Round two gave the NPL Capital Football competition its first look at Gungahlin United in 2022, as the Gunners travelled to McKellar Park to take on Round 1 victors Belconnen United.

Other Round 2 games held on the weekend included:

West Canberra Wanderers vs Canberra United Academy
Canberra Olympic vs Tuggeranong United
Canberra Croatia vs Wagga City Wanderers

Match of the Round: Belconnen United vs Gungahlin United

While the Gunners missed Round 1 due to a ground booking clash, they contested a Federation Cup game just two days before taking on the Blue Devils. With McKellar Park looking lush but slightly spongy underfoot, the outing would prove to be a testing one for the players backing up from Thursday.

Both teams have lost a raft of talent during the off-season, which opens opportunities for others.

Gungahlin’s changes include new coach Pat Mills (with Diego Iglesias now overseeing their women’s programme); plus the losses of Michelle Heyman, Stefi Lejins (Blue Devils), Marija Rathouski (Blue Devils), Elke Aitolu (Olympic), Jade Brown (USA) and Brigitte Sander (USA). However, they have signed Piper Lockley from Wagga City. 

The Gunners have retained their midfield core, which means that their recognisable short-passing style is still very much an option.

The Blue Devils also have a new coach in Scott Conlon. Losses include Michaela Thornton, Nicole Jalocha, Sarah Johnson, Vanessa Ryan (all to Olympic), Bella Tamarro (CCFC), Alexia Forner and Cristina Esposito (both heading to Sydney). Their new signings include Lejins and Rathouski (who had played just two top-grade games in each of the previous two Gunners’ seasons), plus ex-Canberra United Academy keeper Jayla Murphy. 

Losses notwithstanding, Belconnen is fortunate to retain vast experience from premiership-winning years with the likes of Katie Woodman, Karen Clarke, Leah Carnegie and captain Talia Backhouse. They also have proven goalscorers in Olivia Bomford and flyer Keira Bobbin.

From the neutral standpoint, there was interest in how Lejins and Rathouski would go against their old team.

Blue Devils players wore black armbands during the game in tribute to Lily D’Addario’s father Frank, who passed away recently. Frank played in the NSL and was a respected coach in the region.

The home side had the better of the first half-hour, with wide runners Zaravec and Bobbin proving to be a handful. (That comment above about opening doors? Nina Zaravec is a case in point, with a terrific game for the Blue Devils). 

However, there would be bad news, with young Gunners attacking stalwart Ella-Rose Brown appearing to suffer a significant ankle injury.

Having withstood early pressure, the away side began to work their way into the game. The payoff came just before halftime as midfielder Nat De Marco played a wondrous ball through the heart of the Blue Devils defence for Erika Pennyfield’s slicing run. Her finish to the bottom right corner of the net matched the quality of the move, and Gungahlin took a surprise one-goal lead into the break.

The second half would tell a different tale, as the home side regained the ascendancy and never let go, aside from a couple of Pennyfield efforts on goal near the hour mark. Ex-Gunner Marija Rathouski was instrumental in holding back the pink tide (Gungahlin eschewing their traditional predominately white jerseys for this game).

While much of the damage was done by “the killer B’s” (Backhouse, Bomford and Bobbin – with thanks to commentators Magan & Gibbs), the role of Katie Woodman in the 2022 iteration of this Belconnen team cannot be understated. Like Thornton before her, Woodman’s experience is such that she is able to manipulate the tempo of the game to suit her side. She plays the ball at speed when it is of benefit, and likewise slows things down when required. It’s a skill not many in the competition have.

Bomford scored the home side’s first and third goals, the first taken beautifully off a corner into the top right corner of Kailey Tonini’s goal. Fifteen-year-old Blue Devils substitute Tatum Mazis (a well-known football surname in this town) cut the ball back for Bomford to toe in her second goal and then scored one of her own in one of the final moments of the game. Mazis looks like another promising future talent, as does young Blue Devils centre back Sophia Doumos.

Bobbin scored the second and fourth of the Blue Devils’ goals and was dangerous throughout. First she was on the spot just after the hour to capitalise on Tonini parrying away Zaravec’s ball from the byline. Two minutes from full-time she pounced on a loose pass in midfield, finishing neatly for her second after a wall pass with Bomford. 

Wagga City wunderkind Piper Lockley played 74 minutes for Gungahlin, with all bar the last minute or two at left wing. As anyone who is familiar with Lockley will know, her talent and vision are such that she could also play more centrally, especially given the nature of the passing game that Gungahlin like to play.

Final score:

Belconnen United 5 (Bomford 54′ 72′, Bobbin 64′ 88′, Mazis 90’+5′)

Gungahlin United 1 (Pennyfield 44′)

Teams:

Belconnen United – Coach: Scott Conlon

Jayla Murphy, Leah Carnegie, Sophia Doumos, Marija Rathouski, Stefi Lejins, Katie Woodman, Lauren Preston, Talia Backhouse (c), Nina Zaravec, Olivia Bomford, Keira Bobbin

Subs: Tia Burridge (88′ => Rathouski), Karen Clarke (75′ => Woodman), Amalia Edavane, Bianca Kimpton, Tatum Mazis (64′ => Zaravec)

Yellow card: Woodman 74′

Gungahlin United – Coach: Pat Mills

Kailey Tonini, Adele Choy, Emily Davidson, Madeleine Perceval, Ruby Gambale, Stella De Marco, Ayla Robertson, Natalie De Marco, Erika Pennyfield, Ella-Rose Brown, Piper Lockley

Subs: Esperance Anderson (30′ => Brown), Lilian Martone (74′ => Lockley), Gabrielle O’Brien, Mikayla van Deyk (88′ => Anderson), Leila Craemer-Banks

Yellow/Red cards: Nil

Around The Grounds:

West Canberra Wanderers 1-0 Canberra United Academy
Canberra Olympic 6-0 Tuggeranong United
Canberra Croatia 16-0 Wagga City Wanderers

Federation Cup R2
Thursday 7 April:
Canberra Olympic 3-0 Gungahlin United
– Canberra Olympic advance to the semi-finals

Ladder:

Next week:

Round 3

• Tuggeranong United vs Canberra Croatia, Greenway Enclosed, Friday 22 April, 7:45pm
• West Canberra vs Wagga City, Melrose Synthetic, Sunday 24 April, 12:45pm
• Canberra Olympic vs Belconnen United, O’Connor Enclosed, Sunday 24 April, 2:30pm
• Canberra United Acadamy vs Gungahlin United, Hawker Enclosed, Sunday 24 April, 5:10pm

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