2023 NSW NPL Women’s Wrap – Round 14

With NSW celebrating the non-descript monarch’s birthday, you could be forgiven for thinking that the players would be taking a week off, but with six NSW NPL Women’s matches across the long weekend, they did anything but! In this week’s wrap, we dip our lids to the competition’s sharpshooters, the game-changers, and the timing of our best and brightest.

This season Beyond 90 will take a look at the big talking points across the league every week, all the way up to the Big Dance in September.

The Golden Boot heats up

Despite player movement being a constant from season to season in NSW NPL Women’s, this year is already shaping up to be one of the greatest in terms of individual goalscoring records. While there’s no indication we’ll see a repeat of Georgia Yeoman-Dale’s incredible 32-goal haul from 2018, there’s every likelihood that the competition’s three current leading scorers will give Tara Andrews’ 26-goal tally from 2016 a good shake.

Leading the charge is the Queen of Blacktown, APIA Leichhardt winger Ashlie Crofts, who notched lucky goal number 13 this weekend in a 1-1 draw against Sydney University (more on that later). Playing in a freer role than her previous seasons at Blacktown Spartans, Crofts’ ability to both deliver crosses and play off the shoulder for the final touch has her contributing in both the goals and assists column this season.

Trailing behind her though are two new faces in contention for this award: Macarthur Rams striker Kelli Brown, in her debut season in Australia; and NWS Spirit midfielder Sarah Morgan, who has seemingly come from the clouds to terrorise defences this season. While Brown’s pedigree on the age-group international stage speaks for itself, Morgan’s rapid rise from her four goals last season to already reaching double figures in 2023 has us hoping there’s more to come. And with a number of players following close behind, we’re looking forward to seeing which other sharpshooter will push the current terrifying trio for that prestigious shiny shoe come season’s end. 

On the up and up

On the topic of strikers on a tear over the past few weeks, it’s hard to look past Macarthur Rams’ new Kiwi import Kelli Brown. With eight goals in the past four league games, the native of Ngāhinapōuri – a town of around 200 just south of Hamilton, New Zealand – is in as hot of form as anyone in the competition right now.

As incredible as her numbers are the manner of the goals she scores; blessed with a poacher’s instinct, Brown’s finishing with both feet and set-piece abilities have made her a crucial part of Macarthur’s attacking set-up, filling the boots of veteran goalsneak Leena Khamis as best as any player could. 

Part of the Young Football Ferns cohort that claimed a bronze medal at the 2018 Under-17 Women’s World Cup against a Canada side featuring the likes of Jordyn Huitema and Jade Rose, Brown was selected in the inaugural Wellington Phoenix A-League Women squad, featuring six times across the 2021-22 campaign. Yet to earn a cap for Aotearoa’s senior side despite her two winning goals in that tournament, Macarthur have once again found themselves another diamond in the rough, and one that they hope will lead them to silverware.

Moments before the deadline

Parkinson’s Law states that a task will expand to fill the time allotted for its completion, and if there’s one thing university students are known for, it’s leaving everything as late as possible. While we can’t comment on the scheduling models used across the Camperdown campus, fans of Sydney University were treated to yet another late late show against APIA Leichhardt this weekend.

Having had plenty of opportunities of their own – including a brilliantly-saved Annabel Martin free kick in the first half – University would have considered themselves unlucky to fall behind thanks to APIA winger Ashlie Crofts’ brilliant front-post header in the 74th minute. But with the wind at their backs, University streamed forward in the final moments to collect Sophia Varley’s long-range clearance, playing winger Jaime Beaufils in behind the APIA defence to win a corner on the near side.

And with only moments left in the regulation 90 minutes, Martin again showed her set-piece wizardry, rifling her delivery towards the back post to pick out the unmarked Margaux Chauvet, who met the ball perfectly to head University level. They say the early bird gets the worm; turns out it’s actually all about perfect timing.

Around The Grounds
Saturday 10 June
NWS Spirit 3 Sydney Olympic 0 at Christie Park

Sunday 11 June
Bulls Academy 3 Emerging Jets 1 at Northbridge Oval
Manly United 1 Macarthur Rams 5 at Cromer Park
Illawarra Stingrays 0 Northern Tigers 0 at Macedonia Park
Sydney University 1 APIA Leichhardt 1 at Sydney University Football Ground
Bankstown City 3 Blacktown Spartans 0 at Jensen Park
Football NSW Institute vs Gladesville Ravens – postponed

Top Scorers
13 – Ashlie Crofts (APIA Leichhardt)
10 – Kelli Brown (Macarthur Rams), Morgan Roberts (NWS Spirit)