Above: Michelle Heyman celebrates her winner for Canberra United with team-mate Grace Maher. Photo: @CanberraUnited
Canberra United kept their Finals hopes alive going into the last week of the regular season after earning a 1-0 win in the rain at the Number Two Sportsground.
Despite the huge amount of rain that had fallen in New South Wales in the lead up to the game, the pitch was in outstanding condition.
The Jets went into the game without Tara Andrews who rolled an ankle in the week building up to the game. Coming in was Sophie Harding, who had an outstanding record in NPLW football last season.
It only took four minutes to see just what Harding adds to the Newcastle side. She showed her incredible pace down the right to speed away from the Canberra defence and play a ball across towards Sunny Franco in the box but the danger passed.
Harding got in again just before the ten minute mark when she comprehensively won a one on one against Emma Ilijoski to further emphasise just how dangerous she can be.
Shortly afterwards, Canberra came the closest yet of the two sides to breaking the deadlock. Keeley Richards’ clearance from the back found Laura Keir who in turn passed to Michelle Heyman. A quick ball out to the right into the feet of Nikki Flannery saw a raid down the wing which ended with a ball squared to Paige Satchell who slid in with Jets keeper Claire Coelho making a wonderful point blank save to deny the Kiwi.
Satchell was involved in the next major action with sixteen minutes played when, following a corner, she turned and got a shot away on the left hand side of the box which Coelho held.
Above: Sophie Harding had some great opportunities for Newcastle Jets in the early exchanges. Photo: @NewcastleJetsFC
With twenty-two minutes played, the Jets won their first corner, but all it led to was woe. Canberra cleared and broke away down the right with Satchell getting past two Jets before Tessa Tamplin momentarily forced the ball away. It came straight back from Laura Hughes to Kendall Fletcher before a nice pass to Grace Maher who delivered an inch perfect ball into the path of Heyman who had made yet another magnificent run into space before slotting it comfortably past Coelho to ensure Canberra hit the front.
United controlled the possession and territory as they aimed to turn the screw despite the best efforts of the W Jets Active support to get behind the home side.
With half an hour played, Heyman again found space and got a shot away which was over the bar. Just two minutes later she danced her way through the entire midfield before Taren King blocked her effort on goal.
The Jets desperately needed to get a foothold in the game, but despite their best efforts, which included a shot from Hannah Brewer from over 35 yards, Canberra were able to keep the home side at arm’s length pretty comfortably in the period up to half-time.
Indeed the visitors could have extended their lead on three occasions in the last two minutes of the half. First, when Hughes’ dangerous cross to the back post was met by a sliding Flannery who couldn’t quite direct her effort on goal. Just before the break they had another chance when Flannery got away from several challenges and laid off a pass to begin a move which ended with Ilijoski’s wonderful ball into the box for Hughes get a shot away which Coelho saved at the expense of a corner. The flag kick was met by Heyman who struck the post. The rebound fell to Flannery whose effort came crashing back off of the crossbar before Coelho dived on the ball just ahead of the half-time whistle.
Just ninety seconds into the second half, Canberra were denied by Coelho yet again. The razor sharp Heyman released Flannery who was clean through until the Jets custodian saved her team.
With fifty-three minutes on the clock, the Jets finally fashioned a chance, and what a great effort it was. From a throw in down the left just in line with the eighteen yard box, Rhianna Pollicina took possession, turned and unleashed first time a wonderful strike that only just went over the bar.
Above: Canberra United’s Bianca Galic battles it out with Alicia Bass of Newcastle Jets in the rain. Photo: @CanberraUnited.
Chances were few and far between over the next ten minutes or so. The Jets support were creating a fantastic atmosphere in the rain, but try as they might, their team could not produce a serious threat on goal.
Instead, it was the visitors who continued to threaten. Claire Coelho kept her team in it with another outstanding save. A low ball in found Nikki Flannery who hit an effort which the Jets keeper tipped magnificently onto the bar from point blank range.
Shortly afterwards, Heyman got another fierce effort away which Coelho, diving to the right managed to hold on to. With sixty-five minutes played, Bianca Galic was set free by Heyman and she fired in powerful angled drive which was just over the bar.
Panagiota Petratos came on as sub for the Jets and was quickly involved when slipping a ball in towards Franco who got a pacy effort away from a tight angle on the right hand side, but Richards was alive to the danger in the Canberra goal.
With six minutes left, teenage sub Hayley Taylor-Young used her immense pace to get clear and fired in a shot which Coelho saved with her legs at the cost of a corner.
Into stoppage time with the rain now reaching biblical proportions, Jemma House had one final chance to equalise for Newcastle which was just scrambled wide.
Canberra United’s win now sets up a monumental final game of the season for them next weekend at home to likely table-toppers Sydney FC. A victory will guarantee the capital city side will play finals football. Anything less makes it highly unlikely.
CANBERRA UNITED: Richards, Keir, Ilijoski, Nash, Fletcher, Galic, Maher, Hughes, Heyman, Flannery, Satchell. Substitutes: James (GK), Grove, Rasschaert, Koulizakis, Taylor-Young.
Scorers: Heyman 22.
Referee: Rachel Mitchenson
Attendance: 437.
Impetus’ coverage of Australian Women’s Football is supported by The Chicken Salt Co. They are offering every Impetus reader 5% off all orders of Chicken Salt from their website. Go to https://www.chickensalt.co.uk/?mate=impetus and place your order – 5% will automatically be taken off of the cost. The coupon code is impetus.
Photos supplied from Dorrien Gardens by Tom McCarthy.
Above: Rhali Dobson turns away after scoring the only goal of the match. Photo: Tom McCarthy.
Reigning champions Melbourne City gained an important victory in their battle at the bottom of the W-League against Perth Glory at Dorrien Gardens.
In a game played in 30o heat despite the early evening kick-off, the W-League’s heat policy came into play with drinks breaks.
Going into the game, Melbourne City’s Emma Checker was celebrating her hundredth game in the W-League after starting out as a 15 year-old with Adelaide United in 2011.
With two minutes played, Rhali Dobson’s chip through towards Chinatsu Kira needed Glory skipper Tash Rigby to head away at the expense of a corner. From Kira’s flag kick, Jenna McCormick headed over.
Vlajnic won a second corner for City with less than four minutes played as the Victorian side continued to dominate possession in the early exchanges. Despite this, the Sky Blues never came close to seriously troubling the Perth defence.
The Glory came in to this game on the back of a record equalling six consecutive defeats, a run which doesn’t quite tell the story of the quality of their performances and efforts. Their build-up play, usually intricate and skilful was noticeably less accurate than usual early on.
Above: Caitlin Doeglas was full of running once more for Perth Glory. Photo: Tom McCarthy.
The home side fashioned their first opportunity twelve minutes in when Caitlin Doeglas went charging down the left and unleashed a powerful shot which went into the side netting.
A period of poor quality passing hampered the game and underlined the league position of the two teams at the foot of the table with no further opportunities for scoring coming until the twenty-fifth minute when Doeglas got a shot away which Melissa Barbieri held with ease.
With just over half an hour gone, Tyla-Jay Vlajnic won a free kick for City down the left hand side after a hand in the back from Jamie-Lee Gale, but once more the free-kick was cleared with ease. The ball quickly returned when Jenna McCormick combined brilliantly with Dobson who played a low ball in, but Chidiac badly scuffed her shot wide when it looked easier to score.
Above: Alexia Moreno, who had an impressive night for Perth Glory. Photo: Tom McCarthy.
Perth fashioned a half chance with ten minutes of the opening half left. Creditable work from Alexia Moreno down the right saw the nineteen year-old hold off several City defenders to win a corner. Deborah-Ann De La Harpe’s subsequent high teasing ball in was met by fellow teen Isabella Wallhead, whose effort went over the bar.
Above: Isabella Wallhead – sent an effort over the bar for Perth Glory. Photo: Tom McCarthy.
Before the break, Melbourne City’s Naomi Thomas-Chinnama was hurt when trying to clear a fantastic ball in towards Doeglas by the increasingly dangerous Moreno and had to leave the field.
Shortly afterwards, Malia Steinmetz almost caused disaster in the Glory backline with a high pass back to Lily Alfeld which saw the home keeper forced to try and clear with her head. City remained on the front foot and Hana Lowry’s foul on Dobson just outside the box on the left hand side resulted in a free kick, but Kira’s free kick was disappointing to say the least.
The physical battle continued from the resulting goal kick when Vlajnic was yellow carded for jumping into the back of Alexia Moreno.
Above: Melbourne City’s Tyla-Jay Vlajnic goes in on Caitlin Doeglas. Photo: Tom McCarthy.
As the game entered stoppage time at the end of the first half, Perth had a glorious opportunity. Rigby combined with Steinmetz and Gale to play in Doeglas down the right wing. After producing an outrageous Cruyff turn, the Glory star played in a great cross which Steinmetz couldn’t quite control successfully enough to get a shot away.
Given the general low quality of the opening period, it was no surprise that the score remained 0-0 at half-time.
The opening to the second half was scrappy again, but with five minutes gone, Melbourne City had a golden opportunity when Deborah-Ann De La Harpe fouled Alex Chidiac right outside the penalty area in a central position. Kira’s effort was high again but a poor clearance from Isabella Wallhead allowed Noor Hoelsbreken-Eckhoff in but the Norwegian player’s effort was disappointing.
Above: Perth Glory keeper Lily Alfeld (pink shirt) punches clear despite being under huge pressure. Photo: Tom McCarthy.
Perth responded with more great play from Caitlin Doeglas who went on a dangerous run down the left and played in Sarah Morgan but to the loud consternation of the home support, referee Kelly Jones ruled that Doeglas had fouled Samantha Johnson earlier in the move.
The next opportunity went Melbourne City’s way with Johnson’s effort from a corner being dealt with well by Alfeld.
Another free-kick came City’s way on the edge of the box when Chidiac broke through menacingly and Lowry brought her down at the additional cost of a yellow card for the seventeen year-old. Chidiac’s resulting effort went over the bar.
Above: Alexia Moreno and Jenna McCormick get in a tangle. Photo: Tom McCarthy.
Shortly afterwards, and with sixty-seven minutes on the clock, the deadlock was finally broken. Leah Davidson won possession just before the ‘D’ in a central position and the ball eventually found its way to Chidiac who played a clever ball inside Glory defender Liz Anton which meant that Rhali Dobson was in acres of space to slot home calmly into the far left hand corner of the net.
Perth responded brilliantly with Doeglas getting away down the left again. She squared to Lowry who unleashed a fantastic shot which looked destined for the far corner, but Barbieri pulled off a fine save.
Tori Tumeth worked well with seven minutes left to escape the clutches of De La Harpe to get a well worked effort away which was narrowly wide.
Perth’s teenagers combined well to create an opportunity for Caitlin Doeglas when De La Harpe strode forward from the back purposefully and found Tijan McKenna. An exquisite ball through from the 16 year-old found Doeglas who was adjudged to be offside.
Above: Tijan McKenna combined brilliantly with Deborah-Ann De La Harpe and Caitlin Doeglas. Photo: Tom McCarthy.
Melbourne City controlled the last ten minutes, keeping possession well as they homed in on a much needed three points.
Impetus’ coverage of Australian Women’s Football is supported by The Chicken Salt Co. They are offering every Impetus reader 5% off all orders of Chicken Salt from their website. Go to https://www.chickensalt.co.uk/?mate=impetus and place your order – 5% will automatically be taken off of the cost. The coupon code is impetus.
Michelle Heyman has just overtaken Sam Kerr to become the W-League’s all-time record goal scorer. After missing the competition last year, the 32 year-old has come back better than ever at her spiritual home of Canberra United this season – and the possibility of a Matildas recall grows.Ben Gilby profiles her stellar career.
Above: Michelle Heyman in full-flight for the Matildas. Photo: Paul Kane.
Michelle Heyman has been there, done it all and got the T-shirt to tell the tale. The 32 year-old is enjoying an outstanding season in the W-League which has culminated in her becoming the league’s all-time record goal-scorer.
Born in the Shellharbour, New South Wales, 53 miles south of Sydney, Heyman left the small town with a population of around 3,000 to represent her country all over the world and play club football in the USA as well as winning countless honours in the domestic club game in Australia.
Heyman played Rugby Union and touch football first before going to play the round ball at local side Warilla Wanderers and she told one of her sponsors in the past how she remembers well “playing in a boys competition and I was the only girl. When I first started playing, I was a little intimidated because I was the only girl in the league. I just remember being very competitive growing up, I always wanted to be a winner and beat the boys!”
Speaking in 2009 about this part of her career, she said: “I have never been a strong football background. I have never been in the Young Matildas and what I have learnt was from growing up and playing with the boys. I never really had the high level training and coaching.”
Above: Michelle in action for Illawarra Stingrays. Photo: Football NSW.
She moved on to represent Port Kembla and Shellharbour City before joining Illawarra Stingrays in NSW State Women’s Super League (now NPLW). The Stingrays have been a club that Heyman has returned to several times from 2008 and 2018 between W-League seasons.
In 2008, at the age of 20, ahead of the first W-League season, Heyman was invited to a trial at Sydney FC where, out of 120 triallists, she was one of only ten to be signed. Playing opportunities in her debut season with the harbour city club were restricted to just three games due to the highly competitive squad that the Sky Blues had put together, so she moved to Central Coast Mariners, who at that period were running a W-League outfit.
Her single season in Gosford was hugely successful. Eleven goals in eleven games saw her become the first striker in the league’s infancy to score more than ten goals in a campaign. At the time, she told The Women’s Game: “I am glad that I swapped over and played for the Mariners. I wasn’t too sure if I would be starting this season because of what happened last season (lack of games with Sydney). Steve Roach (coach) gave me the opportunity to start so I didn’t want to let him down.”
With little senior experience at this time, Heyman pointed to how her team-mates at Central Coast Mariners helped to develop her as a player: “The experienced girls talked to me a lot more. Where I can do better. What I can do to make my runs a lot easier and not to waste my energy during the game. With the experience of the girls having played at higher levels, it has just helped me a lot and I have learnt so much this year at the Mariners.”
The successes of this season saw the Mariners finish as runners-up in the W-League before bowing out of the Finals series at the first hurdle to Brisbane Roar. On a personal level, Heyman win the Julie Dolan Medal as the W-League’s player of the year and the Golden Boot as top scorer.
Above: A young Michelle Heyman celebrating a goal for Central Coast Mariners. Photo: goal.com.
However, Central Coast Mariners’ parent A-League (men’s) club withdrew funding for the women’s team at the end of the campaign and Heyman moved to Canberra United – a club she would be associated with over the next eleven years.
The 2011/12 season was, once more hugely successful for Heyman as Canberra finished top of the W-League at the end of the regular season, going unbeaten. She netted fifteen times to finish six goals clear at the top of the scorers charts. Of these fifteen goals, three came in the finals as Canberra United went on to win the Grand Final. She scored the only goal of the semi-final at home to Melbourne Victory with seven minutes to go. A brace came in the Grand Final at United’s McKellar Park home as Brisbane Roar were defeated 3-2 in front of a crowd of 2,512.
In this period, Heyman was called up for the Matildas for the first time and represented the team in the 2014 Asian Women’s Football Championships where she claimed a runners-up medal and then went on to play all five matches for Australia at the 2015 World Cup. A year later she made her country’s squad for the Olympic Games and scored twice in a 6-1 win over Zimbabwe in Brazil.
Above: Michelle in her early days at Canberra United. Photo: Wikipedia
Heyman’s stellar form for Canberra United led to a five month contract with Brøndby IF in Denmark. Speaking at the time, she said: “I don’t know much about Denmark but I know it’s cold over there, like -5 degrees. I was told that it hasn’t started snowing yet, but it’s windy and I need to buy gloves and beanies and stuff… I just want to go over there and enjoy it.”
She returned to Canberra United for another six seasons where she clocked up a total of 93 appearance and fifty-six goals. A further W-League Grand Final success followed in 2014 when the side from the nation’s capital came from third place on the table to win both finals away from home. A win in the semis at Melbourne Victory on penalties set up a Grand Final in Western Australia against table toppers Perth Glory, who had won eleven of their thirteen games. In front of 2,671, Canberra United scored two goals in a three minute spell to claim a stunning 3-1 win.
Above: Michelle (centre) after Canberra United’s outstanding Grand Final win away to Perth Glory. Photo: W-League.
Another spell abroad in the USA with Western New York Flash saw Heyman score once in nine games as the team finished seventh.
After eight hugely successful years in Canberra, she departed for South Australia and Adelaide United. Speaking at the time to the club’s website, Heyman said: “I believe that we can definitely make finals and with the experience that Adelaide have already with the likes of Emma Checker and now with myself adding more experience, I think we can definitely be a successful team.”
Above: Michelle Heyman at Adelaide United. Photo: Zimbio.
Unfortunately, despite those experienced heads in the squad, Adelaide narrowly failed to make a maiden finals appearance – missing out by just a point. A disappointing loss at home to a Newcastle Jets side five points in arrears of them in the penultimate week of the season eventually ended those hopes of making the final four. Heyman played in every game that season, but only managed one goal.
After taking a season out of the W-League last time round, Heyman played for the University of Sydney in the NSW NPLW (State League) under Alex Epakis, now head coach at Perth Glory. A series of great performances and goals prompted her to make a W-League return for 2020/21 with Canberra United.
Above: In action for Sydney University in the 2020 NSW NPLW season. Photo: Sports Pix by Izhar.
She was unveiled back in the lime green in November 2020. “If you were to ask me a year ago if this was something that could happen, to be honest, this comeback was something I didn’t think was going to happen,” Heyman told the club website.
“I am so excited to get back to the roots of Canberra United. Canberra United has been a part of my life and helped shape my career.
“I’ve always loved this club and feel very grateful to get the opportunity to come back and play for the Green family,” she continued.
Above: The Lime Green of Canberra United – Michelle Heyman’s spiritual club shirt. Photo: Ben Gilby
This season it has been a joy back to see Heyman playing at the club. Her positioning sense and deadly accuracy in front of goal have been rewarded by reclaiming her status as the league’s record goal scorer. All the fairy tale needs now is for her to go back on her 2019 announcement retiring from international football.
New Matildas head coach Tony Gustavsson recently told Impetus: “Too many Matildas stop playing international football too early. I want to extend these players’ careers. Players can still play really well at 35 or 40.” Michelle Heyman, at the age of 32 certainly would qualify as being worthy of extending her international career.
Impetus’ coverage of Australian Women’s Football is supported by The Chicken Salt Co. They are offering every Impetus reader 5% off all orders of Chicken Salt from their website. Go to https://www.chickensalt.co.uk/?mate=impetus and place your order – 5% will automatically be taken off of the cost. The coupon code is impetus.
In our weekly Saturday wrap of all the week’s goings on in the Swedish women’s game, @DandalBs updates us on last weekend’s Swedish Cup action and a plethora of transfer news.
Above: Renée Slegers, newly appointed as Swedish U23 coach Photo: @svenskfotboll.
Renée Slegers, who coaches Rosengård‘s second team in the third tier of the game, has been appointed head coach of Sweden U23s.
SWEDISH CUP NEWS:
Hammarby won 3-0 at Örebro thanks to a second half hat trick by Emilia Larsson. Djurgården demolished Uppsala 4-0 thanks to strikes from Dowd, Ekengren, Bloznalis and Motlhalo.
Above: Hammarby’s Hat-trick hero Emilia Larsson (hand out) in an earlier pre-season game. Photo: Andreas L. Eriksson/Bildbyran.
BK Häcken defeated Växjö 1-0 with Rytting Kaneryd scoring the only goal after an even first half. They played their first match in their new shirt. Lidköping went down 3-0 at home to Linköping with Maanum, an own goal and Bredgaard responsible. Alingsås United suffered a 4-0 loss at home to Kristianstad with a brace from Jonsdottir helping them on their way.
Above: Olivia Schough, on the scoresheet for Rosengård. Photo: Bildbyran
Rosengård ran out 3-1 winners at home to Vittsjö. Goals from Cankovic, Schough and Troelsgaard were the difference. GIF Sundsvall lost 3-0 at home to Eskilstuna United. Collin, Rogic and Kullashi were on the scoresheet.
This weekend’s Swedish Cup last sixteen group stage matches this weekend are as follows: Group A: Linköpings FC v Växjö, Lidköpings FK v BK Häcken FF. Group B: Alingsås FC United v FC Rosengård, Kristianstads DFF v Vittsjö GIK. Group C: Eskilstuna United DFF v Hammarby, Sundsvalls DFF v KIF Örebro DFF. Group D: Umeå IK FF v IK Uppsala Football, Morön BK v Djurgårdens IF FF.
PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY NEWS:
AIK suffered a 2-0 loss at home to Piteå with the goals coming from Nordin and Guillou.
NEWS IN BRIEF:
Above: Clare Polkinghorne, Brisbane Roar legend is on her way to Vittsjö. Photo: West Australian.
By Ben Gilby: Australian national team midfielder Clare Polkinghorne will join Vittsjö once Brisbane Roar’s regular W-League season comes to an end. It will be a big blow to the club’s hopes of a first Grand Final win in ten years as they will have to play Finals without such a key player. Polkinghorne recently played her 150th game for the Roar and said:
“Obviously the timing of it all is disappointing for me, but it’s an opportunity I need to take to ensure that I’m playing regular football at a high standard throughout the year and preparing in the best possible environment for the Olympics.
“Right from the start the club has been very accommodating and it helps that we have had open communication throughout the whole process.”
Speaking about the her departure, Brisbane Roar head coach Jake Goodship said:
“I don’t think it’s ever going to be matched, to stay at one club and be as successful as she has been, winning trophies and personal accolades and playing 150 games,” coach Jake Goodship said.
“She basically symbolises what Brisbane Roar stands for.
“As hard as it is losing Clare, she has done the utmost work behind the scenes to ensure the confidence is high in the players stepping up to fill her shoes.”
OTHER TRANSFER NEWS:
Thai international Miranda Nild has joined Kristianstad from American NWSL side OL Reign.
Piteå have signed 26 year-old midfielder Elsa Karlsson from Kif Örebro. Karlsson has played almost every Damallsvenskan match for Örebro since she joined in 2018.
Above: Cecilía Rán Rúnarsdóttir, an Everton target has joined Örebro. Photo: @damsvfotboll.
Icelandic national team goalkeeper Cecilía Rán Rúnarsdóttir joins Örebro from Icelandic club Fylkir on a one year contract. She was heavily rumoured to be joining FAWSL side Everton this coming summer, so it remains to see what will happen longer term.
In the latest of our articles written especially for Impetus by the players of our partner club, Bure Valley Youth FC, their U12s, the Panthers, interview Emma, the coach of the U11s team, the Bobcats. Emma is also the club treasurer and secretary.
Above: Bure Valley Youth U12s, the Panthers – our star journalists this week! Photo via: Ted McCarter
Q – Layla asked: Who is your favourite footballer?
A – Emma answered: Obviously its David Beckham, he was a fantastic footballer and is not bad looking either!
Q – Phoebe asked: What is your favourite thing about being a football coach?
A – Smiles on our players’ faces, seeing the girls enjoy themselves, coming together as a group and making new friends along the way.
Q – Sydney asked: Did you ever play football??
A – No, I never played. I played netball at school. When I met Ted (my husband, and Bure Valley YFC’s chairman), I got into it. I’ve now done my FA level 1 coaching qualification, I an co-coach of The Bobcats (U11s) and I’m a Norwich City season ticket holder, things have changed a bit!
Q – Rebecca asked: What is your proudest moment as a coach?
A – I just love seeing the girls play well, seeing the girls put things that they have learned in training into matches. Oh, and winning the U9 Cup was pretty special.
Q – Lyla asked: Which team would you most like to play for?
A – Barcelona. I have been lucky enough to go to the Nou Camp and see them play. It was an amazing experience.
Above: The U12s carrying out their interview with Emma on Zoom, especially for Impetus. Photo via: Ted McCarter.
Q – Evie asked: Who is your favourite team in the UK apart from Norwich City?
A – I was born in Enfield, London so Tottenham Hotspur as they are the nearest big team to there.
Q – Lily asked: If you had to design a new Panthers kit what would it look like?
A – Hmmm… how about pink with some leopard print stripes?
Q – Mia asked: What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s happened whilst at Bure Valley YFC?
A – That’s easy! Whilst a team presentation was in progress, a loose ball found its way to the back of the parents who were watching the trophies being handed out. Whilst retrieving the ball, I tripped over it and landed on my backside. The parents turned around and saw me in a crumpled heap on the floor. It was so embarrassing!
Q – Daisy asked: What is the best match you’ve ever been to?
A – Well, seeing my son scoring in an away game was great. Seeing my daughter using her blistering pace fly down the wing was brilliant and seeing Ted play in goal in a friendly match was great too. I loved all of those!
Tyler Dodds swapped life at Middlesbrough in the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier to take up a professional contract at Serie B Italian side Pomigliano in the midst of a global pandemic. Ben Gilby spoke to Tyler to find out how it all came about and what life is like near Naples.
“I love football and have been playing since the age of four years old.”
Above: Tyler Dodds (maroon shirt) in action for Pomigliano this season. Photo: Luca Bottaro.
Speaking to Tyler Dodds it is so obvious just how important the game is to her. “I only really went to college and university just to keep playing at a high level and ended up with a BSc & MSc as well as representing England and Great Britain,” she says.
Yet, it’s not just about football with Tyler – “I also love to sing, which makes sense coming from a family of singers” – more about that later!
“I started playing football when I was four years old and played for boys team until I was ten when I had to join a girls team. Shortly after I got selected for Sunderland where I’ve spent most of my career. In that time I’ve played for Gateshead College then Northumbria University winning many league and cup titles. During this time I was selected for England (u19’s-u21’s) and the World University Games in Taipei 2017 representing Great Britain. I had a season at Durham Women FC before returning to Sunderland AFC Ladies and then went to Middlesbrough Woman FC where I spent three years. I’m currently out in Italy playing professional football for Pomigliano in Serie B, this opportunity only happened due to Covid.”
Above: Tyler in action for Middlesbrough last season. Photo: Matthew Appleby.
Tyler played level three football for three years at Middlesbrough where she was very much at home. “I’ve loved my time at Middlesbrough, the staff and the girls are all amazing. I’m the type of player that needs to feel appreciated in order to play well and Boro were constantly being positive and helping me to improve. It’s a club that will definitely go places in the future as they have a great backbone of staff wanting to better the club. In my time at Boro, I was actually the top goal scorer for two years in a row and I was hoping to make it a third this season before the move to Pomigliano.”
So how did a player in tier three receive the offer of a pro contract with a Serie B club in Italy?
“I had an offer to play abroad and within a week I was gone. If it wasn’t for Covid ruining my normal job all year having no income, and the constant lockdowns postponing matches, then I would have stayed for sure. But due to Covid, my 2020 was not normal in the slightest and playing football abroad and getting paid for it seemed like the most sensible but scary decision, plus I’d always wanted to be just a footballer, a childhood dream. It was a really tough decision to leave Middlesbrough though as the staff and girls are honestly so great!”
Tyler then explained just what life is like in Southern Italy with Pomigliano both on and off the pitch.
“It was certainly a shock leaving all of your home comforts behind, and coming to a team where just three people speak English. Thankfully the girls I live with are lovely and have helped with my Italian, I can now count to twenty. So far I have really enjoyed the experience, getting to play football six days of the week is great!”
Above: Tyler pictured when unveiled as a Pomigliano player. Photo: Luca Bottaro.
“The matches have been challenging but I feel confident enough that we can continue getting points and still aim for promotion to Serie A.”
I asked Tyler just how hard going to play in another country in the middle of the pandemic with associated travel restrictions in place between Italy and the UK. “If it wasn’t for Covid I would have never plucked up the courage to go and play football abroad. But I’m very big on Christmas and I was meant to go back home after ten days in Italy, however due to Boris announcing more variants a couple of days before I was due to fly home, all of the flights were cancelled and I haven’t been home since. My family and friends do say that I’m better over here playing football rather than risking catching Covid back home with the numbers being so high.”
In terms of Tyler’s own footballing heroes, there’s only one: “I look up to Kelly Smith so much, she was my idol as a kid growing up playing football and I wanted to be just like her. She scored goals for fun, had memorable celebrations and was needed on the pitch.”
We closed by discussing Tyler’s career goals: “My forever goal would be to make it into the England women’s senior team. It’s every girl’s dream to play at the highest level possible and it might sound silly but I’m not going to stop dreaming.”
Yet it is not just football that plays a big part in Tyler’s life – singing does too. “So, if the world was normal, I would be a professional singer alongside a footballer. Unfortunately both require the weekend so it’s difficult trying to balance the two, but I love football and singing so much. Normally meaning I have a very busy life with an even busier weekend, full of travelling to both gigs and matches with not much sleep but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Having two passions is a blessing, as without Covid ruining my singing career for the time being, I have been able to pursue football.”
Tyler Dodds is one young woman well worth following – there’s every reason to believe that not only will she make a real name for herself as a professional footballer, but also become a singing star too.
Adelaide United are enjoying the greatest season in their history. Ben Gilby had the opportunity to speak to two of their key young players, striker Chelsie Dawber who has scored 75 goals in 46 games at State League level and Emily Condon, who made her W-League debut for the South Australian side at the age of 15 and holds a full Matildas cap.
Can you give us a bit of information about your background?
Above: Chelsie Dawber (left) in action for Adelaide United this season against Canberra United. Photo from: Adelaide United FC.
CHELSIE DAWBER: I grew up in Salisbury Heights, I have two brothers who also play soccer in the SA NPL (the elite level of the South Australian State League). My older brother plays for Metro Stars and my younger brother plays for Adelaide City (in the South Australian State League). I’ve been playing football since I was three or four years-old. The whole side of my Dad’s family plays soccer and they are originally from Liverpool in England.
You’re a Liverpool supporter then?
CD: Yes!
Emily, what about yourself?
EMILY CONDON: I’m part of a family of five, I have an older brother, a younger brother and my Mum and Dad. We grew up in Port Pirie (142 miles north of Adelaide). I started playing soccer when I was seven years old for the local school teams, St. Mark’s College. At the time it was almost all boys, only a handful of girls.
What has you own footballing journey been so far?
CD: I first played among boys up until I was twelve. I was then selected in the South Australian state team and played in the state system until I was seventeen. I’ve played for Adelaide City in the SANPL (state league) for the last three years and Adelaide United in the W-League for the past four years.
EC: After playing for my school, I got selected into the local boys club, the Northern Demons and I played in an U13s team with my older brother, who is two years older, so I was playing two years up from my age group with him and around a lot of his mates. I was then in the South Australia State Team at U13s and also went through U15s and U17s as well. Sometime around then I was invited to my first Young Matildas camp. I got selected into the team and we travelled to Vietnam. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel on five overseas trips with the Young Matildas team which is very exciting. At the age of fifteen, I signed my first professional contract for Adelaide United. So I was very young at the time playing with a lot of older girls. This is now my eighth season at United. Two years ago I went away to live in Sydney for a few months as part of the Future Matildas program there. Just prior to that I was fortunate enough to travel away with the senior Matildas squad and got to make my debut against Portugal in the 2018 Algarve Cup and now here I am back at Adelaide United!
Who have been your most important supporters in your career so far whether it be family or most prominent coaches?
CD: My biggest supporters have always been my family. Both of my parents and brothers are really supportive. My Grandad has also been great. He would always call me up after games and stuff to talk about my soccer. In terms of coaches, my coach at Adelaide City two years ago, Andy Calderbank, had a big positive influence on me as well as Ivan Karlovic that year playing with Adelaide United.
Why have these people been so important to you, Chelsie?
CD: Both Andy and Ivan believed in me which instilled confidence in myself that I was good enough to play W-League week in week out and push me to the next level. I’m a confidence player, so they had a big impact on me.
Emily, who has it been for you?
EC: My Mum and my Dad. For me living in the country there was hours and hours spent travelling back and forward to Adelaide for training three or four times a week (Port Pirie to Adelaide is at least a five hour round-trip), so massive credit to them. I couldn’t have done it without them. I’d also like to give credit to George and Connie Comitzus who were my coaches growing up in an all-boys state and championships team up in Port Pirie. Also to Jeff Napier. I was fortunate that my brother used to play and he used to travel to Jeff Napier’s Academy and go to England. From there I got to know Jeff and train with Jeff a lot. He’s really helped my skill development and I pretty much credit him for making me the player I am today.
What has been the biggest challenge that you have faced in your career so far?
CD: That would have to be my post-concussion syndrome which I suffered in 2016 which meant I didn’t go to school and didn’t play soccer for pretty much eight or nine months. That was a slow process coming back into training. It happened when I hit my head on a wall after being hit by a ball at an indoor tournament.
So Chelsie, through that period did you ever come close to giving up, or did it help you to come back stronger?
CD: A brain injury is very different to a broken leg or something. I knew when I was going to get better. The thing was a fear of the unknown. I did come out more stronger, more determined to play. I realised how much I do enjoy soccer and that I wanted to pursue it as a career.
And for you, Emily?
Above: Emily Condon (left) gets in a shot for Adelaide United against Canberra United this season. Photo from: Adelaide United FC.
EC: I’ve been fortunate enough not to have suffered any major injuries. However, coming back from the Young Matildas a few years ago I got really badly sick with Rhinovirus. If you Google it, it just says it’s a common cold, but it completely wiped me out for four months. I was back ready to start a new W-League season and it was just a health battle for me really. I was itching to come back every week and play a game for Adelaide United but just couldn’t do it, so that would be the major challenge. In the past I’ve been dropped from teams and things like that, but fighting that health battle was the toughest.
Tell us about life at Adelaide United in terms of atmosphere, ethos etc?
CD: It’s definitely evolved in the few years that I’ve been involved. Having the same core girls in the team has made a huge difference. We’re all best friends, we all hang out outside of training and see each other each day, sometimes twice a day. It’s a great atmosphere to be in and culture.
Above: Chelsie gets a shot away against Canberra United this season. Photo from: Adelaide United FC.
EC: We really understand each other. There’s a core group of girls and we’ve gelled well as a team this year. This season the environment is better, a lot more positive.
What has Adrian Stenta brought to the club since he came in as head coach?
CD: He has instilled a belief in us. We’re doing things for the first time this year – winning more games than we ever have and creating that home grown vibe that we have around the team – that South Australia has enough to be a strong contender in the league. He has instilled that belief that we are good enough to play Finals.
EC: Adrian was assistant to Ivan (Karlovic) so he’s been among this core group of girls for a couple of seasons now. He’s got to know us and our style of play and things like that. He understands the individual player which has really helped this season with positioning and knowing where to play players which has helped the group of girls and our mannerisms. Going into training and games we really understand each other.
Adelaide United have had a great run of results. What do you feel are the reasons behind them and what do the team need to do to ensure they make Finals football for the first time this season?
CD: It’s definitely the best start we’ve had to a season. The biggest thing is that this is the third or fourth year of us all playing together, so we’ve got used to what different players like. In terms of ensuring we make finals – we’ve just got to keep going but most importantly keep believing in ourselves that we are good enough to do it.
EC: This is our best season to date. We’re pushing for Finals this year which is a first for the club. It’s a credit to the core group of girls who have stuck together over the years no matter how we’ve gone previously. A lot of players have kept at the club and just kept pushing. We’ve all got that same goal that we want to make Finals. We are a team that are competitive and not just there to make up numbers. All of us have that one mind set. Ivan helped to instil that in us in the previous years. The coaching staff are all on the same page.
Emily, you’re a South Australian and have been at the club since 2013, how have the club evolved in that time? What is it about the club that has kept you there so long?
Above: Emily Condon doing a post match interview. She’s proud to be part of their amazing journey. Photo from: Adelaide United FC.
EC: Growing up, I always wanted to play for Adelaide United, they are my home town team. To represent Adelaide United and South Australia was always a goal of mine which can be seen with all the travelling I did when I was younger. The club is getting stronger each year. The improvement and the time and the care that Adelaide United are putting into the women’s side has been very evident over the past couple of seasons in terms of training venues and being able to play a couple of matches at Coopers Stadium (the men’s A-League side’s 16,500 capacity stadium). We’d love to play a couple more games there, but we take what we can get! In terms of promotion and growing of the game in South Australia, there are a lot more girls playing the sport now.
Chelsie, you made your debut for Adelaide United as a 16 year-old in 2017. What was it like coming into the side at such a young age?
CD: It was quite scary coming into a group of older girls. I felt welcomed but it did take a time for me to find my feet, but it was a pretty cool experience to be playing at sixteen. Not many girls get that opportunity, particularly at the age of sixteen. It was pretty exciting!
Emily, you touched on briefly earlier being picked for the senior Matildas side in 2018. What was that experience like?
EC: I went to one lead-up camp before the Algarve Cup when Alen Stajcic called me and told me to pack my bags for Portugal. My goal growing up was to one day represent Australia by playing for the Matildas. It’s such an honour to represent your country. All that work that you’ve put in as a kid and growing up with all that travelling made it feel worth it in the end. Obviously it was a cool experience to be playing with some of the best players in the world like Sam Kerr and Caitlin Foord. To have the opportunity to travel with the team and be in that environment and at that level was an amazing experience and something I was striving for my entire life. My debut against Portugal was such an honour but very, very nerve racking.
So, now obviously there’s a new head coach, Tony Gustavsson at the helm of the Matildas. What do you think you need to do to return to national colours?
EC: He is going to come in with his own mind-set of what he wants in the players in his team. We’ve got a couple of big tournaments coming up starting with the Olympics and it’s always in the back of my mind to make it back to the national level. All I can do really is to try to keep performing week in week out and put my best efforts out on the park. We’ve got the last few games of this W-League seasons ahead, so I have to be at my best. That’s all I can control at the moment.
Chelsie, you came back last year after the concussion lay-off and won the W-League Rising Star Award, how would you review your 2019/20 season?
Above: Chelsie getting in some shooting practice in training. Photofrom: Adelaide United FC
CD: It was definitely a break-out season for me. It was coming off a season with Adelaide City with the coach Andy (Calderbank), so I really believed in myself through the off-season. Moving to the W-League, I was playing week in week out made a big difference. I think my W-League success season was really put down to all the hard work I did in the off season.
Chelsie, you’ve played for the Young Matildas and were involved in a Future Matildas camp at the back end of last year. What were those experiences like on and off the pitch?
CD: I did U14s and U18s ones. The U18s one was pretty cool, we had the senior Matildas assistant coach there some of the time. It was different going into that not knowing anyone as they were all from Sydney but it was a great experience. I really enjoyed learning from all the other players and coaches. The camp I just went to in September was really awesome. It had all the coaches from the Matildas. We did all the things that the senior team do; how they prepare, how they eat. We also did education and training things which were important and pretty cool too. That was a great experience for myself. I don’t think I felt out of place, but I do need to be doing a lot more outside of that program to be pushing towards a place in the senior Matildas squad.
What would you like to achieve in the game over the next five years – with Adelaide United and the Matildas, but also for yourself?
CD: In terms of the club, if we can keep the same core group of players, we should be pushing Finals every year. That should be the ultimate goal for us. We need to maybe add a few more players whether that be from South Australia, interstate or overseas, but that is the main thing. Personally, I’m studying at the moment, I’d like to complete my degree in Speech Pathology and I’m interested in going to play overseas. I’m not really sure where or when yet, but it’s something I’d like to do in the next five years. In terms of the Matildas, I’m definitely looking at being in the mix for the 2023 World Cup squad, but I know I need to get some overseas experience to be able to do that and I need to be excelling and succeeding in the W-League each week. Obviously I have lots of work to do outside the W-League program in the off-season and I need to be doing a bit more than everyone else to make it.
Above: Emily striding away in possession for Adelaide United against Melbourne Victory this season. Photo from: Adelaide United FC
EC: Well, firstly with Adelaide United, obviously every time you play for the club you want them to do the best they can and for us that is making Finals. I’m hoping that we can achieve that goal this season and build on that, so always making Finals then needs to be the goal before moving on to making a Grand Final and then winning that. Also, it’s really important to help the club build – promote it, get more girls involved and help create a pathway into the W-League. I’d like to see a youth league or a reserves league like they have with the men – expanding the game in that sense. Being back for the Matildas and representing my country again is obviously a goal that I’ve set for myself so sometime in the future I’d like to achieve that, but I can only control what I can. If an option came up to play overseas in August, I’d consider it, but at the moment I’m just happy here playing for Adelaide United.
Ahead of this season’s W-League Finals Impetus will be talking EXCLUSIVELY to Adelaide United Head of Women’s Football Ivan Karlovic. Keep your eyes peeled on social media!
Impetus’ coverage of Australian Women’s Football is supported by The Chicken Salt Co. They are offering every Impetus reader 5% off all orders of Chicken Salt from their website. Go to https://www.chickensalt.co.uk/?mate=impetus and place your order – 5% will automatically be taken off of the cost. The coupon code is impetus.
Above: Melbourne Victory goal scorer Annalie Longo (10) battles past Perth Glory’s Sarah Morgan. Photo: @VictoryWLeague
After a thrilling game with lots of drama against Canberra United on Friday, Perth are back home at their actual home in Dorrien Gardens against Melbourne Victory. Apparently it’s hot in Perth so they’ll be having drinks breaks to keep everyone hydrated.
Perth start off full of confidence after their very close match with Canberra and have two corners and a free kick in the first four minutes.
The next ten minutes are pretty even with neither team keeping possession too long or threatening seriously until the Victory captain, Beard, takes an on target strike. It’s easily captured by Alfeld and possess no real threat.
Shortly afterwards, De Vanna creates some magic on the right flank and sends a pass right across goal but there’s no one from victory to run onto it and it goes out for a goal kick.
Once Perth are back in possession, they make their first serious attack. Lowry sends a long ball out to Doeglas on the left. She’s done this very move a few times this season and has great vision to create these breaks from midfield. Doeglas is in acres of free space and onside and brings the ball straight to goal. Her strike is to the right of the keeper but Garton stretches and has it in her hands safely. It’s a good save and lucky for Victory as there was no other defence coming to help.
A free kick by Cooney-Cross is headed by Jackson but she can’t control it and it’s out on the right of goal.
Immediately after Doeglas gets another break down the left and, very similar to before, has another crack at goal that is foiled by Garton.
After the drinks break, Victory get a corner that is headed around before being punched away by Alfeld. Cooney-Cross jumps on the clearance and strikes it low to the near post but Alfeld stops it without too many problems.
There’s another corner after a long range strike by Barbieri is deflected out by the Glory defence. That corner is also cleared out by Glory.
Doeglas gets another on target shot caught by Garton after a cross out to her from Morgan. In this case, it wasn’t third time lucky but at least she’s consistent.
Above: Perth Glory’s Caitlin Doeglas – created plenty of chances. Photo: @PerthGloryFC
A long throw in near the goal line sees Alfeld lose the ball and a bit of a scramble result in front of goal. Glory manage to clear the ball out but anything could have happened there and it was a lucky escape.
Yet another corner for Victory sees a couple of good shots on target well defended. Victory are really applying the pressure now trying to break through the defence. One more corner gets tipped over the cross bar but Doran has had a head clash of some sort and is bleeding quite badly from her eyebrow. She goes off to get attention while another corner gets played out. The corner is well defended again. Doran comes back on in extra time just before half time with her head heavily bandaged.
So at half time, there is no score from either team despite a few chances. Victory have looked more aggressive and had a bit more possession and territory but haven’t been able to pierce the defence yet. Glory have been dangerous on the break but just haven’t been able to finish.
Perth return to the second half with renewed vigour. An early corner is headed over the crossbar by Anton. Morgan tries a long range shot but it’s thwarted by Garton.
On a counter attack, Morgan brings the ball right up the centre then gets the ball to Doeglas on the left wing and she’s off again. Doran manages to relieve her of possession before she gets a chance to strike, this time.
Within a few minutes, Lowry releases Doeglas again. It’s like groundhog day here and Victory don’t seem to learn. She’s completely in the clear but takes a touch too many and Doran is back on her again. They wrestle a bit for possession and Doeglas gets a shot away but it’s over the goal at the top right corner.
Before Victory launch their own attack via De Vanna, Lowry gets one hopeful shot away from the left corner but it’s a bit ambitious and is gathered up by Garton.
De Vanna creates a corner which is headed around before Jackson tries a volley straight into Alfeld’s safe hands.
Above: Perth Glory teenager Hana Lowry (centre) tries to get away from Melbourne Victory’s Tiffany Elidis (2) as team mate Deborah-Ann De La Harpe (5) looks on. Photo: @PerthGloryFC
Lowry has another long range attempt but the direction isn’t quite right but it had plenty of power.
Beard gets in on the action and takes a long solo run down the left for Victory before centring it towards goal. It’s headed by a Glory defender which makes it tricky for Alfeld and sends her scurrying backwards across the goal face. She manages to get a hand to it to punch it away but it was awkward and results in a corner.
The corner goes to Barbieri standing unmarked and well out of the box. Her shot is punched out for another corner on the other side. That corner is headed down but had no power and was easily collected by Alfeld.
The game has become very transitional and it’s up one end then down the other until with long range shots at each end. Then Victory starlet Cooney-Cross gets a pass on the left and turns and brings it into the box, passes back to Longo after drawing the defence and Longo taps it in on the right of goal for the first goal of the match at 61 minutes in.
At 66 minutes, Glory are back on the attack. A long range shot by De La Harpe goes narrowly wide to the right. These tactics worked in their last match so definitely worth trying again.
After a bit more back and forward and a skied effort by Cooney-Cross, Jukic gets an on target shot from the right side-line that’s blocked by Garton.
Cooney-Cross has another shot that goes high over the goal. She hasn’t really been on target tonight but doesn’t stop trying.
An interception by De La Harpe is sent to Doeglas. This time she tries something different and cuts it back to Lowry. Her shot is just wide of the goal in a very close attempt. Probably the best chance of the night for Perth although I think Garton had it covered.
Above: Perth Glory’s Liz Anton in possession. Photo: @PerthGloryFC
At 88 minutes, Ayres comes off to be replaced by Martineau. A Glory clearance sees Jukic collide with Jackson and get a yellow. Looks like either her elbow or shoulder might have hit Jackson’s head as she really got knocked sideways and Jukic was unaffected.
We’re in the dying minutes now and there’s a concerted press by Glory and Jukic and Jackson clash again. There didn’t look like much contact in this one but Jackson is down again and gets the free kick.
In another press, Anton sends a long ball forward, Doeglas flicks it on to De La Harpe but she tries to pass rather than shoot to the clear goal. The pass is cut off and kicked out for a corner by Doran. The corner is cleared and full time is called and Victory hang on for the victory which sends them into third place on the table.
Both teams look exhausted after that effort. The heat clearly made things a lot more difficult than usual.
The 1-0 win send Melbourne Victory into third place on the table, jumping over Canberra and Adelaide. From this position, the premiership is still possible although it would require Sydney to lose their next two games and that’s fairly unlikely. They have a game in hand over Brisbane though and two wins would see them in second place regardless of whether Brisbane wins or loses their final match.
Saying all that, they didn’t look especially convincing tonight. The win was a grind with a single goal by Longo. Both teams created plenty of chances but couldn’t convert them. Victory had the most possession by far and corners were Victory 10 to Glory’s 5 but shots and shots on target were fairly equal.
Cooney-Cross was named as player of the match understandably. She got the assist and really did all the work for the goal and had quite a few shots although few on target, but she made a lot of ground during the match and was creating many of their chances.
Despite still being the wooden spooners and not being able to win a game yet, Glory’s last two matches against top five teams have been very close. Unlike every other team, they also have three matches left to play so it feels like a win is soon likely as they improve in each match and their confidence grows and the team clicks.
Above: Perth Glory have great team spirit and potential. A first win is on the horizon. Photo: @PerthGloryFC
Perth meets Melbourne City next at Dorrien Gardens again on Friday and you’d have to give them a fighting chance in that match. Victory will be up against Sydney for their next match on Saturday and both teams will be anxious to get the win to help seal their place in the finals.
Impetus’ coverage of Australian Women’s Football is supported by The Chicken Salt Co. They are offering every Impetus reader 5% off all orders of Chicken Salt from their website. Go to https://www.chickensalt.co.uk/?mate=impetus and place your order – 5% will automatically be taken off of the cost. The coupon code is impetus.
Ben Gilby spoke to Beth Pritchard whose new book No Points, about the premature end of the women’s football season due to Coronavirus last year, comes out today. In the interview, Beth tells us about how the idea of the book developed and some of the contents that we can all look forward to reading.
Above: Author Beth Pritchard with her book No Points, which comes out today. Photo via: Beth Pritchard.
Beth has been involved in the women’s game for a while, as she explains: “I work for Lincoln City Women. When I joined the team, they had no media presence to the point I didn’t know there was a women’s team on my doorstep – at the time, they were Nettleham Ladies and played just a couple of villages over from my house. I decided I’d spend a season working with the team just to get my foot in the door in the journalism and media industry but at this point in time, I wanted to be the next Louis Theroux and sports journalism wasn’t a long term goal. However, I fell in love with it and can’t imagine working in any other field and feeling the same passion.”
In terms of how the book came together, the first seed was planted by the bizarre prospect of seeing all 2019/20 league tables not telling the full story of eight months of action: “When it was announced last season that the past eight months were being made null and void, it didn’t sit right with me that the league tables on fulltime.com we’re all filled with zeros. The season may not have counted but the teams had still racked up the points so why should that have been wiped?”
“I was fortunate enough for Chris Slegg to ask me if I wanted to help with the latest edition of the Women’s Football Yearbook at a similar time and obviously jumped at the opportunity to be a part of the great work Chris and Tom Garry do to keep a record of something that is recorded time and time again in the men’s game. Unfortunately and understandably, the 2020-21 edition didn’t record the FAWNL as previous years’ had so I saw a ‘gap in the market’ so to speak and wanted to fill it. I don’t want people to look back years down the line – perhaps doing their dissertation on women’s football as I was doing at the time of the idea – and not be able to find this valuable information.”
I asked Beth to give us a brief outline of the book in a bid to see what potential readers of this important publication can expect:
Above: Beth’s new book is available on Kindle as well as a hardcopy. Photo via: Beth Pritchard.
“I collected information that is still in the public domain and collated the information I’d asked the FA Women’s National League in order to give a factual overview of the season. However, not only can readers expect to learn facts, I wanted to make the book personal and emotional. Therefore, I contacted clubs, managers, players and fans to ask about the season. I wanted to hear how they felt about the null and void decision as well as their teams’ performances along the way.”
The book took almost a year to produce from start to finish, as Beth reveals: “I actually started writing in the first UK lockdown but ever the procrastinator, I didn’t finish it until Lockdown 3.0. This was partly due to slow responses from the participants but also partly because I was fitting writing this around my paid work. When it started to look like completing the 2020-21 season was uncertain, I had renewed motivation to get this book finished. I relied heavily on social media to find what clubs had said about games etc and have to give @talkingWOSO a particular shout out for tweeting statistics as the season went along. So, all in all the writing process was very difficult.”
One of the issues in compiling the book was the different experience in trying to get information together from the top two divisions and FA Women’s National League sides: “Researching FAWSL and Championship teams was so much easier than finding the same information for FAWNL sides. Mostly it was because club website and local news sites had match reports and interviews weekly, something still lacking in the lower leagues. It was also clear that teams with higher ranked men’s sides had better infrastructure to record their women’s teams’ progress. Wolverhampton Wanderers and Derby County were great examples of this.”
Above: Beth proudly holding her new book. Photo via: Beth Pritchard.
Women’s football is full of incredible characters and it is what makes the game such a wonderful thing to write about. I wondered who were the people who really stuck with Beth during the process of writing the book?
“I spoke to Steve Maddock about Barnsley being outspoken when it came to the null and void decision. It was very interesting to hear him speak so passionately about wanting a resolution – of course, that was because his team were almost guaranteed promotion and their ‘solution’ was something that positively impacted them and not the rest of the sides.”
In terms of the message that the book wants to give, for Beth it is that “I wanted to focus on the issues in reporting as opposed to the issues with the league decision and make clear I’m not criticising the season being voided, especially after Carol West, chairperson of the FAWNL, agreed to answer some of my questions.”
“I think there’s a long way to go to achieving a level playing field in women’s football. It’s so much easier for teams with more money to promote themselves, as volunteers in the FAWNL and below can’t be expected to invest time and money into hiring people to publish match reports or keep their websites up to date. It won’t be until more money is pumped into the lower levels of the pyramid that we’ll achieve equality here and really hope that happens soon.”
In terms of where people can buy Beth’s book, at the present time it is only available on Amazon, as Beth says: “I really like the idea of supporting small, local bookstores but due to the niche nature of the book, I couldn’t afford to take that financial risk. I hope that any future books I write will be more widely available but for now, it’s only on Amazon.”
Above: Chelsea lift the Contiental Cup at Vicarage Road. Photo: @ChelseaFCW
Chelsea produced an absolutely rampant performance to retain the Continental Tyres League Cup Final at Vicarage Road but the success was tempered by an appalling injury to Maren Mjelde.
The first final not to feature either Arsenal or Manchester City was effectively over before the half-hour mark as a dreadfully outclassed Bristol City were undone by a super show from Sam Kerr and Fran Kirby.
All the talk pre-game was the dreadful condensed schedule that Chelsea had coming into the Final, which included a trip to Monza in midweek to take on Atletico Madrid. However, any fears that this was a realistic concern was put to bed with just over a minute gone.
Above: Sam Kerr scores her first of the afternoon. Photo: @BBCSport
Sophie Ingle took possession inside her own half to find Canadian international Jessie Fleming. In turn she played in Guro Reiten. A perfect pass towards the right found Fran Kirby who got in behind the Vixens defence and squared a perfect low ball across the box to Sam Kerr who was not going to miss at the back post. Just ninety-four seconds had been played.
Chelsea continued to swamp their opponents and with seven minutes gone, Melanie Leupolz’s corner to the back post saw Magda Eriksson rise above Yana Daniels at the back post and head narrowly wide.
The Blues were playing some incredible pass and move football in the early exchanges which their Westcountry opponents found nigh on impossible to prevent, forcing them continuously on to the back foot.
Above: Sam Kerr’s trademark celebration seen at last in England after her second goal at Vicarage Road. Photo: @BBCSport
With ten minutes gone, Chelsea underlined their dominance with a second. A poor ball out of defence was gobbled upon by the rampant Londoners. Kirby grabbed possession centrally just outside the box and played a perfect ball towards the left for Kerr. The Matilda beat her defender with ease and slotted home before the producing her first trademark backflip in English football.
Just before the twenty minute mark, Chelsea had strong claims for a penalty waved away when Gemma Evans brought Kerr down in the box.
It was relentless from Chelsea with the Vixens simply unable to escape their own half. The Blues had another strong penalty shout Yana Daniels looked to have handled as a ball came into the box. The Londoners were only awarded a corner.
With twenty-four minutes gone, Bristol City lost possession once more with Kirby benefiting again. She ran through the middle and played a ball out to Kerr on the right. The Western Australian returned the favour to the Lioness who continued her run to the edge of the box which saw an effort go narrowly wide of the left hand post.
Above: Fran Kirby salutes her first goal. Photo: @BBCSport
Chelsea put the icing on the cake before the half-hour mark and it came from a catastrophic error from Bristol City goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley. She found herself on the edge of the ‘D’ with Kerr breathing down her neck as she attempted to make a clearance. The City custodian’s attempted ball out was woefully weak and directed straight at Kirby who simply looped the ball back over Baggaley’s head into the net.
Four minutes later, Kirby grabbed her second. Kerr took possession in the centre circle. Gemma Evans failed to get an effective tackle in which allowed the Fremantle born star to feed Kirby who ran onto the pass, drew Baggaley who tried to block the effort, but the shot deflected off of the keeper and rolled in.
With three minutes of the half remaining, Kirby was denied her hat-trick. Jemma Purfield simply could not stop her 1-2 with Kerr which led to the former Reading star getting a shot away which Baggaley blocked with her legs.
Above: Fran Kirby marks her second with Sophie Ingle. Photo: @BBCSport
Just before the break, Bristol City had their first shot on goal as Ebony Salmon got away down the right and played a cross over which was headed back to the other Fremantle born player on the pitch, the Vixens’ Ella Mastrantonio whose effort was over the bar.
Shortly afterwards the half-time whistle sounded and the only matter remaining to be settled in this Final now was how many goals Chelsea would add in the second period.
Bristol City started the second half by winning their first corner of the game, but Chelsea dealt with it well. Ann-Katrin Berger’s subsequent clearance found Fran Kirby who scampered away along the right before finding Guro Reiten centrally. A perfectly weighted ball across Vixens defender Keira Skeels gave Sam Kerr a golden opportunity to claim her hat-trick and she rolled her shot past Baggaley with ease.
Less than six minutes later, Chelsea added yet another goal as substitute Drew Spence took possession and played a lovely through ball which eventually found its way to Kerr on the left who fed Kirby once again. The England star could have smashed home her hat-trick, but she played the ball across to Norwegian star Guro Reiten to fire home for a stunning team goal.
Above: Bristol City are literally down and out as Guro Reiten celebrates her goal. Photo: @BBCSport
It was now reaching humiliation for Bristol City, and a minute later Kerr was clean through once more, but Baggaley was quickly off of her line to block the shot well.
Just before the hour, Ebony Salmon showed her immense skill. Running down the left, she drew Millie Bright and beat her before firing a vicious effort which Berger did well to deflect over. From the resulting corner, Salmon found Skeels who forced another save from Berger.
A combination of Chelsea’s big lead and them having made a raft of substitutions changed the flow of the game. City were now seen more coming forward with Faye Bryson delivering a great cross from the right which was met firmly by the head of Aimee Palmer with Berger needing to push the effort over.
Seconds later, Charlie Wellings released Salmon who ran on to the right hand side of the box and got a fierce drive away which Berger tipped over for another City corner.
Above: Ella Mastrantonio heads clear for Bristol City. Photo: @bristolcitywfc
With fifteen minutes left, Maren Mjelde received what appeared to be a serious knee injury after a challenge from Palmer, and the Norwegian had to be stretchered from the pitch which will be a major loss for Chelsea for the big games ahead.
When play resumed, City created another opportunity. Harrison was played through but just as she was about to get a shot in on goal, Hannah Blundell put in a challenge to clear the danger at the cost of a corner.
The West Londoners responded with Niamh Charles showing great strength to get free down the left and play a ball in to Drew Spence who met it on the volley but the effort went wide.
That was the last chance as the game drifted towards its conclusion. Chelsea’s incredible performance and achievement is sadly blighted by the appalling injury to such a key player in Maren Mjelde. For Bristol City, they need to put this result behind them quickly to pick up another couple of results which will ensure their FA Women’s Super League status is preserved for another season.
impetusfootball.org 