We’re back! After last year’s truncated campaign, the 2021 season will – fingers crossed – bring us 22 rounds (plus finals) of all the entertainment and drama that we have come to expect from the NSW NPL competition.
W-League commitments across the league led to the postponement of four fixtures from the opening round (APIA Leichhardt v Northern Tigers, Blacktown Spartans v Sydney University, FNSW Institute v Sydney Olympic & Illawarra Stingrays v Emerging Jets). Nevertheless, there was still plenty of action over the Easter weekend for fans of this competition to enjoy. Our featured game was in Sydney’s Northern Beaches as defending Champions Manly United hosted Bankstown City.
Manly United v Bankstown City
Manly United started their 2021 season with a 3-1 victory over Bankstown City at Cromer Park. Sophie Nenadovic, Kahli Johnson and Caitlin Jarvie scored for the defending Champions, while Bankstown’s goal was scored by Georgia Plessas.
Both teams were led by coaches making their debuts in competitive 1st Grade football for their respective clubs. Tom Hopley (previously Manly’s Reserve Grade coach) replaced club legend Chris Williams in the home dugout, while Matthew Costantini is now in charge at Bankstown City after leading APIA Leichhardt during the 2020 campaign.
Hopley stuck with the 3-5-2 formation that has become synonymous with Manly United. Libby Copus-Brown and Sophie Nenadovic lined up in midfield, bearing the responsibility of being among the few in the side with W-League experience. Caitlin Jarvie (the other Manly starter to have played in the W-League) partnered 2020 Grand Final goal hero Emily Minett up front.
Bankstown fielded a large number of new signings in a 4-2-2-2 formation. Liana Danaskos skippered the side from defensive midfield, Olivia Price and Logan Garard would roam throughout the contest as tucked-in wingers / dual playmakers, while Cassidy Chidgey was playing her first game for almost two years following an ACL injury.
The game’s first clear chance fell Bankstown’s way in the tenth minute after Garard won the ball and headed straight for goal, with Manly goalkeeper Isabella Whitton able to make a one-on-one save.
That save would prove critical on the quarter hour as the hosts drew first blood. Minett set up Jarvie for a shot which was blocked wonderfully by Bankstown defender Jessica Fallah, Kahli Johnson’s follow up was also blocked, and at the third time of asking Nenadovic was able to find the net.
A few minutes later, Copus-Brown curled an effort wide of the target as Manly looked to double their advantage. They would do so midway through the first half tanks to Johnson. Copus-Brown was heavily involved, sprinting behind the defence and drawing Bankstown goalkeeper Alexis Tan off her line before squaring for the Junior Matilda to score into an empty goal.
It was nearly three just past the half hour in similar circumstances. Copus-Brown beat Tan to a through ball and prodded it to Minett, but the striker’s finish was ruled offside.
The visitors responded well to that close call, as Chidgey linked well with Price and shot wide a minute later. On 35 minutes it got better for Bankstown – Garard lobbed a pass over the Manly backline for Georgia Plessas, who raced away and sent a beautiful shot into the top corner, halving the deficit.
Bankstown finished the first half strongly. Carla Trimboli unleashed a shot that might have been dangerous but for Ruby Jackson’s block, and then a penalty area scramble provided Plessas with two chances, one blocked by a defender and the other saved by Whitton.
That momentum continued into the second half and Bankstown could have drawn level in the 50th minute, but Maryam Mostaghimi seemed to misjudge the flight of Garard’s wicked inswinging corner and could only bundle the ball wide. A couple of minutes later, Plessas forced Whitton to tip her free kick past the post.
Then an unfortunate and heavy collision between Plessas and Manly defender Phoebe Gilbane on 55 minutes led to a four minute stoppage and a yellow card for Gilbane. Plessas was helped from the field with her arm in a sling, the injury confirmed as a broken wrist after the game.
Manly regained control after the resumption of play. A speculative effort from Johnson flew wide of the target, and with just over twenty minutes remaining some brave goalkeeping from Tan prevented Minett from adding to Manly’s tally for the afternoon.
However, there was nothing Tan could do in the 71st minute when Jarvie collected the ball in space and let fly from 35 yards, the ball sailing into the top corner to make it 3-1 to Manly.
The flow of the game was disrupted to an extent after Jarvie’s goal as both coaches made multiple substitutions. To their credit, Bankstown were able to pressure Manly in the closing minutes, disrupting the home side’s attempts to play out from the back.
On 85 minutes, Bankstown’s Alyssa Janssen surged into the area, only to be denied by an amazing slide tackle from Grace Arnold. Bethany McGhee was the next to threaten for the visitors, drawing a good low save from Whitton. In stoppage time, Price tried to cash in after beating three opponents, but Whitton was equal to her shot from the edge of the area.
Manly will have no complaints about a solid win to open the season, one in which they were able to give valuable 1st Grade game time to many of their younger players. With a lot of their competitors set to face fixture congestion and midweek catchup games, it may prove to be an advantage if Manly are able to play all of their early season fixtures on the scheduled dates.
Despite the loss, Bankstown can take plenty of positives. They didn’t collapse after falling behind, which was their problem throughout the 2020 campaign, and they were able to create a number of decent chances in this game.
Elsewhere, a Renee Rollason double and a Bethany Gordon wondergoal took Macarthur Rams to a 3-0 away win over NWS Koalas.
Manly United 3 (Nenadovic 15’, Johnson 22’, Jarvie 71’)
Bankstown City 1 (Plessas 35’)
Manly United: Isabella Whitton, Phoebe Gilbane, Ruby Jackson (Grace Arnold 64’), Nicole Stuart, Jane Vanzino (c) (Sophie Clarke 90+4’), Emily Jensen, Sophie Nenadovic, Libby Copus-Brown, Kahli Johnson, Caitlin Jarvie (Emily Bastow 81’), Emily Minett (Ellie Kerr 76’)
Unused substitutes: Lily Schnitzler
Yellow card: Phoebe Gilbane 55’
Bankstown City: Alexis Tan, Jessica Fallah, Maryam Mostaghimi, Skye Casacchia, Stephanie Ambrose, Carla Trimboli (Isabella Coco-Di Sipio 81’), Liana Danaskos, Logan Garard (Alyssa Rose 78’), Olivia Price, Cassidy Chidgey (Alyssa Janssen 78’), Georgia Plessas (Bethany McGhee 59’)
Unused substitutes: Jennifer Bennett
Yellow card: Isabella Coco-Di Sipio 90+3’
Around the Grounds
NWS Koalas 0 Macarthur Rams 3
Postponed: APIA Leichhardt v Northern Tigers, Blacktown Spartans v Sydney University, FNSW Institute v Sydney Olympic, Illawarra Stingrays v Emerging Jets
