While we once again didn’t have a full round of games in the NSW NPL competition, thanks to the postponement of Sydney Olympic v Northern Tigers & Sydney University v APIA, we were still treated to a hearty helping of excitement and drama across the four matches that were played.
This week’s featured game took us to western Sydney for the clash between Football NSW Institute and Illawarra Stingrays.
Football NSW Institute v Illawarra Stingrays
Illawarra Stingrays are off the mark after a 2-1 away win at Valentine Sports Park over Football NSW Institute. Goals from the returning Talitha Kramer and club legend Michelle Carney were enough for Bruce Tilt’s side, with Institute’s goal coming from Holly McNamara.
Postponements in the opening round meant this was the first competitive fixture in 2021 for both teams. New Institute goalkeeper Isobel Davy slotted straight into the starting lineup after joining from Canberra United Academy, and they also fielded a trio of Junior Matildas – Darcey Malone, Bryleeh Henry & Jordan Jasnos.
Meanwhile, Illawarra’s lineup would be familiar to Western Sydney Wanderers fans as the south coast side named seven players with W-League experience in red & black. Former Institute player Sheridan Gallagher started at left back, while Kramer played on the left wing in her first game since suffering an ACL injury while at Northbridge.
It was those two players who would combine for the game’s opener on 13 minutes. Gallagher played a left wing corner kick into the danger zone and Kramer obliged by bundling the ball home from point blank range – 1-0 to Illawarra.
Gallagher showed her vision again soon afterwards with a perfectly weighted ball over the top for Erica Halloway, who managed to lob the onrushing Davy but couldn’t hit the target.
That miss wouldn’t matter though as Illawarra made it 2-0 in the 19th minute. Two brilliant passes created the goal – Margaux Chauvet’s switch of play found Danika Matos, and her pinpoint right wing cross was headed home by Carney.
At this point the Stingrays were in control, but that would change just past the half hour when Institute won a corner and Estelle Fragale’s shot was handled in the area. Holly McNamara stepped up and converted the spot kick in spite of Sophie Emery getting a hand to the ball, pulling the score back to 2-1.
McNamara could have equalised a couple of minutes later when she raced onto a long pass from Gemma Ferris, however she fired wide under pressure from Emery and Casey Johnson.
Institute coach Jaime Gomez introduced Sarah Hunter at the break. The creative midfielder would test the Stingrays defence on several occasions and she set up two chances for McNamara in the early stages of the second period, with Emery saving both times.
For their part, Illawarra still looked dangerous. On 51 minutes, Chloe Middleton, Halloway and Matos combined on the counter before Caitlin Cooper had a shot blocked by Ferris.
The Junior Matildas connection could have paid off for Institute in the 56th minute as Henry headed over from a Jasnos left wing cross. Six minutes later, Malone started a sweeping counter attack by finding McNamara, who then curled a pass through for Henry, but her shot from range was off target.
With just over 20 minutes remaining, Kramer nearly grabbed her second of the afternoon when she received Gallagher’s through pass, brushed off a challenge and headed straight for the area, only to be denied by an excellent save from Davy.
The Stingrays then had Chauvet to thank for preserving their lead. On 79 minutes, McNamara’s cross from the right wasn’t cleared and Chauvet had to scramble, blocking shots from Henry and Chessari. That was as close as Institute would get to an equaliser, and in stoppage time Kramer could have scored Illawarra’s third, but instead she headed wide from Gallagher’s corner kick.
Next weekend, Institute are on the road and will face Emerging Jets at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility. Illawarra return home to JJ Kelly Park for a game against Northern Tigers.
Late winners were the story in the day’s other games. Laura Murtagh’s 84th minute strike led Macarthur Rams to a 1-0 win over Emerging Jets, Michelle Dal Bon’s 89th minute header was the only goal as Blacktown Spartans defeated Bankstown City, and Junior Matilda Kahli Johnson completed a dramatic Manly United comeback in the 92nd minute to give the Champions a 3-2 victory over NWS Koalas.
Football NSW Institute 1 (Holly McNamara 32’)
Illawarra Stingrays 2 (Talitha Kramer 13’, Michelle Carney 19’)
Football NSW Institute: Isobel Davy, Claudia Valletta, Ella Buchanan, Gemma Ferris, Estelle Fragale (Amalia Plummer 84’), Darcey Malone, Amy Chessari (Erin Gordon 84’), Isabella Chidiac (Sarah Hunter 46’), Bryleeh Henry, Holly McNamara (c), Jordan Jasnos
Unused substitutes: Tahlia Franco, Daniela Galic, Megan Mifsud, Anabelle Ghabach
Illawarra Stingrays: Sophie Emery, Danika Matos, Margaux Chauvet, Casey Johnson (Alicia Meuronen 84’), Sheridan Gallagher, Caitlin Cooper, Molly Lawless (Ursula Bratjanscak 88’), Chloe Middleton, Erica Halloway, Michelle Carney (c), Talitha Kramer
Unused substitutes: Chloe Carmichael, Ashley Kotevski
Around the Grounds
Bankstown City 0 Blacktown Spartans 1
Macarthur Rams 1 Emerging Jets 0
NWS Koalas 2 Manly United 3
Postponed: Sydney Olympic v Northern Tigers, Sydney University v APIA Leichhardt.
