Canberra Olympic took command of the title race in the Women’s NPL Reserves with a 2-1 away win over nearest challengers Belconnen United in a midweek match at McKellar Park.
Olympic hit the front early in the match from a set-piece, albeit in rather fortuitous fashion. The Blue Devils failed to deal with a near-post corner sent into the penalty area from the left flank, the unfortunate Emily Tozer slicing the ball past her own goalkeeper from an acute angle.
Belconnen struck the inside of the post in the second-half through Eden Rodda however found themselves two adrift as Alexia Cerne pounced from close range in the 71st minute. A late goal from Siena D’Ambrosio made for a lively finale, but Olympic held on.
Canberra Croatia pushed into second place in the League table with a 4-0 home victory over Majura FC at Deakin Stadium.
The home team took the lead after a dozen minutes in fairly straightforward manner. Awarded a corner on the near side, a driven set piece was met by a bullet header from Ava Williams that flashed past the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
Goals flowed in the final eighteen minutes as Majura FC ran out of steam with Amy Bongiorno making it 2-0 for the hosts, before goals from Rhiannon Fensom and Tayah Sanders, the latter in the final minute of the contest, ensured a satisfactory afternoon for Croatia.
Canberra Olympic came from 0-3 down to earn themselves what might be a valuable point as they chase the NPLW Reserves title, earning a remarkable 3-3 draw at Melrose Synthetic against West Canberra Wanderers.
The opening twenty minutes was all Wanderers as Sonja Tomanovits scored twice inside fifteen minutes, Samantha Host adding the third goal moments later as West Canberra started superbly.
However, Olympic started the comeback when Cassandra Watson put through her own goal, Anna Bennett pulling back another three minutes later as Olympic went into the break 3-2 down. An equaliser from Ella Brown on the hour ensured the draw.
RESULTS
ROUND 16
Wednesday 20 August
Belconnen United 1 (D’Ambrosio 86’) Canberra Olympic 2 (Tozer 16’ (og), A. Cerne 71’)
ROUND 20
Sunday 24 August
Canberra Croatia 4 (Williams 11’. Bongiorno 72’, Fensom 81’, Sanders 90’) Majura FC 0
West Canberra Wanderers 3 (Tomanovits 7’, 15’, Host 17’) Canberra Olympic 3 (Watson 37’ (og), Bennett 40’, Brown 60’)
TABLE*
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Canberra Olympic | 20 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 60 | 18 | +42 | 51 |
| 2 | Canberra Croatia | 20 | 16 | 1 | 3 | 86 | 17 | +69 | 49 |
| 3 | Belconnen United | 20 | 16 | 0 | 4 | 89 | 13 | +76 | 48 |
| 4 | Gungahlin United | 21 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 41 | 40 | +1 | 33 |
| 5 | West Canberra | 20 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 34 | 47 | -13 | 33 |
| 6 | Majura FC | 21 | 6 | 0 | 15 | 28 | 52 | -24 | 18 |
| 7 | Tuggeranong United | 21 | 3 | 0 | 18 | 16 | 93 | -74 | 9 |
| 8 | ANU WFC | 21 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 2 | 76 | -74 | 0 |
*Includes two further forfeited matches: Tuggeranong v Gungahlin (24 August) and Tuggeranong v Majura FC (31 August)
TOP SCORERS
18: Scarlett WELLS (Belconnen United)
15: Emily HAZILIAS (Canberra Croatia)
14: Eden RODDA (Belconnen United)
13: Rhiannon FENSOM (Canberra Croatia)
9: Ella HALL (Gungahlin United), Pia MCGHIE (Canberra Croatia), Own GOALS
8: Sienna NESS (Canberra Olympic)
7: Leila BILLINGTON (Belconnen United), Arijana MAJETIC (Canberra Croatia)
6: Liliana ALTAMORE (Belconnen United), Sonja TOMANOVITS (West Canberra Wanderers), Nicole ZHAO (Canberra Croatia)
5: Elizabeth BARTONE (Canberra Croatia), Emily TOZER (Belconnen United)
4: Anna BENNETT (Canberra Olympic), Amy BONGIORNO (Canberra Croatia), Alexia CERNE (Canberra Olympic), Siena D’AMBROSIO (Belconnen United), Brittany FIORESE (Canberra Olympic), Samantha SHEA (Belconnen United), Matylda WELLS-SHEATHER (Gungahlin United)
3: 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), Nikita PERRY (Canberra Olympic), Ariana RATHOUSKI (Belconnen United), Tayah SANDERS (Canberra Croatia)
2: Hannah BOURKE (Canberra Croatia), Tia BURRIDGE (Canberra Olympic), Georgia CHOUNDARY (Canberra Olympic), Lily D’ADDARIO (Canberra Olympic), Danielja ESKINJA (Belconnen United), Olivia GURNEY (Canberra Olympic), Abbey HURMAN (Canberra Olympic), 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)
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), Rhiannon DAVIS (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), Ella HEWSON (West Canberra Wanderers), Isabella HOPKINS (Canberra Olympic), Olive HUDDY (Majura FC), Caitlin KOCH (Belconnen United), 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), 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), Katie WOODMAN (Belconnen United)
