Belconnen United emerged victorious in Saturday’s Women’s Federation Cup Final, putting nine past a Tuggeranong United side that simply had no response to the quality of the now ten-time champions.
Despite the result, it represented a memorable afternoon for Mitch Stevens’ side and the many vocal supporters who turned out at McKellar Park, with the club appearing on this stage for the first time in their history.
The Blue Devils however, have now rounded their tally to four consecutive titles, and got started on achieving that statistic early at their home ground, as Lillian Skelly struck a stunning effort into the top right corner from an acute angle, to open the scoring.
Tuggeranong held the reigning champions out for a further 20 minutes before a quickfire Belconnen double had them three clear, off the back of two moves that carved their opponents open, before being finished off first by Alina Roberts, and then Alyssa Di-Campli.
With the Kambah-based side pressing higher for a goal at the end of the half, Isla Murphy starting her first Cup Final fed Roberts again with a perfect pass in behind, which the Blue Devils forward finished with conviction to make it four going into the break.
The second half started much the way of the first, Belconnen dominating, Tuggeranong forced to defend deep, until a 57th-minute Lillian Skelly header, put on a plate by a well-placed Bronte Pyke cross, rounded the total to five.
A second for Di-Campli, a brilliant turn and shot to find the top corner, was then cancelled out 21 minutes later, as Nicole Zhao made Tuggeranong United history by scoring in the Federation Cup Final, having profited from a defensive mix-up, and finished clinically into an empty net.
Three further goals however, two of which scored by Belconnen youth products Samantha Shea and Liliana Altamore, secured another piece of silverware for a Scott Conlon Belconnen United side.
“It means a lot to me,” he said, reflecting on his side’s fourth consecutive cup title. “Four years is a long time for players to be a part of a program, coaches to be a part of a program, high performance to be consistent in a program, it’s the fourth win in a row, it’s the fifth final in a row and it just demonstrates a hunger, a desire and a consistency that is a really high level.”
“I was away for the [Canberra] Croatia game, so all the coaches have had a chance to contribute to this trophy, because there was a game I had to miss while I was doing my A-license.”
Despite the comfort of the win, Conlon said there was still plenty to appreciate from his Blue Devils outfit on the day.
“I was pleased with the play, we could score nine goals and they could be ordinary or awkward-looking goals… but there was a lot of play and a lot of goals which were just really clean, attacking, easy-to-watch football that both sets of supporters could appreciate,” he said. “Good chemistry, knowing where each other are, lots of forward movement, lots of forward passes, trying to find solutions to difficult problems, that was pleasing regardless of who the opponent was.”
In what has been a transitional season for Belconnen from a personnel perspective, the performances on the pitch remain indistinguishable from a side boasting the likes of Keira Bobbin, Lauren Preston, Pascale La Hei, Talia Backhouse, Pearl Tein, Maddie Steinacker and more key absentees from 2025.
“It comes back to the pathways we have at the club,” Conlon expressed. “The teams throughout the younger age groups are all learning things specific to [their] age group, so because they’re all learning the same thing at the same learning point, as they get through to seniors, they already come kind of ready, and then I only need to put the senior touches on what they’re doing,” he said. “Leila [Billington’s] come up this year in her first year of first grade people might not even realise that she’s almost top scorer of the league, because she looks like she’s been there for years, [the same with] Isla [Murphy], Lily [Altamore], Sammy [Shea], Alina’s only in her second year but she looks like she’s had a hundred years.”
Having won so frequently, and particularly in the case of a quadruple-winning 2025, won to such an extreme level, Conlon says his main source of fulfilment as a coach comes from developing his players for more elevated footballing opportunities.
“The girls love the trophies, I don’t really love the trophies, I get more satisfaction out of saying seven girls left to a league that is deemed better than ours, that’s better than trophies for me,” he said. “That’s been the trend over the last three years, that the girls [who] have moved on have gone on to further their own careers, I’ll take that over a trophy, no problem.”
STATISTICS
WOMEN’S FEDERATION CUP FINAL
Saturday 6 June
Tuggeranong United 1 (Zhao 79’) Belconnen United 9 (Skelly 6’, 57’, Roberts 26’, 45+2’, Di-Campli 28’, 58’, Shea 83’, Altamore 90’, Mozier OG 90+2’)
THE LINE-UPS
Tuggeranong United: 1. Natalie LACEY, 4. Jessica MITCHELL (7. Acacia ARGENTO 19’), 5. Natalie MOZIER, 6. Danielle SMITH (12. Kalista HAURELIUK 68’), 8. Jemma TOMS, 9. Nicole ZHAO (11. Gabrielle PAUL 82’), 10. Rhianna GOLDSTEIN, 14. Claire D’CRUZE, 15. Lara MUSTAINE (16. Kristina HOLDEN 68’), 18. Saskia NEWMAN (2. Marguerite SIROIS 82’), 19. Etienne DAVIES
Substitute not used: 3. Zoe WILLIAMS
Belconnen United: 1. Matilde LAUREL TIGHE, 2. Ailish MCDONAGH, 4. Bronte PYKE, 7. Stefanie LEJINS, 8. Anneke CORRY (19. Alex MARTENS 62’), 17. Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (29. Liliana ALTAMORE 68’), 18. Izzy HINDMARSH, 23. Leila BILLINGTON (21. Samantha SHEA 62’), 28. Alina ROBERTS (13. Gemma TOSELAND 68’), 32. Lillian SKELLY, 33. Isla MURPHY (15. Emily HAY 68’)
Substitute not used: 20. Claire JOSEPH
THE OFFICIALS
Referee: Bradley FARMER
Assistant Referees: Emily DOWNS, Harrison OSBURNE
Fourth Official: Sarin TIATRAGUL
DISCIPLINE
Yellow Cards: 8. Anneke CORRY (Belconnen United), 5. Natalie MOZIER (Tuggeranong United), 8. Jemma TOMS (Tuggeranong United)
Red Card: N/A
Words: Sam Watson
