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AFC St. Austell: Big Progress In Cornwall

Ben Cooper, assistant coach at tier five AFC St. Austell spoke to Impetus’ Ben Gilby about the team’s rapid development over the past three years and how they are building towards a place in the FA Women’s National League (14/4/22).

Above: AFC St. Austell 2021/22. Photo: Ben Cooper.

Whilst women’s football in the Cornish town has a longer history, the present AFC St. Austell side has only been going for three years as the club’s assistant coach Ben Cooper takes up the story.

“St. Austell had a women’s team in the early 2000s, but after over a decade without a team, the current management team and squad were set up in 2019 when manager Simon Parnell contacted chairman Jason Powell about starting a team. We were placed in The Earthbound Electrical Women’s Football League for the 2019-20 season.”

That first season of course coincided with the onset of the pandemic. There were mixed feelings during the time. “Covid stopped us in our tracks as we were seven wins from seven in our first season and flying high at the top of the league.

“The long break from March to August 2020 really damaged our momentum and quite a few players’ motivation to play football. Nevertheless, we were granted upwards movement into South West Regional Women’s Football League Western Division and started brightly. However, in January 2021 we were, again, stopped in our tracks with five wins and a draw in six league games. Again, we were granted upwards movement into the tier five South-West Regional Women’s Football League Premier Division for this season.

“The league for us was a bit of an unknown entity. We had some knowledge of the more local teams such as: Torquay, Marine Academy Plymouth, and Bideford. However, the teams further east were relatively unknown to us, so we’ve gone into lots of games not knowing what to expect.

“We have just tried to approach each game in the same way and to play our game each time because we believe in our system and our game model. It’s been a demanding season in the sense that there have been maybe three or four teams that have been almost flawless in their results, and a little bit like the Premier League is now, to finish top of this league you have to be almost perfect. We have a handful of games to go and we are in a good position, but we are still just taking it one game at a time.

**Above:** AFC St. Austell’s togetherness is a big part of their great progress in such a short period of time. **Photo:** Cornwall Sports Media, supplied by AFC St. Austell.

“With such disruption in our formative years, the main challenge for us was to keep the team together and motivated. We didn’t have the luxury of a large squad or multiple teams with a few years of playing behind us. We were brand new and there were times when we would struggle to get more than six players to training, let alone games.

“In a way, that could perhaps be one of the reasons why our current squad is such a tight-knit bunch. As a team, they have experienced quite a lot together over the past three years and I definitely think that that has formed some mental toughness and grit in the girls, so perhaps there is a silver lining to it all.

“We have five or six players in our current starting 11 who have been with us since we formed. I would say that between them, they have missed maybe five games. Without them, and everyone else in the squad, we would not be where we are today.”

All Cornish clubs from whatever sport they play face the challenges of long and expensive challenges. Ben highlights how this impacts AFC St. Austell.

“At the present time, one of the biggest challenges is the financial burden of being the most South-Westerly club in our division. Our closest away game is Marine Academy Plymouth, and that is around 50 miles. We’ve had some very early mornings and late nights on away days to the likes of Royal Wootton Bassett in Wiltshire and our final league game of the season will be at Forest Green Rovers in Gloucestershire. The financial implications of these away days are quite substantial. The coach costs alone have doubled our expenditure this season. I’m sure this is only going to get worse with the current fuel prices!

“Another big challenge for us is player recruitment. It is fantastic to see so many new women’s teams popping up everywhere, but in a place like Cornwall, where there is a limited number of players (although this is changing!), it means that the pool of players to choose from is getting smaller and smaller. It’s not been uncommon for us to have a bare 11 or 12 to 13 players on matchday over the past few years and if you look at some of the other teams in Cornwall and Devon, you can see the same thing happening. Combine that with the distance we have to travel, injuries, and covid and you quickly begin to see why matchday squads can be pretty thin on the ground.”

**Above:** AFC St. Austell’s Izzy Berks and Char Whitmore pictured against Marine Academy Plymouth. **Photo:** Cornwall Sports Media, supplied by AFC St. Austell.

One of the positives for the club is the strong link between the men’s and women’s teams at AFC St. Austell as Ben outlined.

“We have a fantastic relationship with the men’s team. Our chairman, Jason Powell, has been fantastic from the get-go in ensuring that we are an inclusive club. When Simon Parnell approached Jason about setting up a team in 2019, he had two non-negotiables: the women play on the first team pitch and don’t have to pay a penny to play football, including tracksuits and training, and the chairman stayed true to his word on this.

“The men’s team come and support the women at games and vice versa. We’ve even had a few training sessions together. Our management team across the club are very close and keep in regular contact with one another. One good thing that came from the pandemic was that we created Zoom coaching group where we would share ideas with one another.

“One of the most disappointing things in professional football is seeing the dissociation between the men’s team and the women’s team and there are plenty of examples of that up and down the country- we are proud of how inclusive we are.”

As the team has made such rapid progress in its three-year history with two promotions seeing them move up to Tier Five in this period, Ben highlights the fact that he believes that his squad can push ever higher.

“When we started in 2019, we had a five-year plan where our target was to be playing Step Four football, so we have always been extremely ambitious and that target still stands. We want to put Cornish football on the map in terms of the women’s game and be a hub for the women’s game in Cornwall.

**Above:** AFC St. Austell 2021/22. **Photo:** Ben Cooper.

“In order to achieve this, I think we need to just keep doing what we are doing and trusting the process. Our team is very young and will get stronger and stronger as the seasons’ pass, so we believe that the future is bright for us.”

One of the aspects of the future of the club is branching out further to attract local girls to play, and Ben believes that there are opportunities there.

“As it stands, we only have the capacity to run a first-team and therefore don’t have a development or reserve squad. Fortunately for us, there are a number of very well-run girls’ and women’s teams in the surrounding areas of St Austell. Biscovey, Bodmin, Charlestown, and Foxhole have all helped to produce some brilliant players that are currently in our first team.

“This definitely links into how we can progress as a club. If we want to move on and become a hub for the women’s game in Cornwall, we need to look at building reserve and development squads.

“Long term, we want to achieve our aim of getting into Step Four. Ideally, we would like to establish ourselves as a permanent member of the FAWNL Division One South West.

“The women’s game is only going to get stronger and stronger. The FA Cup prize fund has increased for next season –finally – which is fantastic. We had a brilliant cup run this year, making the Second Round proper and it would be amazing to see some of those massive crowds from the professional game trickle down into grassroots women’s football.”

Post-Match Gallery: Matildas v Football Ferns

Impetus’ Kris Goman was pitchside for us in Canberra for Tuesday’s Australia v New Zealand match. She captured the scene for us after the match among the crowds and the players (14/4/22).

Aivi Luik Shaves Hair For Brain Cancer Research

Impetus’ Kris Goman was pitchside in Canberra on Tuesday and brings us an exclusive photo gallery from an extremely emotional event. (14/4/22)

Above: Aivi Luik after the event. Photo: Kris Goman for Impetus.

Australia defender Aivi Luik made a pledge a while ago. If she could raise $30,000 (just over £17,000) in support of her brother Noah, who was recently diagnosed with brain cancer, she would shave her hair.

It took the 37-year-old just four days to raise that total, and so after the second game between Australia and New Zealand in Canberra on Tuesday, Football Ferns star Rebekah Stott, a survivor of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, produced the clippers.

Luik has now raised over $38,000 for the Mark Hughes Foundation. Further donations can be made here: https://challenge.markhughesfoundation.com.au/page/for-noa

Kris Goman’s Photo Gallery of the Event:

Click here to see Kris’ exclusive post-match photos involving players from both sides interacting with fans: https://impetusfootball.org/2022/04/14/post-match-gallery-matildas-v-football-ferns/

Perth Glory: Riding The Storm And Thriving

Impetus’ Ben Gilby has followed Perth Glory’s women’s team since they were formed in 2008 and now covers the team throughout the A-League Women season. He reflects on one of the toughest seasons in the club’s history and reveals the inside story of how the team overcame the challenges to experience one of the greatest campaigns they have ever had (14/4/22).

Above: Two of Perth Glory’s young stars Deborah-Ann de la Harpe and Hana Lowry celebrate a defining moment in a game this season against Western Sydney Wanderers. Photo: Provided to author by Perth Glory.

Perth Glory were the club that gave locally raised Sam Kerr her first taste of senior football. She was part of a Perth side that made Grand Final appearances in 2015, 2017, and 2019. So why is this season when the team didn’t make Finals, arguably even more incredible than those years?

How about this. Perth Glory only played one home game all season. Due to the closure of the Western Australia state border, they were forced to spend almost three months based in North Sydney, almost 2,500 miles from home. That’s a five-hour flight away. To put this into perspective, a five-hour flight from London could take you to Iraq, Saudi Arabia, or Mauritania.

Then throw into the mix that Perth Glory’s team (as with most A-League Women clubs) consists of players with full-time jobs or those studying at university or in some cases still at school (the minimum school leaving age in Western Australia is 17 years and six months).

These players had the choice – try and get (unpaid) leave from work, university, or school for three months, or don’t play in the country’s top competition this year. In the end, all of the squad came for the duration except for two of their youngest members Tijan McKenna and Poppie Hooks who returned to Perth before the end of the campaign to commence their HSC year at school.

In early January, as the club settled into their temporary base on the other side of the country, a COVID outbreak ravaged the team, but they were still expected to keep playing. Then key players were lost to injury. But they kept playing. And winning.

Here is the story of Perth Glory’s remarkable 2021/22 A-League Women season through the eyes of those closely involved.

**Above:** The Perth Glory team that spent three months 2,500 miles from home. **Photo:** provided to author by Perth Glory.

This was a season that started with a quiet confidence about the club’s prospects. Perth head coach Alex Epakis set about building a team for the medium term by not only securing players within a month of the end of the season but also on multi-year deals.

Speaking to me ahead of the season, Epakis highlighted that process: “It was about identifying the type of character and person that we wanted in terms of a profile and what that looked like. The women’s game is a very transitional one with the capacity to run at high intensity vital. So, with all those things we came up with a matrix system that ensured that whatever player we looked to sign met enough of those metrics into what we wanted on and off the field.

That matrix system brought in some of Australia’s brightest young talent with Young/Junior Matildas such as Morgan Aquino, Susan Phonsongkham, Alana Jancevski, Sofia Sakalis, and Claudia Mihocic arriving along with the retention of local teenage star Hana Lowry.

Crucially, there was an experienced spine added to provide ballast to the Glory as locally born Matildas superstar Lisa De Vanna returned to the club along with Kim Carroll who played in all those Grand Finals before moving to Brisbane Roar. International talent in American Cyera Hintzen and Danish international Mie Leth Jans also arrived. The latter pair would have a major influence on the campaign.

For the first time in several years, there was a degree of positivity in Perth. This was represented in the carnival atmosphere at the team’s Macedonia Park home for their opening game of the season against Brisbane Roar.

**Above:** Perth Glory fans support their team at what turned out to be their only home game during the 2021/22 season. **Photo provided to author by:** Perth Glory.

Over 1,000 purple and orange-clad fans were in attendance creating a typically partisan Western Australian atmosphere. The team achieved the incredible after going into the game without a win in almost 20 months.

When Anna Margraf gave Brisbane the lead after 23 minutes, the Glory fans could have feared the worst. But the noise cranked up and they were rewarded with something that moved seasoned fans to tears of joy. New signing Susan Phonsongkham levelled the scores with two minutes to play. Then in stoppage time at the end of 90 minutes, Perth’s English striker Gemma Craine pressured a back pass which rolled into the net in the confusion to seal Glory’s win. Perth had won for the first time since 22nd February 2020.

It turned out that this would be the only home game that Perth would play as shortly afterwards the state border closed once more meaning all the other teams in the A-League Women would no longer be allowed in. If Perth Glory wanted to play out the season, they would have to do it from the other side of the country.

The club were moved out to North Sydney and were based in self-serviced apartments for three months from just after Christmas for the next three months.

It would have been all too easy for the positivity that surrounded the team pre-season to fall apart. Captain Tash Rigby had told me at the end of the 2020/21 season that she was seriously weighing up whether or not to commit to another campaign due to the time pressures of the A-League Women season. She now had to take three months out of work to play for the club.

Perth and Australian football icon Lisa De Vanna spoke for most when she said in January: “The whole thing sucks. I came back to the club to play a final season in front of my hometown supporters. That’s now gone.”

Yet something remarkable happened in that three-month period on the road. Alex Epakis fostered an environment that was supportive of his players’ mental, physical and social needs. I spoke to nine different players during the period the club were based on the road and all without prompting identified Epakis’ work and ethos as the key to keeping a hugely positive mindset around the place.

**Above:** Alana Jancevski, one of the team’s talented youngsters pictured against Canberra United. **Photo:** Kris Goman.

19-year-old attacking star Alana Jancevski told me: “Having a coach that continually wants to grow individual players highlights his commitments to make each and every player the best versions of themselves. It brings together their unique qualities to the greater good of the squad.

“He (Epakis) has pushed me like no other coach has; he has made me not only physically a better footballer but has allowed me to become mentally stronger in tough moments which is something that I needed to develop in order to take the next step in my footballing journey. I look forward to continually working with Alex to take more leaps in the near future.”

Those leaps included some unique bonding sessions as midfielder Sarah Cain told me in February. “We’ve had four birthdays in the last month among the team. We’re sticking together and taking every opportunity to be together. We added up the collective age of the birthdays in February and it came to 115 so we all went out to op shops (charity shops), got old person clothes, and had an old people’s fancy dress party!”

Four players then went down with COVID, but the desire, positivity, and belief that Epakis instilled in his squad saw the Glory maintain their run of outstanding performances and positive results. This was seen been best when a COVID and injury-ridden Perth side earned a 1-0 win over Western Sydney Wanderers, courtesy of a sensational free-kick from another young star – Deborah-Ann de la Harpe.

The 22-year-old left-back who can also play in midfield was another to note the influence of Alex Epakis on her development. She told me how her head coach goes out of his way to get to know his players better to find out what makes them tick as people and how to develop them further.

**Above:** The career-best form of Deborah-Ann de la Harpe coincided with both a COVID and injury outbreak at the club in late January. **Photo:** Kris Goman.

As the regular season ticked towards its conclusion, Perth were well in the race for a place in the Finals. It all came down to the last day of the season when the Western Australians needed to defeat Wellington Phoenix and hope Canberra United defeated Melbourne Victory.

In Wollongong, 53 miles north of Sydney, Perth kept their side of the bargain with a 3-1 win over the New Zealanders. Canberra did everything they could at Melbourne Victory to defeat the defending champions, but the game ended 0-0 and Perth missed out on the Finals by just goal difference. The Glory had overcome so many hurdles and become a stronger and tighter team for it.

“Everyone is really sad that the season is over,” captain Tash Rigby told me after that final game. “We became so close and really made the most of our time together.”

If there was an air of positivity around the club before this season, there is now massive excitement about the 2022/23 campaign. Despite all the difficulties of the campaign, Perth Glory only lost four matches all season. The year before they lost 11. The 2019/20 season saw seven losses.

The best possible news was delivered in February when Alex Epakis extended his contract as head coach for another year. He told me that it was one of the easiest decisions he’s ever had to make.

“I’m really invested in the players and what we are trying to achieve. It was an easy decision and one I’m delighted about. “In my mind, we have an unlimited amount of potential, both individually and collectively. As a group, we have a great balance of players who are all contributing towards success. It’s exciting to be part of and I’m proud of it. I get to work with these players and staff every day and I’m proud of that.”

The original, longer version of this article was published by https://since-71.com/ and appears at https://since-71.com/perth-glory-the-team-that-was-forced-2500-miles-from-home/

Junior Matildas Announce Squad For Training Camp

14/4/22

Above: Junior Matildas head coach Rae Dower making a point during a previous camp. Photo: Football Australia.

Junior Matildas Head Coach Rae Dower has announced a squad of 30 players for their next training camp later this month in South Australia.

The second Training Camp of 2022 sees players from across the nation, including Western Australian-based players for the first time in two years, called in as the national team selectors continue to cast their eye across the next generation of Australian footballers.

Running from 20 – 26 April, the training camp sees the selection of 2005 and 2006-born players with a mix of new and returning players into the U17 environment.

“On the back of a successful camp for 2005 born players recently in Canberra, the upcoming camp in Adelaide gives the staff and I an opportunity to see another 30 players from the playing cohort,” said Dower.

“The message will be consistent as it was for the last camp, to come and soak up as much as they can and take as much as possible away from the experience. They will be encouraged to train and play with freedom and bring their individuality and creativity to the camp, and to enjoy the experience.

**Above:** Rae Dower, Junior Matildas Head Coach. **Photo:** Football Australia.

“The players will get an opportunity to see where their own game is at, take some feedback away to their training environments, put that into practice daily and work hard to improve themselves, on and off the pitch. Every day is an opportunity to be better than we were yesterday, and that process never ends.”

The Training Camp will culminate in a ‘Green v Gold’ public match at 3pm (ACST) between the players on ANZAC Day at the new Football South Australia State Centre for Football at Gepps Cross.

The match will be live-streamed around the country and provide another coach education opportunity around Talent Identification.

“There are so many exciting players in this cohort already, some of the best players I have seen at their age, bar none. It’s our responsibility now to nurture that talent and provide them with the opportunities to continue to grow and develop, on and off the pitch.

“We’ll also be providing some professional development opportunities for the Football South Australia staff who are doing some really great work with these young players, with Adelaide United reaping the rewards in the Liberty A-League Women’s this year by making the finals for the first time.

“We want to continue to send a message to all players that we are looking to unearth talented players who we think can go on and become professionals and Matildas of the future,” she said.

Junior Matildas Training Squad

Isabella ACCARDO	Defender	Football Victoria NTC / Football Victoria
Ella ABDUL MASSIH	Defender	Football NSW Institute / Football NSW
Alexia APOSTOLAKIS	Defender	Football NSW Institute / Football NSW
Lily BARBER	Midfielder	SA NTC / Football South Australia
Margaret BARRETT	Forward	Football Queensland-QAS / Football Queensland
Tegan BERTOLISSIO	Defender	Football NSW Institute / Football NSW
Zara BOARD	Goalkeeper	Subiaco AFC / Football West
India BREIER	Forward	Football NSW Institute / Football NSW
Ava BRIEDIS	Midfielder	Football Victoria NTC / Football Victoria
Daisy BROWN	Forward	Football Queensland-QAS / Football Queensland
Mila BULIC	Defender	Football Victoria NTC / Football Victoria
Georgia CASSIDY	Midfielder	Hyundai NTC / Football West
Layne CHAPMAN	Goalkeeper	Brothers Townsville FC / Football Queensland
Sasha COOREY	Midfielder	SA NTC / Football South Australia
Jonti FISHER	Forward	Football Queensland-QAS / Football Queensland
Tahlia FRANCO	Goalkeeper	Football NSW Institute / Football NSW
Charlie GIBSON	Defender	Football Queensland-QAS / Football Queensland
Anabelle GHABACH	Midfielder	Football NSW Institute / Football NSW
Lara GOOCH	Midfielder	Newcastle Jets / Northern NSW Football
Zoe KARIPIDIS	Defender	Newcastle Jets / Northern NSW Football
Amali KINSELLA	Defender	Football Queensland-QAS / Football Queensland
Zara KRUGER	Midfielder	Lions FC / Football Queensland
Camila MADRIZ FIGUEROA	Forward	SA NTC / Football South Australia
Maia MARINKOVIC	Forward	Football Victoria NTC / Football Victoria
Avaani PRAKASH	Midfielder	Football NSW Institute / Football NSW
Mary STANIC-FLOODY	Midfielder	Football NSW Institute / Football NSW
Peta TRIMIS	Forward	Football NSW Institute / Football NSW
Chloe WALANDOUW	Defender	Newcastle Jets / Northern NSW Football
Hayley WELLINGTON	Defender	SA NTC / Football South Australia
Grace WILSON	Goalkeeper	SA NTC / Football South Australia

It’s Never Goodbye To ‘Never Say Die’

Impetus’ Kieran Yap reflects on Australia’s two friendlies with New Zealand over the past five days and hails the return of the team’s famed ‘Never Say Die’ spirit along with the faith to stick to the game plan (13/4/22).

Above: Alex Chidiac in full flow in yesterday’s Australia v New Zealand game in Canberra. The Melbourne Victory star’s cameo was a major plus for The Matildas. Photo: Football Australia.

Motto’s by themselves are not enough to win tournaments, or even individual football games. But Australia’s often quoted “Never Say Die” attitude was on full display in the recent friendlies with New Zealand.

With Australia 1-0 down despite dominating the match on Friday, the clock ticked over into injury time. It looked like another barely explicable loss. But as hope flickered (and match reports begun to be filed) Ellie Carpenter teed up Emily Van Egmond for a fantastic equaliser.

The Matildas had escaped from a losing position, but they were not done yet. The players knew that they deserved a win on the balance of play. As long as there will still seconds on the clock, they remained dangerous.

Sam Kerr scored the winner with what was almost the last touch of the game. Australia had pulled off another miracle result. There are many interpretations of “Never Say Die” but in all it’s forms, it means that they are always in the contest.

The win epitomised that famous mantra. It is more than a slogan, instilling belief for the players and celebrations tinged with disbelief among fans.

But the “attitude” as Gustavsson refers to it, is nothing without talent to back it up, and talent is limited without a game plan.

What we saw against New Zealand was a combination of all the existing strengths of The Matildas culture, combined with the new football principles that Gustavsson is trying to implement.

In the pre-series press conference, Gustavsson reflected on the Asian Cup loss to South Korea. He suggested that the team momentarily lost faith in the gameplan after going a goal down. They started to hurry, they got the ball forward in the dying moments, but they were not the clear cut chances they had created earlier in the game.

**Above:** The spirit was strong in The Matildas team again over the two matches. **Photo:** Football Australia.

Against the Football Ferns, it felt familiar. Australia dominated, and created chance after chance, but New Zealand had the lead and a goalkeeper in inspired form.

This would be the test to see if they had learned from that elimination in India. With the situation becoming increasingly desperate, the players were not. They trusted in their own technical ability, and the tactical approach. On top of that, they added their well known mentality.

Van Egmond’s goal was well taken, but expertly created. She was found in space at the top of the box and basically central. She had the goal at her mercy and the time to take her shot. This is the type of chance Australia had been creating from the opening minutes. In the final seconds, they were still creating it. There was no panic.

The combination of their famous Never Say Die mantra and an effective game plan based around chance creation over caution combined to form an irrepressible force and a 2-1 win.

Matchday pundit and Melbourne Victory captain Kayla Morrison hoped that this might be a turning point for the team. The second match reinforced this notion.

Australia were not quite as dominant. They had slightly less possession and created 23 chances on goal as opposed to Friday’s 38. This is not too surprising, New Zealand looked more determined and played with an increased intensity to avenge their close loss.

However, with an almost identical line up , Australia started the second game as they finished the first. Apart from an early effort by Hannah Wilkinson, The Matildas dominated the early chances on goal. Unlike the first game they scored early through Sam Kerr in the fifth minute.

Hayley Raso added a second with a brilliant individual effort. Her trademark pace took her into space after picking up a loose ball. Her left foot finish was delightfully curled into the bottom corner from 18 yards.

**Above:** Sam Kerr who scored three of Australia’s five goals in the two matches against New Zealand celebrating with her team-mates. **Photo:** Football Australia.

Kerr’s second and Australia’s third was the best of the lot. Van Egmond played a long pass into space, and Kerr scored expertly with the outside of her right foot at full pace.

Wilkinson pulled a scrappy goal back for the Football Ferns, and that was the last of the goals for the evening. Australia dominated in the second half and were unlucky not to score a fourth or earn a penalty.

In both games the playing style and team selections worked. The results and statistical domination point to a strong Matildas performance.

These were not perfect performances. The team clearly needs to work on finishing and the two goals conceded were preventable. However these two matches showed the best of what we know about The Matildas and the strongest indication of what they could become.

Their individual skill controlled the games, the tactical discipline created the wins. The Never Say Die attitude made it possible when hope looked lost.

Motto’s by themselves are not enough to win tournaments or even individual football games. But Australia’s often quoted “Never Say Die” attitude was on full display in the recent friendlies with New Zealand.

With Australia 1-0 down despite dominating the match on Friday, the clock ticked over into injury time. It looked like another barely explicable loss. But as hope flickered (and match reports begun to be filed), Ellie Carpenter teed up Emily Van Egmond for a fantastic equaliser.

**Above:** Sticking with the game plan brought rewards for Australia this time round. **Photo:** Football Australia.

Sam Kerr scored the winner with what was almost the last touch of the game. Australia had pulled off another miracle result. There are many interpretations of “Never Say Die” but in all its forms, it means that they are always in the contest.

The win epitomised that famous mantra. It is more than a slogan, instilling belief for the players and celebrations tinged with disbelief among fans.

But the “attitude” as Gustavsson refers to it, is nothing without talent to back it up, and talent is limited without a game plan.

What we saw against New Zealand was a combination of all the existing strengths of The Matildas culture, combined with the new football principles that Gustavsson is trying to implement.

In the pre-series press conference, Gustavsson reflected on the Asian Cup loss to South Korea. He suggested that the team momentarily lost faith in the game plan after going a goal down. They started to hurry, they got the ball forward in the dying moments, but they were not the clear-cut chances they had created earlier in the game.

Against the Football Ferns, it felt familiar. Australia dominated, and created chance after chance, but New Zealand had the lead and a goalkeeper in inspired form.

Van Egmond’s goal was well taken but expertly created. She was found in space at the top of the box and basically central. She had the goal at her mercy and the time to take her shot. This is the type of chance Australia had been creating from the opening minutes. In the final seconds, they were still creating it. There was no panic.

**Above:** Clare Polkinghorne connects with the Matildas fans this week. **Photo:** Football Australia.

The combination of their famous Never Say Die mantra and an effective game plan based around chance creation over caution combined to form an irrepressible force and a 2-1 win.

Matchday pundit and Melbourne Victory captain Kayla Morrison hoped that this might be a turning point for the team. The second match reinforced this notion.

However, with an almost identical lineup, Australia started the second game as they finished the first. Apart from an early effort by Hannah Wilkinson, The Matildas dominated the early chances on goal. Unlike the first game, they scored early through Sam Kerr in the fifth minute.

Kerr’s second and Australia’s third was the best of the lot. Van Egmond played a long pass into space, and Kerr scored expertly with the outside of her right foot at full pace.

In both games, the playing style and team selections worked. The results and statistical domination point to a strong Matildas performance.

These were not perfect performances. The team clearly needs to work on finishing and the two goals conceded were preventable. However, these two matches showed the best of what we know about The Matildas and the strongest indication of what they could become.

Their individual skill controlled the games, the tactical discipline created the wins. The Never Say Die attitude made it possible when hope looked lost.

France Qualify For World Cup But Concerns Ahead of Euros

Jean-Pierre Thiesset summarizes France’s last two games for Women’s World Cup qualification (13/4/22).

Above: Delphine Cascarino pictured after scoring France’s winner against Slovenia yesterday. Photo: Equipe de France Feminine.

Wales 1-2 France – April 8, 2022

France won away from home 2-1 against Wales at Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli in front of a record crowd of 4,553 fans for a women’s football international in Wales.

If we look only at the statistics of the game, we will say that France largely dominated this game (71% possession, 19 shots, 548 passes with 81% successful) but it was not as easy as it seems for France. On the contrary, the constant pressure of the Welsh and the use of counterattacks at every possible opportunity could have allowed Wales to score after both 12minutes and 70 minutes after bad clearances from Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, the French goalkeeper, from corners.

**Above:** Wales’ togetherness resulted in a great effort from Gemma Granger’s team against France in Llanelli. **Photo:** FA Wales.

Additionally, there could have been a penalty for Wales at the 58th minute after a foul on Jess Fishlock whose run was ended just inside the penalty area. Unfortunately for Wales, there is no VAR in Women’s World Cup qualification games, and the referee gave only a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area.

For France, there were a lot of opportunities but a lot of shots off target (just near the posts or just over the crossbar) due to a disturbing lack of efficiency of French strikers. So, overall I would say that France deserved to win but it was too close to a very disappointing result with the Euros in England coming up soon. With such a lack of efficiency, France can not hope to win against stronger teams in games where they will have fewer opportunities.

Goal for Wales from Sophie Ingle (71) on a shot from 18 meters. Goals for France from Wendie Renard (31) on a header at the second post on a corner from Sandie Toletti from the left side, Marie-Antoinette Katoto (57) who gained the ball from the Wales goalkeeper who did not clear the ball quickly enough.

France 1-0 Slovenia – April 12, 2022

**Above:** Delphine Cascarino on the ball for France against Slovenia in Le Mans. **Photo:** Equipe de France Feminine.

France won 1-0 at home against Slovenia at Le Mans in front of 7,000 fans. Again, in this second game, the statistics may make us think that France had an easy game (70% possession, 606 passes with 82% successful, 22 shots with 8 on target), but the scoreboard tells us something else.

Slovenia could have led 2-0 at halftime. After nine minutes, a shot from 25 meters from Mateja Zver needed Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, who was not on her goal line, to make a great save to put the ball over the crossbar.

Slovenia had another chance after 43 minutes when Peyraud-Magnin took the ball from the feet of Lara Prasnikar on a counterattack. In the first half, Slovenia played very low in their part of the field, and they proceeded with counterattacks. France were wasteful in their passes, made a lot of technical errors, and suffered again from a lack efficiency in front of the goal. There shots near the posts, over the crossbar, and directly in the arms of Slovenia goalkeeper, Zala Mersnik.

The second half started stronger for France with more fluidity in their game and they scored quickly, at the 48^th minute from Delphine Cascarino who put the ball in the net at the back post with her right foot on a back pass at ground level from Clara Matéo with her left foot from the left side. After this goal, it started to be more difficult for Slovenia players, but France were still not able to score another goal. Goal for France from Delphine Cascarino (48).

So France have qualified for the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, but nobody is really reassured for the Euros in England given that they could have lost both of their last games, and that it seems that they still not have solved their lack of efficiency in front of the goal.

**Above:** The French team pictured after their win over Slovenia which clinched their place at the 2023 World Cup. **Photo:** Equipe de France Feminine.

Pride In Defeat

Pride Park 0-4 Draycott Victoria

Above: Pride Park’s Rachel Weaver, who had an impressive performance on Sunday. Photo: Shaun Hardwick.

By Doug Outt (13/4/22)

Pride Park knew the Derbyshire Ladies League Division One leaders will have been stung by their first defeat of the season at their hands last week and – whilst, in all probability, it only delayed the inevitable – that there would be a reaction from them in the second of two consecutive games at Moorways on Sunday yesterday. However, boosted by last weekend’s win it was a challenge that the home side were looking forward to.

There was a late change to the starting eleven, as Maja Znamirowska was held up by a motorway accident, but otherwise, The Pride had the unusual sight of an almost full bench.

Both teams were joined for the walk-out by mascots from #ThePride U8 and U9s who also enjoyed a penalty shoot-out on the pitch at half-time.

**Above:** Members of Pride Park’s U8s and U9s meet the players pre-game. **Photo supplied to *Impetus* by:** Pride Park FC.

Pride Park made a bright start to the game and enjoyed good possession and territory in the opening stages. There was an early shot from distance by Sayavong that drifted wide, before a really good chance for Bryan after a powerful run down the left took her clear and into the box but her shot cleared the crossbar.

It was a high tempo game, broken up by a series of free-kicks – a yellow card being shown to a Draycott player for a late challenge on Pride’s Weaver. The teams were like two boxers circling each other in the ring, throwing the odd jab but looking for the opportunity to land a decisive blow – which came from the visitors after 25 minutes. A high bouncing ball down the Pride Park left was headed on by a Draycott player for a half-volley lob from the edge of the area.

It was a setback, but Pride Park responded well – Jones had a shot saved, and Sayavong and Znamirowska had shots but were unable to work the goalkeeper. As the half was ending, there was a scramble in the Park goalmouth, but Weaver and Sayavong combined to block the chance and clear for a corner, which came to nothing.

**Above:** Eliot Sayavong who was a key player for Pride Park on Sunday. **Photo:** Shaun Hardwick.

Pride Park had edged the first half, both in terms of overall play and chances created – but it was Draycott who went in ahead at half-time.

The second half started in much the same vein as the first half – a foul on Znamirowska giving Pride Park a free kick on the angle of the penalty area. Weaver took the kick, curling an inswinging shot in towards the far corner and forcing the keeper to turn it behind.

The game was more or less decided as The Pride lost concentration at the back, allowing balls in from the left to find an unmarked player to hit her shot home – three times in five minutes – to effectively seal the game for Draycott.

Despite this, the home side rallied and pushed in search of at least a consolation goal, creating several good chances; Bryan putting in a low cross that first Allderidge and then Evans were only inches away from putting in. Evans had a couple of good chances after beating defenders – putting a shot over when clear – and seeing another shot slip through the keeper’s hands, but she recovered just in time to prevent the goal. Znamirowska also shot wide, and had a shot blocked on the line, and it was confirmed it was going to be that kind of day when Bryan skipped through two tackles in the box and her shot was blocked, only to ricochet against her, up onto the crossbar and over!

**Above:** Lottie Bryan in possession for Pride Park. **Photo:** Shaun Hardwick.

It was particularly disappointing for Pride Park to concede in the way they did in that costly five-minute spell, as they otherwise defended well and largely contained the threat from Draycott. The Pride had more than matched the league leaders and created enough good chances for the game to have – potentially – even finished in a draw, but having been ruthlessly efficient in front of goal in recent games, their eye for goal, or luck, deserted them on Sunday, whilst Draycott took their chances well.

It was a battling and committed performance all round. Sayavong and Allderidge were again outstanding together in centre midfield, Bryan was a constant threat down the left, and Ayton did well in reverting to her original right of midfield role for this game.

The win for Draycott means only Borrowash Victoria can catch them now, but two more wins for Draycott will seal the title, even if Borrowash win their remaining games. There’s no game for Pride Park this Sunday, with the next fixture being at Borrowash Victoria on Sunday 24th April (1.30pm ko).

Percival Injury: What Does This Mean For Spurs?

Impetus welcomes new contributor Rachel Lara Cohen from the Spurs Women Fansite. In this her first article, she highlights the importance of Ria Percival to Tottenham and ponders what the serious injury that she suffered on international duty means for the Super League side (12/4/22).

Above: Ria Percival – a key member of the Tottenham Hotspur team. Photo: Getty Images.

Last Friday in Townsville, Australia during the fifteenth minute of a dramatic friendly between New Zealand and Australia women’s teams, Ria Percival went down. There was no contact, it was no one’s fault.

But, unlike the innumerable times this season that we’ve seen Ria get fouled or watched as she’s gone in for a tackle, end up on the ground and then brush herself off and get up again with nothing worse than a muddy shirt, this time she didn’t get up. It was immediately obvious that what had occurred was serious. She was helped off the field grimacing.

The next day New Zealand Ferns coach Jitka Klimková confirmed that it was an anterior cruciate ligament injury: “Ria has gone back to her club, Tottenham. She is so important for us. It is a long-term injury, an ACL injury to her left knee. Depending on the assessment she will out for the rest of the year.” This has now been confirmed by Tottenham. She’s being treated by Spurs’ medical team and should have the best possible support.

Obviously, this is terrible for Ria, and we wish her a speedy recovery. It’s also bad news for Ria’s national team the New Zealand Ferns, for whom she plays a key role (not to mention being the most capped New Zealand player ever).

And of course, it’s bad news for Spurs Women.

Ria’s role for Spurs Women

Ria has been a core part of Rehanne Skinner’s team (see article on Ria from February). She has started every WSL game this season. Indeed, across the seventeen games to date, Ria has played all but 19 minutes so far (only Molly Bartrip been on the field for more minutes).

Ria’s statistics indicate some part of her role in the team. For instance, she is sixth in the league for key passes and she has scored two goals and has two assists (her xA, or expected goal assists, is actually 3.3, placing her ninth in the league, but given the team’s finishing problems goals have not always resulted where they were statistically likely). Ria’s defensive figures are also strong. She has made 54 tackles of which she’s won 34 (a figure that puts her second only to Ashleigh Neville among Spurs Women players and fourth in the WSL). Most of her tackles (33) have been in the middle third of the pitch, where she has made more tackles this season than any other Spurs player.

**Above:** Great stats for a great player. Tottenham Hotspur’s Ria Percival. **Photo:** Getty Images.

The fact that these strengths span different areas of play are a huge part of Percival’s importance to Spurs Women: she is an enormously versatile and intelligent player. Over this term, the Football Fern has played at right-back, defensive midfield, at the wing, and as a forward.

In many games she starts in midfield but seems to have the leeway to roam forwards, getting into the box and pressing high, but also dropping back into defence where needed. Meanwhile, Ria’s midfield tackling is a sign of her work rate and the part she plays in chasing down players and reducing their time on the ball, something that has been essential in producing the defensive solidity that the 2021-2 Spurs Team has become known for.

What are Spurs’ options if Ria is unavailable?

Ria has provided an option at right-back that has allowed head coach Rehanne Skinner to move Ashleigh Neville higher up the field (e.g. at home against Manchester City, where it partially worked). Given our problems with scoring and Ash’s speed on the break unleashing her higher up the pitch may be critical if we’re going to create goal-scoring opportunities, especially against stronger teams where there is not a lot of space (and a reminder that we’re yet to play Arsenal or Chelsea (twice)). Moreover, with no Ria in midfield, Ashleigh Neville’s tackling may become needed further forward.

For this to work we will need an alternative at right-back. The most obvious answer is Asmita Ale. Ale has only started seven games (many of these coming before Kerys Harrop nailed down her position at left-back), but Ale recently played at right-back away at Birmingham to excellent effect. The only other defensive player in the squad is Viktoria Schnaderbeck (who has so far been a relatively under-used loan-signing from Arsenal). From what I’ve seen Vikky is more of a central defender, meaning that her inclusion requires more rejigging – and risks disrupting the central partnership of Bartrip and Zadorsky.

Conversely, of course, if Neville stays at right-back we may stymie her attacking guile and midfield tackling, but would keep what has typically been the first choice back four (Neville, Bartrip, Zadorsky and Harrop).

In midfield

This is where Percival has most often played, typically in front of Maéva Clemaron, who occupies a defensive role in the engine room of midfield. And, over the last run of games, alongside Evelina Summanen. Summanen has become a regular starter since her January transfer and like Ria she plays as a flexible attack-minded hard-tackling midfielder, making 16 tackles and taking eight shots in her four starts (five games) in the WSL. With Ria out, Evelina’s part in the team may become even more critical. That means, that with Summanen and Clemaron a lock-in central midfield we could have Ashleigh Neville and Jessica Naz on the wing, and Rachel Williams and Kyah Simon in front.

Other options

There are a few other options in the squad, but finding options that retain our whole-team defensive energy while releasing players to go forward, are limited.

**Above:** Rosella Ayane – an outside chance of helping to plug the gap left by Ria Percival’ injury. **Photo:** Andy Rowland / PMI / Imago.

If Neville remains at right-back, Rosella Ayane is a possibility on the wing. But she has been consistently – and frustratingly – ineffective this season, at times seeming to lose concentration. Angela Addison is another possibility. She has demonstrated her ability to find space in the box, but can find herself bullied off the ball and in her numerous substitute appearances has too often seemed peripheral (although this may just be a lack of game-time).

A different approach would be to bring Josie Green into midfield, allowing Summanen to move forward or out wide. Josie’s been reliable but hasn’t regained the rhythm of a couple of years ago (and has remained down the pecking order from Clemaron, Summanen, and Percvial). Cho So-Hyun also plays in central midfield and could be more of a replacement for Ria, but has only shown glimpses of what she can do since joining Spurs and does not always seem interested in the harrying or pressing aspects of how this team is set up to play.

The other options are less useful in terms of filling the Ria-size-hole: Tang Jiali is more of a pure striker, and yet to make a mark, while Chioma Ubogagu, who had occasional good games in the Autumn, is either injured or has been otherwise side-lined, not appearing in the squad since January.

If the main point is to replicate the pressing game (especially in the attacking and midfield thirds) that Ria is so good at, Green or Addison perhaps come closest, but there is no like-for-like replacement.

Moreover, and somewhat ironically perhaps, it is clear that Ria’s flexibility has previously provided the manager with options in making substitutions, insofar as Ria could be moved to accommodate the introduction of other, less flexible, players. Therefore, Ria’s absence is not just a hole, but also makes it harder to resolve the jigsaw puzzle of team selection and make best use of those players that remain.

All of which is to say that Ria will be hugely missed.

It will be Rehanne Skinner who now has the complicated task of deciding how to reconfigure the team to accommodate her absence. Of course, Skinner has already performed miracles this season in getting this Spurs team to where it is challenging at the top half of the table. So, here’s hoping she’s got another miracle up her sleeve. She’s got a couple of weeks before our next game, to come up with it.

Till then we’re all sending lots of good wishes to Ria – and to her teammates and coaches, all of whom must be devasted by news of her injury.

This article was originally published on the Spurs Women Blogsite. https://spurswomen.uk/

NWGFL Round-Up

By Darrell Allen with contributions from Stuart Terry (12/4/22)

Above: Thetford Town interim captain Melissa Boulton (left) presents Beccles Town captain Lola Barber-King with a bouquet of flowers for her teammate Mae who suffered a serious injury in February. Photo: Hannah Parnell.

A warm afternoon greeted Thetford Town and Beccles Town on Sunday afternoon for their Norfolk Women and Girls’ League Division One fixture.

Before the game Thetford interim captain Melissa Boulton presented a bouquet of flowers to her Beccles counterpart Lola Barber-King for the Beccles player Mae who was seriously injured in a road traffic accident in February and Thetford also donated £180 to Mae and her family following a club collection at the men’s and women’s games over the weekend.

Thetford were boosted before kick-off by the news that Becky Russell their dual signing from Wroxham was available for late selection after Wroxham’s game was postponed. Becky was named as one of Thetford substitutes but would later play a significant key role for David Skipp’s team at the heart of the Thetford defence.

**Above:** Becky Russell in action for Thetford Town. She recently signed on a dual deal from Wroxham. **Photo:** Hannah Parnell.

The first 10 minutes saw an even contest before Thetford broke the deadlock on 14 minutes thanks to a delightful through ball by Abbie Corbyn that gave Chelsea Page the chance to round the keeper and give Thetford a one-nil lead.

Thetford went on to dominate the game but a number of chances were missed before a deep cross by Boulton gave Hannah Claughton the chance to score her first goal for the club and a few minutes later Claughton made it a personal brace and a 3-0 lead for Thetford from a delightful three-player move that Claughton calmly slotted into the back of the net.

The second half started much the same as the first ended with Thetford pushing and probing at the Beccles defence and the inspirational and super talented Abbie Corbyn was at the heart of most of Thetford’s moves.

**Above:** Abbie Corbyn (right) in control for Thetford Town against Beccles Town. **Photo:** Hannah Parnell.

The super wing play of Boulton was causing all sorts of problems and Claughton completed a hat-trick with a delightful 20-yard lob over the keeper to round off a comfortable 4-0 win for Thetford.

The only downside of a very good Thetford performance was an injury to Boulton who was carried from the pitch in the 64th minute.

Abbie Corbyn showed why she is so highly regarded with another great performance that won her the player of the match award.

With six fixtures to go before the end of the season, a top-four finish is still very much an achievable target for David Skipp’s talented squad.

NWGFL Division One Round-up

In the day’s other fixtures, leaders Mulbarton Belles made it 17 wins from 17 thanks to a 2-0 victory at Long Stratton. Goals from Sophie Jermy and Lucy Lincoln gave Martin Francis’ team all three points and leaving them only needing a draw at Thetford Town on Easter Sunday to secure the title.

Second place Fakenham Town ran out 9-0 winners at home to North Walsham thanks to a hat trick from Sophie Lubbock, a brace each from Olivia Barker and Aimee Hutchinson, and a goal each from Shelley Woods and Megan Spurrell.

Third place Dussindale and Hellesdon Rovers fresh from reaching the NWGFL Plate Cup Final with a 5-2 win over Sprowston, this time travelled to Sprowston on Sunday and ran out 3-0 winners thanks to goals from Shanice Sutton, captain Calista Tink, and Tallulah Bell. An important three points as they keep up the pressure on second place Fakenham.

NWGFL Division Two Round-Up:

Third-placed King’s Lynn Soccer Club went level on points with second place UEA with a fine 6-1 win at Freethorpe. King’s Lynn’s goals came from Jordan Turner (hat-trick), Kersey Ramm, Sophie McNeill and Viktorija Burkauskaite.

In the day’s only other game fourth place Gorleston ran out 9-1 winners over Horsford thanks to four goals from Rebecca Waters and other strikes from Sienna Saunders, Mariana Lino, Hannah Halfnight, Megan Bartlett, and Kelsi Adams.