SA NPLW Wrap Round 20

On the weekend, Football South Australia celebrated the hundredth anniversary of the first women’s match played publicly in Australia with each of the NPLW clubs wearing special commemorative kits. In addition, this was the penultimate round of the regular season so there was lots to play for.

Match of the Round: METRO UNITED v FOOTBALL SA NTC

The clash between fourth-placed Metro United and Football SA NTC (who were fifth pre-game) had massive ramifications for finals football.

Metro went into the match having suffered back-to-back defeats, while NTC fought hard but were ultimately unable to overcome Adelaide City last time out, losing 3-2. Just one point separated the sides at kick-off.

NTC took the lead when Camila Madriz Figueroa broke down the right and played in a dangerous cross which was directed home by Katie Bowler.

Just before the hour mark, it was 2-0 as Nicola Scalzi delivered a through ball for Lily Barber to roll into the net.

There was hope for Metro United with 20 minutes to go when Chanel Todino shot home from Jessica Signoriello’s right wing cross, but the scoreline remained 2-1 in NTC’s favour. The youngsters know that a point from their final regular season game against Adelaide Comets next weekend is likely to confirm their spot in the Finals.

SALISBURY INTER v ADELAIDE COMETS:

Round 20 kicked off under the lights at VALO Football Centre. In recent times Inter have gone from strength to strength, demolishing Fulham 5-0 last weekend. Comets sealed back-to-back wins after they saw off Adelaide University in their most recent match, a result which brought them within just two points of fourth-placed Metro.

While their first finals fixture is locked in, the minor premiership isn’t so Inter knew how important a win was, while Comets were aware that with Metro facing fifth-placed NTC, victory would give them a great chance of finals football.

Inter took the lead thanks to a goal from Emily Heazlewood, who snaffled up possession as Comets played the ball around and then broke clean through to comfortably slot home.

Dragana Kljajic doubled the league leaders’ advantage when a cross-field pass found her in acres of space on the right. Kljajic controlled the ball, took a touch and unleashed a stunning strike which flew over Comets keeper Claudia Jenkins and into the net.

Cote Rojas completed the scoring in the second half with sublime skill in the box as she delved into her deep bag of tricks to turn away from the Comets defence and lift a peach of a shot into the top corner.

WEST ADELAIDE v ADELAIDE UNIVERSITY:

Premiership hopefuls West suffered a surprising 1-1 draw against a Uni side who went into the game on the back of four straight losses and in danger of finishing the season bottom of the table.

West had gone into the game keeping the pressure on at the top with a 2-0 win over Metro last weekend, whereas Uni went down 2-0 to Adelaide Comets, confirming that they will now finish in the bottom two as they stand just two points above cellar dwellers Fulham United.

Adelaide University rocked Hellas when they took the lead. A free-kick on the halfway line was played high into the box and Gemma MacFarlane was afforded plenty of space to head home.

Laura Johns levelled matters when Uni failed to clear a ball that came in from the right and she lofted an effort into the top right-hand corner of the net.

That was the end of the scoring. West Adelaide now face a huge task to overhaul Salisbury Inter at the top of the table on the final weekend of fixtures ahead of the Finals campaign.

ADELAIDE CITY v FULHAM UNITED:

The final match of the round took place between the two sides in black and white stripes who have endured very different seasons.

City just about saw off NTC last weekend after throwing away a 2-0 lead, whereas Fulham’s string of positive results seems like a while ago now, with a 5-0 hammering at the hands of league powerhouse Inter keeping them rooted to the bottom of the ladder and running out of time to improve their position.

Despite this, the bottom-placed side gained a magnificent victory but had to do it the hard way. With just ten minutes on the clock, Adelaide City were awarded a penalty when Isabel Hodgson’s superb burst through the midfield ended with her being brought down in the box by Hannah Doyle. Matilda McNamara’s low spot-kick to the right put City ahead.

Just two minutes later, Fulham were level thanks to an absolute screamer of a free kick from Josephine Trimboli. Her effort from well over 35 yards flew into the middle of the goal with City keeper Kendall Jenner only able to help it on its way.

The visitors went ahead just before the break when a move along the left ended with a fantastic low shot across goal from Fiona Worts.

Things got even better for the bottom-placed side when Jenner could only parry a shot into the path of Mia Lundquist, who couldn’t miss, putting Fulham 3-1 ahead.

City pulled one back when Isobel Dahlen-Flight bundled in a shot at the back post from her second attempt after a corner from the right.

This result means that Fulham go into their last game of the season at home to Metro United knowing that a win could well see them escape the wooden spoon – something which not that long ago was inconceivable. Metro need to win to have any chance of claiming a Finals spot.

TABLE: