Round 6 of the NPLW saw the end of the last unbeaten record, a winless streak continue, a new leader at the top of the table and the appearance of three Perth Glory ALW players in club colours.
Balcatta Etna FC 2 – 3 MUM FC
Going into this game both sides knew that a win for them and a favourable result in the Fremantle City vs Hyundai NTC game would see them into the top 4, so there was a little bit of added interest in this game between 5th and 6th.
Balcatta was buoyed by the signing of Perth Gory’s Sadie Lawrence during the week, but she was not in the starting XI for this game as coach Tim Cash kept her on the bench for her first game back in Balcatta colours after an absence of nearly 10 years.
MUM was full of confidence after their 10-goal mauling of Curtin in the previous round and were soon moving the ball around well, but it was the home side who struck first when, on the stroke of halftime, a neat one-two between Tia Stonehill and Monique Prinsloo, released Prinsloo to cross for Andrea Bulgaru to score at the back post for her first NPLW goal.
In the second half, MUM FC continued to play a neat passing game and their midfield was in the ascendancy through the impressive duo of Charli Wright and Clara Hoarau. This gave them the platform to press Balcatta and they scored a well-deserved equaliser in the 59th minute when Samantha Mathers dribbled to the byeline and pulled the ball back for Sophie Meaden. Her initial shot was saved, but she reacted quickest to bury the rebound into the net.
Balcatta retook the lead in the 62nd minute when the combination of Prinsloo and Bulgaru again produced a goal, with Prinsloo squaring the ball in the box for a neat finish by Bulgaru.
The game then became a little frantic as MUM pressed for an equaliser, which duly arrived in the 65th minute. Mathers was picked out at the top of the box with a nice pass from the right and her sweetly hit first-time shot curled into the bottom corner of the net.
A shot from Stonehill in the 69th minute bounced back off a post and nearly gave the home team an equaliser but MUM then hit the hosts with a rapid counterattack just seconds later. The ball was moved quickly to Mathers on the left with a fine ball by Hoarau and her cross evaded the Balcatta defence to leave Jessica Johnson unmarked at the back post to knock the ball in.
The 3-2 win keeps MUM just one point outside of the top four, whilst the defeat for Balcatta means they have only won one game and are six points from fourth-placed Fremantle City.
Balcatta coach Tim Cash spoke after the game and paid tribute to MUM FC.
“(It was an) entertaining game that produced chances and goals. Andy Bulgaru scored her first two goals at the first-team level, but we didn’t take our other chances,” he said.
“We were busy but MUM are an exciting young team with skill and speed, and I must give them the credit that they deserve. The progress is there but we have so much more to give.”
MUM next take on Subiaco who are currently winless in their last three games and sit in 7th spot on the ladder. Three points in that game and a favourable result in the RedStar vs Fremantle game will see them move into the top four.
For Balcatta, this would have been a disappointing loss as they are now winless in their last four games and have lost their last two. A trip to table-toppers Perth awaits them in round 7 and they will need to be at their very best in that game to get anything against the leagues leading goalscorers.
Fremantle City 2 – 1 Hyundai NTC
The game of the round was at Hilton Park between the league leaders Hyundai NTC and fourth-placed Fremantle.
Fremantle were boosted by the presence of Perth Glory players Tash Rigby and Abbey Green, whilst their visitors were pleased to have the junior Matildas duo of Ischia Brooking and Ruby Cuthbert back in their team.
With a 100% unbeaten record in the league so far, the NTC were brimming with confidence but any thoughts they may have had of extending that start were challenged as early as the fourth minute when Laura Waltman took advantage of an underhit pass from NTC’s goalkeeper, Lily Bailey, to steal possession and steer the ball into the net.
With both sides evenly matched across the park there was little room for error, and the experienced players for Fremantle ensured that the youngsters had to work hard to create chances. The presence of ex-Welsh International and Perth Glory player Carys Hawkins also meant that the threat posed by Mia Britton on the NTC right wing was kept largely in check. Hawkins gave a textbook example of how to defend against a pacy winger and her willingness to join in attacks and deliver telling crosses was one reason why the game remained 1-0 at the break.
The second half continued in much the same manner, although Britton was able to have more of an influence as Hawkins was withdrawn at half-time. The physical nature of the game was evident throughout and a poor challenge on the NTC goalkeeper Bailey as she was clearing from outside of her box in the 71st minute led to her being replaced by backup keeper Meg Phillips, and a yellow card being shown to Fremantle.
After a lengthy delay for the treatment of Bailey, the game restarted and within a minute the NTC had equalised. Keeping possession well, they worked some space for Daisy Groenewald-Shield to hit a perfect through ball for Brooking to run onto and she made no mistake with her finish low into the bottom corner to score her first of the season.
The old saying of you are never more vulnerable than when you have just scored proved to be true as Fremantle then scored their second a minute after the restart. Green produced an excellent run from just inside the NTC half into the penalty box and her cutback found substitute Mikayla Lyons who made no mistake from short range to make the score 2-1.
Fremantle will be delighted with this win and are now back to their best after a shaky start to the season. With players such as Kat Jukic and Jamie-Lee Gale to come back for them they have a squad brimming with experience and know-how and will be a major test for next weeks opponents, Perth RedStar, in what will be the game of the round.
Whilst the NTC have lost their unbeaten start to the season they still showed during the game that they are capable of beating any team. Coach Ben Anderton will be keen to emphasise there is no such thing as a certain three points in football but it’s very difficult to predict anything other than a big victory in their next game against Curtin University.
Subiaco 1 – 4 Perth RedStar
The history of this fixture in the NPLW was not favourable for Subiaco as they hadn’t managed a single point in the eight games played between these two teams in the NPLW era, and within five minutes the visitors looked determined to maintain that record as they opened their account. A long ball out of defence found Sophia Neal in acres of space behind the Subiaco defence. She ran into the box and squared the ball for Olivia Wood to tap into the net and open her account for the season.
That lead was doubled in the 17th minute when Reina Kagami pounced on a piece of poor control by the Subiaco defence just outside of their box. She took the ball on for a couple of paces and then slotted it home to make it 2-0.
Subiaco then struck back in the 23rd minute as Phoenix Brown muscled past Quyen Doan before striking a sweet shot into the top corner.
RedStar had a golden opportunity to restore their two-goal lead in the 34th minute when Sophia Neal was adjudged to have been fouled in the box. With Sarah Carroll not playing, a new penalty taker had to be found and Andreia Teixeira stepped up but put her kick wide.
The second half saw RedStar push their opponents further and further back towards their own penalty area as they searched for a third goal to kill off the game, but their opponents denied them with some rugged and determined defending. Goalkeeper Ashley Riddle pulled off a remarkable save to deny Wood a second when she was through in a one-on-one, and central defender Steph Waycott blocked one with her face as the defending became more desperate.
With just a single-goal lead there is always the chance of a slip-up and Subiaco came close to an equaliser in the 82nd minute when Dakota van Vugt burst clear of the RedStar defence only to be denied by the outstretched foot of Maya Diederichsen in the RedStar goal.
With nerves jangling a little, RedStar finally got the third goal they had been threatening to score all half in the 85th minute. A neat interchange of passes between Kagami, Jay Coleman and Jayna Ridley saw Kagami released into the box and she made no mistake from short range to make it 3-1.
There was just enough time for her to score her third and her side’s fourth when she gambled on a cross into the box from Doan not being dealt with by the Subiaco defence, and she reaped the rewards of that gamble as the ball hit her following the attempted clearance and rolled over the line.
Perth RedStar coach Carlos Vega-Mean was happy with his team’s performance when he spoke after the game.
“It was a tough game against a well-organised team. We controlled most of the game and most of the possession which allowed us to create a lot of opportunities,” he said.
“Subiaco were quick to take advantage of any mistakes which resulted in their goal which made it a suspenseful match until the end.
“I’m happy with the result and the performance of my team.”
For his part, Subiaco coach Greg Farrell, lamented the lack of composure from his players at critical moments.
“We’re disappointed in the result but the performance was another step in the right direction,” Farrell noted.
“I think our performance was the most complete we’ve had but RedStar has been the benchmark for a reason, as they have the players who have the composure and quality to make their moments count. I think we do too and things are going to click which I hope will then see a good run of results to more closely match the performances.”
RedStar’s win lifts them to second spot on the ladder behind the leaders on goal difference alone. They next face Fremantle City in what will be another test of their rebuilding process.
Subiaco next travel to Murdoch to face off against MUM FC and they know they must try and get a win against a side brimming with confidence if they are to kick start their season. Currently in 7th spot they can ill afford to lose much more ground on the top four teams if they are to seriously contest for a spot in finals football at the end of the season.
Perth SC 11 – 0 Curtin University
The NPLW is meant to be a league that stretches teams, but the fixture against Curtin is increasingly being looked on as a 3-point banker with the only question being how many goals will teams score against them.
On this occasion, Perth rattled in 11 with no response and the 3 points take them back to the top of the League with a significant boost to their goal difference.
It was 7-0 at halftime with goals from Abbey Meakins (2), Matilda Bohm, Ella Lincoln, Jamie Duncanson (2) and Ellie LaMonte.
By the end of the game, the home team had added four more with Meakins grabbing one for her hattrick, Duncanson getting two to make it four for her and Monique Godden chimed in with one also.
Perth SC coach Pete Rakic had this to say after the game;
“It’s a result we are happy to take as it gives us a comfortable 3 points and another clean sheet.
“I think in these games it’s important to stick to our principles more than anything and move the ball around with the same intent from the first whistle.
“I was particularly pleased with some of the tidy build-up plays around the edge of the 18-yard box and a few of the team goals that were the end product of this. Glad to say we are back to winning ways and we’ll hope to break into another solid run of form heading into the weekend.”
This was yet another serious defeat for Curtin who have now shipped 57 goals in 6 matches and 21 in their last two. There is little respite for them as they next face the Hyundai NTC who handed them a 14-0 thumping in the night series.
Perth will have a much harder game next weekend when they host local rivals Balcatta Etna, and they will be keen to avoid any slip-ups with RedStar and the NTC breathing down their necks at the top of the table.
Click here for the Round 6 goal highlights.
League Standings after NPLW WA Round 6
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Points | ||
| 1 | Perth SC | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 28 | 3 | +25 | 13 |
| 2 | Perth RedStar | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 3 | +13 | 13 |
| 3 | Hyundai NTC | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 6 | +6 | 12 |
| 4 | Fremantle City | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 10 | +2 | 10 |
| 5 | MUM FC | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 11 | +4 | 9 |
| 6 | Balcatta Etna FC | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 8 | +4 | 4 |
| 7 | Subiaco AFC | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 17 | 14 | +3 | 3 |
| 8 | Curtin University | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 57 | -57 | 0 |
Round 7 Fixtures
Friday 12th May
MUM FC vs SUBIACO AFC – Besteam Stadium 7:30pm
Saturday 13th May
PERTH SC vs BALCATTA ETNA FC – Dorrien Gardens 7:00pm
Sunday 14th May
PERTH REDSTAR vs FREMANTLE FC – RedStar Arena 3:00 pm
HYUNDAI NTC vs CURTIN UNIVERSITY FC – E & D Litis Stadium 3:00 pm
