Matildas Trio Speak After Opening Asia Cup Win

Above: Holly McNamara, who spoke about her Australia debut on Friday’s Asia Cup opener against Indonesia. Photo: Football Australia.

Ben Gilby hears from debutant Holly McNamara, two-goal Ellie Carpenter, and Clare Wheeler who started her first Matildas match on Friday (23/1/22).

It has been a fairytale few months for Holly McNamara. The Melbourne City youngster has taken the A-League Women by storm and on Friday, she made her international debut. “It felt great, it was such an honour,” the teenager explained. “I’m so grateful to everyone who has supported me and given me the opportunity to do this.

“The biggest thing that’s gotten me here is the support I’ve had from my family and friends. They’ve got me through the tough times to get to the good times.

“I spoke to them afterward and I got some videos sent through by my siblings of my parents’ reactions when I came on – there were a few screams!

McNamara explained her feelings on Friday as she was told she was coming off the bench. “I was just told to go for the jog and straight away I was so excited…ecstatic! Then the adrenaline took over and I was just focused on coming on and making an impact.”

The youngster, who is 19 today has been on a rollercoaster ride of emotions in recent times “These whole two weeks have been crazy, quite a shock and overwhelming. The game itself was crazy, very different from what I’m used to, and I’m glad I got to go on.

“The overall thing that came out of that game was the clean sheet and preparing for the next one.

As well as the clean sheet, the game saw Sam Kerr break Australia’s goalscoring record – and made even more special for McNamara as it was the striker who presented her with her first Matildas cap.

“First, congrats to Sam, she definitely deserves it, one of the hardest workers that I’ve seen. Getting my cap from her, especially after her milestone in the game was amazing. The little speech she made for me was very heartfelt.”

“For me, I need to work hard in training to earn more game time prove my worth and be confident in the way I play.”

Above: Ellie Carpenter who highlighted the importance of Australia’s strong start to the Asia Cup.Photo: Football Australia.

Ellie Carpenter highlighted what her focus was immediately after Friday’s win over Indonesia. “Right now, we’re looking at recovery, which is very important, especially in a short tournament like this, similar to the Olympics where we had to back up every two days. Ice baths and massage are particularly important for me.”

Looking back on Friday’s game, the Olympique Lyonnais star emphasized the importance of their dominant performance: “Reflecting on the game, it was a great start for us. We really wanted to hit the ground running and be clinical in the final third and we definitely did that. Now it is about building the performance and getting to where we want to be for the final games.

“It was really important for us to set the tone early. Some tournaments we haven’t had the best of starts. This was one big thing that we wanted to do, and we definitely achieved that. We’re keen to keep it going and build on every match.”

“It was important to be clinical and get those final third shots in to get confidence in the early games so come the semi-final or final we know we can finish those chances. Anything that we can do to be prepared for those final matches we will. We wanted to come in from the start and set the tone.”

Carpenter had her own personal reasons for enjoying the outcome – she trebled her goalscoring tally for her country during the match. “It felt really nice to get on the scoreboard (twice). I’ve been working on my play in the final third and in my finishing, so I’m happy it has paid off. Any way that I can contribute to this team winning I will.”

The defender also spoke about her pride in Sam Kerr breaking Australia’s goalscoring record. “To see her break record after record is amazing and I feel very honoured to be playing alongside her. She’s a great captain and an even better player for our country and we’re honoured to have her in our team. She’s the best striker in the world at the moment and it was nice to share that moment with her on the field.”

Looking ahead to tomorrow’s second group match with the Philippines, Carpenter identified the aims for the tie. “We just want to build on our performance from the first game. We know how we want to play and we want to take the next step to the next level. Whatever team we play, we’ll come out with the same motivation and mentality. We’re ready for this match.”

Above: Clare Wheeler talked about her joy at getting a first Matildas start and why the first result and performance were so vital. Photo: Football Australia.

Clare Wheeler spoke about her pride in starting her first Matildas match in the Asia Cup on Friday. “I can barely find words to describe it – an amazing feeling to get my starting debut. The result and performance were the icing on the cake.

“When Tony told me (that I would be starting), I was ecstatic. I knew I had a job to do and we really wanted to make a statement in the opening game and that’s what we did.

Wheeler highlighted the thought process behind fielding such a strong team for the game against Indonesia before reviewing the outcome. “Regardless of ranking, we treat every team the same. We want to win this tournament – no ifs or buts, so that’s the way we treat every game and that’s what we did.

“There were many positives from the match – Sammy (Kerr) breaking the goalscoring record, Holly (McNamara) making her debut plus myself, Mary (Fowler), and Courtney Nevin making our Asia Cup debuts, all amazing things to see in a first game.”

“We’ve been focusing on recovery, getting movement into our legs with this short turnaround for the Philippines on Monday and we’re looking at that as the next game we need to win.”

Finals Hopes On The Line In Gosford

Above: Western Sydney Wanderers head coach Catherine Cannuli speaking to the media ahead of tomorrow’s game. Photo: Western Sydney Wanderers (22/1/22).

Tomorrow’s A-League Women game between Perth Glory and Western Sydney Wanderers sees two teams with Finals hopes facing off in Gosford. To preview the game, Ben Gilby heard from both head coaches, Catherine Cannuli of Wanderers and Alex Epakis of Perth. Glory’s Danish international Mie Leth-Jans additionally spoke about her thoughts on the competition halfway through her first season in Australia.

Ahead of Sunday’s game against Perth Glory, Western Sydney Wanderers head coach Catherine Cannuli began her media conference by reflecting on last weekend’s 1-0 defeat at home by Melbourne Victory.

“We should have got a little bit more out of that game, I thought it was a tough one. It took me a few days to re-group and start to look ahead towards Perth. I thought the girls worked super hard and we just have to put it behind us and look forward.

Cannuli spoke about how her players are continuing to come together as the season reaches an important stage. “Team cohesion is great. They are a good bunch of girls who have a great work ethic. We’ve been through a few tough times, but they are gelling really well. I can’t believe we’re halfway through the season already.”

The Wanderers head coach highlighted 15-year-old midfielder Alexia Apostolakis who is becoming a regular member of the starting 11. “Her development has been great. She is a shy, quiet girl, but the older girls are really getting around her and mentoring her and giving her that confidence and belief to get better and better every week. She’s going to be one to watch for the future, but she is already putting her mark on the A-League Women.”

Cannuli also hinted that Alex Hyunh may well make her first appearance for the club since re-joining temporarily. “We don’t just sign players just to sign them. Alex is a big part of this team. She knows what the culture of the club is and, yeah, you might see her this weekend.”

With Western Sydney having scored only two goals in their six matches so far, the coach emphasized that improvements are needed. “There is no denying the fact that we haven’t scored enough goals this season or been fluent in the front third. It’s something we are continuing to work on. We need to be creating more chances and getting more shots on goal.”

However, on the positive side of the ledger, in those six matches, only four goals have been conceded, something that is the result of a lot of hard work pre-season. “First and foremost we worked on our defensive structure, it’s something we’ve been poor on in previous campaigns and so that was a big focus in our pre-season.”

With Sunday’s game being officially a home game for Perth Glory, despite it being played in Gosford, New South Wales due to Western Australia’s border closure, Cannuli sees a big advantage for her team in avoiding having to travel across the country to play the Glory.

“Perth has been on the road for a few weeks now. They have been chopping and changing and it’s not easy to be away from home and living out of a hotel. It can definitely be an advantage to us. However, we’re not going into the game thinking we are definitely getting the three points. We’ll know we will have to work hard for them if we want to get them.

“The girls will go out there knowing that they need to get the three points. If we want to stay in the pack, we need to get as many points as possible. They know how crucial it is for us to get a win this week to keep building momentum.”

Above: Perth Glory head coach Alex Epakis – buoyed by an excellent performance in difficult circumstances last weekend. Photo: Perth Glory.

Perth Glory head coach Alex Epakis has revealed that he is well on the road to recovery after testing positive for COVID on matchday against Newcastle Jets last weekend.

“I’m feeling OK. I’ve not really had any symptoms since I tested positive. It’s frustrating that I can’t be out there at the moment, but I’m looking forward to getting out soon.

He highlighted the impact that the club’s recent run of matches so close together has had on his players. “The competition schedule wasn’t sensible from a sports science point of view. After going three weeks without a game, we were expected to play three games in a week.

“Some players couldn’t cope with that schedule and have got medium-term injuries. We are hoping to get them back in the next couple of weeks.

“We have a good squad and the last match [at Newcastle] showed that players can step up, even out of position, and still play well.

“At this stage, I am the only COVID case in the group, so things are getting better. The three players are out of quarantine.

“Those that were injured last weekend will not be back for Sunday. If I test negative on my next PCR then I am out of quarantine too.”

Perth’s head coach explained what it’s been like to have to coach from his living room over the past week. “Yeah, it’s been interesting, I’d never missed a matchday before or training session. I’ve just had to accept it.

“I don’t think I’ve ever done anything as difficult as watching a match from my living room. We did our best to have communication with the bench throughout the match, but there was an empty feeling.”

“Having said all that, it emphasizes again how good the performance was against Newcastle, considering all the disruptions. It is a real significant milestone and achievement for us.

Looking ahead to Sunday’s game against the Wanderers, Epakis said: “I think it’s going to be a tense game because it’s a critical one for both teams. Western Sydney is a proud team, they probably haven’t had the consistency of performance that they were hoping for.

“It’s a bit similar to our situation and so it’s timely for us to be playing each other. It will be tense to start with, but when the game gets its flow, it should be a good one for the neutral.

“I’m really excited about what the second half of the season looks like. I think there is a sense of optimism about the group in terms of what we can achieve.”

Above: Mie Leth-Jans, Perth Glory’s Danish international pictured in action against Canberra United in Blacktown recently. Photo: Kris Goman.

Perth Glory’s Danish international Mie-Leth Jans is halfway through her first season in Australian football. She spoke to the media this week about how she’s finding life at the club.

“I’ve known from the start what is expected of me as Alex (Epakis, head coach) and I had good conversations before I got here. I feel that I have gained a lot from being part of this group.

“I feel very comfortable now I know the style of play here. It has been good that people are noticing what I can bring to the team.

“I find the standard very interesting. It’s a lot more of a transitional game, very nice and intense as well.

“It’s quite physical, but the Swedish and Danish leagues I’ve played in are physical too. The difference is in what the referees allow – they allow more to go on here.”

Despite Perth having put in a hugely positive performance at Newcastle last weekend, it is now four games since Glory won. Jans emphasized that confidence remains high in the squad.

“We’re good as a team. The first three games when we moved to a hub in New South Wales were tough as we played them all in a week. However, we recovered well, better than I expected.

“We went over in detail what we need to do to be better and we connected well. It has helped us to get on even better as a group and know who we are.

“Right now we are having to take each day as it comes. We never know what is happening with COVID.

“We are being precautions when around each other, following all the rules and that’s the best we can do to keep safe.”

Reflecting on the Jets game specifically last week, the Dane “We played some parts of the game really well last week and were disappointed not to get three points as we deserved them. We’re ready to go again [against Western Sydney Wanderers on Sunday] and hopefully, we’ll get the three points this time.”

“We’re focused on the final third of the pitch for the next game – that’s where the goals are scored and where we can win the game.”

Artwork: Graphics by PW.

A-League Women Top Tussle Previewed

Above: Sydney FC goalkeeper Jada Whyman, who is aiming to equal Lydia Williams’ record of seven consecutive clean sheets when she faces Melbourne City. Photo: A-League Women.

Ahead of Saturday’s A-League Women game between unbeaten leaders Sydney FC and second-placed Melbourne City, Ben Gilby heard from Sydney goalkeeper Jada Whyman plus the Melbourne City pair of Rhianna Pollicina and head coach Rado Vidosic (21/1/22).

Jada Whyman is looking to equal a record held by her hero this weekend. Lydia Williams’ run of seven consecutive W-League clean sheets is in Whyman’s sights and if she can keep second-placed Melbourne City out on Saturday, it will be a milestone achievement in her career.

The 22-year-old Sydney FC shot-stopper, who is also an ambassador for Impetus‘ charity partners, John Moriarty Football, spoke to the media this week about the battle of the top two in the A-League Women.

“I have become aware of the record over the last week or so from commentary watching last week’s game back and a few people have mentioned it!

“Lydia was a big inspiration to me coming into this league. It’s just been nice to match her in some areas. I still look up to her, but I also want to take a step away from being that little kid looking up to Lydia!

“Going into the Matildas camp I’ve been competing with her for a spot and even both playing in this league at the same time it’s competing against her. It’s about trying to be better. Coming up against her pushes me to become a better goalkeeper. It’s all about development for me and having chances to push myself a bit harder.”

Whyman knows that, if she is going to equal Williams’ record, she will have to do it the hard way against a Melbourne City side boasting the A-League Women’s top scorer, Hannah Wilkinson, and the second-placed side on the table.

“It is a big game. Melbourne City have been doing great, but we are also in good form. The things we have been doing in training have gone out onto the pitch and that’s a testament to the team. The way we have defended through the first six games has been awesome. We’ve just got to keep doing what we’ve been doing and if records get broken, then records get broken. If they don’t, then that’s OK too.

“There hasn’t much specific focus on Melbourne City, we’re just focusing on ourselves and our normal defence. I have no doubt that we’ll do the same fantastic job that we’ve done previously.”

Above: Melbourne City head coach Rado Vidosic speaking to the media today. Photo: Melbourne City.

Rado Vidosic, Melbourne City’s head coach spoke about the feeling in the camp ahead of Saturday’s big game. “The overwhelming emotion in the team is not nervousness ahead of the game but excitement. We have had a strong run in our last four games. We won in Adelaide with a clean sheet. We are quite confident that we can have a similar result in Sydney. Maybe confidence is the right emotion.”

In terms of specific focuses for the game, Vidosic emphasized that “We know all about their strengths and how they utilize them. If we can control them (Sydney) in those moments when they are dangerous, then half of our job is done. They need to concentrate on our strengths too, so it won’t be all one-way traffic. We are confident that we can get something out of the game.

“We’ve played our last four games against top four teams. Tomorrow is the first time that they (Sydney) have played a top-four team so it is a little bit unrealistic to measure their success. They have not been outside of New South Wales either.

They were dominant against Canberra, I thought that would be their biggest test, but they were unbelievable. It is not so much about what they have done so far. Against us, it should be much harder for them.

“The key game for us this season was Melbourne Victory, which made us think ‘Hang on! We are good enough to do something!’ This (the Sydney game) will be our biggest test so far as we will be playing a team that is high on confidence and they are full of top-quality players. They are young, mobile, and have an excellent coach.”

When asked about how he expects the match to go, City’s head coach said: “The game will be played all over the pitch, so we will be defending as high up as possible. We will try to force them to play a different style of football. We need to be organized and defend with 11 players if we need to do that. We need to have a great piece of concentration and know the micro-game with everyone involved. They can punish you very easily, so we even have to think about defending when we are attacking.

“In terms of training during the week, we don’t separate our starting 11 from the rest, so everyone gets the opportunity to practice and is exposed to our principles. The only time we have a clear starting 11 is on the weekend, that way everyone is prepared to do their job. When our players get a chance to perform, they all put their hands up and do their best.”

City’s head coach then outlined the important influence that Rhianna Pollicina has had on his team this season. “She has been a very important player for us, outstanding and creative in our midfield. I have challenged her to score more goals as she doesn’t enter the penalty box enough, but it is happening more frequently and she is reaping the rewards for it. She has great close control.”

Vidosic revealed that Winonah Heatley is back with his squad after returning from Australia’s pre-Asia Cup training camp and is potentially available to play some part in the game at Sydney.

“Obviously she was disappointed not to make the final squad. She had a conversation with (Tony) Gustavsson (Matildas head coach) and he explained why he didn’t select her and she’s back here and happy to have a chance to play. She has been with us for a few months and has developed friendships and camaraderie at our club. Hopefully, she can get another invitation to the Matildas camp for future tournaments and future games.”

Above: Rhianna Pollicina speaking to the media ahead of Melbourne City’s top-of-the-table clash against Sydney FC. Photo: Melbourne City.

Rhianna Pollicina spoke about how different life is like in Victoria compared to her previous club Newcastle Jets.

“The difference in the facilities is the biggest thing and how professional it is here. The access to dietrist and full-time strength and conditioning is top-notch, no disrespect to the Jets.”

Pollicina reviewed her performance in City’s win at Adelaide last weekend by explaining “It was obviously nice to get on the scoresheet, but it was also about the other 10 players. We travelled over there on the day as well. Hopefully, I can now get a few more goals for the club.

“The first 30 minutes we struggled, Adelaide definitely came to play and we always knew that. Once we got past that 30 minutes, we started to stick to our game plan and look after the ball more. From half-time it was a question of could we stay composed in that front third, could we keep recycling the ball and make Adelaide run. It was a different City side. When we lost the ball, we got it back within five seconds. The goal eventually came. Credit to our girls, we didn’t give up for the whole 90.

“We’re definitely improving each week. We didn’t play at our best against Wellington, but that came after a week off. The improvements are coming and we’re developing the game plan that Rado (Vidosic) wants. We all want to work for each other. The energy and effort that everyone puts in for each other is there and as the weeks go on we all get better.

The 24-year-old highlighted how well she is linking up with Rebekah Stott in the midfield. “Playing with Stotty is amazing. I think we offer the same qualities. We’re both good on the ball, so we just understand each other as players. She can hold the ball up, she can beat players and play the killer pass. She saw me and played me through perfectly.”

Looking ahead to this weekend’s battle of the top two, the striker said: “Going over to Sydney is exciting. Most of my family will be coming down for the game and my friends. Sydney FC are the benchmark team in the competition as they are top of the table, but all of our 16 players travelling are up for the game.

“When you look at Sydney FC’s midfielders, they are all quality players and they have all played together for a while. But our formation can trouble any team and so they don’t faze us. We’ll stick to our game plan and focus on ourselves. We’ll start with our press.

“They have quality players missing but have others to come in. We’ll all be ready to go for the battle.”

Artwork: Graphics by PW.

Multiple Records Tumble As Tillies Open Cup Campaign

Australia 18-0 Indonesia

By Kieran Yap (21/1/22)

Above: Ellie Carpenter jumps for joy after scoring for the Matildas in Mumbai as they opened their Asia Cup campaign in some style. Photo: Football Australia.

The Matildas hit the ground running with an incredible 18-0 win over Indonesia to kick off their Asian Cup campaign. Nine goals on either side of halftime meant that Australia had the best possible start to the tournament and sent a strong message to the other contenders.

Not only was this Australia’s biggest ever Asia Cup win, it saw Sam Kerr become her country’s all-time record goal scorer, female or male.

It was a ruthless opening, from the kick-off Steph Catley found Sam Kerr with a long pass from the left flank. Australia won a succession of corners but could not convert them into goals. Kerr scored Australia’s first and her personal 50th in the ninth minute. Emily van Egmond, playing in an advanced role found Kerr with a defence splitting pass that the skipper easily put beyond the Indonesian goalkeeper.

Above: Sam Kerr, officially the greatest goalscorer in Australian football history. Photo: Football Australia.

Two minutes later Kerr doubled the lead with another easy finish and Caitlin Foord added a third after controlling a cross and shifting onto her right foot to shoot from close range.

Mary Fowler was next to get in on the act. Ellie Carpenter raced infield from right-back and released Fowler behind the defence. She had options in the middle but chose the safest one, her shot was buried with confidence and it was 4-0 by the 20th minute of the match.

Hayley Raso never seems to miss an opportunity to risk her own safety for the Green and Gold and her first goal typified her attitude if not her usual method of scoring.

Foord was put into space on the left and sent in a dangerous cross. Raso launched herself ballistically at the ball and headed into the net after colliding with the goalkeeper.

Amid the scoring, Australia had numerous calls for penalties turned down, mostly for debatable handballs. In the 26th minute, they finally received a spot-kick after Foord was brought down in the box. Kerr completed her hattrick with ease.

Above: Ellie Carpenter – who after only scoring once in her previous 50 plus caps added two in one match today. Photo: Football Australia.

Prior to this game, Ellie Carpenter had only one international goal to her name. Despite being one of The Matildas best-attacking weapons, she rarely shoots. Her last goal was in the 2017 Algarve Cup when she bundled over a corner against Denmark.

Last night, her addition to the goal procession was much more stylish. A flowing, inventive move that involved a Kerr backheel and a Fowler run, resulted in Raso turning the ball to Carpenter. Her acceleration took her into space and her finish was emphatic. The ball hit the top corner to make it 7-0, and as the tournament goes on, it will be handy to know that she can score these types of goals if needed.

Kerr scored another from close range and then earned another penalty that van Egmond dispatched to round off the scoring for the first half.

In the second half, Gustavsson took the opportunity to rest players. Four changes were made at halftime with Catley, Fowler, Foord, and Clare Polkinghorne making way for Courtney Nevin, Kyah Simon, Tameka Yallop, and Aivi Luik.

Above: Emily van Egmond, Australia’s hat-trick hero (centre) celebrates. Photo: Football Australia.

It was a chance to preserve some of the top talent in the squad such as the irreplaceable Catley and Polkinghorne and to help players like Simon and Yallop find their scoring touch. If Australia is to be successful in this tournament, these players will need to be confident and in form.

Carpenter scored her second with a cross that sailed into the far corner. Nevin made her first impact with a strong run and low cross for Kerr to score her fifth of the afternoon.

Van Egmond scored her second with a close-range header before Yallop struck through a crowded penalty area to bring up Australia’s 13th goal.

Kyah Simon scored her first of the tournament when Kerr and Carpenter exchanged passes to set her up. The Tottenham striker controlled and turned to squeeze in a 14th goal for the rampant Aussies. Van Egmond added another a minute later and with Indonesia still reeling, Simon scored her second and Australia’s 16th.

Above: Aivi Luik (centre) marked her return from international retirement by scoring her first-ever Matildas goal at the age of 36. Photo: Football Australia.

After a long career, a retirement, and a return to the national team. Aivi Luik scored her first international goal. A near-post corner was met by the defender who flicked it with her heel to score the most artistic and stylish of the 17 goals so far.

Raso wrapped things up in a nice green and gold ribbon when she met a cross at the far post to end the rout with an 18th Matildas goal.

This by any measure was a job well done by the players and Tony Gustavsson. Australia needed to win the first game and to do so convincingly. China had won their match 4-0 and looked dangerous. An 18-0 victory over any opponent is a statement of intent.

Most importantly, all of the Aussies that took to the field played their roles. Clare Wheeler was disciplined and committed as the designated defensive midfielder. When the Indonesian’s did try to carry or play the ball through midfield she snapped into tackles and presses hard. Wheeler was also an outlet for any lateral or sideways passes, she is a natural for the role and played Indonesia with the same intensity she showed against Brazil and the USA.

Emily van Egmond and Mary Fowler make a fearsome attacking duo in midfield. They created chances for others and scored goals themselves. Both are creative, ambitious playmakers who were given the time and space to damage the opposition. Essential to Australia’s dominance was a willingness to create turnovers from the front and they worked hard to win the ball back when it was lost.

Above: Holly McNamara – a promising debut.

Foord and Simon both found the net and Holly McNamara was impressive, although unlucky not to score. For Australia to win this tournament they need more than just Sam Kerr in scoring form. If Foord and Simon are confident in front of goal it makes Australia a much more dangerous proposition for anybody coaching against them.

The experiment with Alanna Kennedy upfront was interesting. She did not score, but she provides an element of chaos. There is little chance Indonesia was prepared for that to happen and it may have been a view into Gustavsson’s other attacking plans.

Sam Kerr did was she always does. Five goals is a spectacular output from the striker. She finished the game as Australia’s all-time leading scorer and had enough chances to miss a penalty and hit the bar with another effort, yet still finished as the game’s top scorer.

This was a game in which Australia played at their best for the full 90 minutes. They were clinical, unrelenting, hard-working, and stylish, sometimes in the same passage of play.

Despite the score, there were no attempts at lairising. No unnecessary freestyle attempts or excessive stepovers. Celebrations were muted and the intensity was maintained.

This was a thoroughly professional performance by a team that has shown the rest of the tournament that they mean business.

Teams: AUSTRALIA (4-1-4-1): Arnold, Carpenter, Kennedy, Catley, Wheeler, Raso, Fowler, van Egmond, Foord, Kerr. Subs used: Nevin, Luik, Yallop, Simon, McNamara.

Scorers: Kerr 9′, 11′ 26′ (pen), 36′, 54′. Foord 14′, Fowler 17′, Raso 24′, 88′. Carpenter 34′, 49′. van Egmond 39′ (pen), 57′, 69′. Yallop 59′, Simon 68′, 71′. Luik 79′.

INDONESIA (4-5-1): Supriyanto, Rumbewas, A.Oktafiani, Riski, Lestari, P.Oktafianti, Nurmalita, Maeisyaroh, Silfianus, Amiatun, Muzdalifah. Subs used: Nurhalimah, Nurrohmah, Viandrisa, Mulysari, Pattinasarany.

Referee: Mahsa Ghorbani (Iran).

Attendance: Behind Closed Doors.

I Wouldn’t Want To Support Any Other Team

Above: It’s time for the Matildas to come together and deliver at the Asia Cup which starts today. Photo: Football Australia.

Kieran Yap previews Australia’s Asia Cup campaign which kicks off against Indonesia tomorrow (20/1/22).

As fans, it is a little bit different before an international tournament.  There are nerves, excitement and a slight change in perspective, but there is much to be excited about as the Asian Cup kicks off.

When it comes to the national team, club allegiances give way to the common cause.  A loss for our ‘Dub’ team can be tempered by the excellence of a national team prospect.

For Victory fans, it was not fun watching Holly McNamara dismantle their defence in a 5-1 win. But in the context of 2022, imagine if she did that to Indonesia or even Japan.

Nobody likes watching their team be beaten by Sydney FC. They have swept aside all opposition in the first seven rounds, only being temporarily paused by Western Sydney Wanderers in a 0-0 draw.

But we do like watching Cortnee Vine in career-best form and Remy Siemsen scoring regularly. The two Sydney attackers have been in irrepressible form so far and have been rewarded with call-ups to the final squad for India.

Above: Cortnee Vine – a picture-perfect season in the A-League Women season for the new Matilda. Photo: Football Australia

This feels weird to say as a Victorian and I needed to take a deep breath before typing this but on the eve of a major Matildas tournament… I am glad that Sydney FC has played so well.

Australia was undone in the 2018 tournament by committed and organized defences. Thailand proved difficult to break down in the semi-final and Japan shut down hopes of regaining the title.

The likes of Vine and McNamara have the skill to unlock packed defences, they are both fast, tricky, and unpredictable. You can research what Vine does, but that has not helped any A-League Women defenders stopping what happens when she has the ball.

It is not just the new faces, the build-up to this tournament feels like a risky yet deliberate plan by the new manager. Even in poor team performances in exhibition matches, something useful has been learned each time.

Tony Gustavsson has prepared for the 2022 Asian Cup very differently than any other Australia coach before him.

He has sought out the most difficult opposition to play in warm-up matches. The score-lines have been far from perfect, but they have yielded some good long-term results.

Above: Courtney Nevin who has become a solid international footballer over the past few months for the Matildas. Photo: Football Australia.

Courtney Nevin was uncovered as a senior international footballer. Over the course of the post-Olympic friendlies, she justified Gustavsson’s faith in her. Her performance in central defence against the USA could be a pivotal moment in her career and Australia’s fortunes.

Kyra Cooney-Cross was revealed to be adept as a deep-lying or defensive midfielder. Her command of the role against Ireland and in the first game against Brazil unlocked new midfield possibilities.

Clare Wheeler immediately impacted any game she was brought into to. Against each opposition, in very different circumstances, she flourished.

Charli Grant was impressive against Brazil, showing some excellent footwork in tight spaces. Against the USA she displayed her trademark explosive pace to race  past the defenders and cross perfectly for Sam Kerr.

Grant has the potential to be another option at right-back or left-back. Gustavsson has shown a willingness to use Ellie Carpenter more defensively and when the Lyon defender was missing in the Bronze medal match in Tokyo, it showed.

Grant’s rapid improvement in the post-Olympic friendly matches gives Australia more possibilities and depth in that position.

Above: Charli Grant – who has improved at a rapid pace and is worthy of her place in the squad. Photo: Kris Goman.

The loss to Ireland and the 3-0 defeat to the USA were hard to watch. But as the Asian Cup squad is announced, it is clear that they were not a waste.

The Asian Cup has been a strange tournament for Aussie fans. The fact that it doubles as a World Cup qualifier has often meant that success is judged on two separate criteria and there literally were prizes for finishing second.

This time, they go to India with one goal in mind, to win the trophy.  

The Matildas have come close repeatedly in the history of this cup, but things feel different this time.

The expectations are more defined, the preparation has been more rigorous and the squad feels more flexible and versatile.

It is easy to be nervous before a major tournament. Anything can happen and we have no right to success, but Aussie fans should be optimistic.

Above: The Matildas are a team with players with plenty of top-level experience. Photo: Football Australia.

The team has had rigorous preparation, has players at some of Europe’s biggest clubs, a World Cup-winning manager, and the best players from the A-League Women.

They have a manager who revels in tournament football and working out the permutations of each match. He has chosen young players who are breaking through and experienced campaigners playing at their peak.

The Matildas have options at left-back and right-back for the first time in years and Caitlin Foord, who missed the 2018 cup is back and playing at a higher level than ever.

Oh, we also have the top striker in the world.

The Matildas kick off on Friday night. Until that first goal goes in, it will be stressful and if a game goes to penalties, it may be unbearable on our health, but Australia goes into this tournament in a strong position to win it.

All we can do as fans now is enjoy the ride.

Adelaide Out To Stop Phoenix Rising

Above: Isabel Hodgson pictured during the press conference ahead of Friday night’s game against Wellington Phoenix. Photo provided to Impetus by: Adelaide United.

Round Eight of the A-League Women season gets underway tomorrow night with Adelaide United hosting Wellington Phoenix at Coopers Stadium. Ben Gilby heard from the Reds’ Isabel Hodgson and Phoenix head coach Gemma Lewis ahead of the game (20/1/22).

Adelaide United star Isabel Hodgson will make her 50th appearance for the South Australian club tomorrow night. She reflected on her career and spoke of her pride and excitement in making the milestone.

“When you think that we only play 14 games a season, it’s quite a long time (that I’ve been going). It’s always good to get out and play, getting consistent seasons under your belt and now I’ve got to the 50th appearance.

Being one of the club’s more experienced players, Hodgson highlighted some of the biggest changes that she’s seen at Adelaide United.

“Back when I started, the club wasn’t professional, so that’s a massive change between a professional league and a non-pro one.

“As a club, we’re now looking to make Finals and win the league. Eight years ago we were struggling to be competitive, so that’s the biggest change I’ve seen here.”

Hodgson then turned her attention to Friday’s opponents Wellington Phoenix, who at present are bottom with only a point from their maiden season.

“The thing with playing a lower team on the table is they have nothing to lose so they can go into every game just putting everything out there. We know that their results don’t match with how they have played. Last week they were 2-0 up against Brisbane Roar who are a great team.

“It’s easier going into games as the underdogs. You know you’re not going to make Finals. We’ve been in that place before. We were losing games, but we’d pick up the odd win. I want to make sure we’re not one of those teams that are beaten. Games like this are the ones that we have to absolutely get the three points from especially as we didn’t get anything last week.

“We know it’s a winnable game and we want to go out and put on a show to get the three points.

“We need to put in a 90-minute performance. Last week we played well for 45. We know we dropped off in the second half. When we have a good run of play, we need to make sure that we put goals away. If we can play at our best, we can beat any team.”

Above: Gemma Lewis, the Wellington Phoenix head coach who spoke about the “honest conversations” she has had with her side this week. Photo: Wellington Phoenix.

Wellington Phoenix head coach Gemma Lewis says her players were “really gutted” after the loss to the Roar and had a few honest conversations about why it felt worse than a 5-0 defeat.

“Once we addressed that and had a bit of an open conversation about it and then looked to Adelaide, the mood in the camp has been good since. They’re bouncing back quicker than I thought they would have.

“I think as a group we have to find that confidence and belief to know that in those games we can compete and we can still get a result out of it.

“The worst thing that could have happened to us, happened to us and we didn’t even get a single point out of it.

“Now it’s that experience, growth and learning opportunity that hopefully when we’re in it again, we’ve experienced it, it’s not unusual to us, it’s not so scary to us anymore and hopefully they’ll have a lot more belief and confidence to finish off a game.”

The Phoenix have just one point to show for their endeavours at the halfway stage of the regular season, but Lewis doesn’t want her players to be results focussed.

“Not focusing on the result is hard to do but that game (against Brisbane) showed how purposeful it was.

“As much as they haven’t been in that situation where they’ve been 2-0 up and winning before they also started to focus too much on it.

“I think it made them panic. We moved away from our game plan, we started to play ourselves into trouble, we started to play frantically (and) we turned over so much possession. I think it caused us problems.”

Instead, Lewis wants the players to focus on the way they want to play, execute and improve from game to game.

“I think if we do that the outcome of the game should come, but we’re trying not to solely focus on the score, or the win, or the loss, or the draw because from our first half of the season that’s where we’ve struggled in the motivation.”

Gemma Lewis concedes they are still trying to strike the right balance with their aggressive playing style.

“We’re still figuring it out. I’m not going to lie.

“We want to encourage the side to play, but…sometimes we overplay and we get ourselves into trouble.

“Sometimes we’re too calm in the moment when we need to move the ball a little bit quicker or react a little bit more quickly. Sometimes we go too far down the other end and we panic and start to get chaotic.

“The way we defend is with an intensity that can be chaotic…so when we defend with that intensity and that almost chaos it’s then being able to shift into possession of now you have the ball and can settle things down.

“I think that’s why we fade in games because we don’t strike that balance well. We defend at hundred miles an hour and we try and play at a hundred miles an hour. We struggle for an in-between.”

Lewis says they have been preparing “for living in the chaos” as Adelaide have a similar aggressive mindset to the Phoenix and are successful at it.

“They live in chaos, they love it. How they press, their counter-press, their defensive transition, their counter-attacking ability, I find they actually thrive in the chaos so they’re going to want to put us under the pump, press us and force us to turn over possession high.

“We’ve done sessions on trying to figure out how to live within that panic and how to not get in that space of letting them dictate the game.”

Forward Kelli Brown will miss her second successive match for the Nix because of concussion, while centre-back Mackenzie Barry remains in doubt with an ankle injury.

“We don’t know how long Kelli’s going to be out for. She’s still got symptoms so she’s not going to be cleared anytime soon, I don’t think.

“To be completely honest we’re being really stretched at the moment.

“Mack is still very much 50/50 right now and then we’ve also got another two players on limited minutes. We’re getting down to the bones of what we’ve got.”

Artwork: Graphics by PW

Ashford Town (Middx): A History Making Season

Above: Ashford Town (Middx) 2021/22. Photo: Ashford Town (Middx).

It’s been an incredible season for Impetus partner club Ashford Town (Middx). Chairman and head coach Will Boye spoke about his team who are top of the tier five London & SE Premier and have also enjoyed a historic FA Cup run (20/1/22).

Ashford Town hit the headlines in the late autumn with a sensational FA Cup win at home to FA Women’s National League Southern Premier side Oxford United. Despite being two divisions below their opponents, Will knew his team had a chance.

“Heading into every game, we are always confident of a result as long as we’re able to effectively apply our game strategy. The players were excited about the game, the spectators were bouncing from the first whistle and our home venue gave us that extra edge.

“Oxford are a great side, inform, playing some really good football and posed a constant threat to us on the pitch. We needed to maintain concentration and take our chances when they arrived and I am delighted that the players were able to execute that. Three well-worked goals and a clean sheet left me delighted with what was easily the performance of the season.

It was not just his team’s performance that pleased the Tangerines’ head coach, it was the vibe in the stands on the day as well.

“It was a result that will live long in the memory for many. The match-day preparation was smooth which saw us witness the biggest attendance The Robert Parker Stadium had experienced for some years.

Above: Spectators gathered at the Robert Parker Stadium, home of Ashford Town (Middx). Photo: Europlan

“It was an unusually sunny afternoon and everyone arrived in such a jovial mood. Excited for the game, aware of the challenge that lay ahead of us but determined to put Ashford on the map, making people aware of just how strong we are as a squad.

“Everything that transpired on the pitch did not surprise us one bit. We worked very hard in studying Oxford’s threats and nullified that effectively on the pitch. Of course, this included our goalkeeper, Sophie Shults, pulling off a number of outstanding saves too.”

That victory over Oxford United set up another plum home tie in round three when Ashford was paired with the second-highest Championship side that they could have drawn, London City Lionesses.

“We knew that we were in for a tough game. The organization around the game to ensure we were COVID compliant and the opposition we were to welcome appropriately was a mammoth task. We got there in the end and I must praise the coaching staff, secretary, and of course our phenomenal volunteers at the football club who are nothing but supportive.  

“There was so much to prepare for around the game it never really felt like we could sit back, soak it all in and enjoy the day and occasion, which was history in the making for this football club. In saying that it was an enjoyable game to be part of and one we’ll remember for a long time.”

Despite going behind to the Championship side, in true Ashford style, the tier five league leaders managed to equalize. Will spoke about all the hard work that aided this.

Above: Will Boye – Ashford Town (Middx) Chairman and Head Coach. Photo: Ashford Town (Middx).

“The mental strength of this team is a huge asset of ours, which our mental performance coach, Tia Prior, works very hard in developing on a weekly basis. This is so apparent in how we approach games, how we guard against, and just how we recover when faced with adversity.

“We knew we should have been 1-0 up after missing a golden chance a few minutes before going behind. Our goal was a deserved one and certainly sent shockwaves through the opposition, who returned after the break more determined, and arguably more domineering.

“Ultimately, it was a pleasing first-half performance on the field, yet a frustrating one from the dugout as we felt we deserved more.”

Whilst London City Lionesses added more goals in the second half, there was so much to be proud of for Will and his team.

“We are disappointed to have lost the game, we’re winners here at the club, and losing is simply not part of who we are, we don’t know how to lose. We’ve looked back at the game and identified the areas of our game that need improvement and we’re working hard to fix that. But as I say, there’s so much to be proud of here at the club and plenty to be positive about for the future, it’s important we don’t lose sight of that and positively strive to be better every week.”

The community support that the club received as a result of the Cup run saw almost 300 people in the ground for the London City Lionesses tie. With Ashford Town homing in on promotion to the FA Women’s National League, Will outlined how he is hoping that support can be mobilized for league games.

Artwork: Ashford Town (Middx).

“The hope is to consistently get numbers through the gate so that we can continue to grow as a football club. Hopefully the entertainment we provide on the pitch can support this. We’re not the biggest name in football, so climbing up the football pyramid is the best way in attracting, guarding, and keeping this support.”

With the Cup run now over, 2022 sees focus on continuing the club’s hugely impressive league form. These matches now come with an additional challenge as Ashford’s results prior to the New Year including the Cup run makes Will’s team even more of a “target game” for the opposition.

“We always have been that team everyone targets as the one to beat and that’s down to our success over the years. Of course, we’ve had interest in our players too and that won’t change. What I am delighted about is that players want to be at this football club and continue to play with such passion every week.”

Ashford Town is a club that Will emphasizes “are constantly looking to better ourselves every time we take to the football pitch.”

An example of this is the return of Ruby Linton a player that Will is “delighted to welcome back on a permanent basis “as she will add much-needed firepower to our front line and provide us with lots of quality going forward.”

With the club currently top of the table on goal difference from Dartford, albeit with three games in hand, the forthcoming game between the two sides on 30th January at the Robert Parker Stadium is looming large. You would not back against the Tangerines on present form.

The official matchday programme from Ashford Town (Middx)’s FA Cup Second Round victory over Oxford United can be read here: https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/files.pitchero.com/clubs/51537/VxXURVqfRvWqEW2lvObu_Matchday%20Programme%20(28.11.21).pdf

Artwork: Ashford Town (Middx).

Kate Taylor: Maturity Beyond Her Years

Above: Kate Taylor (right) battles against Sydney FC’s Australian international Remy Siemsen earlier this season. Photo: Getty Images, supplied to Impetus by: Wellington Phoenix

Wellington Phoenix’s 18-year-old vice-captain Kate Taylor has been one of her side’s stand-out players in their first-ever A-League Women season. The defender spoke exclusively to Impetus for our #MidweekDub feature about her footballing journey and what life is like as part of New Zealand’s first professional women’s football team (19/1/22).

Kate Taylor is one of the young players to watch in the A-League Women competition this season. Whilst she is exceptionally young and has no previous professional footballing experience, the Kiwi reads the game in a way that a player twice her age would be proud of. She opened our conversation by outlining her footballing journey so far.

“So, I started at my local club in my region which was Nomads United (based in Casebrook, Christchurch). It was definitely a boys’ club or a male-dominated club. That helped me. I started with my sister in the team and my Dad coaching. That changed as both are nowhere near the sport now!

“I stayed there until I was 13, playing in the boys’ comp and I never really played any age group tournaments until a later coach picked me up and that was for an under-14s competition. If that coach hadn’t have done that then I don’t think I’d be where I am today.

“From there I started at the Canterbury United Pride Youth set up and played in some junior international programmes. I spent the last year going up and down to Auckland and playing with boys again, and that’s all helped me to get to where I am now at the Phoenix.”

Being part of the Under-14s national competition was the beginning of a realization for Taylor that football could be something she could pursue long term.

“Up until then, I wasn’t sure that football would be my main sport as I always wanted to play any sport I could. Touch (rugby) was a sport I played a lot of as well as Futsal, Cross Country, and Athletics. Being part of the Under-14’s comp was the point I finally realized that football could be something that could take me further than New Zealand and I could earn money playing.”

Above: Kate Taylor (left) in action for Canterbury United Pride. Photo: Warwick Taylor Stuff

Taylor was part of a hugely successful Canterbury United Pride team who have won New Zealand’s Women’s National League six times in the past nine years. The teenage defender has no doubts as to why the team has had continued success.

“Ah, that’s down to Gunny (Alana Gunn, head coach). She’s been involved for a number of years now and the core group of girls who have been there for six or seven years. New players have come in and changed the playing style in small ways, but those are the reasons, definitely.”

Whilst the defender’s career is still in its embryonic stages, she has still had to overcome challenges. “Having to juggle football and travelling for it whilst still being at school was hard. I was training with boys as well which made it extra hard. They were a bit younger than me and less mature, so that was tough, but it was football and where I wanted to be, so that helped me.

“I had lots of teachers who helped me through because I wasn’t at school much. Knowing I was working towards something bigger helped me to overcome those things. I was trying to push for something in football, so that helped to fix itself.”

With school now over and continuing developments in her game, once Wellington Phoenix’s entry into the A-League Women was announced, it wasn’t long before they came knocking on Taylor’s door. She explained to us how it happened.

Above: Kate Taylor (left) tussels with Newcastle Jets’ Tara Andrews in early December. Photo: Ashley Feder/Getty Images supplied to Impetus by: Wellington Phoenix.

“At the start of 2021, I was in touch a lot with Gemma (Lewis – now Phoenix head coach) and Nat (Lawrence assistant) through the U20s and U17 National Team and the national team’s pre-Olympic camp. It helped me to get to know them better. That is a big reason why I am here.”

Phoenix’s late entry into the competition meant that players were arriving in small numbers throughout the short pre-season period that the club had. Taylor reflected on that situation and admitted that it was hard.

“When we first got together in Wellington, we had up to 12 players. Not many, and that was tough. It was enjoyable as we were doing it together, but hard. When we came over to Australia we were a little bit nervous about meeting the Australian players in our squad for the first time, but it was fine. It was really helpful that all the Aussies knew each other already before they joined us. We all came together really nicely. It just felt normal in the end.

“There was definitely a difference between how Aussies play and how Kiwis play. They are quite transitional in their play and are getting used to how Gemma and Nat want us to play. The Aussies are physical, they like to keep the ball. I think you can see that we play a lot differently to the other teams in the competition and that’s why.”

There were some raised eyebrows when Gemma Lewis announced the 18-year-old as Wellington’s inaugural vice-captain, but her assured and commanding displays in the opening weeks of the campaign marked Taylor out as a player who is wise beyond her years.

“I don’t model my game on other players. I like to watch football but I don’t change my game or do things differently just because I see other players doing it. I haven’t really done too much so far from a vice-captain’s perspective so far. There’s just been a focus on the opening games of the season, which have been hard enough in themselves. I think it will be a fun role. At the same time, extra responsibility comes with added stress and I want to try and relieve that. I’m looking at how I can help Lily (Alfeld – captain), the coaches, and any players that need it.

Above: Kate Taylor (right) battles against Brisbane Roar’s Larissa Crummer last weekend. Photo: Wellington Phoenix.

As our conversation moved towards its conclusion, the Phoenix defender outlined her personal aims for the season. “Consistency is a big one for me. It’s hard to play the same and hit the same heights every week, so I want to try and bring that across the season.

“I want to improve on the small, little things that I have identified. It’s hard in a team, especially one that is new to improve on those sorts of things. Oh, I want to win some games!”

Taylor also highlighted what, for her, a successful maiden season for Wellington Phoenix would look like: “For us to score more goals, whether they are scrappy or a nicely constructed goals. To get a couple of wins or upsets to build confidence. We’re new and trying to adapt to everything. It’s all an unknown for us still.”

With the 18-year-old in such good form at the start of her A-League Women adventure, international recognition is something that cannot be too far away.

“Playing for the Football Ferns is something I’ve dreamed of since I was young, so I’m pushing for that now and I’d love to go on a tour or to the World Cup or Olympics. But also the U20s, and the U20s Women’s World Cup in August 2022 is getting close now, and I’d love to be part of that.

“I definitely think that playing in the A-League Women with Phoenix puts me in a good place for international recognition. I know that where I am now puts me in the best possible place for me and anyone else who wants to aim higher.”

Artwork: Graphics by PW.

Norfolk Women’s Cup Quarter-Final Review

Darrell Allen provides us with an in-depth report of the tie between Thetford Town and Wymondham Town and rounds up the other three quarter-final ties (18/1/22).

Above: Thetford Town celebrates their equalizer against Wymondham Town. Photo: Hannah Parnell.

Thetford Town 1-6 Wymondham Town

A town full of pride on a day full of joy. 

Excitement was the word of the morning as Norfolk Women’s Cup Quarter Final day arrived and the prospect of the superbly talented Wymondham Town visiting Mundford Road was enough to get the adrenaline going. 

I love my trips to Thetford Town which are always done on a lovely train trip which is 35 minutes from Norwich. It was a glorious day as I arrived in Thetford at 11.35am ahead of the 1.30pm kick-off and made the short walk across to Mundford Road. 

Emma and Steve, two brilliant volunteers at Thetford Town who run the clubhouse were already in and the Wymondham Town squad arrived shortly before midday. 
Head coach Alex Guy as ever was taking the Norfolk Women’s Cup extremely seriously bringing all of his available talented squad to Mundford Road. 

This is a man who treats his match preparation the same whatever the opposition and whatever the occasion and Sunday was no different which you can only applaud and say thanks to Alex Guy and his team for which showed Thetford Town incredible respect. 

The Thetford Town squad arrived in an equally upbeat mood and looked forward to the occasion ahead.  After recent COVID and illness in both camps, it was fantastic to see both teams back to reasonably full strength and an exciting contest awaited as Step Seven Thetford Town took on Step Five Wymondham Town. An impossible task on paper. 

Wymondham Town went as full strength as possible with Becca Russell their free-kick specialist the most noticeable absentee. Otherwise, it was all the usual stars who are strolling towards winning the Eastern Region Premier Division with relative ease, captained by Rachel Cossey. 

The game got underway in bright blue skies with an excited crowd. The veo camera towering over everyone and Hannah Parnell who is a respected local photographer positioned on halfway to capture this big occasion. 

Above: Katie Knights, who scored Wymondham Town’s opening goal. Photo: Hannah Parnell.

The first half was a special 45 minutes of football as Wymondham came out of the blocks firing from the off. Natasha Youngs danced and glided her way down the wing before firing a stunning ball across which was cleared.

Wymondham Town continued to turn up the pressure and got a deserved lead when Katie Knights came through the park as confident as ever on the ball with her dancing feet and finished well to give the visitors the lead. 

There was fear it could be a difficult afternoon for Thetford but the response that was to come was absolutely extraordinary. 

The home side went immediately on the attack and forced a corner. Melissa Boulton took it but it came to nothing. Natasha Youngs then went on the break for the visitors but was stopped in her tracks by Sausha Levy-Twomey, the Thetford captain. 

Joy followed for Thetford Town as they continued to believe in themselves and the ball fell to Chelsea Page who slotted well into the bottom corner. Mundford Road erupted as the scores were level after eight minutes. 

Above: Chelsea Page, Thetford Town’s goal scorer. Photo: Hannah Purnell.

Thetford Town believed and grew in confidence as Becky White got control of the ball but the chance went wide. 

Wymondham Town needed to get matters under control and Alex Guy knew as he could be seen barking instructions from the touchline as a confident start had turned into a challenging situation for the talented visitors. 

Thetford Town continued to hold their own very little happened in the next phase of the game and 20 minutes passed with a big tick so far for David Skipp and his team. The next target was to get in level at half time but that was going to take a performance of incredible courage and determination from Thetford and they duly delivered. 

Wymondham Town went up the gears after finally getting back into their rhythm with Katie Knights and Hannah Waters going close in a period of relentless pressure. Half an hour came, Wymondham was the better side but Thetford Town continued to stall their illustrious opponents and began to believe again. 

Abbie Corbyn was running up and down all over the place and trying her best to make things happen all over the pitch. Ellie Mae-Davies made an amazing tackle to deny Wymondham Town a goal in the best piece of defending I’ve seen for some time. 

Laura Nicholls tried to get in on things but she was met by Lydia Ward in the Thetford goal who was on a mission to keep Wymondham out for as long as possible. Katie Knights went close again but it wasn’t to be and Thetford Town got to the interval level thanks to heroic leadership from Sausha Levy-Twomey and Rachel Lynch. It was an incredible first half and one to remember for the hosts. 

The second half got underway with a spirited start from Thetford but the greater fitness and experience of Wymondham Town was expected to prevail. 

Thetford Town’s brave resistance was broken on the 53rd minute when a Chelsea Clarke corner was diverted in by the unfortunate Chloe Webb into her own net. Abbie Corbyn was re-introduced and went close from a free kick as Thetford responded well again to going behind. 

Above: Wymondham Town’s Francesca Catchpole is embraced after scoring by teammates. Photo: Hannah Parnell.

Wymondham Town went through the gears again and half-time substitute Francesca Catchpole scored a stunning goal to make it 1-3 and put the visitors in command for the first time in the game. Laura Nicholls was on hand to add the fourth and Francesca Catchpole made it 1-5 a few minutes afterward. 

A brave and spirited Thetford Town continued to play their game and give everything against a talented Wymondham Town. It was however super-sub Francesca Catchpole who had the final say and completed her hat trick and a fine individual performance. 

Thetford bravely battled on guided by David Skipp and Stuart Terry from the bench as they proudly did the town and themselves proud. 

Verdict – A rare Football match where every single person is smiling at the end. Wymondham Town was absolute class before, during, and after the game in their respect for Thetford Town. Rachel Cossey came to the Thetford bench before doing anything else at full time to congratulate the Thetford team on their performance. The whole Wymondham Town team then stayed behind after the game and enjoyed a drink in the clubhouse and helped support Thetford Town FC which was much appreciated. 

From a Thetford perspective, this was a proud day, a great moment when Chelsea Page equalized and held the talented Wymondham until the 53rd minute before an unfortunate own goal saw Wymondham on their way and an inspired Francesca Catchpole hat trick and Laura Nicholls was the difference. 

Everyone enjoyed the day. It was a wonderful sporting occasion and everyone connected to Thetford Town and Wymondham Town should be very proud of themselves. A great advert for the Norfolk Women’s Cup. 

Teams: THETFORD TOWN: Ward, Webb, Mae-Davies, Hardie, Lynch, 6: Levy-Twomey, Corbyn, Musgrove, White, Boulton, Page. Substitutes: Richardson, Skipp, Smith. 

WYMONDHAM TOWN squad: Pearce, Newcombe, Croft, Cossey, Youngs, Clarke, Catchpole, Waters, Nicholls, Hawkins, Knights, Stretch, Codman.

Referee: Jaden Lister.

Above: Mulbarton Wanderers celebrate their superb win at Norwich City. Photo: Mulbarton Wanderers.

In the days three other ties, it was a day to be proud for the Norfolk Women’s and Girls League as Step Seven Mulbarton Wanderers ripped up the script of the competition by drawing 2-2 at Step Four Norwich City and winning 4-3 on penalties in a dramatic afternoon at The Nest. The team will now be hoping to reach the final for the second consecutive season. Martin Francis showing his cup pedigree once more on another famous day for the growth and development of Mulbarton Wanderers. 

Above: Dussindale and Hellesdon Rovers pictured at Wroxham yesterday. Photo: Dussindale and Hellesdon Rovers.

That wasn’t the end of shocks as Dussindale and Hellesdon Rovers also from Step Seven bravely held Step Five Wroxham to a 0-0 draw before winning on penalties 3-1 at Trafford Park. 

Above: King’s Lynn Town’s Rachel Skinner (left) in action at Caister. Photo: Neil Dady 

In the day’s other tie it was Step Five King’s Lynn Town who progressed with a professional and quality display winning 6-0 at Step Eight Caister. Ella Gavagan and Amy Cropley with a brace each and other goals from Amy Magnus and captain Tiffany Forshaw. 

Congratulations to Wymondham Town, Mulbarton Wanderers, Dussindale and Hellesdon Rovers, and King’s Lynn Town. Good luck to all four teams for the Semi-Finals! 

Pride Park Back At Last

Wirksworth Colts 5-2 Pride Park

By ‘Boot Room’ (18/1/22)

Neither team had played in a month before Sunday’s Derbyshire Ladies League Division One (tier seven) game – and Park’s last game in the first half of December was the only game we’d played since before the end of October.

After an overnight frost caused the pitch to freeze, the morning’s fixtures were postponed and although the pitch had thawed in time for the afternoon kick-off, the playing surface was very soft underfoot.

Wirksworth got the game underway and started well, with some good passing and movement. Pride were not quite clicking, as too many passes were hit short, or askew, and this was frustrating our efforts to build any real momentum.

Nevertheless, we had the earliest opportunities, as Summer Evans had a shot blocked, and Tash Allderidge and Maja Znamirowska had a couple of attempts – each with one off-target and one forcing the keeper to work, although Wirksworth also created a couple of openings in the opening fifteen minutes. We were just falling short in the final third, as our final pass was too often underhit, or misplaced and attacks broke down.

The game settled down with both teams more or less cancelling each other out up to just after the half-hour, when Wirksworth scored three goals in a six-minute spell, after 31, 34, and 37 minutes – all of which were poor goals to concede from the visitors’ point of view.

As the half drew to a close, Rachel Weaver read a pass and intercepted inside the Wirksworth half, advanced and hit a good shot, saved by the ‘keeper. The last action of the first half was a Wirksworth rising shot from the end of the area which Jade Howell parried, and did well to recover and smother the ball. At half-time it was 3-0 to the hosts.

Pride Park needed to shake things up in the second half, play with more intensity, and find their passing rhythm if they were to retrieve anything from the game. The visitors made a better start and began to look more threatening, forcing Wirksworth onto the back foot. Summer Evans had a couple of early attempts and this set the tone for a better second half, as Park started to find each other with their passes, and get into better positions. They couldn’t afford to neglect defensive duties, however, but a collective lapse of concentration in defence allowed a simple diagonal ball to catch them all standing and watching allowing Wirksworth to run through unchallenged to score.

Despite this, the Pride reacted well and from an attack down our right flank the ball was centred and broke from the crowd to Maja Znamirowska, and although she didn’t quite connect cleanly, her shot evaded the attempts of the ‘keeper and defender to keep it out. It’s unlikely to be a contender for goal of the season, perhaps, but they all count, and this one was particularly important – after having so many attacks frustrated, finally scoring put a different complexion on the game.

Within three minutes the deficit had been further reduced, as Beth Thompson laid the ball infield to an advancing Beth Jones who struck her shot from distance. The dynamic of the game had noticeably changed and with over twenty minutes still to play, a comeback wasn’t out of the question as Wirksworth was now finding it difficult to contain Pride Park’s attacks.

The visitors now at least had hope of a comeback, but (so the saying goes) it’s the hope that kills you – with twenty minutes left Summer Evans was played through on goal and she and the goalkeeper stretched for the ball and collided. Evans came off worst and although it initially looked worse than it was, she was in considerable pain and after lengthy treatment was unable to continue.

The injury took a little of the steam out of our resurgence and Park lost some of the momentum that they had built up as players noticeably tired on the heavy pitch. With Ward off, they had all 11 available players on the pitch, whilst Wirksworth was able to freshen up from a well-stocked bench.

The game was heading to its conclusion when Wirksworth countered and in a melee in the six-yard box a hand deflected the ball and a penalty was awarded. Although goalkeeper Jade Howell went the right way, she was unable to reach the shot and Wirksworth had a fifth goal with six minutes left. It was particularly hard on Howell who had made a number of good saves in tricky conditions for a ‘keeper.

Maja Znamirowska had a golden opportunity in stoppage time when through one-on-one with the keeper but she didn’t get enough height on her attempted lob and the keeper was able to gather the ball.

It had been a much improved second-half performance, but for the injury breaking up the play and depriving us of our leading scorer, the last twenty minutes could have been interesting. Disappointing as it was to lose the opening game of the New Year, it was something of a relief to get back to playing after such a long break, and the second half performance showed some promise, but there are plenty of things to work on in the weeks ahead.

The Pride are keeping their fingers crossed that at least some of our ill, isolating, and injured are able to at least return to training this week, and perhaps for Sunday when they host Borrowash Victoria at Moorways (1.30pm).