The pecking order was respected this Sunday in NPLW, with the 2nd and 3rd on the table getting all three points against the teams placed 6th and 7th. The one consequence after these two games was seen on the golden boot ladder, where Alyssa Di-Campli took the leader seat back from teammate Reilly Yuen.
Belconnen United hosted ANU WFC at McKellar, and despite conceding a goal early, two braces from Alyse Jensen and Di Campli gave the Blue Devils an important win. The home team started with positive intent, with a few chances within the first five minutes missing the target. In the absence of Georgia Ritchie, representing Canberra and the National Youth Championship, Claire Joseph on goals was kept on her toes, and showed her talent, winning her first duel with Di-Campli.
The University Club slowly started to answer. Their forwards’ endeavour were cut short a couple of times by former teammate Ailish McDonagh, solid defensively as usual. There was nothing the centre back could do unfortunately at the 19th minute, when a combined recovery from Sofia Chaverra and Edith Fordyce-Croker in the Blue Devils’ half saw the latter sending Angelina Babic on the left wing.
The former Academy forward ran into the box, and her left footed effort rolled past Leila Billington despite McDonagh’s slide-attempt at preventing the ball from crossing the line. The visitors kept pushing to try and double their lead, unsuccessfully.
Belconnen’s response lacked precision, until the half hour mark and a jewel of an equaliser from Jensen. The midfielder inherited the ball at the edge of the box, avoided her opponent, and sliced the ball with her left foot straight into the top left corner.
The visitors held on as long as they could, sometimes thanks to a last second tackle or intervention t to deny the Blue Devils. Briana Maguire, credited to a few stops herself, was finally beaten at the 45th minute by Di-Campli, whose skilled dribble was followed up by a shot too powerful for Joseph to stop.
The goal scored at the perfect time allowed the home team to manage their advantage in the second act. Billington, between the posts with the first team after scoring four as an outfielder with the reserves, had to be show off their skills in front of Babic ten minutes in to keep the lead, but Belconnen were the most threatening outfit.
Scott Conlon’s players finally were able to break down their opponents’ defence again halfway through the second stanza. After a run on the right wing, Pascale La Hei found Di-Campli at the edge of the box, and the forward scored her 11th goal of the season, taking the lead on the golden boot ladder with a precise glancing effort in the bottom left corner and the help from the post.
The home team insisted and was rewarded at the 75th minute, at the end of a great collective move ending with Isabella Hindmarch’s cut back pass for Jensen, and a neat finish for the midfielder.
Joseph still had some work to do to prevent Keira Bobbin, Hattie Cram and Alina Roberts from adding to the tally. The main objective for the Blue Devils was achieved: a victory, a week after their defeat against Olympic, now three points ahead on the table.
Gungahlin United extended their unbeaten series to four games, after a two-goal success over Tuggeranong United, with a goal each side of the break, courtesy of the De Marco sisters. The three points allow the Gunners to remain in reach of second-place Belconnen.
The net did not tremble until the injury time of the first half at Gungahlin Enclosed Oval, but it was not for lack of trying. The home team dominated early on, but Tuggeranong in counter-attack was pacey upfront with a trio of Elvein Ibrahim, Sarah Matthews and Lena Christopherson leading the charge.
The first real threat came from Sharon Chao, perfectly served by Natalie De Marco, but the forward lost her duel to Emily Pearce. The keeper stayed alert during the first 45 minutes, winning a couple more duels against Ginger Oliver and Darby Whiteley, as well as stopping late attempts from Jade Brown and Stella De Marco.
The latter was the one to break the deadlock seconds before the teams were sent to the locker room. Inheriting the ball 30 yards from the goal line, a dummy eliminated her defender, and from her left foot, she swerved a precise effort to finally beat the Tuggeranong keeper.
The second half started with the same domination form the home team. A first chance was skyed by Oliver, and the striker was denied by Lara Mustaine seconds later. The Gunners earned their comfortable two goal lead five minutes later.
A superb raid from Maddy Sawkins on the right wing ended with the full back finding Natalie De Marco in the six-yard box. The talented midfielder did not need much power to find the bottom corner at the near post, with Pearce only able to touch the ball without stopping it.
The keeper was saved by her woodwork five minutes later, when a lob from Oliver crashed on the crossbar. Gungahlin found themselves in the final third often in the second half, without really endangering their visitors again. A free kick from distance would be Tuggeranong’s only half-chance at the other end, not enough to challenge a Gungahlin team confident in its strength.
RESULTS
ROUND 13
Sunday 7 July
Belconnen United 4 (Jensen 30’, 75’, Di-Campli 44’, 68’) ANU WFC 1 (A. Babic 19’)
Gungahlin United 2 (S. De Marco 45+2’, N. De Marco 52’) Tuggeranong United 0
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Canberra Olympic | 11 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 31 | 8 | +23 | 30 |
| 2 | Belconnen United | 11 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 47 | 12 | +35 | 27 |
| 3 | Gungahlin United | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 30 | 15 | +15 | 22 |
| 4 | Canberra Croatia | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 26 | 20 | +6 | 19 |
| 5 | West Canberra Wanderers | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 25 | -15 | 8 |
| 6 | Tuggeranong United | 11 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 33 | -30 | 2 |
| 7 | ANU WFC | 11 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 40 | -34 | 2 |
TOP SCORERS
11: Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United)
10: Reilly YUEN (Belconnen United)
8: Madelyn WHITTALL (Canberra Olympic)
7: Brittany PALOMBI (Canberra Croatia)
6: Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Hattie CRAM (Belconnen United), Alex MARTENS (Gungahlin United), Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United)
5: Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United), Sarah WHITFIELD (West Canberra Wanderers)
4: Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Alyse JENSEN (Belconnen United), Katrina PERIC (Canberra Olympic)
3: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United), Megan CASTLE (Canberra Croatia), Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Tianah MIRO (Canberra Olympic), Alex NEALAND (Gungahlin United)
2: Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Jamie BERKELEY (Canberra Croatia), Jaya BOWMAN (Canberra Olympic), Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Olivia HICKS (West Canberra Wanderers), Nicole JALOCHA (Canberra Olympic), Pascale LA HEI (Belconnen United), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Croatia), Sheridan MCELLIGOTT (ANU WFC), Ella PALFRAMAN (Canberra Croatia), Sofia PALYWODA (Belconnen United), Madeliene PERCEVAL (Gungahlin United), Own GOALS
1: Tehya ASPLAND (Canberra Olympic), Angelina BABIC (ANU WFC), Eliza BAKER (ANU WFC), Leila BILLINGTON (Belconnen United), Amy BONGIORNO (Canberra Croatia), Olivia BUYTEWEG (Gungahlin United), Sofia CHAVERRA (ANU WFC), Sharon CHAO (Gungahlin United), Stella DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Corinne DENTON (Gungahlin United), Jade EMMS (Belconnen United), Rhiannon FENSOM (Canberra Croatia), Alexandra GIDIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Lauren HALL (West Canberra Wanderers), Elvein IBRHAIM (Tuggeranong United), Sarah MATTHEWS (Tuggeranong United), Amy MOORE (Gungahlin United), Saskia NEWMAN (ANU WFC), Lauren PRESTON (Belconnen United), Bessie RIETHMULLER (Canberra Olympic), Alina ROBERTS (Belconnen United), Allegra SENTI (West Canberra Wanderers), Pearl TEIN (Belconnen United), Michaela THORNTON (Canberra Olympic), Jane VANZINO (Canberra Olympic), Matylda WELLS-SHEATHER (Tuggeranong United), Kayla WRIGHT (Gungahlin United), Nadia ZAKMAN (Canberra Croatia)
Words: Jeremy Magan
