Perth RedStar with the Regional Challenge Cup after beating the Hyundai NTC. Image credit Football West/Sheldon Nouchy

Round 9 of the NPLW was spread not just over the whole weekend but also geographically with one game taking part in Albany, some 500km south of Perth, as part of Football West’s Regional Festival of Football.

By the end of the round, there was a six-point gap between first and second, but just three points seperate second and sixth spots in what is shaping up to be one of the tightest competitions in the NPLW since its inception in 2020.

Curtin University 0 – 4 Balcatta Etna FC

The round kicked off on Friday evening at a chilly Edinburgh Oval where bottom-placed Curtin University took on the in-form Balcatta Etna who were looking to record a third win on the bounce to maintain their push for a top-four spot.

The game followed the form book from the off with the visitors dominating the early stages as they pushed for the opening goal. Curtin stuck to their defensive shape well though and managed to frustrate Balcatta Etna until the 17th minute when Tia Stonehill broke free of her marker to roll the ball into the net.

Stonehill then added her second of the night, and seventh of the season, in the 42nd minute when she reacted quicker than the home defence to nod home a cross from Andrea Bulgaru.

The second half saw more of the same as Balcatta Etna dominated possession but were frustrated by some well-organised defending and last-ditch interceptions.

The pressure on the defence was bound to reap rewards though and in the 69th minute, Monique D’Opera scored the goal of the game when she strode out of defence and hit a low shot from outside of the box to make the score 3-0.

The visitors added a fourth in the 73rd minute when Opal Mohammad Zainurrafiq scored her first NPLW goal by stabbing the ball home from close range after the Curtin defence had failed to deal with a cross.

Opal Mohammed Zainurrafiq in 2021. Image Credit Neil Bennett.

Coach Tim Cash was pleased with the result and had praise for Curtin when he spoke after the game;

“We are really pleased with the win against an improved Curtin team,” he said

“We mixed up the team and tactics resulting in four goals. Every goal was well taken with some nice creativity in the build-up. 
 
“We have a close group and the new players fitted in really well. Special mentions to the goal scorers and notably to Opal Z who scored her first senior goal.”
 
The win hasn’t changed Balcatta Etna’s position on the table, but they now sit just two points behind 5th-placed NTC with a game in hand.
 
With three wins in a row, they are building a head of steam as they mount a serious challenge for a top-four spot.
 
Their next league game is in two weeks’ time, after the State Cup round, against Subiaco. A win will continue their momentum and further underline their credentials as genuine contenders for finals football.
 
Curtin has certainly shown resilience in their last two outings, but they have a mountain to climb to overcome the six-point deficit between them and seventh-placed Subiaco, whilst the demise of their U21 side over the weekend was unwelcome news for them in an already difficult season.
 
Their next game is against Fremantle City and anything other than another defeat seems highly unlikely.
 
Post-match statistics Curtin University vs Balcatta Etna. Image credit streamer.com.au
Hyundai NTC 0 – 2 Perth RedStar FC
As part of their Regional Football Week, Football West arranges for one round of the NPLW to be played in regional WA. The game always features the Hyundai NTC, and this year their opponents were league leaders Perth RedStar FC. The venue was the Retravision Stadium in the Great Southern town of Albany, some 500km from Perth.
 
The form of the two teams going into the game couldn’t have been more different with the NTC having lost their last three games whilst their opponents were undefeated in their previous seven.
 
From the outset, the league champions showed they were determined to avoid a repeat of their opening-round defeat by NTC and pressed their opponents to deny them the opportunity to play through the lines. Time and again passes from the back or midfield were picked off by RedStar players and it was no surprise when the opening goal arrived in the 23rd minute.
 
A pass out from the NTC defence went straight to Reina Kagami just outside the box. With a quick drop of the shoulder, she beat a defender and then took a couple of strides into the area before hitting a right-foot shot into the net to make it 1-0.
 
RedStar continued to dominate possession but couldn’t convert the chances they created and the score remained 1-0 at the break to offer their opponents a glimmer of hope of getting something out of the game.
 
The introduction of Tanika Lala at the break signalled the intention of NTC’s coach, Ben Anderton, to chase for an equaliser, and for the first 15 minutes of the half his side showed more attacking intent. They enjoyed a greater share of possession but couldn’t really test Shivani Battaglia in the RedStar goal.
 
NTC Captain Grace Johnston (l) and RedStar Captain Jacinta Coleman tussle for the ball. Image credit Football West/Sheldon Nouchy

In the 66th minute, RedStar scored their second and effectively killed the game as a contest. A slip by the NTC defence presented the ball to Kagami outside the area. She played a neat one-two with substitute Sofia Neal before hitting a left-foot shot into the corner of the net to make it 2-0. This was not only her second of the game but also her ninth of the season and she is now the outright leader in the race for the Golden Boot. 

The win opens up a six-point lead over the chasing pack for Perth RedStar whilst the loss sees NTC fall out of the top four for the first time this season.
 
Perth RedStar’s coach Carlos Vega Mena was obviously pleased with the win and had this to say in his post-match comments;
 
“The Regional Festival of Football is a great initiative by Football West and we were honoured and privileged to be involved,” he said.
 
“NTC is always a challenge and they are a spirited and well-coached side full of youthful energy” he added.
 
“We were able to control the game and maintain possession of the ball which saw us bring home the three points along with the cup. I’m very proud of the team’s performance both on and off the pitch.”
 
After the State Cup next weekend, RedStar next face Perth SC, knowing that a win in that game will create a nine-point gap over the team who were their closest rivals last season.
 
The Hyundai NTC will play MUM FC in their next game which will be a fascinating matchup between the two youngest sides in the league. They will be hopeful that the return of some key players will help them gain some revenge for the 5-1 loss the last time they played each other. 
 
MUM FC 1 – 2 Fremantle City 

There was another game on Saturday, with MUM FC hosting Fremantle City. Both sides have had good seasons so far. MUM were in second place going into the game, having lost just one of their previous five games, and had also beaten Fremantle City in the opening round. Fremantle City were also in good form having lost just one game in their last four.

The opening 15 minutes were evenly contested with both sides having chances to go ahead, and it needed a goal of real quality to open the scoring in the 20th minute. MUM FC’s Jessica Johnson received the ball on the right wing just inside the Fremantle half. She carried the ball at pace beating her full back just outside the penalty area, before taking a couple of more paces and firing a low right-foot shot into the opposite corner of the goal to give Fremantle Keeper, Dayle Schroeder, no chance. This was her fifth goal of the campaign and put her side 1-0 up. 

Fremantle then came back strongly looking for an equaliser but found the MUM FC defence to be well-organised with goalkeeper Stacey Cavill in fine form. In pushing for an equaliser they left themselves open to counterattacks and MUM had a couple of chances to go further ahead but they went begging.

Fremantle got their equaliser just before halftime when Katarina Jukic fired a shot from outside of the box which was parried away by Cavill. The MUM defence switched off for a few seconds allowing Laura Waltman to cross the ball back into the box. Cavill couldn’t quite get to the ball and it broke free to the unmarked Jukic who made no mistake with her header from close range to score her second goal in as many games and make the score 1-1.

The second half almost saw Fremantle take an immediate lead as they were awarded a penalty in the 48th minute. Annabelle Leek stepped up to take the kick, but Cavill produced a fine save low down to her right to keep the scores level.

The port city side did eventually take the lead in the 56th minute. Abbey Green passed the ball to Jamie Lee Gale who slung in a terrific cross from deep on the left. Olivia Trueman showed great strikers instinct to get to the ball ahead of her defender and her header found the back of the net, much to the joy of her teammates to make the score 2-1.

That was how the game ended, and the result lifts Fremantle into the top 4, just one point ahead of their opponents who now sit in fourth spot.

MUM FC’s coach David Biancusso spoke after the game;

“(The) last 2 games we have played teams that, with their experience, will go a long way in deciding the title this season,” he said

“Even though we have suffered at times, we have never given up and have continued to play our style.

“We know that we have to keep getting better each week as it is such a tight competition (but) we have some sensational young talent and some older heads to help during the tough times.”
 
Included in that younger talent is 14-year-old Isabella Wainwright who came on as a first-half substitute. She is the sister of captain Charli Wainwright and according to her coach is “going to be a star of the future.” 
 
This was the second defeat in a row for MUM and they face another tough game in the next round when they play the Hyundai NTC, who will be looking for some redemption after losing 5-1 the last time these two teams met.
 
Fremantle City are now moving smoothly through the gears with their experienced players showing the way. They have lost just once in their last five games and should record another win when they take on Curtin in the next round as they try and keep pace with leaders Perth RedStar.
 
Post-match statistics MUM FC vs Fremantle City. Image credit Streamer.com.au
Subiaco AFC 0 – 1 Perth SC

The final game of the round was on Sunday with Subiaco AFC hosting Perth SC. This was a must-win game for Perth if they were to arrest their run of three losses in their last four games and get their title challenge back on course.

For Subiaco, this was also a game they would want to win as the result on Friday had left them seven points adrift of sixth spot.

In a fairly tepid first half, Perth had the better of the chances and Subiaco keeper Ashleigh Riddle was the busier of the two keepers. Things became much livelier in the second half though with Becky Bennett, the Perth SC goalkeeper, forced to make some smart saves within the first five minutes of the restart.

Perth then wrestled the initiative from Subiaco and forced a number of saves from Riddle who was forced to leave the pitch on the hour due to a dislocated shoulder. This saw the arrival of young Jemma Skinner for her first game at the senior level in the NPLW.

Perth coach, Peter Rakic, then brought on Gemma Craine in an attempt to get the all-important opening goal. His side started to dominate the game and they began testing the diminutive Skinner. She made some good saves but eventually, Subiaco’s resistance was broken in the 75th minute. 

Craine sent over a cross from the right which was initially missed by Monique Godding in the centre, but the ball bounced kindly for her following her mis-control and she was able to turn the ball into the net.

Despite Subiaco’s best efforts, they couldn’t find a way back into the game and the loss keeps them well and truly anchored near the bottom of the table.

Subiaco coach, Greg Farrell, was frustrated by the result when he spoke after the game;

“We defended well but are disappointed not to have held Perth out,” he said.

“We created quite a few chances but we were not good enough at testing Bec Bennett in the Perth goal. With the 4 or 5 good chances that we had we didn’t test the keeper or attack with enough belief and that’s something that has to improve.”

Subiaco’s next opponents are Balcatta and time is rapidly running out for them if they wish to make the top four. Goals are the main issue for Subiaco who have scored 16 of their 21 against Curtin but only have five goals from their other six games.

For Perth SC this was a huge win and has lifted them back into the top four, but their injury list is now becoming alarming. Despite welcoming Craine back after her hamstring injury they are now without Jaymee Gibbons, Jaime Duncanson, Faye Phillips, Ellie La Monte, Alyssa Van Heurck and Poppie Hooks. Hooks may be back soon but the others may all be out for extended periods and there is the possibility of surgery being required for Duncanson and Phillips which would rule them out for the rest of the season.

Despite all this though, Rakic was a relieved coach at the end of the game;

“Happy to take away the 3 points in a match that I thought was a total arm wrestle,” he said.

“I believe we appeared in control for most of our build-up play but just couldn’t get anything to fall in the final third and it was a credit to Subiaco’s resilient defending.

“They certainly tested us in their moments as well and we relied on Beck to pull off some brilliant saves. The injection of Jess Flannery and Gemma Craine gave us that extra spark in the second half.

“It was great to see the team put in a solid performance to edge us over the line”

Perth next face Perth RedStar in the league and will need a win to prevent the league leaders from maintaining or even increasing the six-point gap they have over them.

Post-match statistics Subiaco AFC vs Perth SC. Image credit Streamer.com.au

Click here for the Round 9 goal highlights.

League Standings after NPLW WA Round 9

    P W D L GF GA GD Points
1 Perth RedStar 9 7 1 1 22 5 +17 22
2 Perth SC 9 5 1 3 32 8 +24 16
3 Fremantle City 9 5 1 3 19 16 +3 16
4 MUM FC 9 5 0 4 23 16 +7 15
5 Hyundai NTC 9 5 0 4 21 17 +4 15
6 Balcatta Etna FC 8 4 1 3 21 9 +12 13
7 Subiaco AFC 8 2 0 6 21 18 +3 6
8 Curtin University 9 0 0 9 2 72 -70 0

Round 10 Fixtures

Friday 9th June
MUM FC vs HYUNDAI NTC – Besteam Stadium 7:30 pm

Sunday 11th June
BALCATTA ETNA FC vs SUBIACO AFC – Grindleford Reserve 3:00 pm
CURTIN UNIVERSITY FC vs FREMANTLE CITY FC – Edinburgh Oval 3:00 pm
PERTH REDSTAR FC vs PERTH SC – RedStar Arena 3:00 pm

GOLDEN BOOT STANDINGS
9 – Reina Kagami (Perth RedStar)
8 – Klaudia Houlis (NTC), Jamie Duncanson (Perth SC)
7 – Ellie La Monte (Perth SC), Tia Stonehill (Balcatta Etna FC)
6 – Samantha Mathers (MUM FC), Frankie Murray (Subiaco AFC)

Click here for more NPLW WA coverage.

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