Friday night saw fans treated to a highly engaging contest between top four rivals Canberra Olympic and Gungahlin United in the National Premier League Round 9, with the away team running out 3-2 winners at Gungahlin Enclosed.
Olympic began the better side and rightly went in front after just six minutes, after a well-placed Alyse Jensen ball allowed Tatum Mazis to breeze past the Gungahlin defence and confidently put her team 1-0 to the good.
High defensive lines for both sides were caught out in the opening half, for the second time for a Gungahlin equaliser off the foot of Leah Carnegie, having been set up by Ivy Stevens with plenty of space in behind, and then for a third time for Olympic with six minutes left, after a superb Madison Cachia ball found Tehya Aspland who finished clinically.
An inspired Olympic made it three on the stroke of half time after a Gungahlin defensive mix up, this time scoring through Cachia who hammered her goal home into the top corner.
With both sides exchanging periods of dominance throughout the contest, Gungahlin were quick to seize theirs in the second half, bringing the score back to 3-2 after Megan Castle slotted away a well-taken penalty, however chances that flowed from their second did not receive the same clinical treatment.
Olympic were comfortable to end the match and held on to claim a massive three points that puts them well within the race for the top four.
Belconnen United rewrote the record books at McKellar Park on Sunday afternoon, recording the biggest ever NPLW victory with an unbelievable 20-0 win over an out-gunned Tuggeranong United.
With both sides missing a few key absentees, the depth of the Blue Devils squad proved to be a major contributor to their thumping success, and Scott Conlon’s team wasted no time getting started, after Anneke Corry rifled the ball into the roof of the net after just 50 seconds.
Having scored the cup winner on the same ground just one week prior, the midfielder followed up her opener with three more first half goals, while Bronte Pyke and two Pearl Tein strikes rounded the total to eight at half time.
The Blue Devils continued their relentless pursuit of goals into the second half, again scoring within the opening minute through Alina Roberts, to maintain their scoring momentum right from the off.
Half-time introductions from Conlon only heaped more misery on a Tuggeranong side simply unable to cope with the quality of Belconnen, as Talia Backhouse on her return bagged two and Leila Billington claimed one, while an unplayable Pearl Tein made the most of a rare start this season by scoring five. A further treble from Alyssa Di-Campli and double from Keira Bobbin rounded the total to 20.
The final match of the round saw West Canberra Wanderers welcome Majura FC back to NPLW action after several weeks off with a comfortable 3-0 victory at Melrose Synthetic.
Davide Ruberto’s team would’ve no doubt been delighted to welcome back their top scorer Carmel Lynch after a lengthy period out with injury, however it was West Canberra’s Abigal Moss who shone on the goals front early on, striking her team into the lead with a well-placed effort from the edge of the box to make it 1-0.
It was only a matter of time before the league’s top scorer got herself on the scoresheet, as Tamara Cochrane doubled the Wanderers’ lead on 25 minutes with a superb finish into the bottom corner.
Having been the more dominant side in the first half, Steve Rohan-Jones’ side made a fast start to the second period, going three clear after 51 minutes following a misplaced Majura pass finding the feet of Perri Nash, who showed great composure to cut inside and fire a low shot into the back of the net.
West Canberra continued to be the better side throughout the second period, and although they were unable to find a fourth to reward their weight of chances, the three strikes were all they needed to claim a valuable three points that will maintain their finals spot.
RESULTS
ROUND 9
Friday 13 June
Gungahlin United 2 (Carnegie 18’ (og), Castle 60’ (p)) Canberra Olympic 3 (Mazis 6’, Aspland 38’, Cachia 45’)
Sunday 15 June
West Canberra Wanderers 3 (Moss 19’, Cochrane 27’, Nash 52’) Majura FC 0
Belconnen United 20 (Corry 1’, 12’, 15’, 21’, Tein 5’, 25’, 52’, 69’, 88’, Bobbin 36’, 68’, Pyke 40’, Roberts 46’, Di-Campli 58’, 63’, 75’, Billington 77’, Backhouse 80’, 90’, Smith 85’(og)) Tuggeranong United 0
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Belconnen United | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 73 | 7 | +66 | 27 |
| 2 | West Canberra | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 29 | 14 | +15 | 16 |
| 3 | Canberra Croatia | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 10 | +12 | 16 |
| 4 | Canberra Olympic | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 21 | 19 | +2 | 15 |
| 5 | Gungahlin United | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 38 | 14 | +24 | 14 |
| 6 | Majura FC | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 31 | -24 | 3 |
| 7 | Tuggeranong United | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 59 | -53 | 3 |
| 8 | ANU WFC | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 42 | -42 | 0 |
TOP SCORERS
13: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United), Tamara COCHRANE (West Canberra Wanderers)
11: Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United)
9: Megan CASTLE (Gungahlin United), Anneke CORRY (Belconnen United)
8: Bonnie YOUNG (Gungahlin United)
6: Liliana ALTAMORE (Belconnen United), Jamie BERKELEY (Canberra Croatia), Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United), Pearl TEIN (Belconnen United)
5: Zoe HALPIN (West Canberra Wanderers), Bronte PYKE (Belconnen United), Own GOALS
4: Sharon CHAO (Gungahlin United), Alexandra GIDIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Carmel LYNCH (Majura FC), Alina ROBERTS (Belconnen United)
3: Tia BURRIDGE (Canberra Olympic), Leah CARNEGIE (Canberra Olympic), Alex MARTENS (Belconnen United), Perri NASH (West Canberra Wanderers)
2: Acacia ARGENTO (Tuggeranong United), Talia BACKHOUSE (Belconnen United), Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Leila BILLINGTON (Belconnen United), Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Sofia FURLANETTO (Majura FC), Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Alyse JENSEN (Canberra Olympic), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Olympic), Ailish MCDONAGH (Belconnen United), Riley MCQUEENIE (Canberra Croatia), Sofia MERKOUREAS (Canberra Croatia), Brittany PALOMBI (Canberra Croatia), Katrina PERIC (Canberra Olympic), Nikita PERRY (Canberra Olympic), Ellie RAYMOND (Canberra Croatia), Michaela THORNTON (Canberra Croatia)
1: Elke AITOLU (Canberra Olympic), Tehya ASPLAND (Canberra Olympic), Angelina BABIC (Canberra Croatia), Sienna BIRNIE (Canberra Olympic), Lisa CARY (Belconnen United), Stella DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Elvein IBRAHIM (West Canberra Wanderers), Mollie JONSSON (Tuggeranong United), Claire KENNEDY-SPENCER (Tuggeranong United), Tarah MANTHONGSY (Tuggeranong United), Sofia MARTINIELO (Majura FC), Audrey MCLAREN (West Canberra Wanderers), Jessica MITCHELL (Tuggeranong United), Abigail MOSS (West Canberra Wanderers), Eliza-Jane NORRIS (Canberra Croatia), Madeliene PERCEVAL (Gungahlin United), Lauren PRESTON (Belconnen United), Maddison SAWKINS (Belconnen United), Maddie STEINACKER (Belconnen United), Rachel VAN AALST (Gungahlin United), Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United)
TOP ASSISTS
10: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United)
8: Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia)
7: Anneke CORRY (Belconnen United), Bonnie YOUNG (Gungahlin United)
6: Alina ROBERTS (Belconnen United), Audrey WARD (West Canberra Wanderers)
5: Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Alex MARTENS (Belconnen United)
4: Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United), Pearl TEIN (Belconnen United)
3: Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Megan CASTLE (Gungahlin United), Tamara COCHRANE (West Canberra Wanderers), Stella DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United), Zoe HALPIN (West Canberra Wanderers), Perri NASH (West Canberra Wanderers), Bronte PYKE (Belconnen United)
2: Talia BACKHOUSE (Belconnen United), Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Alyse JENSEN (Canberra Olympic), Alexandra GIDIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Chelsea HATELY (Gungahlin United), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Olympic), Amy MOORE (Gungahlin United), Abigail RICHARDS (Majura FC), Madison SAWKINS (Belconnen United), Rachel VAN AALST (Gungahlin United), Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United)
1: Elke AITOLU (Canberra Olympic), Esperance ANDERSON (Tuggeranong United), Eliza BAKER (Majura FC), Leila BILLINGTON (Belconnen United), Jamie BERKLEY (Canberra Croatia), Sienna BIRNIE (Canberra Olympic), Tiana BOOTS (Canberra Croatia), Tia BURRIDGE (Canberra Olympic), Olivia BUYTEWEG (Gungahlin United), Lena CHRISTOPHERSON (Tuggeranong United), Lucy D’ARCY (Gungahlin United), Rhiannon DAVIS (Canberra Olympic), Olivia HICKS (West Canberra Wanderers, Ariana KASHAN (Majura FC), Claire KENNEDY-SPENCER (Tuggeranong United), Jada LAMOND (Gungahlin United), Stefi LEJINS (Belconnen United), Tarah MANTHONGSY (Tuggeranong United), Olivia MARTINIELLO (Majura FC), Ailish MCDONAGH (Belconnen United), Tianah MIRO (Canberra Olympic), Demi NIKIAS (West Canberra Wanderers), Stephenie NIKIAS (West Canberra Wanderers), Nikita PERRY (Canberra Olympic), Lauren PRESTON (Belconnen United), Ariana RATHOUSKI (Belconnen United), Juliana ROBERTSON (West Canberra Wanderers), Madeleine STEINACKER (Belconnen United), Allegra SENTI (West Canberra Wanderers), Ivy STEVENS (Gungahlin United), Michaela THORNTON (Canberra Croatia), Sonja TOMANOVITS (West Canberra Wanderers)
Words: Sam Watson
