On a weekend when all games scheduled for grass surfaces were suspended by Capital Football due to wet weather, the NPLW1 competition was still remarkably able to get through three of the four games, with only the Monaro Panthers vs Canberra Croatia game affected. Round 6 games that were held this week included:

Belconnen United vs Wagga City Wanderers (Beyond 90’s match of the round)
Canberra Olympic vs Canberra United Academy
Tuggeranong United vs Woden-Weston FC

Match of the Round: Belconnen United United vs Wagga City

This was a fixture highly anticipated by this Beyond 90 correspondent, who was keen to witness first hand the youthful Wagga City talent on show for the first time in 2020, as well as check back in with the reigning Premiers, not seen live since the season opener. Both sides were coming off good wins with Belconnen overcoming Woden-Weston 7-0, and Wagga City putting five goals past Monaro Panthers for their first win of the campaign.

With the return of captain Michaela Thornton to the Belconnen United starting line-up several weeks back in her customary number 6 role (defensive holding midfield), Mia McGovern has been partnering Karen Clarke in central defence. Vanessa Ryan has also made the adjustment to a defensive role on the left, often interchanging to great effect with Catherine Brown on the left flank as their understanding grows stronger week by week.

Wagga City coach Sam Gray has also made some adjustments this season in the centre of the park. Piper Lockley was a revelation in central midfield last year, but with the addition of the experienced Miranda Walker in that space, Gray has opted to push Lockley to the left side of attack. This gives the Wagga City attack a potent look with Lockley, Megan Castle, and Tess Vaccari lined up across the front, supported by a spine containing Walker and captain Suze Waia in central defence.

Wagga City’s tactics soon came to light after kickoff: play a high line, squeeze the game in both length and width, and try to match the experienced Belconnen side physically in midfield. Led by Walker in the middle, the tactics proved effective in the first half as Belconnen distribution channels (Alexia Forner has to be mentioned here, classy in distribution and on the ball all game) often found themselves devoid of options. The Belconnen offense also took time to adjust, racking up seven off-sides in the first half hour.

But adjust they did. Striker Jas Maguire got her head around holding back her runs, as a Forner through ball allowed her to beat the offside trap in the 32nd minute. Maguire finished well with her left foot for a 1-0 lead.

Chances to Wagga City in this time were limited. Walker tried her hand at strikes from outside the box on 25 and 40 minutes, but neither were quite accurate enough.

With a quality one-touch deflection from Brown to Maguire just before half-time leading to another Maguire left foot pearler, the home side hit the sheds two goals up, but the goal margin perhaps belied the closeness of the encounter to this point.

The question for the young Wagga City side at half time was would they be able to keep this intensity up against more experienced and physically stronger opponents, especially after a three hour trip from Wagga that morning?

Wagga City were brave and tried to maintain the same tactics, but could not sustain their  level of effort and were overrun in the second half. Belconnen came out determined to stretch the game wider, and found much success on the flanks against tiring wide defenders – especially on their left wing – as the game wore on. Wagga’s physical close marking game loosened, meaning space and time became available to play diagonal balls to beat the offside trap. This meant the likes of Jessie Rasschaert and Thornton were able to make deep runs into the Wagga box to devastating effect.

The goal avalanche in the second half began with Rasschaert five minutes into the second half. A Forner top bins dead-ball wonderstrike was a real highlight for the fourth goal, and thereafter there were contributions to the Belconnen goal tally by Nicole Jalocha, substitute Leah Carnegie, Thornton, and beaming youngster Nina Zarevac, whose sheer enjoyment for her time on the park shone brightly.

As Wagga substitutions came on in the second half, coach Gray reverted Lockley to a centre midfield role, perhaps in recognition that she wasn’t getting enough time on the ball. It must be a dilemma for Gray; when placed out on the left wing, touch and control are as invaluable as ever, but especially in games against tough opposition, you simply don’t have the level of involvement that your vision would otherwise allow in the middle of the park. Lockley scored twice in the opening five minutes last week, in a game where the attacking line saw a lot more of the ball than today’s outing. There were some lovely touches here today, and the sentiment likely applies right across this talented forward line; it’s a shame when they are starved of opportunity, but that is going to be your reality on some days.

Sitting amongst the Wagga faithful in the crowd, and feeling the support and community involvement, you sense that Gray and team are onto a good thing, although it may be hard to feel that way after this result. There is talent on offer all around the park, and if this squad can be kept together as they become more experienced in this league, teams will learn that they will most certainly need to look out for the dangers presented by Wagga City Wanderers.

As far as Belconnen United are concerned, the result sees them top the ladder. They don’t appear to have lost much at all insofar as calmness and professionalism, despite three 2019 players shifting to the NSW NPLW1 competition and a late change in coaching staff just before the season start. Their game next week against Canberra Croatia looks to be key in determining who will be Premiers – although Gungahlin United may also have something to say about that – and will be a game not to miss.

Finally, Canberra Croatia may have had their game postponed, but they kept their spirits high with an obstacle course and some delicious looking ćevapi prepared by Cecilija Matic – yum!

Final score:

Belconnen United 8 (Maguire 32′ 44′, Rasschaert 50′, Forner 59′, Jalocha 62′, Carnegie 71′, Thornton 83′, Zarevac 85′)

Wagga City 0

Teams:

Belconnen United – Coach: Ahmed Ugool

Jess Giovinazzo, Jessie Rasschaert, Karen Clarke, Mia McGovern, Vanessa Ryan, Samantha Price, Michaela Thornton (c), Alexia Forner, Catherine Brown, Nicole Jalocha, Jas Maguire
Subs: Katie Woodman (80′ => Rasschaert), Leah Carnegie (53′ => Ryan), Maria Pachi (67′ => Clarke), Nina Zarevac (74′ => Price), Jayla Murphy

Yellow cards: 37′ Michaela Thornton

Wagga City Wanderers – Coach: Sam Gray

Samantha Emms, Lisa Cary, Suze Waia (c), Ava Tuksar, Brandy Nicholson, Miranda Walker, Tia Lyons, Madeline Harris, Tess Vaccari, Megan Castle, Piper Lockley
Subs:  Stacey Collins (81′ => L. Cary), Sophie Cary (75′ => Walker), Kimberly Morgan (83′ => Vaccari), Nikki Krajacic

Yellow cards: Nil

Around The Grounds:

Monaro Panthers vs Canberra Croatia – washed out
Canberra Olympic 6 – 2 Canberra United Academy
Tuggeranong United 0 – 0 Woden-Weston FC
Gungahlin United – bye

Round 7 fixtures can be viewed here.

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