Round 11 was delayed for Canberra United Academy and Belconnen United who were 4th and 5th before the game, the two teams met on a Tuesday night at Hawker Football Centre, and the Blue Devils took all three points, and the third place after an entertaining evening of football.
Expectedly with these two teams, the game was played at pace, and the football enjoyable to watch. The Academy at times were dominating in the first half, creating dangerous situations off build-up plays, and using the width of the pitch efficiently, and the Blue Devils showed they were a threat every chance they got.
The intensity increased in the second half, and Belconnen United showed one more time how reckless they can be offensively. The team coached by Scott Conlon struck twice in three minutes around the hour mark, making the most of two half-mistakes by Academy players.
A dangerous back pass to Chloe Lincoln forced the Young Matildas’ keeper to clear the ball without her usual precision. It landed on Katie Woodman’s head, who perfectly found Talia Backhouse at the edge of the box. The Blue Devils’ captain used her pace and physicality to get into the box ahead of her defenders and picked found the back of the next in the bottom left corner, despite Lincoln’s hand slowing down the ball.
Two minutes later, Backhouse intercepted the ball in her own half and went on a Sam Kerr type run to reach Lincoln’s second later, winning her duel once again. Belconnen United had done enough to secure the three points, despite the Academy’s best efforts. They sit third on the table, a point ahead of West Canberra Wanderers, and eleven ahead of Canberra United.