Perth RedStar’s lead at the top of the NPLWA – Women’s competition was cut to four points after Monique Godding’s stoppage-time equaliser earned Perth SC a 1-1 draw in Sunday’s Round 10 top-of-the-table clash.
Despite the setback, RedStar remain undefeated since Round One, while the Azzurri backed up last week’s Women’s State Cup win over their rivals by holding the defending champions in the league for the second time this season.
Perth SC began the game well and Ella Lincoln stung the palms of Shivani Battaglia before the goalkeeper just about kept out Abbey Meakins’ strike when clawing off the goal line.
But it was Carlos Vega Mena’s team who scored first on 28 minutes when Chiori Ikeda curled past Rebecca Bennett from the edge of the area.
In the second half, RedStar were awarded a penalty when Emily Dunn was fouled by Sophia Papalia, but Kim Carroll’s spot-kick came back off the crossbar and away to safety.
Ikeda turned and almost volleyed in a spectacular second for the home side, while at the other end Gemma Craine was thwarted by Battaglia after a mazy run. The RedStar keeper’s best save though was moments later when she got down to keep out Jess Flannery’s header.
However, there was one final twist as Flannery’s deep cross was met by Craine, who squared for the unmarked Godding to score for a third straight game.
Fremantle City took advantage of Perth’s dropped points as they crushed Curtin University 12-0 to move into second place.
Faye Chambers’ side were the only team to win on the weekend and they motored to victory with seven first-half goals at Edinburgh Oval. In contrast, Curtin are still awaiting their first point.
Laura Waltman tiptoed to the byline and pulled back for Abbey Green to score after quarter-of-an-hour before Waltman beat goalkeeper Danielle Petch at the near post with a low drive into the corner.
Green put away Jamie-Lee Gale’s cross for three, before Waltman picked out Gale for a fourth. Green then capped a sweeping team move to bring up her hat-trick on 25 minutes.
There was no let-up for Curtin and Waltman fired in a fantastic long-range effort to make it 6-0 and Gale’s header from Green’s deep cross was adjudged to have crossed the line for a seventh prior to the interval.
Freo inflicted more pain in the second period with Green again pulling the strings for Gale to round the keeper and complete a treble.
Number nine was a stunning strike from Matilda Boyle which found the top corner, and Green recorded another assist with a pass across the six-yard box for Tash Rigby.
Kayla McCulloch headed home her first goal of the season from a corner, and Annabelle Leek also registered a maiden goal in 2023 from the penalty spot to make it a dozen and put Fremantle on the heels of RedStar going into the second half of the campaign.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Balcatta Etna were unable to close the gap to fourth as they were held 3-3 by Subiaco at Grindleford Reserve.
Tia Stonehill’s scorcher from outside the box gave the hosts an early lead, but two goals in seven minutes turned the game in Subiaco’s favour.
Marianna Tabain whipped Keziah Burgis’ cross into the bottom corner before Danielle Suckling’s superb volley put Greg Farrell’s side ahead
Monique Prinsloo finished from close range to make it 2-2 at half-time and Tim Cash’s team looked on course to make it four straight wins when Sadie Lawrence headed in a corner for her first goal in Balcatta colours.
But Tabain stuck from the penalty spot with 10 minutes remaining to give seventh-place Subi a point and leave Balcatta in sixth, two points off the top four but with a game in hand.
The round began on Friday night when Murdoch University Melville and Hyundai NTC played out a 3-3 draw at Besteam Stadium.
All the goals came in the final half-hour with NTC striker Tanika Lala surging through the hosts’ defence to strike low into the bottom corner for the opener.
MUM FC levelled when Katie Schubert’s long ball was helped in by substitute Andrea Preiato for her first goal of the campaign, but NTC would put themselves in a winning position with two quickfire goals.
Lala cut in from the left and struck low for 2-1 and the lead was extended when Klaudia Houlis joined Golden Boot leader Reina Kagami on nine goals for the season with a shot from range from which squirmed past keeper Stacey Cavill.
However, NTC’s winless stretch would extend to four games after they conceded two penalties late on.
Clara Hoarau converted the first, and though her second spot-kick in quick succession was saved, she followed in to make it 3-3 and keep David Biancuzzo’s side fourth ahead of NTC on goal difference.
Round 10 results
Balcatta Etna 3-3 Subiaco
Curtin University 0-12 Fremantle City
MUM FC 3-3 Hyundai NTC
Perth RedStar 1-1 Perth SC