Tuggeranong United's Sarah Daisley. Photo: @KaiMoebus

With little in the way of NPLW1 football currently being played around the country, it was with a sense of gratitude that Beyond 90 got along to the Round 16 coming together between two sides trailing the 2021 Capital Football NPLW1 competition, Tuggeranong United and Wagga City Wanderers. Both have had challenges this season but for both, some good things have sprouted from adversity.

Other Round 16 games that were held this weekend included another key mid-table matchup that will be important in rounding out the top four 2021 contenders, this time between Canberra Olympic and Gungahlin United.

West Canberra Wanderers vs Canberra Croatia
Canberra Olympic vs Gungahlin United
Canberra United Academy vs Belconnen United

Match of the Round: Tuggeranong United vs Wagga City Wanderers

While this was ostensibly a Tuggeranong United home game, it was played on the AIS Synthetic pitch, perhaps due to concern over the state of the Kambah 201 grass field after all the recent rain.

Winless Tuggeranong has managed a degree of consistency this season in on-field personnel, pointing to a stronger and fitter squad than in recent seasons. In fact, the last time Beyond 90 saw them play in person they had their best game of the season, drawing with Canberra United Academy. For this Round 16 game, Amy Wiggan made her third NPLW1 appearance this season with the gloves, while Zoe Williams came into the defence for Alyssa Bozinovska after last week’s eight-goal loss to Gungahlin United.

Conversely, Wagga City Wanderers have been beset by injuries and absences this season, meaning that coach Sam Gray has had to alter selections most weeks. The line-up in this game was a young one, with key outs including influential vice-captain Bronte Buik and the busy Ashley Holder in midfield. Defender Ava Tuksar was also still unavailable. Coming off a drubbing against Belconnen United, this matchup against Tuggeranong United was nevertheless an opportunity for the Wanderers to record their third win against Tuggeranong this season.

Wagga City’s Piper Lockley about to be cut off by Ashley-Lea Condon, with Lara Mustaine in pursuit. Photo: @KaiMoebus

As is often the case in the beautiful game, it would come down to which team wanted it most.

A perfect rainbow formed over the pitch at kickoff, as if to smile upon the players toiling in the cold. With a 4:50pm kickoff, the rainbow wasn’t to last long before both the cold and the floodlights really kicked in.

Tuggeranong’s intent was evident early as Wagga City keeper Sam Emms was forced to dive low to her left in the first minute to block a Sophie Bui strike. All the early pressure was with Tuggeranong, who was winning the 50-50’s and keeping their opponents in their own half. Their domination was such in the first stanza that by the time Wagga City was forced to make a substitution for the injured Kimberley Morgan near the half-hour mark, they had barely registered a shot on the Tuggeranong goal. Yet for all their possession, Tuggeranong struggled to hit the target, as evidenced by shots from Bui, Madeleine Magee, Steph Coates, and Jacqui Freeman.

Wagga City keeper Sam Emms under pressure from Sarah Daisley. Photo: @KaiMoebus

Substitution made, Wanderers striker Megan Castle was released down their right flank, but her cross from the by-line was too close to keeper Wiggan.

In the 33rd minute, Wagga City received their second injury blow with Abbey Nolan-Hodges down clutching a knee. The game was held up for a time as Nolan-Hodges was stretchered off. Here’s hoping that the knee isn’t as bad as initially feared.

Tuggeranong’s Rhiannon Daisley had two bites of the cherry late in the half, with Piper Lockley doing well to block the first attempt, while the second sailed over Emms’ crossbar. Lockley had a chance of her own just minutes later after Wiggan handled the ball outside her own box, but Lockley’s bullet of a free-kick was blocked by the Tuggeranong United wall.

Tuggeranong’s pressure finally told just before halftime as Magee’s sojourn into the left side of the Wagga penalty box resulted in a shot that was parried by Emms, and Bui was on the spot for the tap in and a deserved Tuggeranong half-time lead.

 

The long break awaiting Nolan-Hodges’ exit from the game meant that the halftime break was shortened, and soon the players were underway for the second stanza.

With Buik and Holder not on the park, the talented Lockley took it upon herself to orchestrate the Wagga City attack, and almost all their attacking moments in the game seemed to stem from her boot. The Tuggeranong midfield had more of an even impact on the game, with the Daisley sisters, Freeman, and Coates all committed to winning the midfield battle and building the attack. This multi-dimensional approach would prove telling.

Once again the early action was in and around the Wagga City box. Just six minutes into the half Bui doubled her tally and Tuggeranong’s lead, picking her spot well from just inside the penalty area and finding the bottom right corner.

Tuggeranong was definitely in the mood and this was evident in turnovers; where Magee and Terry can often be seen streaming forward when their team gains possession and are their main attacking outlets, in the second half they were often joined by their midfielders coming forward.

Two minutes after scoring it was Bui’s turn to become the creator as she lobbed a ball across to Magee down the left side of the attack. Turning onto her right foot, Magee’s chip was good enough to beat Emms but not the crossbar.

Terry’s runs from right wingback have been an outstanding feature of the Tuggeranong game this season, but major kudos goes to defender Sophie Cary (and coach Gray) for Cary being able to match it with Terry throughout this contest, nullifying her impact for the majority of the game.

Zoe Terry on a characteristic run. Photo: @KaiMoebus

A remarkable four successive corners to Tuggeranong United near the hour mark were a pointer to how the game was going, but none of them proved fruitful.

A mainstay in attack during the Wagga City season, it was unusual to see Castle substituted in this game with 20 minutes to go, but with so much ball in Wagga City’s half, her influence on the game had been somewhat marginalised. Christina Grauer-Kompos would come into more prominence late in the game as Wagga City attacked, supporting Lockley’s tireless efforts.

Bui continued to work well, sometimes as a false nine directing the ball towards her wide runners. Magee was the beneficiary just after Castle left the field, but the resulting shot was directed straight at Emms.

Sophie Bui gets the ball under control. Photo: @KaiMoebus

Tuggeranong defender Ashley-Lea Condon had some good moments with 15 minutes to go, first initiating an attack, and then tidily performing her defensive duties. 

Rhiannon Daisley narrowly missed a sharp chance with nine minutes to go on the Wagga City six-yard box, shinning her volley just wide of goal. 

An incredible save by Emms with five minutes to go saw Magee’s fine strike from Tuggeranong’s left edge tapped onto the crossbar, and while Bui was on the spot for a possible close-range hat-trick, she was judged to be offside.    

A late shot from distance by Wagga City’s Grauer-Kompos was comfortably taken by Wiggan and proved to be the final attacking move of the game. The final whistle saw the team from the Tuggeranong Valley celebrate their first win of the season. 

 

Despite the talent on display in this game and evidence of growth and emerging players, it cannot be denied that both teams remain significantly behind the rest of the league on the competition ladder, with seventh-placed Wagga City sixteen points behind sixth-placed West Canberra. Both contestants in this Round 16 match have conceded around fifty (!) more goals than West Canberra.

Gungahlin United’s 4-5 away win against Canberra Olympic sees the Gunners into the top four this week as the mid-table revolving door of third and fourth-placed teams continues.


Final score:

Tuggeranong United 2 (Bui 45+10′ 51′)

West Canberra Wanderers 0

 

Teams:

Tuggeranong United – Coach: Paulo Romero

Amy Wiggan, Zoe Terry, Lara Mustaine (c), Ashley-Lea Condon, Zoe Williams, Rhiannon Daisley, Steph Coates, Sarah Daisley, Madeleine Magee, Jacquelyn Freeman, Sophie Bui

Subs: Cara Ceruti (88′ => S. Daisley), Claire Falls, Kenzie Osfield  

Yellow/Red cards: Nil

Wagga City Wanderers – Coach: Sam Gray

Samantha Emms, Bree Lyons, Sophie Cary, Suze Waia (c), Rennae Sillett, Hannah Stevens, Abbey Nolan-Hodges, Piper Lockley-Hinschen, Kimberley Morgan, Christina Grauer-Kompos, Megan Castle

Subs: Casey Smith (28′ => Morgan), Ashley Holder, Elvein Ibrahim (33′ => Nolan-Hodges), Molly Surian (69′ => Castle)

Yellow/Red cards: Nil


Around The Grounds:

West Canberra Wanderers 0 – 4 Canberra Croatia
Canberra Olympic 4 – 5 Gungahlin United
Canberra United Academy 0 – 2 Belconnen United


Ladder:

Pos Team P W D L For Against GD Pts
1 Canberra Croatia FC 16 14 1 1 71 14 57 43
2 Belconnen United FC 16 13 1 2 70 14 56 40
3 Canberra Olympic FC 16 8 1 7 43 36 7 25
4 Gungahlin United FC 16 8 0 8 45 28 17 24
5 Canberra United Academy 16 7 3 6 35 34 1 24
6 West Canberra FC 16 7 1 8 22 27 -5 22
7 Wagga City Wanderers FC 16 2 0 14 12 77 -65 6
8 Tuggeranong United FC 16 1 1 14 8 76 -68 4

 

Next week:

Round 17

  • Belconnen United vs Canberra Olympic, McKellar Park, Saturday 7 August, 3:00pm
  • Wagga City vs Gungahlin United, Gissing Oval, Sunday 8 August, 2:30pm
  • Canberra United Academy vs West Canberra, Hawker Enclosed, Sunday 8 August, 3:00pm
  • Tuggeranong United vs Canberra Croatia, Kambah 201, Sunday 8 August, 3:10pm
Follow all our ACT NPLW coverage here
Steffen Moebus
Steffen Moebus
Steffen is a life-long Canberra resident and enjoys covering football in and around his home town, as well as Aussies participating in the Nordic leagues (Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Denmark).
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