The logic on paper was respected in the two WNPL Round 4 games as Gungahlin United confirmed their status in the competition, and Canberra Olympic bounced back at home after their cup defeat midweek.
Some weeks just go to plan, and Gungahlin United can happily say they have been through one of these. Their success at Woden Park against ANU WFC (8-0) capped an impressive series of 18 goals in three games, while keeping three clean sheets.
The University club already were on the wrong side of this duel in the Federation Cup (0-6). On Sunday, they were picked apart in four minutes, a quarter of an hour in the game. From there, it was mission impossible, and the Gunners kept relentlessly coming for more.
Olivia Kent needed to be focused from the get-go, with two shots on target within the first five minutes. Then came the 13th minute, with a run from Natalie Di Marco run on the left wing ending with the skilled midfielder looking up to see Alex Martens alone in the box. De Marco served her, and the number 9 opened her right foot for her fourth goal of the season.
One of the goals of the season followed as Kayla Wright inherited the ball 30 yards from the goal line, and seeing Kent off her line, whipped the perfect ball in the top left corner. Wright offered the third to De Marco a minute later, and the left footed volley kept with the theme of beautiful goals. Back from the locker room, the Gunners wasted no time and Ginger Oliver set-up substitute Darby Whiteley for her fourth goal of the season 40 seconds in. Whiteley returned the favour ten minutes later.
The last three goals were scored in the final ten minutes of the game. Corinne Denton cleaned the cobwebs from the edge of the box, Whiteley finished from close range, and Maddie Perceval headed a corner in to end the day. The Gunners now sit third on the table, three points behind the two teams that beat them to start the season, Belconnen United and Canberra Olympic.
Canberra Olympic had to battle to get the three points at home against a defensively solid Tuggeranong United at O’Connor Enclosed winning 3-0. Things had started the right way for the team coached by Frank Cachia, on the front foot from the whistle, with Bessie Riethmuller netting her first goal in her new colours thanks to a selfless Jane Vanzino assist.
The very next opportunity was Tuggeranong’s, however. A superb free kick from Tarah Manthongsy forced Janet King into an equally impressive save to prevent the ball from getting in the top right corner. The visitors made it clear they would not roll over. The rest of the first half, although goalless, was to the advantage of the home team, but Olympic could not find the second goal, be it because of a bad bounce or a lack of confidence in the final third, they did create several dangerous opportunities.
Lara Mustaine proved her worth – if there was any doubt – with a handful of last second interventions, and Emily Pearce showed once again her talent between the post, and her calm under pressure.
The second half resembled the first in most ways. Canberra Olympic spent most of the day in Tuggeranong’s half, despite the hard work of the team coached by Sarah West. The punctual runs and constant efforts by the two quick forwards, Sarah Matthews, and Lena Christopherson, forced the experienced champions’ defence to remain focused, but failed to bring any real danger to King.
At the hour mark, Leah Carnegie, who entered at half time, almost doubled her team’s lead from distance, but her right footed shot crashed on the crossbar. Olympic’s tenth corner, five minutes later, eventually did the job. The ball rolling out of the box was an offer Michaela Thornton was not going to refuse. One of the competition’s most lethal right foot lived up to its reputation, allying power and precision, and left Pearce motionless.
The goalkeeper and her defence delayed a third goal for a further twenty minutes, until another corner kick taken by Ella-Rose Brown found Katrina Peric at the far post, perfectly positioned to smash a header in the back of the net. The defeat in the cup midweek behind them, Olympic bounced back and join Belconnen United at the top of the table, while recording their first clean sheet of the season.
RESULTS
ROUND 4
Sunday 28 April
Gungahlin United 8 (Martens 12’, Wright 15’, N. De Marco 17’, Whiteley 46’, 82’, Oliver 55’, Denton 80’, Perceval 89’) ANU WFC 0
Canberra Olympic 3 (Riethmuller 7’, Thornton 66’, Peric 88’) Tuggeranong United 0
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Belconnen United | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 4 | +10 | 9 |
| 2 | Canberra Olympic | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | +5 | 9 |
| 3 | Gungahlin United | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 9 | +6 | 6 |
| 4 | Canberra Croatia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 7 | -1 | 3 |
| 5 | ANU WFC | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 10 | -8 | 2 |
| 6 | West Canberra Wanderers | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | -5 | 1 |
| 7 | Tuggeranong United | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | -6 | 1 |
TOP SCORERS
5: Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United), Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United)
4: Alex MARTENS (Gungahlin United)
3: Brittany PALOMBI (Canberra Croatia)
2: Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Nicole JALOCHA (Canberra Olympic), Pascale LA HEI (Belconnen United), Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United), Reilly YUEN (Belconnen United), Sarah WHITFIELD (West Canberra Wanderers)
1: Jamie BERKELEY (Canberra Croatia), Sofia CHAVERRA (ANU WFC), Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Hattie CRAM (Belconnen United), Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Corinne DENTON (Gungahlin United), Jade EMMS (Belconnen United), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Croatia), Saskia NEWMAN (ANU WFC), Madeliene PERCEVAL (Gungahlin United), Katrina PERIC (Canberra Olympic), Bessie RIETHMULLER (Canberra Olympic), Alina ROBERTS (Belconnen United), Michaela THORNTON (Canberra Olympic), Matylda WELLS-SHEATHER (Tuggeranong United), Kayla WRIGHT (Gungahlin United)
Words: Jeremy Magan
