Inclement weather meant that two of the three weekend’s first-grade ACT NPL (Capital Football) Women’s games were washed out, with only McKellar Park deemed fit enough to play from the allocated venues. A matchup between Belconnen United and the West Canberra Wanderers was on offer for those onlookers braving the conditions.
The only other game of the round that was played was Friday night’s Tuggeranong vs Canberra Croatia game. The games that were washed out were Gungahlin United vs the Canberra United Academy, and Canberra Olympic vs ANU.
For an alternate review of the round, check out Jeremy Magan’s article for Capital Football.
Match of the Round: Belconnen United vs West Canberra Wanderers (Bar TV)
The competition is only halfway through the first full round so it is unfair to label this as a top-versus-bottom outing. Even were it viewed as such, the overnight rain and surface water is often a great equaliser.
Blue Devils coach Scott Conlon opted to keep the hard-working Keira Bobbin and Lauren Preston up his sleeve on the bench for this game, perhaps wanting to see how the newer members of the squad could get the job done. Midfielder Madeline Steinacker received her first top-grade start, as Marija Rathouski lined up beside Sophia Doumos in the heart of the defence.
Wanderers coach Rey Castro has used the mobile Josie Dubbert in defence for the opening rounds, but for this one wanted to see how she would go in a more advanced left flank role. By doing this, both Wanderers’ flanks took on a more balanced, speedy look, noting the zippy Eliza-Jane Norris and Nikita Perry combination already in evidence on the right side. Cara Ceruti also came into the starting lineup at the point of the attack in place of Kaitlin Colwill from last round.
Two goals in each half sealed the win for Belconnen, but there were signs from the visitors out wide that suggested if they can add some punch to their attacking centre, they can overcome their slow start to the campaign.
It was apparent soon after kickoff that the Blue Devils (Talia Backhouse and Izzy Hindmarsh in particular) were keen to shoot from range in the wet conditions to test Wanderers keeper Samantha Briggs, but they were in general too far from goal to really trouble the keeper.
Wanderers right back Norris impressed early with a strong run down the right flank which led to successive corners taken by Perry. The second corner fell to Mel O’Callaghan in the box, with her left-foot shot narrowly deflected by Reilly Yuen just over keeper Ellie Summers’ crossbar.
Yet it was to be Steinacker who opened the scoring for the Blue Devils ten minutes later. A wall pass movement with Yuen from a throw-in ended with Steinacker unattended in the box, and she cooly finished in the corner of Briggs’ net.
A real highlight of the match was the contest between Belconnen right-back Stefi Lejins and Wanderers left midfielder/winger Josie Dubbert. Both are dynamic and mobile, ideal opponents for one another. Partway into the second half Dubbert was shifted into the backline to cover her captain Sarah Whitfield moving into the forward line. It was clear, however, that Dubbert relished the opportunity to get forward and participate in a more attacking role. For her part, Lejins would later be awarded the Belconnen United Player of the Match.
The Blue Devils’ second goal came 25 minutes in, as Hattie Cram’s low cross from the right was met with authority by Yuen just inside the Wanderers’ box, giving Briggs no chance. The Wanderers were able to dampen their opponents’ attack for the balance of the half without testing Summers’ goal apart from corners and an Alyse Jensen long-range effort.
The gentle rain persisted in the second half as Cram almost chipped Briggs from 20 yards out after some wayward keeper distribution. Cram’s accuracy was without question in the 65th minute, scoring Belconnen’s third on the end of a passing move between Backhouse and Yuen, before dancing around two defenders and finishing nicely in the corner of the net. Whitfield was to move into a striker role for the Wanderers not long after, troubling the Belconnen defence with her physicality.
Blue Devils flyer Keira Bobbin joined the fray with around 20 minutes left, and it didn’t take long for her to make a meaningful contribution. As the game hit the 75-minute mark and with the rain finally easing, Bobbin was able to score her team’s fourth and final goal, finishing from a rebounded Briggs save.
Briggs did well with her feet as the game neared closure, denying a Steinacker one-on-one chance from a well-placed through ball, while Rathouski put in a great late effort to cut off Perry’s deep run toward the Blue Devil’s goal, as the home side took the points.
Wanderers captain Whitfield is a force in either defence or attack. A pattern emerged last season that continues today, where Whitfield starts games in defence and depending on the ebbs and flows of games, can transition to striker. On this game’s showing, Whitfield is presently the Wanderers’ best striking option, but we didn’t get to see any time in this game where Whitfield was receiving service out wide from both Perry and Dubbert. It could be potentially beneficial to see this configuration at play, which would mean once again exploring handing over ownership of the Wanderers’ central defence to O’Callaghan and Steph Nikias, to free up attacking possibilities.
Both teams and officials are to be congratulated for putting on a quality football game in the soggy conditions.
>>> Full match time-line and team line-ups can be found here <<<
Final score:
Belconnen United 4 (Madeline Steinacker 19′, Reilly Yuen 24′, Hattie Cram 65′, Keira Bobbin 75′)
West Canberra Wanderers 0
Around The Grounds:
Tuggeranong United 1-4 Canberra Croatia
Ladder:
Next Round:
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