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Is forcing clubs to invest the only way to ensure equal opportunities?

by Dean Mears (26/1/23)

Above: Referee Neil Hair talks to Chelsea head coach Emma Hayes amidst the farcical situation at Kingsmeadow on Sunday. Photo: Mirror.

Lunchtime on Sunday 22nd January, and what the world saw highlighted a shocking lack of investment in the top flight of the women’s club game in England.

Chelsea, one of the biggest spending clubs in the world, were due to host Liverpool, another of Europe’s biggest names, in a major fixture in the WSL season, to be shown live on the BBC.

The United Kingdom is currently experiencing a spell of severely cold weather, with temperatures dropping as low as minus six degrees, and frozen pitches across the country had already led to many matches, in both the men’s and women’s games being postponed.

At Kingsmeadow, where Chelsea’s women play their home fixtures, there is no undersoil heating, meaning the pitch is vulnerable to freezing temperatures. The FA had provided Chelsea with a pitch cover and industrial heaters in an attempt to ensure the game was on.

Referee Neil Hair had, according to Emma Hayes, said that the pitch was unplayable after his 9:30am pitch inspection, but FA officials, who were not present at Kingsmeadow, were desperate for their prime TV slot pick to go ahead, and they took the decision at around 10:00 am, that the game would be on.

The pitch covers remained in place until 11:30am and the players were afforded a short opportunity to warm up on the pitch, during which time Liverpool sent an email to FA to question the decision and raise awareness of the potential dangers of the pitch.

Kick-off duly came at 12:30pm, and it was apparent very quickly that the pitch was still frozen, especially on the far touchline near the dugouts, where Liverpool manager Matt Beard was voicing his concerns.

**Above:** The frozen scene at Kingsmeadow on Sunday during the six minutes that was played. **Photo:** Give Me Sport.

With a little over six minutes on the clock, referee Hair spoke with both team captains and called the game off, much to the frustration of the supporters inside the stadium, including a large Liverpool contingent who had been provided with free travel to the fixture by their club.

Hayes tried to appease the crowd, offering “free hot dogs next week”, but the situation only helped to highlight the vast steps that the women’s game needs to take, and unless clubs are forced into providing investment, these deficiencies are likely to remain.

Currently, in the men’s professional football league, you must play on a grass pitch, it means clubs in the National League [the fifth tier of the sport] who use all-weather surfaces to keep their games on and avoid cancellations, must rip up their artificial pitches and re-lay them upon promotion to the Football League.

For clubs, like Sutton United, who recently gained promotion into the Football League, it means a large percentage of their income from promotion goes on this outlay.

Clubs wanting to gain promotion to the Premier League must play in all-seater stadia, following rules set in place following the Hillsborough stadium disaster in 1989.

These are examples of forced investment, that set a minimum standard for entry into the top leagues, so why should the women’s game be any different?

**Above:** Hot air blowers are used to try and thaw out the Kingsmeadow pitch on Sunday. **Photo:** The Pride of London.

We will start to see it in the latter rounds of the UEFA Women’s Champions League, where fixtures will need to held at club’s main stadiums so that the match officials have access to VAR, something they wouldn’t be able to do if they played at either Meadow Park (in Arsenal’s case) or Kingsmeadow.

Giving our women’s teams the best facilities and access to professional standard medical treatments and playing in suitable stadiums will only improve the quality of the games and the players, which is something we all want.

So, all clubs in the WSL would need to have facilities that reach certain standards, both at the stadiums they play and at the training grounds. This will ensure that all clubs will be investing correctly in their women’s teams.

Speaking to the BBC after the cancellation, Hayes said: “We’ve got pitch covers and heaters that are designed to prevent frozen pitches. If they don’t do that job, then we have to have another solution.

“That’s not my job – that’s for the league and the clubs to sort so we never have to cancel games. I’ve said for years that cancelling games has a detrimental impact on our sport.

“Whatever it takes, to ensure that fans travelling up and down the country aren’t having games cancelled six or seven minutes in, is something we should all work towards.”

Right now, all WSL clubs should have played 12 games, yet only West Ham United and Reading have reached that number. Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, Everton, and Aston Villa have all played 11, Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool, and Leicester have played 10 with second-bottom Brighton and Hove Albion still only having played nine games.

**Above:** Game over. Referee Neil Hair walks off the pitch after abandoning Chelsea’s game with Liverpool. **Photo:** Telegraph.

Of the 12 WSL teams, only four (Manchester United, Manchester City, Reading, and Leicester City) play on pitches with undersoil heating. The rest do not, and while Chelsea is the only one of those teams to own that second stadium, the other teams still choose to play at stadiums without undersoil heating.

This could be fixed by rules being in place to ensure that certain standards are in place, as Hayes said, cancelling games has a detrimental impact on our sport, so if we can ensure all WSL clubs have resources available to mitigate that risk, the better place the women’s game will be in.

Then you’ll also find clubs in the Championship will also begin to improve facilities in an attempt to be ready for promotion, should that opportunity present itself.

While this might mean that women’s teams are a loss-making enterprise right now, the reality is that the women’s game will never grow big enough to be self-sustainable if situations like last Sunday’s debacle keep on happening.

With proper investment in key infrastructure now, sponsors and audiences will grow because “the product” will be vastly improved by things like the risk of having a game called off after six minutes simply not being there.

This is Dean Mears’ debut article for Impetus. To see his biography and those of the rest of Impetus’ team of contributors, click here: https://impetusfootball.org/about-our-contributors/

Skinner: United are ready for Sunderland grit & determination

by Arwen Moses (26/1/23)

Above: Manchester United head coach Marc Skinner knows his team face a real battle at Championship side Sunderland this weekend. Photo: Paul Harding.

Globally, there are few cup competitions that are more prestigious than the FA Cup, and Marc Skinner’s Manchester United have their sights firmly set on it.

This weekend sees the Red Devils taking on Sunderland at the Eppleton Colliery Welfare Ground in the fourth round of the Women’s FA Cup. Following last weekend’s controversial mid-game postponement at Kingsmeadow, United remain at the top of the WSL for another week.

Unbeaten in the league since early November, Skinner’s team have been building momentum and gaining confidence. However, the fourth round of the FA Cup is infamous for producing surprising scorelines, with the larger teams being added into the pool. Sunderland, currently sitting eighth in the Championship, will be looking to to create an upset.

Manchester United have been active so far in the transfer window, with three newcomers joining the ranks. Skinner told the media yesterday that he believes bringing incoming talent into the squad improves the performance of the team, which can only be positive. “What I need our players to recognise is that you have to fight to get into this team. There is no ‘give me’. There should be no ‘give me’ in any team which is aspiring to be successful.”

**Above:** Canadian international Jayde Riviere – one of a host of new arrivals at Manchester United during the January transfer window. **Photo:** Manchester Evening News.

When questioned about any more transfers, the Reds boss does not believe there will be any eleventh-hour action. “We are in a situation where I’m really happy with the depth that we have. If something arises I’ll never say never, because football moves so quick. Every day you have something different dropping into your inbox or a call on the phone. I’ll never say never, but at the moment it is incredibly unlikely”.

Despite their unbeaten league run, Skinner is not complacent. The Head Coach recognised that “The FA Cup is always different. A cup competition where there is a knock-out on the day is always different. There is no doubt about it; we want to win. If it’s a cup competition or a league game, we want to try and win.

The way we balance it is to focus on each game, and treat Sunderland exactly how we would have treated Reading last week, as we would have treated Liverpool the week before. For us, it’s just game business, treat every opponent like they are the best opponent you could ever play”.

Having never faced Sunderland competitively before, United staff have had to keep tabs on their opposition to understand their style of play better. However, the former Birmingham City chief has faced the Lasses before. “I’ve played Sunderland before when I was at Birmingham, so I know that team. We’ve watched their last six games and looked at the differences with what they do. We’ve had eyes on – we aren’t going into this game blind.”

Skinner has high expectations for Sunderland: “To go to the Northern teams, I don’t know if it is the people, but the grit and determination that the teams show is always admirable. We are expecting them to be extremely organised, committed, and focused, and we are going to have to beat that. We know we have the quality, but we have to earn the right. They are going to give us nothing and we have to try and earn everything”.

**Above:** The Eppleton Colliery Welfare Ground which will be the venue for Manchester United’s FA Cup trip to the North-East this weekend. **Photo:** A Northern Soul Travels.

Due to the league being particularly close this season, every game matters. This prolonged pressure means the Red Devils are used to performing to a high standard, regardless of whether in a league or cup game.

The United boss claimed, “We know internally that we want to try and win every game, so we can’t moan about different types of pressure. It’s just there. When you wear a Manchester United badge, there is pressure every day. It really is just part of the process. The more pressure you face, the more it becomes part of your nature.

“For example, if I wasn’t here, and I woke up every day not feeling that pressure, I’d soften to not having that pressure. But now, you like it. It keeps me alive. The reality is, that we love it. It drives us every day, it drives the competitive nature in the players.”

The 2,500-capacity Eppleton Colliery Welfare Ground is set to be nearly sold out for the match, and, as usual, United are set to have a large travelling support, something that does not go unnoticed by players or staff.

“Being at Reading with our fans, the stadium was red. That’s how amazing our fans are. As loud as Sunderland will be, you will hear Manchester United on Sunday. We as a fan collective are playing a big part in selling out other people’s stadiums. Long may that continue, and long may we continue to grow the fan base, because hopefully, we are giving them something that they love to watch.”

This was Arwen Moses’ debut article for Impetus. Her biography can be seen here, along with the rest of the Impetus team of contributors: https://impetusfootball.org/about-our-contributors/

Sydney FC win in nine-goal shoot out over Victory

Melbourne Victory 3-6 Sydney FC

By Kieran Yap at AAMI Park (26/1/23).

Above: Hat-trick hero Princess Ibini gets a shot away for Sydney FC at Melbourne Victory today. Photo: Keep Up.

That was a crazy couple of hours. Nine goals, multiple goalkeeper changes, a hattrick, three penalty kicks, and a ticketing fiasco are the highlights in Sydney FC’s 6-3 win over Melbourne Victory.

This was an incident-packed afternoon. The drama began an hour before kick-off when Victory announced that popular 2021 Grand Final winner Gaby Garton was returning to the side. The downside was it was as an injury replacement for the talismanic Casey Dumont.

There was a steady crowd headed to AAMI Park. Sydney FC supporters arrived in hope of beating Victory outside of NSW for the first time since 2020. Melbourne fans were hopeful of a result but having watched their team play four games in 11 days, just getting through this last one unscathed was acceptable.

The club itself should be lauded for its pre-match efforts. Gema Simon did the Welcome to Country, and both sides held up flags representing Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities together.

Unfortunately, few were in the stadium to see it. Although fans were being directed by a stadium attendant to their correct gates, the ticket machines were not working. The result was hundreds of supporters around the ground stuck between the security check and the ticket scanners. Comically, a ground announcer was reading out the lineups to an empty stadium within.

**Above:** Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory contest possession today. Photo: Sydney FC.

A technical issue was obviously the cause of the hold-up, but not opening the gates until 20 minutes before kickoff was the reason that there was no room for error.

Most fans got to their seats after the game had begun, and the contest was enthralling enough to park any discontent for the rest of the afternoon.

Sydney looked sharper than Victory in the opening 20 minutes. This was no surprise, although they travelled, their last game was 15 days ago, and they looked fresher and hungry. Their last game was a loss to Western United and were eager to respond.

The visitors opened the scoring in the 20^th minute. Mackenzie Hawkesby’s corner kick found the head of Charli Rule at the back post. The Young Matilda leapt highest and headed cleanly. Garton got low to save it, but Princess Ibini was on hand to prod home the rebound.

Sydney scored a second soon after. In the 29^th minute, Cortnee Vine raced clear on the right. She curled a pass beyond the Victory defence and Hawkesby only needed one touch to score after a perfectly timed run.

There was collateral damage for Victory. At two goals down, they had to replace Garton who was injured in the collision. On came youngster Miranda Templeman who impressed against Adelaide United on the weekend.

**Above:** Mackenzie Hawkesby wheels away after scoring Sydney FC’s second goal. **Photo:** Sydney FC.

Templeman’s first meaningful action was to face a penalty kick from Ibini. She reacted quickly and guessed correctly, getting a strong hand to the shot. Ibini was on hand to tuck away the rebound for her second of the half.

Victory looked finished already but gave themselves a lifeline when Rikke Madsen charged down debut goalkeeper Tahlia Franco and scored her first goal for the club.

They scored a second when Beattie Goad’s cross found Lia Privitelli at the back post to make it 3-2 in injury time of the first half.

Both managers must have changed their halftime talk constantly before the whistle. Just moment later, Sydney had a fourth. Another dangerous corner from Hawkesby was nodded home by Madison Haley and Sydney FC’s two-goal cushion was restored.

The second half followed a similarly eclectic theme. Victory’s hill became even steeper to climb when Vine raced onto Haley’s through ball, rounded Templeman, and snuck the shot into the far corner. It was 5-2 and although a comeback for Victory felt unlikely, goal difference was a defining factor for them last season and they kept that in mind.

Vine was tormenting a tired-looking Victory back four. Their defence is usually reliable and stingy, but the pace of the Matildas winger was difficult to deal with. When she twisted past Nat Tathem, to set up Ibini for her third it was well and truly game over.

**Above:** Madison Haley (left), scorer of Sydney FC’s fourth goal, battles for possession. **Photo:** Sydney FC.

Melbourne scored a third when Maja Markovski converted a penalty kick. While it had no bearing on the result, it could be important by the season’s end. Additionally, if Markovski can build from that goal, she could be the answer to Victory’s need for a traditional striker.

Sydney FC never looked like losing, they were faster, more organized, and clinical in front of goal. Victory looked like a side that had just played four games across three states. When the final whistle blew, the players looked relieved more than sad about the loss. Both teams have a decent rest now with home games on 4th February.

This was about as entertaining a match as a neutral could hope for. The atmosphere was enthusiastic and colorful, the football was at times incredible, and both teams engaged in a one of the best shootouts of the season.

Princess Ibini scored her first hat trick for the club. Vine rediscovered her best form, and Templeman enhanced her reputation with some strong saves and confident keeping. Her penalty save in the second half brought a huge cheer from the home support and seemed to make her grow taller for the rest of the game.

Although Victory are unlikely to be happy with the result, there are silver linings. They had three new goal scorers, with Markovski, Privitelli and Madsen all netting for the first time this season. That is important in the absence of Melina Ayres and the potential departure of Alex Chidiac.

Speaking after the game, Sydney FC boss Ante Juric couldn’t quite overlook his team’s defending, saying: “I’m happy. You can’t say you’re not when you are winning, scoring six, and getting three points but we did concede three stupid goals.

“That’s not good but going forward we had a lot of chances and we had a lot of intent which was really good and a lot of players were at eight out of 10 compared to our last game.”

Victory will have to regroup to play Western Sydney Wanderers in the next round. Sydney FC have a tough test with the visit of Melbourne City on the same day.

Teams: MELBOURNE VICTORY (4-3-3): Garton, Nash, Bunge, Morrison, Tathem, Murphy, Chidiac, Kellond-Knight, Privitelli, Madsen, Goad. Substitutes: Templeman, Eliadis, Zois, Markovski, Jackson.

Scorers: Madsen 42’, Privitelli 45+3’, Markovski 88’

SYDNEY FC (4-3-3): Franco, Rule, Mclean, Tobin, de la Harpe, Hunter, Hollman, Hawkesby, Vine, Haley, Ibini. Substitutes: Stanic-Floody, Fenton, Lowe, Badawiya, Offer.

Scorers: Ibini 24’, 36’, 60’. Hawkesby 30’, Haley 45+5’, Vine 48’.

Referee: Casey Reibelt.

Attendance: 1,307.

**Artwork: Charlotte Stacey, founder of On Her Side.**

Phoenix overcome tough week full of positivity for Brisbane test

by Denise Duffy, Impetus New Zealand correspondent (26/1/23).

Above: Mackenzie Barry speaking to the media today. Image: Wellington Phoenix.

It’s been a big week for Wellington Phoenix. They recorded their first win of the season on Sunday afternoon against Canberra United and several in the squad battled the United States Women’s National Team not just once, but twice.

Over the last few days, they have flown back to Australia to prepare to take on Brisbane Roar on Saturday, and earlier today players Mackenzie Barry and Grace Wisnewski spoke to the media.

Barry, who played in both international matches leading up to the Canberra match game “That’s the longest week of football I’ve done since I went to a secondary school tournament.”

“Even though I only played 20 minutes each game for the Ferns, mentally it’s still draining. When you go on as a sub, your team is relying on you to lift as well. So yeah, it was a huge week.”

On translating that experience to her A-League Womens matches, she reflected: “I think, personally, when I went into the Canberra game, and any time I was on the ball, or any tackle I made, I felt pretty confident after tackling players like Alex Morgan or Rose Lavelle.”

In comparing the speed of play from the matches against USA to that of the A-League Women, Barry said, “I think it’s very different. The ball speed with America was just so fast, outstanding. So when I got on the ball against Canberra, I definitely felt like I had more time and I felt more relaxed than when I played for the Ferns. Yes, it definitely helped me.”

The Phoenix star believes that her experience of the past week which has seen both the Ferns and Wellington benefit from large vocal support can only stand her and her teammates in good stead.

“I think hopefully this motivates the girls and makes us realize that we can do this and we’ve got all the support. And I hope that huge when just really got all the fans behind us. We need to keep going. We can’t just have this as a one-off when or like us a bit of luck or something.”

When thinking about league form with the Phoenix, the defender said: “I think there’s definitely been a shift. I think we’ve always had a really good attitude. And we’ve always believed in ourselves, but actually getting that result has given us extra motivation.”

**Above:** Grace Wisnewski spoke to the media today about her first experience of international football and then playing for her club the following day. **Image:** Wellington Phoenix.

Reflecting on her own experiences of the last week of international and club football, attacker, Grace Wisnewski reflected on how head coach Natalie Lawrence cajoled her exhausted players through.

“She was just like, do what you can obviously, it was quite a long week. So she was like, come back and give it your all. I think all the girls did that. So even the ones that weren’t at the camp, they pushed us to get through the game. It was a huge effort by everyone.”

In reference to how her experiences in the national team camp will aid her in the A-League Women Wisnewski said: “It gives you confidence, it was a good experience. And I hope that I can take that experience out for the rest of the league”

Wellington Phoenix have a big challenge in front of them on Saturday. Brisbane are seven points ahead of them and sit seventh on the ladder. They are in the hunt for the playoffs. The Nix are looking to take their courage and positivity into their next battle. Look for full coverage of the match on Impetus with a match report and reaction from Nix head coach Natalie Lawrence.

Mackenzie Hawkesby: Hard work brings success

In this week’s Midweek Dub feature, Sydney FC star Mackenzie Hawkesby speaks to us about how the team can overcome two successive Grand Final defeats and the potential for further international opportunities (25/1/23).

by Kris Goman

Above: Mackenzie Hawkesby in action for Sydney FC this season. Photo: Kris Goman for Impetus.

Tomorrow sees Sydney FC match up against Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park in Melbourne. Punters will be battling with tennis crowds for parking to watch the battle for third place on this public holiday.

Both teams are level on 18 points and a win for either team would see them stand alone in third, although Sydney have two games in hand. The Harbour City side’s six-game winning streak was abruptly halted by Western United over two weeks ago and their scheduled home game with Perth Glory last weekend was postponed due to pitch problems.

As they strive to regain that winning feeling, all eyes will be on Mackenzie Hawkesby. She’s played every match of her professional football career for Sydney FC and every game under Ante Juric’s tutelage. She’s one of only five players to start every match last season and scored five goals and made eight assists in the process.

Hawkesby also won the coveted Player of the Season award last year and was the highest-priced player in the A-League Fantasy Football competition. This season she has created more than twice as many scoring chances from set plays as any other player, justifying her Fantasy League price.

**Above:** Mackenzie Hawkesby in reflective mood. **Photo:** Kris Goman for *Impetus*.

Impetus caught up with Hawkesby and discussed the success of last season and the strong start and progress this season. Assessing the positives of 2021/22, the Wollongong native agreed that, ”Last year was an amazing year for our team and personally for me there are so many positives that I have taken from last season. The key one for me is that I feel a lot more confident coming off a strong season last year and I am trying to take that into my current season.”

Reflecting on her five goals and eight assists from last season, she said: ”Last year was huge for me I was very happy with how I was able to contribute to the team.” In terms of a barometer for success or further improvement this season, she replied that “Stats wise I was really happy last season and this season I am just trying to do my role as well as I can, and hopefully the stats come with that.”

With two goals and three assists to date this season, she’s well on the way to matching last season’s achievements.

On the back of a premiership-winning season and being runner-up in the Championship, we were keen to understand what was the biggest challenge faced last season, both from a personal and team perspective. “As a team, continuing to perform and win is always a challenge but we managed to handle that super well and back up our performances. Personally, I just wanted to keep performing and help the team and stay at my best so I think that is always challenging.”

It was disappointing for Sydney FC to once more win the Premier’s Plate last season and get beaten in the Grand Final by Melbourne Victory. Sydney beat Victory 2-0 in the second round this season and tomorrow’s match represents another chance to seek revenge for those two consecutive Grand Final defeats.

Hawkesby believes that her side are well placed to go one better this season as long as they “continue…to stick to our principles and stay disciplined and take each game as it comes. As a squad, we have such an amazing culture and identity and we know that hard work pays off so we just need to keep working hard and build every game so that come the end of the season we are ready to go.”

**Above:** Mackenzie Hawkesby (left) looks to close down Alex Chidiac (centre) in this season’s previous Big Blue against Melbourne Victory. Both players are battling for a place in Australia’s World Cup squad. **Photo:** Kris Goman for *Impetus*.

When quizzed on her personal and team goals between now and the end of August 2023, she replied, “Personally I want to win the double – both premiership and Grand Final, and just contribute to the team as best as I can.” This rather modest reply seems to ignore the upcoming World Cup.

This time last year, Hawkesby was called up to the Matildas squad to play Spain and Portugal in Europe. While she didn’t get a cap then, with Tony Gustavsson now based in Australia and attending many Liberty A-League games, she must be on the radar once more based on her performances this season.

The Sydney attacker believes that she remains in contention for the national squad, saying: “I think just playing well in club land will give anyone a good chance of getting in contention for calls up.”

Hawkesby is certainly playing well, and with many players just starting back at their European clubs after the Christmas break, it’s not clear if all the overseas-based players will come out for the Cup of Nations next month, which could potentially open the door to locally based players. The midfield is hotly contested and Katrina Gorry is an obvious choice but the battle tomorrow between Chidiac and Hawkesby could be telling.

If you’re in Melbourne, the match is a double header Big Blue at AAMI Park with the women kicking off at 4.05pm AEDT on Thursday 26^th January 2023. It is also broadcast live on Paramount+ and 10Play in Australia. Tickets are still on sale and can be bought if you Click Here

A-League Women News

Ryan Miller-Woods reports on Melbourne Victory and Canberra United’s media conferences, plus news from Sydney FC about an exciting opportunity for girls in New South Wales later this year (25/1/23).

**Above:** Melbourne Victory head coach Jeff Hopkins speaking to the media. **Image:** Melbourne Victory.

Ahead of his side’s match tomorrow against Sydney FC in the ‘Big Blue’, Melbourne Victory head coach Jeff Hopkins told the media that he believes that Alex Chidiac needs more protection from referees.

Chidiac is the most fouled player in the A-League Women this season, and on being asked whether she is getting enough protection (from referees), Hopkins said: “Definitely not, no. Some weeks she is, other weeks she isn’t.

“I just hope that we get a strong enough referee… if they step over the mark, they (need to) get punished for it.”

Tomorrow’s match against Sydney FC could be very crucial towards either side’s season, and Hopkins was asked about what the mood in the team is like ahead of such a big occasion.

“These are the games that as a footballer you want to play and you’re disappointed when you don’t get to play and I can sense the excitement, there is a real buzz around the players, it’s a doubleheader, AAMI Park. Big, big day, I think by the end of our game we could have a fair ole’ crowd in there getting behind us.

“Obviously as well, it’s us versus Sydney and there’s a lot of feeling between us, and this team, not kind of shying away from that. We’re still a little bit sore about the first game (against Sydney this season in Round 2) up in Sydney and we’re just hoping to put things right.”

In being asked about his thoughts on the current form of Sydney FC, Hopkins said: “I think (in) their last game (they) were beaten at Western (United) but they’ve been as usual very consistent. It’s quite clear where their strengths are, similar to last year, they’re a very similar team doing similar things and doing it really well.

Canberra United

Canberra United will be going into their upcoming match on Saturday against top-of-ladder Western United with a significant point to prove after their 5-0 defeat at Wellington Phoenix last Sunday.

United’s Kennedy Faulknor, who made her return from injury in the match reflected on the causes of the heavy loss when see spoke to the media today saying: “I think Wellington just showed up on the day and they were hungry for their first win and I think simply we got outplayed but a lot to grow from.

“Hopefully, we’re better this week against (Western) United ’cause that’s going to be another big game for us.”

Canberra’s opponents Western United have been arguably the best team so far this season with eight wins and just one defeat in nine matches with the side looking strong all-round, especially with team cohesion. However, Mark Torcaso’s side go into the game without Jessica McDonald who has returned to the USA.

In terms of what she expects from their opponents this weekend, Faulknor said: “I’m expecting them to be a good team. I know they have a lot of good players, they’ve done well throughout their season, it’s going to be a tough game so we just have to show up and prove to everyone that we are good in this league, so I think we’ll do that and put up a fight.”

**Above:** Holly Murray **Image:** Canberra United

Canberra United defender Holly Murray told the media today that she backs her team to hit back from last weekend’s disappointing result in Wellington when they return to action against leaders Western United.

“It was a tough game…Wellington came out stronger and we’ve got to have those losses to really appreciate our wins and just work really hard this week and come out stronger next week.”

On whether the match against Wellington has made both Murray and Canberra hungrier for the match against the ladder leaders Western United, she said: “Definitely! We’ve never played Western (United) before and they’re a new team, they’re doing really well so this week it’s just focusing on ourselves. I think it has made us more hungry but we’ll just see what happens.”

For Murray, this season has been both her first in the A-League Women and for Canberra United after coming from NPLW Victoria side South Melbourne. Having made three appearances from the bench so far for the capital city side, Murray reviewed her debut season to date by saying: “It’s been really cool!

“Just getting any bit of experience is a really nice feeling. If I get 10 minutes or five minutes just anything, it’s really helping me get experience, and playing near players like Brushy (Ellie Brush) and Michelle (Heyman) definitely shows how crazy it is and I’m really enjoying it.”

Sydney FC Announce Junior Girls Festival

**Above:** Sydney FC’s Australian international Cortnee Vine at the club’s holiday clinic. **Photo supplied to *Impetus* by:** Sydney FC.

Sydney FC will celebrate the arrival of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia by hosting an exclusive Female Football Festival for junior girls in New South Wales.

The inaugural event is one of the first of its kind and will take place in the April/Easter school holidays and be open to junior girls teams from all over New South Wales.

Girls teams of all ages and abilities from under eight to under 15 are invited to enter the tournament which will be hosted in Kiama and enjoy a two-day seven-a-side festival away from home.

Sydney FC’s Matildas’ stars Cortnee Vine and Mackenzie Hawkesby believe it is a fantastic way for young girls to get involved and celebrate the upcoming World Cup in Australia.

“It’s a really great opportunity for young girls to enjoy playing football socialize, and enjoy spending time together as a team,” said Vine.

“Women’s and girl’s football is growing on a huge scale and this will only encourage more participation and more young girls to get involved and have fun playing ahead of the World Cup.”

Sydney FC players will also be on hand at the tournament to give their support and encouragement.

**Above:** Youngsters meet their hero Cortnee Vine at a Sydney FC holiday clinic. **Photo supplied to *Impetus* by:** Sydney FC.

“There were no opportunities like this for me when I was growing up as a young girl playing football, whereas there were always festivals for boys,” said Hawkesby.

“This is a really exciting development for girls of all ages and skill levels and I’m sure those who come during the holidays will love every minute of it.”

The 7-a-side competition will be held at Kiama Sporting Complex over two days (13th-14th April) with teams playing a minimum of six games, in a round-robin format. Each team will need a minimum of eight and a maximum of 12 players in their squad.

Participants will receive a Sydney FC boot bag, posters, an A-League Women’s Liberty Season Pass for Season 2023/24, trophies for the winning teams, plus other giveaways.

Clubs are encouraged to register and plan their trip to Kiama as early as possible.

For more information click here

Ellie Carpenter EXCLUSIVE!

Impetus Jean-Pierre Thiesset, who holds accreditation with European Champions Olympique Lyonnais for us and produces our weekly round-up of French women’s football action, was present at the club’s training session today and brings exciting news and photos on Australian international Ellie Carpenter‘s recovery from an ACL injury (25/1/23).

Jean-Pierre Thiesset was at the Groupama Training Centre for Impetus today and captured a photo gallery as Ellie Carpenter stepped up training. Carpenter, who suffered an ACL injury in the 2022 Champions League Final for Olympique Lyonnais against Barcelona, told him she “may” play some part in Lyon’s French Cup game against Montpellier on Saturday.

Further photos from Ellie Carpenter in training today from Jean-Pierre Thiesset for Impetus:

Jean-Pierre Thiesset’s weekly View From France article rounds up all the D1 Arkema action, including exclusive pitchside photography from Olympique Lyonnais matches. Don’t miss it every Monday on Impetus. The most recent article from this week can be read here: https://impetusfootball.org/2023/01/23/the-view-from-france-53/

A guide to how to be a fan when your team isn’t winning

Denise Duffy is a big fan of Wellington Phoenix in the A-League Women. It’s been a challenging time for all sorts of reasons since the ‘Nix’ entered the competition at the start of the 2021/22 season. Here she offers advice to fellow fans on what to do when your team is finding life tough (24/1/23).

Above: All together supporting the Phoenix – (left to right) Holly Eades, Jessie Prendergras, Denise Duffy, Rachel Heron, Melissa Cameran, and Lala. Photo via: Denise Duffy.

The Wellington Phoenix women are 3W-18L-2D since their inception. Being a supporter of any team is not always rainbows and chocolates. There will be frustration. That’s a part of being a fan of sports. However when the wins are scarce, here are a few thoughts on riding it out.

Make friends with other fans. The best part of women’s sports is the people you meet along the way. Watch the matches together. Have some fun with it regardless of the outcome.
Show up! Continue going to matches. Yes, winning is more fun to be a part of, however, these things can be cyclical. Being a fan before a team it starts winning makes the good times even sweeter.
Be encouraging. Losing repeatedly is hard on a player’s mental health. Send them positive notes. Notice when they make progress. Say good things out loud or on social media.
Be constructive. Engage with other fans on the subject of how to get their first win of the season. Don’t be a jerk when times are tough and make degrading comments. When Ella Mastrantonio got a horrible comment in her DM she was brave enough to call it out publicly. How many women on teams particularly with losing records have endured these types of terrible comments?
Keep in mind that these are human beings. Friends, relatives, and even the athlete’s parents will be reading your comments about their daughters. How would you feel if you were them?
These are not people who are not getting paid much money. These A-League women are making on average about 16k. The men are making approximately 9.4 times this. Female athletes don’t have teams of people protecting their brand and sanity. They are not rolling in the dough either. Be a decent human being and keep perspective on this.
Calling for anyone’s job mid-season is not the way to go. Coaches and GM’s are professionals. They work their tails off. Unless they are abusive to the players, back off and let them do their job. They have already created immense pressure for themselves.
Support sponsors. These companies have committed to this team. Use your spending power to do the same.
The athletes are putting their best product on the pitch. They are literally chasing a ball every week for our entertainment. No one hurts as much as them during a losing streak. Find some poetry about their journey. In case you didn’t know this, that comment you make out of selfish frustration says more about you than them. Pause before you write it.

**Above:** (left to right) Denise Duffy, Jonathan Hagger, Blake Forbes-Gentle with Wellington Phoenix CEO David Dome. **Photo:** Denise Duffy.

In terms of being a fan of the Wellington Phoenix women, it’s actually quite fun. They have a courageous brand of football and are a young and exciting squad. They have been improving every week and are playing their hearts out. They are suffering from an ALeague rule specific to them that has made it prohibitive for their team to roster players from abroad, a subject for another article. Cheering them on is easy. In fact, this past weekend they won!

Finally, here’s my advice. Don’t be that person. Enjoy the season. These athletes are amazing human beings who have been training relentlessly. They are representing our nation, our league, and themselves worthy of our attention and our applause. Any thoughts or ideas on this subject? Let me know.

Strong start from Aberystwyth but Cardiff City hit back

Aberystwyth Town 1-5 Cardiff City

by Carrie Dunn (24/1/23).

Above: Gwen Jones celebrates after putting Aberystwyth Town ahead against Cardiff City. Photo: Ika Bajus.

Aberystwyth Town put up a valiant fight against league leaders Cardiff City, despite a string of mid-match injuries and an early red card – but ultimately fell to a 5-1 defeat.

Rhianne Oakley, Ffion Price, Phoebie Poole, and two for Siobhan Walsh secured the three points for the visitors.

Aber had taken an early lead when Gwenllian Jones scored an exceptional goal direct from a corner, crashing it off the top of the crossbar and past Emily Roberts in the Cardiff goal.

But it was all downhill from there for the Seasiders. Centre half Elin Jones had been forced off after just 15 minutes having suffered a leg injury. Substitute Kel Thomas slotted into the defence – but it was she who slid into a challenge shortly before half-time and got a red card for her troubles.

**Above:** Aberystwyth Town’s afternoon takes a turn for the worse as Kel Thomas is sent off. **Photo:** Ika Bajus.

It made the second half all the more difficult for Aber, who were racking up the walking wounded by full-time, most notably with Shauna Chambers receiving treatment on the field for an ankle injury but limping through until the final whistle.

“It was a tough result to take in the end, really, especially after such a positive first-half performance,” said the day’s captain Rebecca Mathias. “I thought we started off really well and were on top for long spells in the first half, we created quite a few good chances, and I thought they looked lost for ideas.

“Losing Elin so early on was a huge blow for us and it’s always hard to readjust when you lose someone out of the back line. Going 1-0 up with Gwen from a cheeky corner – her speciality – I thought that was fully deserved. We kept them at bay and knew our roles and responsibilities. We looked solid defensively.

“But going down to 10 just before half-time was another blow. You know the second half is going to be a tough one and there’s going to be a lot of running, especially with Cardiff City wanting to come back and overturn that scoreline.”

She added: “It was just one of those days, and it’s a result we’ve got to dust ourselves down from because we’ve got more important games coming up. It doesn’t get any easier but in terms of our performance, attitude, workrate, desire, I think every single one of us was spot on. I’m proud of all the girls and how they stuck together and kept going.”

Norfolk Weekly Wrap

Darrell Allen provides his weekly round-up of all the women’s football action in Norfolk (24/1/23).

Above: Norwich City’s Kathryn Stanley wins a header against AFC Wimbledon star Megan Stow. Photo: Hardy Scott Photos

The weather was the winner in Norfolk this weekend but, as usual, I round up the games that did take place on Sunday – all three of them.

FA Women’s National League Division One South East

Norwich City welcomed AFC Wimbledon to The Nest in tier four, and it was birthday girl Hannah Billingham who gave the visitors the lead just before half-time. Wimbledon must have thought they would be taking all three points back to southwest London with them but Natasha Snelling poked the ball home on 89 minutes to ensure Norwich a share of the spoils. For a full report of the game, click on George Jones’ report here: https://impetusfootball.org/2023/01/23/dons-disappointed-by-draw-at-norwich/

Eastern Region Premier Division

In tier five, The Yachtswomen of Wroxham made the long trip to Bowers and Pitsea for what was a thrilling contest from start to finish.

Joe Simpson’s Wroxham side enjoyed a flying start as Hannah Waters put them in front on eleven minutes, only for joy to be short-lived as Maddie Thomas equalised for Bowers and Pitsea five minutes later. Becky Russell’s strike from distance restored Wroxham’s lead on 41 minutes and ensured the visitors held the halftime advantage.

Two goals in two second-half minutes (Millie Isherwood and Whitney Locke on 69 and 71 minutes respectively) turned the game in Bowers and Pitseas’s favour with Danielle Styles making it a two-goal lead nine minutes later. Hannah Waters’ second on 82 minutes reduced the deficit but, to cap a frantic period of play, Locke then scored again to make it 5-3 at full time to Bowers and Pitsea.

Norfolk Women’s Cup Quarter Final

**Above:** Chelsea Brister (blue kit) scored the third of Dussindale and Hellesdon Rovers’ goals in their 3-0 County Cup win at Long Stratton. **Photo:** Hardy Scott Photos.

With their main pitch at Manor Road frozen, Long Stratton went to immense effort to ensure their Norfolk Women’s Cup Quarter Final against Dussindale and Hellesdon Rovers went ahead: They hired the 3G at Easton College and held a floodlit match kicking off at 4pm.

Dussindale and Hellesdon asserted their authority on the game early and took the lead on eleven minutes through Georgina Belton – and the score stayed 1-0 until the break.

Victoria Leyer doubled the advantage on fifty minutes and Long Stratton never really looked like getting back into the contest. A six-week delay without a competitive fixture, unsurprisingly, seemed to have a negative effect on the Long Stratton team.

Chelsea Brister put the gloss on the victory when she made it 3-0 on 90 minutes to seal Dussindale and Hellesdon’s place in the Quarter Finals.