Azzurri back on top as Balcatta lose to RedStar
Perth Azzurri are the new leaders of the New Balance NPL WA Women’s competition after a 5-0 success at Subiaco at Rosalie Park.
The defending champions are three points clear at the summit after previous pacesetters Balcatta Etna suffered their first loss of the season on Sunday.
Tom Glavovic’s side are also the division’s only undefeated team after nine rounds, while Subi stay sixth and are five points off fourth spot.
Subiaco had a good chance on the quarter-hour mark when a corner ran to Ana Denona, who forced Dayle Schroeder to help over her own crossbar. Then, with half-time nearing, Jess Flannery beat the offside trap and put Perth in front with a one-on-one finish.
Azzurri put the pedal to the metal in the second period with four more goals seeing them run away convincing winners by the end. Flannery latched onto another Ruby Marshall pass through the middle six minutes after the restart to double her and Perth’s tally. Subi were unable to deal with simple straight balls and they paid the price again as Daisy McAllister opened her account for the campaign after breaking beyond the home defence.
Then it was Charli Wainwright’s turn to bag her first of the season after rolling in when a high ball into the box broke her way.
Matilda Bohm headed in Tegan Attree’s corner late on to wrap up the victory and make it back-to-back away wins for the holders.
The result allowed Azzurri to take control of the title race after Perth RedStar’s 2-0 win at Balcatta, who slip to second.
A goal in each half got the job done as Conrad McKelvie remained unbeaten since replacing Chris Atturo as head coach earlier this month.
The opener came on 27 minutes when Etna failed to clear a corner and Jay Coleman arrived on the edge of the box to fire home.
Golden Boot leader Caitlin Doeglas had a great chance to level against her former team late in the half. Doeglas charged through the home defence and rounded keeper Gabby Dal Busco but was unable to finish into a vacant net. Instead, the three-time NPLW champions nearly extended their lead with the last kick of the first half when Nelli Johnson’s free-kick was beaten away by Rebecca Bennett.
Johnson did find the net on 72 minutes when her cross-cum-shot beat Bennett at her near post and that proved enough to secure all three points.
Another boost for RedStar, who are now three games unbeaten, was the return of Sarah Carroll as a second-half substitute after nine weeks out.
Fremantle City have gone level on points with Balcatta following their 5-0 victory at UWA Nedlands.
Tanika Lala wasted no time in marking her second spell at Freo with a goal, collecting Abbey Green’s pass and running in to finish after only 70 seconds.
Leyna Wood then hit the bar for Freo, before Sam Geddes’ side went two up on 35 minutes with Lala again involved. The Goldfields forward crossed for Wood to poke home from six yards.
Lala struck again as she put away Lacey Heys’ cross early in the second half for Freo's third, before Janice Kiama nudged Erin Siah’s cross over the line to put the visitors in a commanding position. Another Siah corner led to a fifth and final goal with skipper Annabelle Leek bundling in on the line.
The win keeps Fremantle three points behind Perth, while UWA are six points adrift at the foot of the table with just one point from nine games.
Sorrento FC are second bottom but trending in the right direction following a 1-1 draw with Hyundai Football West Academy at Percy Doyle Reserve.
Nikayla Hughes latched onto Jenna Harnwell’s long ball and rolled her marker to find the bottom corner on six minutes and give the Gulls a great start.
Mya Andrews fired a shot just wide on 20 minutes from the edge of the area as the Academy had plenty of chances to level, but it was Sorrento who held a slender lead at the break.
A brilliant long-range strike from Ella Lange gave the Academy an equaliser on 52 minutes. But despite 11 shots on target in the game, they could not find a winner and sit four points behind fourth-placed RedStar.
