The first round of the 2019 NSW NPL Women’s competition kicked off in style this past weekend with last-minute winners and hat-tricks aplenty across the six live-streamed games.
Match of the Round: Manly United v Macarthur Rams
Reigning Champions Macarthur Rams commenced their title defence against heavy-hitters Manly United at Cromer Park on Sunday afternoon, coming away with all three points after a last-gasp winner was scored by Sydney FC defender Liz Ralston.
The Rams got off to the best possible start, opening the scoring in the fourth minute. Canberra United scholarship player Rosie Galea, finding herself in acres of space around the top of the box, unleashed a sizzling left-footed strike over the outstretched fingers of Manly goalkeeper Nicole Simonsen.
That opening goal seemed to shock Manly into action as the home side began attacking the Rams’ goal in waves. Manly striker Claudia Cholakian had a great chance on nine minutes when she broke the offside trap to go one-on-one with Rams goalkeeper, Canberra United’s Sham Khamis, only for Khamis to get down low and brilliantly stop the incoming strike.
The game opened up after a nervy first 15 minutes, with both teams creating a number of excellent chances. In the 20th minute, the Rams were at it again. After some silky one-touch passing down the right flank, the ball arrived at the feet of Western Sydney Wanderers midfielder Kylie Ledbrook just outside the box; she turned and hit a thunderous strike with her left foot, but it flew just over the crossbar.
Ten minutes later, Manly were level. Cholakian once again broke the Rams’ offside trap and latched onto a delicate through-ball from midfielder Patty Charalambous. Now one-on-one with Khamis, Cholakian’s initial shot was well-saved, but Khamis couldn’t control the rebound, which was easily tapped into the net. 1-1.
Minutes later, Rams forward Galea was firing again, looping a free-kick into the crowd of players wrestling inside the 18-yard box. The ball bounced near the penalty spot without being touched and was headed directly for the roof of the net before Simonsen tipped it over the bar.
The Rams had another great chance on 43 minutes after a cross was fizzed in from the right wing. Simonsen initially did well to get down low and parry it away, while Galea’s follow-up strike was dramatically cleared off the line. Manly then countered quickly, with Charalambous left in plenty of space in the middle of the park, but her attempted lob over Khamis went wide.
Just before half-time, the Rams had a goal disallowed. A cheeky one-two with Galea found Sydney FC’s Liz Ralston, who’d been bombing up the left wing from full-back in attacking moves. Ralston slid the ball across Simonsen and into the back of the net but she was called back for offside.
It was a surprise that both teams went into half-time only 1-1 considering the number of chances each had created.
The second half saw much of the same for the opening twenty minutes as both teams continued matching each other chance-for-chance. While Manly would make a charging counter-attacking runs, finding a lot of joy down the left side, the Rams would defend valiantly as a block and then work the ball back up the field through the central channels.
In the 60th minute, it was Manly’s turn to have a goal disallowed. After some good two-touch team passing from the left into the central midfield, the through-ball to find Charalambous who’d made an incisive run between the Rams defenders was just too late. She was called offside after slotting it into the net.
The first and only yellow card of the game was dished out just one minute later, after Manly’s Ally Green was taken down just centimetres outside the box. However, the subsequent free kick went straight into the wall and was cleared.
On 69 minutes, it was the Rams’ turn to have a free kick in a dangerous area when Ledbrook was ankle-tapped outside the area. Galea stood over the dead ball and struck it well, headed down towards the near post, but it was well saved by a diving Simonsen.
Both teams began to tire in the closing stages of the match; the passes became less clinical, there were more unforced errors, and long balls became more common. Manly’s pre-season fitness work came in handy in this regard as they were the team who looked the most dangerous in the final 15 minutes. The game almost swung in Manly’s favour in the 87th minute when Ally Green’s long-range strike ricocheted off the crossbar and back into the field.
The Rams looked like they were letting the points slip from their grasp. Step up Liz Ralston. In the third and final minute of stoppage time, after a delightful chipped pass from Galea from the midfield, Ralston broke through Manly’s high back line from the left flank and lobbed Simonsen from just outside the area. 2-1.
90+3' GOAL RAMS!!!!! Liz Ralston breaks the offside trap down the left after a classy long ball from Galea. she takes a few touches and chips the goalkeeper from outside the box.
1-2!
— Macarthur Rams FC 🐏 (@MacarthurRamsFC) March 10, 2019
The final whistle blew just moments later, the Rams snatching all three points with the last kick of the game. Overall, despite the home side having the better chances – particularly in the closing 20 minutes – it was a single moment that mattered. It was a thrilling end-to-end match that set the stage for what will be an exciting 2019 season for both teams.
PLAYERS:
MANLY UNITED: Ally Green; Bryany Parker; Cheyenne Wise-Jarvis; Chloe O’Brien; Claudia Cholakian; Eliza Coleman; Ellie Kerr; Emily Bastow; Emily Minett; Hannah Peric; Jane Vanzino; Nicole Simonsen; Patricia Charalambous; Ruby Jackson; Sunny Franco.
MACARTHUR RAMS: Brianna Clarke; Caitlin Orridge; Claire Walsh; Elisha Williams; Elizabeth Ralston; Emma Fattore; Kahlia Muilwyk; Lara Dipple; Laura Murtagh; Leila Braimah-Mahamah; Nikola Orgill; Olyvia Mavridis; Renee Rollason; Rosaria Galea; Shamiran Khamis.
Other Round 1 Results:
NWS Koalas FC 5 – 0 Emerging Jets
Bankstown City FC 0 – 5 Sydney University SFC
Sydney Olympic FC 5 – 2 Blacktown Spartans FC
Football NSW Institute 2 – 1 Northern Tigers FC
Illawarra Stingrays 3 – 1 North Shore Mariners FC
