NPLW WA Round 10 Review

Round 10 of the NPLW WA started with a blockbuster, as first took on second when MUM FC hosted Perth SC at Murdoch University. A win for the home team would open a six point gap between them and the visitors, making them red hot favourites for the title. Perth was equally determined to win though, as three points would bring them level at the top of the table. The scene was set for one of the games of the season.

From the start, MUM was determined to impose themselves on the game, with their front three being ably supported from midfield. The first chance came their way after five minutes when Charli Wainwright had a shot saved by Rebecca Bennett in the Perth goal. Katarina Jukic then got in on the act with a spectacular diving header in the 11th minute, and at this point Perth was struggling to get a foothold in the game. Their game plan of trying to flood the midfield and force MUM wide was taking time to gel, but they gradually started to squeeze the opposition and chances began to dry up for the home team. Jukic was an ever-present threat though and she forced a fine save from Bennett late in the half when the Perth stopper turned her shot over the bar.

Perth would have been happy going in at the break all square, but MUM came out firing early in the second half and on 50 minutes, Jukic beat her marker and fired one at goal only to see it cannon off the bar. At this point, it looked like MUM were bound to score, but Perth has shown they are a hard team to beat this season and in the 55th minute they turned the game on its head.

There had been a flurry of corners for the vistors, and the last of them saw the ball being cleared only as far as Abbey Meakins on the edge of the box. Her shot at goal bounced high off the artificial turf and was headed goalward by Katie Holtham. Liana Cook intercepted the ball but was forced away by MUM skipper Katie Schubert, who was adjudged to have tripped Cook as she tried to shepherd the Perth striker away. Referee Arvin Shanmuganathan had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, and Meakins was ruthless with the resulting penalty kick to send her team 1-0 up and edge them closer to the top of the table.

Perth then had nearly 30 minutes to try and hold on to their lead, and with the meanest defence in the league, they were more than capable of doing so. MUM threw themselves forward in search of an equaliser and came ever-so-close in the 84th minute when Jukic was just wide from short range after some great work by Learmont to get her cross in. Perth held firm though, and whilst the balance of play suggested MUM deserved a point, the scoreline of 1-0 to the Azzurri means they now sit equal top and are looking to go all the way to the title.

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The round’s other big game was at Fremantle, where the fourth placed home team hosted third placed Northern Redbacks. A win for Fremantle would see them leapfrog their opponents, whilst a win for last season’s double winners would see them pull to within four points of the top two, so the stakes were high for both sides.

Almost as soon as the referee blew the whistle to start the game the heavens opened and made the Wauhop Park playing surface even more treacherous to play on. The strong winds and driving rain seemed to suit the home side more and they completely dominated the opening quarter of an hour, with only some wayward finishing and excellent goalkeeping from Morgan Aquino in the Redbacks goal keeping the scores level.

The deadlock was broken in the 18th minute as Redbacks failed to react to a short corner routine. The whipped-in cross was headed home by last week’s two goal hero Isabelle Bridger, who registered her third goal in three games. At this point, Redbacks were looking a pale shadow of the team that had been dominant last season, and it wasn’t until the 30th minute that they were able to mount any meaningful attacks. In the space of two minutes they created chances for Sarah Carroll and Renee Leota but were unable to convert either one.

Fremantle then doubled their lead in the 33rd minute when Mikayla Lyons beat her defender, sending in a dangerous cross which Cheyenne Wise-Jarvis could only divert into her own net. Redbacks threatened again on 35 minutes, but Janelle St Pierre couldn’t keep her shot down and the visitors went into the break trailing 2-0.

Redbacks came out with a more determined mindset for the second period. An almighty goalmouth scramble following a Sarah Carroll corner in the 48th minute almost resulted in a goal and Redbacks players were certain the ball had crossed the line, however referee David Avison was unmoved by their appeals. Despite a better second half showing they couldn’t draw level, and the 2-0 loss has put a serious dent in their top four aspirations. Redbacks can ill afford to drop any more points as the end of the season approaches, while Fremantle will also be aware that any slip in this tight and unpredictable competition would be difficult to recover from.

With Redbacks losing, both the Hyundai NTC and Balcatta had golden opportunities to capitalise with home games against the bottom two sides.

NTC was keen to avoid a repeat of their shock 2-2 draw against Subiaco from earlier in the season. They quickly established a firm grip on the game when they raced to a two-goal lead inside the first quarter of an hour, courtesy of goals from Monique Prinsloo and Judy Connolly. Any lingering doubts about the outcome of the game were ended in the 22nd minute when Connolly displayed some neat footwork before putting her left footed shot away to score her second and her side’s third. Three became four on 27 minutes when the McKenna sisters combined. Older sister Leticia was the beneficiary of a through ball from Tijan that left her with only the goalkeeper to beat, which she did with ease and then passed the ball into the empty net.

Just after the half hour, NTC made it five when Tijan McKenna’s point-blank shot hit goalkeeper Annaleisha Pickering, only to rebound straight to the predatory Prinsloo who returned the ball into the back of the net. There was still time in the half to make it six, as Leticia McKenna was allowed far too much room outside of the box. She beat the onrushing defender and as she advanced into the area the goalkeeper remained on her line, leaving McKenna with the easiest of tasks to pick her spot and despatch the ball into the net.

Throughout the game, Subiaco was never able to get anywhere near their opponents and frequently gave the ball away. It was no surprise at all that they conceded three more goals in the second half through Daisy Mcallister in the 55th minute, an own goal in the 63rd minute and Hana Lowry in the 76th minute. They did manage a consolation in the 89th minute when Amelia Andrew found herself in space about 10 yards inside the touchline and 25 yards out. Her shot sailed over Miranda Templeman’s head and under the bar to register her side’s only goal of the game and just their fourth of the season. The win has really boosted NTC’s goal difference and this could be crucial in the race for the top four.

The other game on Sunday was badly affected by the weather and was called off at half time as the pitch at Balcatta was deemed unplayable by referee Stephen Knight. At that point Balcatta were 1-0 up against Curtin University thanks to a goal from Caitlin Doeglas in the 41st minute, and under the rules of the competition, the result stands giving Balcatta all three points.

The weekend’s results have set up an intriguing round 11, with the three teams on 15 points all involved in games with significant implications.

Redbacks host NTC at Olympic Kingsway knowing that nothing less than three points will keep them in the final four reckonings. NTC won 4-3 in the corresponding fixture earlier this season so will go into the game with no fears.

Balcatta faces local Italian rivals and joint leaders Perth also knowing that they can ill afford to drop points. This will be far from easy though as Perth is full of confidence, are on a five game winning streak and beat Balcatta 2-1 earlier in the season.

There are still plenty of twists and turns to come, but with games running out it’s starting to become “Squeaky Bum” time!

LADDER

Round 10 Fixtures (11th, 12th & 13th Sept)

MUM FC vs Subiaco AFC (11th Sept)
Curtin University vs Fremantle City (12th Sept)
Northern Redbacks vs Hyundai NTC (13th Sept)
Perth SC vs Balcatta FC (13th Sept)

Read more NPLW WA coverage here.