The two goals they scored in the dying moments at Melrose, and a late Gungahlin equalizer to slow down league leaders Canberra Olympic, made the Blue Devils the winner of this weekend on the table. Canberra Croatia meanwhile signed their largest success of the season on Sunday, and their captain Brittany Palombi caught up in the race for the Golden Boot.

87 minutes and 30 seconds. This is how long the West Canberra Wanderers resisted to Belconnen United, before conceding two goals, and the defeat. The dramatic ending allows the Blue Devils to stay in the title race.

The Wanderers were obviously prepared for the Blue Devils’ attacking football. From the first whistle, they sat deeper, and defended with intensity, in numbers.  It took Belconnen more than ten minutes to really threaten Amy Wiggan, while at the other end, Monique Pinkiewicz and her back four needed to remain vigilant.

Any half-loose ball was a real contest, and if the visitors were able to somehow reach Wiggan’s area, the shot-stopper and her defence would put their body on the line to protect their side. By the half hour mark, Wiggan had already made several saves, including an intervention on Bronte Pyke that required a few minutes to recover from.

The best chance for the home team came seconds after this event, when Lauren Hall’s swerving attempt from the edge of the box was parried away by Pinkiewicz. Belconnen, dominant, lacked in finishing, despite dangerous opportunities either side of the break. Hattie Cram’s first attempt of the second half grazed the crossbar, the second was parried away by Wiggan. Subbed in at the hour mark, Keira Bobbin’s header a minute later hit the post, before her duel with Wiggan was won by the keeper.

A shiver travelled down the spine of the visitors when a free kick from Sarah Whitfield fell inches away from Pinkiewicz’ post, or when her glancing header five minutes later failed to catch the target. The Blue Devils earned the momentum back, but were again frustrated by the Wanderers, until that fateful 88th minute.

Isabella Hindmarsh’s free kick from the the centre circle rose high, was not cleared by the Wanderers’ defence, and Bronte Pyke, as well as any seasoned striker, armed a rotating half volley that finally found its way to the back of the net.

Rushing for an equalizer, West Canberra was punished at the 93rd minute, when Hindmarsh launched Alina Roberts behind the defence, and the young forward dribbled past Wiggan to confirm all three points for Belconnen.

The game of the weekend was played in Ainslie between Gungahlin United and Canberra Olympic, and a – superb – late equaliser by Alexandra Nealand meant the first and third on the table shared the spoils on Sunday.

The duel was as disputed as expected, with both teams showing their talent across the pitch. Gungahlin United were the first to bring the danger on set pieces within the first ten minutes, without forcing Janet King to make a save. Olympic’s press was at first less aggressive than usual, but the duo Kat Peric-Jaya Bowman in midfield proved very hard to put off balance, and forced the Gunners to use the width of the pitch, with Nealand showing off her speed early on.

The first chance for the visitors came from Peric, and one of these headers she is so used to bury this season, but Sammy Emms’ great dive kept her net untouched. The keeper was at it again to deny Madelyn Whittall minutes later.

Unfortunately, her clearance at the 18th minute bounced on the back of Ayla Robertson, offering Whittall a golden opportunity to open the score that she would not miss. The Gunners’ response was once again through set piece, and a three-minute siege on King’s area that did not reap any reward.

Olympic is deservedly the best defence this season, a status they defended without Elke Aitolu for the most part. The former Gunner was in the starting lineup on Sunday, showing how much she can bring to her team, with inspired interventions and precise passing in the build-up, frustrating the home team’s forwards on several occasions.

The rest of the first half saw the visitors with the best opportunities, keeping the pressure up on Emms, and almost succeeding just before the break when she dropped the ball in the six-yard box.

The second half started with a similar sense of Olympic managing their advance. Even after a few substitutions, the work rate remained the same, and the Gunners struggled to find the solution. Ceruti had a chance early to double her team’s lead but did not catch the target.

The visitors kept pushing without success, and were almost surprised first at the 65th minute, when Sharon Chao, forgotten in the six yard box, sliced her attempt over the crossbar. Emms played with fire twelve minutes before the final whistle, almost losing the ball to Ceruti in her area, but made up for it with a crucial tackle.

The injury time had just started when Nealand decided to let her talent to the talking. After lightning quick run on the left wing, a cross, and the ball eventually got back to her at the edge of the box. Without hesitation, she curled in a precise effort with her right foot, leaving King no chance. The late equalizer was almost followed by a winner but Kayla Wright’s attempt lacked power.

A last shot from Olympic would not change the scoresheet. Frank Cachia’s team burned a joker on Sunday but remain three points clear of Belconnen, and will hope the Blue Devils too will lose points when they face Gungahlin, on Sunday.

Canberra Croatia took no prisoner at home, with six goals to none against Tuggeranong United. Brittany Palombi excelled with a hattrick, while Megan Castle scored a late brace.

The first shot on goal at Deakin stadium was the work of Tuggeranong midfielder Ashlee Smith-Roberts, 40 seconds into the game. From there on, the home team took control of the encounter, with three clear chances by the time the clock reached five minutes. Emily Pearce and her defence delayed the opener as long as they could.

 

The first goal Brittany Palombi scored at the 7th minute was denied for offside. Her powerful shot at the 20th minute, after a great ball recover from Bella Barac, slipped under Pearce and gave the home team an advantage they would never let go. This season, Croatia sometimes struggled to keep their lead, or to kill a game when they had the chance. The lesson had obviously been learned, and on Sunday they kept attacking relentlessly.

 

Summers was tested two minutes after her side’s goal, but a shot from distance lacked power to really threaten the keeper. Pearce made another save to deny Tatum Mazis, before Chew hit the crossbar. Mazis saw one of her goal cancelled for offside too. After a couple more alerts, the home team finally doubled their lead five minutes before the break. A cross from Chew landed on Palombi in the box, the striker played a quick one-two in small space with Barac and finished with her precise left foot.

 

The second started with chance for the home team, and more saves for Pearce. The third goal came just after the hour mark. A cross from Chew found Mazis in the box, and after a perfect drop of the shoulder to get rid of her defender, Croatia’s number 10 scored with a precise shot in the bottom corner.

 

Palombi confirmed her hattrick in style 15 minutes before the final whistle, with a lob from the edge of the box when Pearce had come to meet her. Castle scored the last two, giving her team their largest success of the season, and a third clean sheet in as many games against Tuggeranong this season. Her first goal was a header following a Jamie Berkeley’s corner kick, and after another Palombi goal caught by the offside rule, Castle finished the job after a gift from her captain, bettering Pearce from close range.

 

 

RESULTS

 

ROUND 15

Sunday 21 July

West Canberra Wanderers 0 Belconnen United 2 (Pyke 87’, Roberts 90+3’)

Canberra Croatia 6 (Palombi 20’, 40’, 75’, Mazis 63’, Castle 86’, 90+2’) Tuggeranong United 0

Gungahlin United 1 (Nealand 90+1’) Canberra Olympic 1 (Whittall 18’)

 

TABLE

 

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Canberra Olympic	13	11	1	1	34	10	+24	34
2	Belconnen United	13	10	1	2	51	14	+37	31
3	Gungahlin United	14	9	2	3	35	17	+18	29
4	Canberra Croatia	14	7	2	5	35	24	+11	23
5	West Canberra Wanderers	13	2	2	9	11	31	-20	8
6	ANU WFC	12	1	2	9	8	40	-32	5
7	Tuggeranong United	13	0	2	11	3	41	-38	2

 

TOP SCORERS

 

12: Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United)

11: Brittany PALOMBI (Canberra Croatia)

10: Madelyn WHITTALL (Canberra Olympic), Reilly YUEN (Belconnen United)

7: Hattie CRAM (Belconnen United), Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United)

6: Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Alex MARTENS (Gungahlin United)

5: Megan CASTLE (Canberra Croatia), Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Katrina PERIC (Canberra Olympic), Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United), Sarah WHITFIELD (West Canberra Wanderers)

4: Alyse JENSEN (Belconnen United), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Croatia), Alex NEALAND (Gungahlin United)

3: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United), Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Tianah MIRO (Canberra Olympic), Madeliene PERCEVAL (Gungahlin United)

2: Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Jamie BERKELEY (Canberra Croatia), Jaya BOWMAN (Canberra Olympic), Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Olivia BUYTEWEG (Gungahlin United), Sharon CHAO (Gungahlin United), Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Olivia HICKS (West Canberra Wanderers), Nicole JALOCHA (Canberra Olympic), Pascale LA HEI (Belconnen United), Sheridan MCELLIGOTT (ANU WFC), Saskia NEWMAN (ANU WFC), Ella PALFRAMAN (Canberra Croatia), Sofia PALYWODA (Belconnen United), Alina ROBERTS (Belconnen United), Own GOALS

1: Tehya ASPLAND (Canberra Olympic), Angelina BABIC (ANU WFC), Eliza BAKER (ANU WFC), Leila BILLINGTON (Belconnen United), Amy BONGIORNO (Canberra Croatia), Sofia CHAVERRA (ANU WFC), Stella DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Corinne DENTON (Gungahlin United), Jade EMMS (Belconnen United), Rhiannon FENSOM (Canberra Croatia), Edith FORDYCE-CROKER (ANU WFC), Alexandra GIDIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Lauren HALL (West Canberra Wanderers), Elvein IBRHAIM (Tuggeranong United), Sarah MATTHEWS (Tuggeranong United), Amy MOORE (Gungahlin United), Demi NIKIAS (West Canberra Wanderers), Lauren PRESTON (Belconnen United), Bronte PYKE (Belconnen United), Bessie RIETHMULLER (Canberra Olympic), 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)