Round 11 saw yet another goal feast with 26 goals scored in the four games, another double-digit victory, and some nail-biting finishes.
By the end of the round, the top two teams had opened up a slight gap on the chasing pack, whilst the race for the remaining two top four spots has become even tighter with just two points separating 3rd from 5th.
MUM FC 3 – 3 PERTH SC
The round kicked off on Friday evening under the lights at Besteam Stadium with MUM FC entertaining Perth SC. With just one point separating the two teams, there was a chance for both of them to open a gap on their opponents and solidify their spot in the top four.
The first half was pretty much all Perth, as they probed and pressed for the opening goal, with MUM being happy to sit back and absorb the pressure. However, their defensive efforts were undone in the 39th minute when Poppie Hooks headed home from a corner to make the score 1-0 for the visitors.
The second half saw the visitors starting slowly and their lack of intensity and endeavour was punished in the 53rd minute, albeit via a mistake. Sophie Meaden capitalised on a missed header in the box before dribbling to the goalline just outside the six-yard box. Her cutback was mishandled by Becky Bennett in the Perth SC goal with the ball going through her legs and trickling over the line for the equaliser.
Perth SC were now looking far less comfortable than they were in the first half and a second goal for MUM FC just five minutes later reminded them that the game was far from over.
Bennett’s clearance from a back pass went straight to Clara Hoarau who was unmarked about 15 metres inside the Perth half. Her first-time pass found Samantha Mathers who was wide open just outside the box. She had time to take a touch before firing home a right-foot shot past the despairing dive of Bennett into the bottom left of the goal.
Perth looked shell-shocked at this point, but they have shown to be a resilient team this season and they fought back with an equaliser through Stella Zampogna in the 72nd minute. The substitute had only been on for two minutes when she struck a delightful right-footed curling shot into the MUM FC net to make it 2-2.
Given the events of the last game at Besteam it would have been a brave person who would have thought the scoring had ended with that goal and, sure enough, a fifth goal arrived in the 89th minute. Meaden fed the ball to Mathers on the left and at that point there appeared to be little danger. Mathers then jinked inside her defender and hit another fine right-footed shot from outside the box to beat Bennett and make the score 3-2. This was her 8th goal of the season and puts her in third spot in the Golden Boot race.
However, the drama for the evening was not yet over. With Perth pressing for an equaliser in stoppage time a low cross from the right saw MUM FC goalkeeper Stacey Cavill take a knock to the head as she dived to get to the ball. This led to a lengthy delay whilst the physio checked to see if she was OK to continue.
Thankfully she was given the all-clear and the game resumed. With the clock now showing five minutes of added time Ella Lincoln managed to squeeze a low cross in from the right into a crowded penalty area where substitute Iona Mitchell gratefully rolled the ball into the net to make the score 3-3 for the second successive week at Besteam.
Perth SC coach Peter Rakic was grateful for the point at the end but not happy with his team’s performance.
“(It was) disappointing to see our character drop in the second half and perhaps come out complacent as if the game was already won,” he said.
“MUM FC are a frustrating team to play against so a 1-0 lead is never enough. You have to give credit to the younger players who came on and scored the much-needed goals that rescued a point for us but we should have never been in that position in the first place, it’s more dropped points and we’ve left ourselves an uphill battle going into the back end of the season.”
MUM FC will also rue the dropped points as results from the rest of the weekend mean they have dropped out of the top four to remain a point behind Perth SC in fourth spot. Their next game is against Curtin, so they should pick up the three points to arrest their current slide of four games without a win.
For Perth, this was a result that has put a huge dent in any title aspirations as they are now eight points behind the leaders. Their next game is looming as a real test as they face off against NTC knowing that more dropped points in that game will see them out of the top four if MUM FC win against Curtin.
FREMANTLE CITY FC 3 – 2 BALCATTA ETNA FC
Both sides had plenty to play for in this game, with Fremantle keen to keep the pressure on the leaders, whilst Balcatta Etna were equally as keen to take advantage of the draw between MUM FC and Perth SC on Friday evening to keep their top four hopes alive.
The home side lined up without Abbey Green, whilst Balcatta Etna named Tia Stonehill on the bench. Without these two influential players, both sides seemed to lack a cutting edge in the opening exchanges, but Balcatta was at least able to call on Stonehill and she made her appearance in the 25th minute. There were few clear-cut chances in the first half, but both sides still hit their opponent’s crossbar with Olivia Trueman going close for Fremantle in the 33rd minute and Sadie Lawrence for Balcatta in the 44th minute.
The deadlock was broken in the 60th minute through Fremantle’s Laura Waltman. She picked up a loose ball on the edge of the box and with defenders dropping off she hit a shot that Gabby Dal Busco in the Balcatta goal could only push onto the bar before it dropped over the line.
Dal Busco was then forced into a double save in the 71st minute as Fremantle upped the tempo looking for a second goal but just a minute later her side equalised as a long ball out of defence was not dealt with by the home team. Monique Prinsloo nipped in to head the ball over Dayle Schroeder in the Fremantle goal and into the net.
Fremantle regained the lead in the 74th minute as Jamie-Lee Gale reacted quickest to a long ball from Carys Hawkins. She rounded the keeper and as she rolled the ball into the empty net Elizabeth Doust grabbed a handful of her shirt. Gale took exception to this and shoved her opponent into the net earning a yellow card in the process.
That card was to prove costly as, in the 82nd minute, the referee adjudged Gale to have fouled Epril Nossent in a manner that deserved another yellow and she was given her marching orders.
The visitors took advantage of their numerical superiority in the 86th minute when a give-and-go between Stonehill and Lauren Continibali saw Stonehill scamper away from the home defence to finish nicely with her ninth goal of the season and draw her team level.
At this point, it looked as though a draw was the most likely outcome, but Fremantle had other ideas and struck a late winner in the 89th minute. Waltman was again the scorer and this one demonstrated why she was a joint Football West Gold Medal Winner in 2019. Picking up the ball about 30 yards out she drove at the opposition box and drifted past challenges until firing home from an acute angle just inside the six-yard box to earn the three points for her side.
Balcatta Etna coach Tim Cash spoke after the game;
“(It was) an entertaining game with Freo taking the points late when down to ten players,” he said.
“The contest was tight in the first half with Freo having more dangerous possession. Freo took the lead three times with goals we could have avoided, but we fought back with two great goals.
“We are disappointed to take nothing from the game, we respect the quality of the opposition and will need to step up next week.”
The win maintains the four-point gap between Fremantle City and leaders Perth RedStar to keep their title hopes alive whilst the defeat for Balcatta Etna means there is a four-point gap between them and fourth-placed Perth SC.
Fremantle’s next game is against Subiaco and whilst they will be favourites for this, they will be without Gale due to suspension so they can’t take anything for granted.
Balcatta’s next opponents are Perth RedStar who will be keen to maintain their lead at the top of the table so this will be a mighty test of their top-four credentials.
HYUNDAI NTC 3 – 1 SUBIACO AFC
With MUM FC and Perth SC drawing and Balcatta Etna losing before this game kicked off, the Hyundai NTC knew that three points would move them into third place outright and put a five-point gap between them and Balcatta Etna.
They were buoyed by the return from international duty of Ischia Brooking and Ruby Cuthbert but their recent form had seen them win just one game in their previous five so they needed to be mindful of their opponents.
Subiaco has been struggling of late but would have been feeling optimistic after their draw against Balcatta in the last round.
NTC started off brightly and had the ball in the net as early as the 7th minute but it was ruled out for offside. Just 10 minutes later they did take the lead though when a superb strike from Grace Johnston left Marissa Pidgeon with no chance in the Subiaco goal in the
The visitors then scored an equaliser that was as equally impressive as the opening goal when Marianna Tabain showed her predatory instincts to get ahead of the NTC defence and volley home a cross.
That was the end of the scoring for the first half, but the introduction of Tanika Lala and Brooking at the break signalled the intention of NTC to grab the three points and Lala had a chance to put her side ahead in the 59th minute when the referee adjudged that she was fouled in the box and pointed to the spot.
The ex-Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger always maintained that a penalty kick should not be taken by the player who had been fouled, and this proved to be the case this time as Lala’s kick went over the bar to keep the score at 1-1.
In the 63rd minute, Subiaco came close to taking the lead when a Stephanie Waycott header from a corner hit the bar before being scrambled away by the NTC defence, but then a moment of individual skill in the 66th minute sent NTC on the way for the three points. Brooking picked the ball up just inside the Subiaco half and dribbled her way to the edge of the area. Her shot was fumbled by Pidgeon to allow it to cross the line, but her dribble and speed demonstrated just why she is regarded as one of the best young players in WA.
Subiaco were still not prepared to lie down though and Tabain had a golden opportunity to level the scores in the 78th minute when she was picked out in the penalty area but she lifted her shot just over the bar.
The game was finally put to bed in injury time when Lala made amends for her earlier penalty miss when she took a cross on her chest to allow the ball to drop and then despatched her shot into the net.
The win moves NTC into third spot, one point clear of Perth SC in fourth and also halts a run of no wins in their last four games. They moved the ball well and with Lala back in goalscoring form, they will be hopeful of another three points when they face off against Perth SC next week in what should be a thoroughly entertaining game.
Subiaco were, once again, undone by their inability to capitalise on chances at crucial moments in the game said coach Greg Farrell.
“We played well for large parts of the game and we are happy with how we are progressing as a team”, he said.
“We are still a long way from where we want to be but, like all clubs, we’re dealing with injuries and sickness. We just have to control what we can and keep working towards improving to match the expectations within the playing group.”
They face another tough task next week against Fremantle and will need to show a little more composure and ruthlessness when chances are created if they are to get anything from that game.
PERTH REDSTAR FC 11 – 0 CURTIN UNIVERSITY FC
Games against Curtin are now considered important in terms of teams trying to improve their goal difference, and this was certainly the case in this one, as there was never any doubt that RedStar would win.
The lack of goals compared to their nearest rivals was perhaps a cause for concern for RedStar coach Carlos Vega Mena, so it was important to address that in this game and he couldn’t have wished for a better start when full-back Quyen Doan scored the opener after just two minutes in her return from injury. The goals then followed at regular intervals and the leaders went in at the break leading 6-0.
They continued to rattle in the goals during the second period and reached double figures when Renee Leota completed her hat trick in the 76th minute. Substitute Katie Richie finished the scoring with the 11th goal of the game in the 87th minute.
Other goalscorers for RedStar were Olivia Wood with a brace, Chiori Ikeda, Jacinta Coleman, Reina Kagami with her 10th of the season and Abbey Wooley.
The win keeps the leaders four points clear of second-placed Fremantle City but also boosted their goal difference to +28 and that may prove vital at the end of the season.
Vega Mena spoke after the game of his pride in the performance.
“I am happy with the three points and the performance of the team,’ he said.
“Our objective was to continue playing our style and I wanted the girls to play good football with as many combinations as possible.
“It was good to see them creating opportunities and finishing them. We were also able to give some of the younger U21s some time on the pitch.”
Attention now turns to the game against Balcatta Etna in round 12, and RedStar will know that a fiercely competitive Etna team awaits them so they can’t afford to take things lightly if they are to maintain their four-point advantage at the top of the table.
Curtin tried hard but were simply no match for their opponents and they have now conceded 23 goals in their last two games after it had appeared the flow of goals had been stemmed somewhat in their previous two games. As with all the other teams they have had injury and sickness issues, but the lack of a U21 side means their playing stocks are now severely stretched.
They next face MUM FC and will be keen to avoid another double-digit defeat.
Click here for the Round 11 goal highlights.
League Standings after NPLW WA Round 11
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Points | Form | ||
| 1 | Perth RedStar | 11 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 34 | 6 | +28 | 26 | WDWWW |
| 2 | Fremantle City | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 34 | 18 | +16 | 22 | WWWWL |
| 3 | Hyundai NTC | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 27 | 21 | +6 | 19 | WDLLL |
| 4 | Perth SC | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 36 | 12 | +24 | 18 | DDWLL |
| 5 | MUM FC | 11 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 29 | 22 | +7 | 17 | DDLLW |
| 6 | Balcatta Etna FC | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 26 | 15 | +11 | 14 | LDWWW |
| 7 | Subiaco AFC | 10 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 25 | 24 | +1 | 7 | LDLWL |
| 8 | Curtin University | 11 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 95 | -93 | 0 | LLLLL |
Round 12 Fixtures
Saturday 24 June
CURTIN UNIVERSITY FC vs MUM FC – Edinburgh Oval 5:00 pm
Sunday 25 June
HYUNDAI NTC vs PERTH SC – E&D Litis Stadium 3:00 pm
SUBIACO AFC vs FREMANTLE ITY FC – Rosalie Park 3:00 pm
BALCATTA ETNA FC vs PERTH REDSTAR FC – GRINDLEFORD RESERVE 3:00 pm
GOLDEN BOOT STANDINGS
10 – Reina Kagami (Perth RedStar)
9 – Tia Stonehill (Balcatta Etna FC)
8 – Klaudia Houlis (NTC), Jamie Duncanson (Perth SC) Sam Mathers (MUM FC)
Click here for more NPLW WA coverage.
