SA NPLW Wrap Round 15

Match of the Week: FOOTBALL SA NTC v SALISBURY INTER:

NTC have endured a rough recent patch but went into the match with Salisbury Inter at VALO Football Centre still clinging onto fourth place.

Last time out, Madeleine Wright scored a sensational goal from the edge of the area, a looping shot that sailed over the keeper and dipped into the top corner, but it proved the only consolation for NTC as they slumped to a disappointing 4-1 loss against Adelaide University.

Inter and ladder leaders West Adelaide were unable to be split in the previous round as it finished 1-1, but the Black and Blues were able to bounce back with a 4-0 hammering of Adelaide City in the WNPL and WSL Cup semi-final on Tuesday night.

As they sit two points behind West, Inter knew that they need all the points they can get in the race for the premiership, which also applies to NTC as Metro breathe down their necks for the coveted fourth finals spot.

It took just five minutes for Inter to take the lead when Chilean magician Cote Rojas controlled a pass 25 yards out from goal and instantly lifted a shot into the net.

The scoreline remained at 1-0 until three minutes after the break. Dragana Kljajic was played in by Rojas on the edge of the box, her shot deflecting off an NTC player and looping high into the goal. Rojas grabbed her second and Salisbury Inter’s third with four minutes remaining when she headed in a cross from the left.

METRO UNITED v ADELAIDE COMETS:

These two sides played each other in the midweek WNPL & WSL Cup semi-final and now crossed swords again just a few days later at VALO Football Centre.

Metro were unable to push back into the top four last weekend after they were blown away by three Adelaide City goals in eight minutes after half-time, falling to a 4-2 defeat in the Grand Final rematch.

Comets suffered the ignominy of becoming the first side to lose to last-placed Fulham United in 2021, conceding a late winner that saw them slide to seventh on the league standings, albeit still just seven points behind fourth-placed NTC with eight rounds to go.

Metro ran out 2-1 winners over Comets earlier in the week to book their place in the Cup Final, but the beaten semi-finalists gained revenge with one of the results of the season to date, holding off Metro in a dramatic finish to the game.

Emily Gale put the Comets ahead on 25 minutes after a superb 1-2 in the build-up ended with her cross from the right sailing straight in. Yet five minutes before the break, Laura Stockdale levelled for Metro United after the ball was parried into her path by Comets keeper Claudia Jenkins and she side footed home.

The game was ultimately decided in a ten-minute spell around the hour mark when Nanako Sasaki put Comets ahead after being played through by a centimetre perfect ball which she fired into the top corner. Sasaki then made it 3-1 with a side-footed shot from the ‘D’.

Stockdale hit her second for Metro United with 12 minutes left by sublimely chipping over Jenkins, but Comets held on to record only their fourth win of the season, and what a superb win it was!

ADELAIDE CITY v ADELAIDE UNIVERSITY:

Adelaide City were looking to rebound from their disappointing Cup exit in mid-week when they took on Adelaide University at Adelaide City Park.

Last week, a hat-trick of textbook finishes from Chelsie Dawber, who fittingly wore the captain’s armband on the night, steered City to an impressive 4-2 win over Metro United, entreching City in the top three.

Meanwhile, Uni had broken through for their first win in almost three months with a remarkable 4-1 upset victory over NTC. Stella Rigon’s long-range strike, Sasha Coorey’s fine brace and an incredible Alysia Panagakos chip from over 35 yards capped off a memorable night.

City are well and truly in the hunt for honours this season and were seeking to take any points they can get as they chase the top two, while Uni are still capable of moving further up and joining the mid-table teams.

In another game of high drama, Uni, wearing their natty lime green and grey away kit, continued their improved form of late when they took the lead just after the half-hour mark. Georgia Iannella gained possession around 40 yards from goal, looked up and saw City keeper Kendall Jenner off her line, lifting an exquisite shot into the net.

With 25 minutes to go, Adelaide City got back on level terms thanks to Isabel Hodgson, who hit a screamer of a free-kick from the left-hand side of the box. Eleven minutes later, the game looked to have gone the way of the league placings as Alana Fitzsimmons put City ahead by running onto a long ball, taking it past Uni keeper Aimee Benton and shooting home.

Yet, there was a sting in the tail with just three minutes left as Tanaye Morris was played in by a superb pass that curled straight into her stride. Morris scored to earn Adelaide University a hugely impressive point.

WEST ADELAIDE v FULHAM UNITED:

It was top vs bottom in the final match of the round at TK Shutter Reserve, but the sides entered the game in an unfamiliar position: West Adelaide were coming off a draw and Fulham were backing up from a rare win.

Last weekend, West couldn’t quite edge past second-placed Inter to consolidate their lead at the top, settling for a 1-1 draw thanks to Christie Hillyer’s poached effort that tied up the scores early on.

Fulham’s wait for their first victory of 2021 finally came to an end last weekend as a cool finish from close range by Fiona Worts in the 90th minute secured a drought-breaking 2-1 win over Comets.

West needed to keep winning to stave off Inter and City in the race for first place, while Fulham had the chance to kick on from their positive result and pick up more wins before the season’s end.

As expected, the game went the way of the league leaders – but West Adelaide did not have it their own way. Indeed Fulham took an early lead. In a weekend of sensational goals, Fiona Worts’s effort was arguably the greatest. Taking possession on the left, she cut inside two West defenders, beat another, then turned and fired a stunner into the net with just five minutes on the clock.

Fulham needed to dig in and maintain the advantage, but in the end, it only took West a further five minutes to level when a cross from the right was put into her own net by Siobhan Eastham. The league leaders crucially went in at the break 2-1 up when Nicole Tilley was found on the left and curled a shot which Fulham keeper Natalie Hayman couldn’t hold and the ball rolled in.

It got worse for the visitors as they lost possession from the second half kick-off and West Adelaide immediately cut a swathe through the Fulham midfield which resulted in Harriet Burnett running between two defenders, drawing Hayman and comfortably hitting home. Christie Hillyer increased the margin 17 minutes later after receiving the ball on the left-hand edge of the box, hitting an effort over Hayman and into the far corner.

Burnett made it 5-1 at the death when a cross from the left was tapped back to her in the box and, completely unmarked she simply could not miss.

The SA NPLW takes a week’s break for the NPLWSA & WSL Cup Final between Salisbury Inter and Metro United. Beyond 90 will be looking ahead to the game later in the week.

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