2023 NSW NPL Women’s Wrap – Round 16

We’re just three weeks from the 2023 Women’s World Cup, and with football all over the news this weekend thanks to the tournament parade across Sydney Harbour, what better time to check in on the local game? Join us as we skip across the city and surrounds to witness the end of an era, marvel at a four-goal extravaganza, and confirm the kids are in fact alright. 

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.

It’s finally happened!

Cyrus’ conquering of Babylon, the prolonged fall of Rome, the abdication of child emperor Puyi; like all things in life, every dynasty eventually comes to an end. So is the case for the until-now Undefeated Empresses of NSW NPL Women’s, APIA Leichhardt, finally succumbing to the inevitable in a 2-3 home defeat against Bankstown City.

Scoring two goals in the first three minutes through Susan Phonsongkham before she provided a delightful assist for Alexia Karrys-Stahl’s third, Bankstown made hay while the sun shone by pouncing on any mistake in APIA’s midfield and immediately heading goalwards. APIA were gifted a lifeline through Skye Casacchia’s clumsy tackle on Holly McNamara just before half-time saw the home side awarded a penalty kick, duly dispatched by Ashlie Crofts, but Tash Prior’s goal 15 minutes from full-time was nought but a consolation as Bankstown secured a famous win.

While well short of Sydney University’s long-standing record undefeated record, APIA’s achievements so far this season have been nothing short of impressive. Still having to look over its collective shoulder at the trailing Macarthur Rams – now just four points in arrears – APIA will know that the consistency for which they’ve already become known will be a prerequisite to guarantee silverware.

Home away from home.

Looking back since her introduction to Australian audiences during her stint at Western Sydney Wanderers last A-League Women season, you’d have to wonder whether Sarina Bolden would at any point in her life have imagined playing in a pink skivvy and navy tights under floodlights on a frigid Wollongong evening. Born in Santa Clara in northern California, Bolden would be no stranger to the cold seaside nights for which the Bay Area is known, and while her footballing journey has taken her from college in Los Angeles to club football in Sweden, Japan, and Taiwan, her latest employer Illawarra Stingrays seems as far away from those previous as any two clubs in the world.

Only five matches into her NSW NPL Women’s career, Bolden has already proven herself to be a handful even in a less-than-successful team this season, netting her side’s lone goal in its only loss since her arrival, a 1-3 defeat to Sydney Olympic. Despite her best efforts for somewhat meagre returns, Bolden more than threw off the shackles against Emerging Jets this week, scoring four goals before half-time as the Stingrays took a five-goal lead into the break.

A brace from Canberran wizard Sasha Grove and a well-taken free-kick from Michelle Carney rounded off the scoring for Illawarra, who despite their best intentions were unable to keep a clean sheet thanks to Brinley Gentle’s penalty – her 11th goal of the season. With Bolden’s killer instinct seeming to have honed itself to a fine point over the past weeks, the Stingrays will surely be looking to take advantage of their Filipina star before she’s snapped up for international duty.

Six of the best

While this wrap is focused on NPL Women’s senior competition, this author recognises that excellence starts at home, and so we would be remiss to ignore the achievements of Cromer Park’s finest this weekend. Hosting Gladesville Ravens this weekend, Manly United achieved the impressive feat of winning across each of their six grades, managing clean sheets in every match from under-16s to first grade. 

Starting out bright and early with a 2-1 win in under-12s, Manly went on to win 5-1 in under-14s, 7-0 in under 16s, and 2-0 in under 18s, before earning a 1-0 win in reserve grade and a 2-0 victory in the final match of the evening. With only the club’s first grade team sitting outside the top half of its respective league standings so far, the Northern Beaches outfit is among those setting the standard in NSW, producing talent across the local association and readying their players for the big time. 

Around The Grounds
Saturday 24 June
NWS Spirit 2 Blacktown Spartans 0 at Christie Park

Sunday 25 June
Bulls Academy 1 Sydney University 0 at Northbridge Oval
Sydney Olympic 1 Football NSW Institute 2 at Peter Moore Field
Macarthur Rams 2 Northern Tigers 0 at Lynwood Park
Manly United 2 Gladesville Ravens 0 at Cromer Park
APIA Leichhardt 2 Bankstown City 3 at Lambert Park
Illawarra Stingrays 8 Emerging Jets 1 at Macedonia Park

Top Scorers
15 – Ashlie Crofts (APIA Leichhardt)
11 – Kelli Brown (Macarthur Rams), Brinley Gentle (Emerging Jets), Morgan Roberts (NWS Spirit)