A highly entertaining Federation Cup Final between Belconnen United and Gungahlin United ended with the Blue Devils bringing the silverware home thanks to a towering Talia Backhouse header deep into stoppage time.
Saturday afternoon drama at Deakin Stadium had started with the weather, going from summer sun to heavy rain within minutes of kick-off. It followed suit on the pitch, with both teams giving everything in the nail-biting encounter.
The round of observation only lasted ten minutes, the time to realise the Blue Devils had learned from their defeat the previous week and amended their tactics to match the Gunners’ 3-5-2.
The first alert was for Gungahlin’s sensational goalkeeper Emily Kelly, with a wonderful pass from Lisa Cary towards Hattie Cram, that the American ‘keeper anticipated well. The game was on, and the Gunners quick to respond.
On their real first attack at the 19th minute, Darby Whiteley outpaced Lauren Preston and intelligently snuck the ball between her and Cary, offering Ginger Oliver a duel with Ellie Summers. Gungahlin’s leading goal scorer took her time and buried it with ease.
The Blue Devils’ answer would not take long. Lisa Cary, unexpectedly in a forward role for a moment, read a Preston’s clearance well enough to catch the ball and speed past Maddie Perceval. From the edge of the box, she then managed to place a superbly precise shot in the bottom left corner, with nothing for Kelly to do.
Belconnen is known to play the momentum well and did not disappoint. A mere three minutes later, a perfect combination between Pearl Tein, Isabella Hindmarsh and Bessie Riethmuller ended with the latter launching the former for her own duel with the keeper, only for the young promising midfielder to expertly wrong foot Kelly for her second goal in successive Cup Finals.
The next ten minutes would be her show. Dribbles, aerial controls, accelerations, the slight touches a millisecond before her opponents to slalom between three of them, she displayed it all. The midfielder would have added a couple of assists to her tally if not for her forwards being denied by an Emily Kelly in exceptional form.
Tein is a special player, and she is really blooming in our competition this season. There seems to be no ceiling for her talent, and if she can perform consistently, there is no telling what will stop her from becoming one of the very best players in her generation.
Andrew Woodman’s half-time chat must have been something because her players only needed 15 seconds to equalize in the second stanza. An uncharacteristically mis-control by centre-back Sophia Doumos showed too much of the ball to Ginger Oliver, ready to pounce. The forward was quicker than the centre back and ran towards Summers, smashing the ball under the crossbar for her second goal of the day.
We had a final, and the second half had started the perfect way for the Gunners. Belconnen seemingly stunned, Andrew Woodman tried to take advantage of the momentum, with new entrants Michelle Wienecke and Sharon Chao bringing their talent to try and get a first Cup trophy to the Northernmost club.
The intensity would not match that of the first act, however. Both teams showcased their defensive strength and discipline more than their attacking prowess. Summers and Kelly kept making the right saves to keep the teams level, even at the very end when Alina Roberts faced the Gunners’ keeper to be denied for the umpteenth time.
But Belconnen United possesses the kinds of players that shine in big moments. Scott Conlon has in its ranks a leader that appears when the team cannot find their way, a captain that has already saved them in the final minutes of crucial games last season. Talia Backhouse, eight years after her last Cup Final goal, in 2015 against the same Gunners, would finish the job and bring the trophy home.
Deep in stoppage time, a corner kick expertly taken Pearl Tein found Belconnen’s number 9 in the middle of the box. Backhouse’s towering header was powerful, and precise, smashing the back of the net in the top left corner. The Blue Devils’ fans could erupt.
MATCH DETAILS
Saturday 3 June 2023
Belconnen United 3 (Cary 26’, Tein 29’, Backhouse 90+5’) Gungahlin United 2 (Oliver 19’, 46’)
(Deakin Stadium)
Belconnen United: 1. Ellie SUMMERS, 3. Lauren PRESTON, 4. Sophia DOUMOS, 7. Stefi LEJINS, 9. Talia BACKHOUSE, 10. Hattie CRAM, 12. Bessie RIETHMULLER (11. Alina ROBERTS 68’), 18. Isabella HINDMARSH (2. Katie WOODMAN 88’), 21. Pearl TEIN, 22. Reilly YUEN, 28. Lisa CARY
Substitutes not used: 5. Ella PALFRAMAN, 15. Leah CARNEGIE, 19. Emily DANIEL
Gungahlin United: 97. Emily KELLY, 3. Jada LAMOND (11. Jade BROWN 82’), 2. Rachael CORBETT (20. Michelle WIENECKE 46’), 4. Erika PENNYFIELD (6. Cassia MCGLASHAN 70’), 5. Maddie PERCEVAL, 7. Ginger OLIVER, 8. Stella DE MARCO, 9. Ella BROWN (10. Sharon CHAO 62’), 12. Ayla ROBERTSON, 13. Natalie DE MARCO, 15. Darby WHITELEY
Substitutes not used: 1. Kailey TONINI
Discipline: Yellow Cards: None
Player of the Match: 97. Emily KELLY (Gungahlin United)