on their terms, Bulleen could not break the Checker led defence, and Preston took a surprise lead late in the second half.

Paula Mitchell was the architect and the scorer. She first fed the ball outside to Delaney Lindahl who’s quick footwork created space for the cross.

It was headed clear, but Mitchell was on hand to follow spectacularly up on the volley and give Preston the lead in the 87th minute.

Bulleen’s intensity increased, but remarkably their composure did not wane. They continued to attack until they forced a dramatic late equaliser. The injury time equaliser may have broken Preston hearts, but it was well deserved and all four new names were involved.

Grace Taranto won the ball in typical style. Markovski and Zois combined to get the ball wide to Jancevski. After a clever change of direction and a hard hit cross. Bulleen had a late corner kick.

Zois stepped up to take it and delivered it to the head of Alana Burn. The ball flew into the far bottom corner and Caitlin Friend could breathe a sigh of relief on the sidelines.

Alamein 2-2 Bayside United

Alamein’s draw with Bayside United means that they stay in second place on the ladder after nine games. Most impressively, the two goals scored takes the sides tally to 17 in that time, making them the third-highest-scoring side in the league behind Boroondara-Carey and Heidelberg United.

This was a match between two adventurous teams, and it was Bayside who struck first through Miwa Sasaki. The visitors moved the ball slickly through midfield before the star forward took aim from long range. The shot flew over the goalkeeper and into to net for one of the best strikes of the round.

Bayside extended their lead soon after. Olivia Bomford played it out to Kayla Deaver who did not hesitate to strike on sight despite the tough angle.

Alamein hit back in incredible style. Sasaki and Ashleigh Le Fevre got the ball to Elaina Vatcky in the penalty area. With her back to goal and while closely marked, Vatcky improvised by flicking the ball in the air and scoring with an incredible overhead kick to make it 2-1 before halftime.

Vatcky scored the equaliser in the 73rd minute under bizarre circumstances. An Alamein attack trickled to the feet of Bayside goalkeeper Coco Majstorovic who elected to time waste with the ball at her feet.

The incident can be charitably described as a brain fade. As she bent down to pick it up, Vatcky raced in and prodded it into the net. No amount of replays could make it clearer what the goalkeeper was thinking, and it was an unfortunate way to concede a goal. Not that Alamein FC will be complaining. They had pushed hard for a second goal, and deserved it, no matter how odd the circumstances.

With both sides scoring an incredible goal each, but also having a player sent off (Rebbca Saber for Alamein and Elsa Sousa for Bayside), a draw felt like the right result.

Heidelberg United 4-5 Boroondara-Carey Eagles

The newly promoted Boroondara-Carey Eagles have been one of the surprise packages so far this season, they travelled to the Olympic Village to test themselves against the resurgent Heidelberg United and named Brisbane Roar and former Melbourne City attacker Margot Robbine in the team to partner to irrepressible Kurea Okino.

Heidelberg were coming off a 6-1 win in round eight, and a win against the top side would be a big moment in their climb up the ladder. Even if the three points were expected by the home crowd, they knew it would not be easy.

The Eagles started stronger and took the lead in the 19th minute. Okino charged forward from a wide area and forced Melissa Maizels into a strong save. There was nothing the Heidelberg goalkeeper could do to prevent the follow-up and after Robbine’s effort fell to the feet of Mawa Sumaoro it was 1-0 to the visitors.

Boroondara’s second goal came after a long ball in midfield. A surge of pace saw Rebecca Lim beat Maizels to the ball before outrunning both Heidelberg defenders to tap it over the line. Both goals were finished in scrappy style, but Boroondara have been dangerous from relatively innocuous situations all season. They have done this too often for it to be fluke.

Heidelberg would not go down easily though, and unlikely as it seemed at the time they went into the break two goals up. That is what they offer their fans, they are always in the contest.

Last round Nicole Blackett scored a hat trick against Southern United. With Heidelberg two goals down at home, it was Georgia Beaumont’s time to shine with three of her own.

Straight from the kick-off, a long ball found Steph Galea. Her shot was saved but bobbled loose and when the Eagles’ defence hesitated, Beaumont did not. She bundled the ball home to give Heidelberg a lifeline.

A surging run and shot down the left minutes later provided Beaumont with her second. The striker pounced on the ball after it bounced off the goalkeeper. Beaumont reacted first and remained composed to make it 2-2.

A Tijan Mckenna through ball set up Beaumont for her third. The pass split the defence and Beaumont unleashed as she reached it for the best of the goals so far that night. 3-2 to Heidelberg.

Melbourne Victory winger Ava Breidis set up the final goal of the half. A strong run down the right resulted in a perfectly hit cross for Galea to nod home at the back post. After going down by two goals. Heidelberg went into halftime with a 4-2 lead against the league leaders.

Boroondara were not finished though. In the 58th minute, Margot Robbine raced through on goal and rounded Maizels only to be taken out by the goalkeeper. Okino dispatched the penalty kick with no issue.

Robbine scored her first for the season when she forced home a corner kick in the 65th minute. The ball fell amid a mess of players, and after an attempted clearance, she poked it into the net from close range.

At 4-4, it looked like the game might end in stalemate, despite several good chances crafted by Heidelberg and a long-range shot that narrowly missed.

In the end, Okino scored an 89th-minute winner. Heildelberg’s attempt to play short from a goal-kick fell prey to Boroondara’s press. When the ball fell to the league’s leading scorer it felt inevitable that she would score her 14th in seven games.

It was an unlucky way for Heidelberg to lose, but Boroondara forced the chance to happen with three players pressing two defenders and a goalkeeper. In any other game, the Bergers’ four goals would be enough to win. Their comeback to lead after conceding the first two is remarkable and only a minor change or a lucky bounce of the ball would have meant a win for the home side.

But Boroondara won a classic game in the end. They responded to an amazing comeback by staging an even better one of their own. Okino is the league’s in-form player at this moment. She is fast, strong, direct, and works hard defensively. The Japanese striker occupies multiple defenders and is a decisive finisher.

This was a statement win by The Eagles, they are in this NPLW season to win it. The Robbine and Okino partnership has already provided three goals directly, with both having a hand in another.

This win will give them infinite belief.