The NPLWA – Women’s title race is set up for a thrilling finish on the back of a stunning first-half performance from Perth SC on Saturday.
The Azzurri were outstanding in the opening period at Dorrien Gardens, scoring four goals in the opening 26 minutes before eventually beating reigning champions Perth RedStar 5-3.
The result saw Perth SC close the gap on leaders Hyundai Football West Academy to one point going into the pair’s top-of-the-table clash at the Sam Kerr Football Centre next Sunday.
For RedStar, it was an end to their seven-game winning streak as they dropped to third. And with Balcatta Etna winning on Sunday, only two points separate the first four places.
Saturday’s fixture marked Perth’s annual ‘Pink Game’ with Tom Glavovic’s team wearing a special pink jersey to help raise awareness and support for those battling breast cancer.
NPLW RESULTS, FIXTURES & STANDINGS
On the pitch, Chris Atturo’s side could have led after 15 seconds, only for Quyen Doan’s shot to crash back off the post. They went ahead on five minutes, though, when Carla Bennett’s corner was cleared only as far as Sarah Carroll, who struck home superbly on the volley from the edge of the area.
But Perth remarkably hit back with three goals in five minutes to dramatically turn the contest on its head. It began when Hannah Collins’ shot hit the base of the post and Jess Flannery followed in to equalise. Daisy McAllister then cut in from the left and fired into the corner as Perth went ahead, before the playmaker netted again when breaking in behind the RedStar defence to slot in for 3-1 after 11 minutes.
Flannery found herself in plenty of space and escaped her marker to tuck away a fourth on 26 minutes, as the hosts put the foot down and took a dominant lead into half-time.
RedStar cut the deficit after the restart when Carla Bennett’s nicely weighted pass was finished by Caitlin Doeglas, who moved to a league-leading 15 goals for the season.
But it was not to be RedStar’s day, highlighted when Doeglas, who had just had a goal disallowed for offside, rattled the crossbar. Instead, Perth scored a fifth to put the game out of reach. Kim McCartney’s free-kick was spilled by Gabby Dal Busco and Sam Mathers put in the rebound.
Carroll did score a stoppage time penalty after Maja Archibald’s foul on Lauren Continibali, but it proved too little, too late as Perth went second and threw down a marker to their title rivals
The leaders heading into the final nine games are the Academy, who won 12-2 against UWA Nedlands on Wednesday to go top of the league.
They led on four minutes when Lacey Heys smashed across goal and the ball broke for Samantha Brady to score from close range.
UWA were on terms moments later thanks to Chloe Rodrigo’s nicely taken curler, only to trail again soon after when Theodora Mouithys struck through a crowd for 2-1 after 10 minutes.
The Academy then blew UWA away with five more goals before the interval. Xuri Dalton applied a couple of simple finishes before Cate McAuliffe followed in to tap home after Klaudia Houlis’ shot was saved. Houlis picked out McAuliffe to net her second on the half-hour mark before Dalton crisply finished following Mouithys’ driving run and cross as the first half ended 7-1.
Nelli Johnson headed in Dalton’s corner to make it eight and barely a minute later the hosts had a ninth when McAuliffe slipped through for Sakura Leong to slot in. McAuliffe completed her treble to bring up double figures, Leong finished one-on-one past the goalkeeper, while Dalton’s long-ranger was the pick of the evening’s goals. Rodrigo teed up Alice Muller to score a late consolation for Uni who remain second bottom but they still have a six-point gap to bottom side Murdoch University Melville.
Two games were played on Sunday as Balcatta put themselves in the title picture with a 2-1 win over Subiaco.
Etna had defeated Subiaco 5-1 in a midweek catch-up game and Pete Rakic’s side were on course again when Abbey Meakins scored direct from a corner with the outside of the boot on 18 minutes. Frankie Murray’s cross was volleyed in by Jamie-Lee Gale with 22 minutes left, but Balcatta had to sweat a little harder for all three points as Izzy Foletta picked up a second yellow card in the final five minutes.
With three minutes remaining, Tayna Campos latched onto Marianna Tabain’s pass to crisply finish past Rebecca Bennett. Time ran out for the visitors, though, as the home side won for a sixth successive game ahead of next week’s trip to RedStar.
Finally, Abbey Green scored a hat-trick as Fremantle City kept their outside hopes of reaching the top four alive with a 5-0 win over MUM FC. They beat the same opposition 3-0 in their rescheduled Round Five clash on Wednesday.
Sam Geddes’ side led on 37 minutes when Sophie Meaden’s through ball found Abbey Green who collected the pass and rolled into the corner. The pair were involved again for Freo’s second with Meaden’s shot saved into the path of Green who poked in for 2-0. Meaden then scored twice in quick succession when put through by passes from Janice Kiama and Leyna Wood.
The final say would go to Green who rounded goalkeeper Jemma Skinner to make it five as Freo ended the weekend 10 points off the playoffs. MUM FC stay bottom and are without a point this season.
