We’re just over the halfway point of the Capital Football NPLW season, and Gungahlin United find themselves in a four-way scrap for finals behind the undefeated Belconnen United. We travelled to Gungahlin Oval to see the Round 11 matchup between the two teams, one which saw the Gunners take the points in the corresponding 2024 fixture.
Other games from this round include:
Canberra Olympic vs Majura FC (full stream)
West Canberra Wanderers vs Canberra Croatia (full stream)
Tuggeranong United had the bye
For an alternate review of the round, check out the Capital Football article from Sam Watson.
Your Beyond 90 Canberra correspondent will be away for most of July 2025. In the meantime, Anthony Caffery Photography, Capital Football News, Snaps By Sal, and Michael Smale Photography will keep you in the NPLW loop!
Match of the Round: Gungahlin United vs Belconnen United
Two goals in two minutes unlocked a halftime stalemate for the Blue Devils early in the second half, after Ayla Robertson was dismissed for a last defender pull-back late in the first. With just 10 players on the field, the Gunners were unable to prevent their opponents from closing out the game.
The home side lined up without two regular attackers: their leading scorer, Bonnie Young, and set-piece taker, Ginger Oliver. They were also without Georgia Ritchie between the sticks, with Hannah Ferguson stepping up as custodian. Annaliese Grove was in her second match for the Gunners after returning from US College football, and Darby Whiteley started the game at left wing.
The Blue Devils were without Isy Hindmarsh and Maddie Steinacker, but welcomed Talia Backhouse into the starting lineup for the first time this year. Both sides handed debuts off the bench to exciting talents from reserve grade, Ella Hall for the Gunners, and Samantha Shea for the visitors.
Conditions were breezy and cool, and black touch-line markings sometimes caused confusion. The majority of the first half was fought out in midfield in the Gungahlin half of the field, thanks to the Blue Devils’ press. There were strong ball-winning performances on both sides, with Backhouse, Gunners captain Maddie Perceval, and her left back Ivy Stevens excelling in their one-on-one battles. The battle between Grove and Keira Bobbin was a compelling one to watch, while behind Grove, Ferguson commanded her box well for the Gunners.
Shots on target in the first half were limited, and the decisive moment of the game came in the 42nd minute. Ayla Robertson was shown a red card for pulling back Pearl Tein on the edge of the Gunners’ area when a rare clear chance on goal beckoned. Backhouse’s free kick cannoned off the crossbar, and the home side entered the sheds having done well to hold the ladder leaders scoreless.
It didn’t take long for fears that a tough Gunners half might lie ahead to manifest. Winning the ball in a goalmouth melee off a corner, Backhouse pushed it into space on her right and delivered a shot into the top left corner of the net, giving Ferguson no chance.
Just one minute later, Anneke Corry’s shot from the left edge of the penalty box rebounded to Bobbin, who placed a shot of her own into the bottom left corner of the net. Her 15th of the season, the goal was to be the last scoring shot of the contest.
Substitute debutant Hall provided some welcome energy to the Gungahlin cause in the second half, but their efforts were understandably expended on trying to contain the Blue Devils. At the other end, there were chances to Backhouse – both in open play and via set piece – as well as Alyssa Di Campli, Corry, and Tein, but none were to overly trouble Ferguson as the game wound down.
And so it was job done for the visitors, while the home side’s need to pick up points from the teams above them in the rounds to come will surely be a focus for Marcial Munoz and his Gunners coaching team.
>>> Full match timeline and team line-ups can be found here <<<
Final score:
Gungahlin United 0
Belconnen United 2 (Talia Backhouse 47′, Keira Bobbin 48′)
Around The Grounds:
Canberra Olympic 7-0 Majura FC
West Canberra Wanderers 1-6 Canberra Croatia
