Match of the Round: Northern Tigers vs Football NSW Institute
Harsh winds swept through the bushy surrounds of North Turramurra Recreation Area, as last year’s Championship runners up looked for their second win of the season against away side Football NSW Institute.
Northern Tigers looked to be playing in a 4-5-1 formation with Emma Watkins anchoring midfield and experienced goal-scorer Daisy Arrowsmith leading the charge, hoping to add to the three goals she’s netted so far in the 2020 season.
Institute played a 4-4-2 formation, with Junior Matildas Jordan Jasnos and Bryleeh Henry pushing forward on the attack.
Play started with a fluid but considered pace, with both sides preferring to pass on the ground through midfield rather than lob the ball overhead.
Some action came in the 15th minute when a looping cross from the left corner of the box ricocheted off the head of Henry towards Scarlet Thomas, who demonstrated her athleticism with a high side volley. The shot was on target but caught comfortably by 2019’s NPL NSW Goalkeeper of the Year, Eliza Campbell.
Tigers’ best chance of the first half came in the 35th minute when a ball off the head of Institute defender Claudia Valletta fell to Arrowsmith at the far post. She fired the shot at close range but couldn’t quite convert from the tight angle.
Coming off the bench in the second half, Young Matilda Aideen Keane supplied the away side with some much needed energy up front. Her best chance came in the 61st minute with a clever run through midfield, side-stepping the ball then springing forward to throw off Tigers’ Josie Wilson. Her resulting shot glided just wide of Campbell’s left post.
Arrowsmith again looked to turn the game for the Tigers in the second half, spotting Institute keeper Brianna Edwards off her line and firing an ambitious long-range shot from just past halfway which skimmed the top of the crossbar.
For Institute, Valletta proved particularly versatile, often making overlapping runs through the right flank and covering considerable distance, but returning quickly to defend when possession switched hands.
While Institute dominated possession, unafraid to make one-touch passes or cross the ball while on the run, it was ultimately Tigers’ strong defensive line which featured Matildas veteran Ellie Brush and Perth Glory’s Isabella Foletta that helped them draw a clean sheet.
Ultimately neither team looked particularly threatening over the course of the 90 minutes and the draw sees both teams stagnate mid-table, with FNSW Institute now sitting sixth and Northern Tigers sitting eighth with a game in hand.
Northern Tigers 0 Football NSW Institute 0
Tigers: Eliza Campbell, Lauren Allan, Daisy Arrowsmith, Maddie Bart (YC), Beth Bernardi (Zoe Halpin 45’), Ellie Brush, Isabella Foletta, Greta Kraszula, Hannah McNulty (Maxine Peak 61’), Emma Watkins, Josie Wilson.
Institute: Brianna Edwards, Bryleeh Henry, Sarah Hunter, Jordan Jasnos (Aideen Keane 58’), Darcey Malone, Jessika Nash (YC), Jamilla Rankin, Charlie Rule (Cushla Rue 82’), Scarlet Thomas (Isabella Volkanovski 73’), Claudia Valletta, Holly Williams (Isabel Gomez 58’).
Around the Grounds
Manly United 2 Sydney Olympic 1
Bankstown City 0 Sydney University 8
Emerging Jets vs North West Sydney Koalas – postponed
Macarthur Rams 1 Illawarra Stingrays 3
APIA Leichhardt 0 Blacktown Spartans 2
TABLE
| POS | TEAM | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
| 1 | Sydney University SFC | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 13 | 13 |
| 2 | Sydney Olympic FC | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 10 |
| 3 | Blacktown Spartans | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 10 |
| 4 | Manly United FC | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
| 5 | APIA Leichhardt | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 9 |
| 6 | FNSW Institute | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 7 |
| 7 | Macarthur Rams Womens FC | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 6 |
| 8 | Northern Tigers FC | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| 9 | Illawarra Stingrays | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 13 | -5 | 4 |
| 10 | North West Sydney Koalas FC | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | -1 | 3 |
| 11 | Emerging Jets | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 7 | -6 | 0 |
| 12 | Bankstown City FC | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 35 | -30 | 0 |
