2023 NPLW WA Round 10 Review

With the league now almost at the halfway mark, it’s a good time to take a look at each team and predict where they may finish at the end of the season.

First though a quick look at Round 10 where only one win was recorded but there were goals aplenty and lots of action.

MUM FC 3 – 3 HYUNDAI NTC

With so many youngsters on show from both sides, this game always produces a lot of drama and Friday night’s game was no exception.

A cagey first half saw no goals and little to suggest the action that would occur in the second half. 

The game exploded into life in the 62nd minute when the impressive Tanika Lala made a solo run that started from just inside the MUM FC half and ended up in the opposition penalty area before she hit a shot low into the net to make it 1-0.

MUM FC then hit back in the 69th minute when Andrea Preiato scrambled the ball home from close range before Lala restored the visitors’ lead almost immediately afterwards with her second in the 70th minute. Klaudia Houlis then made it 3-1 to the NTC in the 73rd minute and at that point, it looked like it was game over.

However, a penalty decision in the 80th minute changed the complexion of the game with Clara Hoarau decisively despatching the spot kick. Her side was then awarded another penalty in the 83rd minute and Hoarau again stepped up to take it. NTC goalkeeper Megan Phillips saved this one, but Horau was first to follow up to make the final score 3-3.

PERTH REDSTAR 1 – 1 PERTH SC

This was the second meeting of these two sides in a week, with Perth SC beating RedStar 3-1 in the State Cup last week to knock last season’s cup holders out, so the reigning champions were keen to get the win for a little bit of revenge also and take the 3 points to open up a nine-point gap on their visitors.

The home team dominated the opening proceedings but needed to be mindful of Perth’s ability to break quickly, and Shivani Battaglia in the RedStar goal was forced into some smart saves. The home team’s pressing and harrying of their opponents eventually paid off in the 28th minute when Chiori Ikeda found some space at the top of the box and fired home a strike that dipped just under the bar.

The second half followed much of the same pattern with RedStar enjoying the bulk of the possession but wary of Perth’s counter-attacking. They missed a penalty chance mid-way through the half when Kim Carroll’s spot kick hit the bar, and Battaglia was again forced to make some smart saves as Perth pressed for an equaliser. Perth SC’s persistence and refusal to give up was rewarded in the 92nd minute when an unmarked Monique Godding turned in a Gemma Craine cross for the equaliser and her fifth of the campaign.

BALCATTA ETNA FC 3 – 3 SUBIACO AFC

Balcatta Etna were one of the form teams in the league going into this game with three wins on the trot, whilst Subiaco had only won twice all season so this was a game that the home team may well have fancied to win to maintain their push for a top-four spot.

They looked in the mood from the off and Tia Stonehill opened the scoring in spectacular style with a long-range shot in the fifth minute to take her tally for the season to eight.

At this point, Subiaco were struggling to get in the game but they scored against the run of play in the 19th minute when Marianna Tabain turned in a cross from the right to equalise.

The visitors then took the lead in the 26th minute through Danielle Suckling with a terrific left-foot volley from outside the box which gave Balcatta Etna goalkeeper Gabrielle Dal Busco no chance.

The scoring was not finished for the first half though, as the home team grabbed an equaliser in the 37th minute. Epril Nossent sent a wicked cross in from the left which Marissa Pidgeon in the Subiaco goal could only push onto the bar. Monique Prinsloo was lurking in the box and she pounced to head the ball home from close range for her sixth goal of the season.

Balcatta continued to enjoy the lion’s share of possession in the second half and must have thought the three points were theirs in the 75th minute when Perth Glory midfielder Sadie Lawrence headed home for a corner. There was a further twist in this tale though when just two minutes later Tabain cooly slotted home a penalty to level the scores again, scoring her sixth of the campaign in doing so.

CURTIN UNIVERSITY 0 – 12 FREMANTLE CITY FC

In the final game of the round, Fremantle City profited from the dropped points by Perth RedStar and Perth SC to move into second spot and close the gap on the leaders to just four points.

In a result that was never really in any doubt from the moment Fremantle scored their first, through Abbey Green in the 15th minute, the port side ran out 12-0 winners to boost their goal difference which may be vital at the end of the season.

Green would go on to score a hat trick as the goals came at regular intervals during the game. There was also a hat trick from Jamie-Lee Gale and a brace from Laura Waltman. Annabelle Leek, Natasha Rigby, Nina Boorman and Matilda Boyle were the other scorers.

The 12-0 loss is the fourth double-digit defeat for Curtin this season. 

Click here for the Round 10 goal highlights.

League Standings after NPLW WA Round 10

Round 11 Fixtures

Friday 16th June
MUM FC vs PERTH SC – Besteam Stadium 7:30 pm

Sunday 18th June
PERTH REDSTAR FC vs CURTIN UNIVERSITY FC – RedStar Arena 3:00 pm
FREMANTLE CITY FC vs BALCATTA ETNA FC – Hilton Park 3:00 pm
HYUNDAI NTC vs SUBIACO AFC – E&D Litis Stadium 3:00 pm

GOLDEN BOOT STANDINGS
9 – Reina Kagami (Perth RedStar)
8 – Klaudia Houlis (NTC), Jamie Duncanson (Perth SC) Tia Stonehill (Balcatta Etna FC)
7 – Ellie La Monte (Perth SC)

Click here for more NPLW WA coverage.