Belconnen United had just too much for Canberra Olympic in the National Premier League Women’s Grand Final, running out 2-1 victors on a sunny, yet cold Saturday morning at McKellar Park.
After an even opening ten minutes it was the Blue Devils who took the lead with a dozen minutes on the clock. A precise pass broke the flat Canberra Olympic backline allowing Eden Rodda to burst clear, stroll around the advancing Jelana Josipovic in the Olympic goal, and slide her seventeenth goal of the season into the empty net.
Scarlet Wells almost made it two ten minutes later, again getting in behind the Olympic defence, only for Josipovic to make an excellent save with her legs, before snaffling the rebound of the toes of the Golden Boot winning forward.
Whilst Olympic puffed in trying to create a meaningful opening, Belconnen continued to thrive in behind the Olympic backline. Hattie Cram was the latest to break away from the defence and, once more, only the alertness of Josipovic kept Olympic in the contest, the ‘keeper smothering the shot at goal.
And, as football often does, those missed opportunities came back to haunt Belconnen as their opponents levelled three minutes from the break. Sienna Ness found Alexia Cerne wide, and her cross-shot eluded the backpedalling Abbey Dodge to nestle into the far corner of the net.
Cram thought she had restored the Belconnen lead early in the second-half when she swept home a Danielja Eskinja cross at the far post after an incisive Blue Devils raid, only for the flag to be raised for a close offside offence just prior to the goal being scored.
Belconnen continued to press, but the Olympic defence was solid, repelling most that was thrown at them. The pressure had to tell, and it did with just ten minutes remaining of the match.
Another raid into Olympic territory saw the ball ricochet into the path of Wells with a sight of goal. Fittingly, the league’s leading scorer took aim and, with the help of a slight deflection that looped the ball skyward, sent her effort over the head of Josipovic to put her team within touching distance and, ultimately, the trophy.
RESULTS
GRAND FINAL
Saturday 20 September
Belconnen United 2 (Rodda 12’, Wells 80’) Canberra Olympic 1 (Cerne 42’)
TOP SCORERS
20: Scarlett WELLS (Belconnen United)
17: Eden RODDA (Belconnen United)
16: Emily HAZILIAS (Canberra Croatia)
15: Rhiannon FENSOM (Canberra Croatia)
10: Pia MCGHIE (Canberra Croatia), Sienna NESS (Canberra Olympic), Own GOALS
9: Alexia CERNE (Canberra Olympic), Ella HALL (Gungahlin United)
8: Leila BILLINGTON (Belconnen United)
7: Arijana MAJETIC (Canberra Croatia)
6: Liliana ALTAMORE (Belconnen United), Sonja TOMANOVITS (West Canberra Wanderers), Nicole ZHAO (Canberra Croatia)
5: Elizabeth BARTONE (Canberra Croatia), Brittany FIORESE (Canberra Olympic), Emily TOZER (Belconnen United)
4: Anna BENNETT (Canberra Olympic), Amy BONGIORNO (Canberra Croatia), Siena D’AMBROSIO (Belconnen United), Rhiannon DAVIS (Canberra Olympic), Nikita PERRY (Canberra Olympic), Samantha SHEA (Belconnen United), Matylda WELLS-SHEATHER (Gungahlin United)
3: Tia BURRIDGE (Canberra Olympic), Georgia CHOUNDARY (Canberra Olympic), Sophie COULDRICK (West Canberra Wanderers), Sienna DY-MORTIMER (Canberra Olympic), Samantha HOST (West Canberra Wanderers), Pascale LA HEI (Belconnen United), Evdoxia MANTINAOS (West Canberra Wanderers), Ariana RATHOUSKI (Belconnen United), Tayah SANDERS (Canberra Croatia)
2: Hannah BOURKE (Canberra Croatia), Lily D’ADDARIO (Canberra Olympic), Danielja ESKINJA (Belconnen United), Olivia GURNEY (Canberra Olympic), Ella HEWSON (West Canberra Wanderers), Abbey HURMAN (Canberra Olympic), Caitlin KOCH (Belconnen United), Elianne LUM (Majura FC), Josephine MCKENZIE (Gungahlin United), Tahli MILIN (Canberra Croatia), Hannah MORRISON (Gungahlin United), Jessica PEARSON (Gungahlin United), Marija RATHOUSKI (Belconnen United), Jasmine RICHARDS (Gungahlin United), Margaux SIEB (Majura FC), Caitlyn SKILLICORN (West Canberra Wanderers), Ava WILLIAMS (Canberra Croatia), Darcy WILLIAMS (Canberra Olympic), Katie WOODMAN (Belconnen United)
1: Isla ALLEWAY (Tuggeranong United), Chloe BARKER (Canberra Croatia), Sofia BISSELL (Majura FC), Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Lisa CARY (Belconnen United), Natalia CERNE (Canberra Olympic), Sophia DOUMOS (Belconnen United), Charlotte EVANS (Tuggeranong United), Hannah FERGUSON (Gungahlin United), Alexandra GIDIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Zara HALL (Gungahlin United), Tayla HAMPSON (Canberra Olympic), Bente HELGEBY (West Canberra Wanderers), Isabella HOPKINS (Canberra Olympic), Olive HUDDY (Majura FC), Brianna LAZZARI (Tuggeranong United), Sophie MCGLYNN (Gungahlin United), Olivia MEDINA (Wet Canberra Wanderers), Elfin MOKANY (Belconnen United), Josie MONTANARI (Gungahlin United), Elizabeth MOSS (Gungahlin United), Gabriella PAUL (Canberra Croatia), Brittany PALOMBI (Canberra Croatia), Lucija PERIC (Canberra Olympic), Sofia PIROTTA (Canberra Olympic), Isabella POLE (Majura FC), Ellie RAYMOND (Canberra Croatia), Chelsea ROLLS (Majura FC), Madison SAWKINS (Belconnen United), Vanessa SOPHCOLI (Majura FC), Lauren WATT (Tuggeranong United)
