Olivia Wood netted twice as Perth RedStar returned to the top of the NPLWA - Women’s competition following a 2-0 win at Balcatta Etna in Sunday’s solitary Round 13 clash.
The defending champions had dropped to second in the standings after Perth’s win on Saturday temporarily saw them go top.
However, Carlos Vega Mena’s side bounced back from last week’s defeat at Fremantle to regain their position, while Balcatta lost ground on the top two sides.
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It was a tight first half with the first chance falling Etna’s way. Faye Phillips burst into the box from Lucy Jerram’s pass, but Gabby Dal Busco stuck up a right glove to help her drive over the bar.
RedStar then had three good chances to lead at half-time with the first falling to Manami Arai from Jayna Ridley’s inch-perfect pass. The Japanese winger was denied by an excellent save from Rebecca Bennett before Wood was twice unable to beat the goalkeeper with the last of those another excellent stop from Bennett.
It was goalless at the break but then a sliding doors moment unfolded nine minutes after the restart when Jerram got in behind RedStar’s defence and saw her shot rifle off the post. Jamie-Lee Gale’s follow-up was saved by Dal Busco, and RedStar went up the other end and won a corner which led to the game’s opening goal. The visitors took the set-piece short with Reina Kagami beating two challenges on the byline before pulling back for Wood to score from six yards.
RedStar doubled their lead midway through the second half when Sarah Carroll picked off a clearance from Liana Cook, played a one-two with Kagami and then poked through for Wood to rifle high into the net.
Balcatta’s best chance to pull one back came when Abbey Meakins’ volley from distance forced Dal Busco into a fine low save.
But the hosts would end the weekend eight points off the top spot with a game in hand, as RedStar restored their two-point cushion at the summit.
The sides meet again this Wednesday at the same venue in the second Hyundai Women’s State Cup semi-final.
On Saturday evening, a first-half blitz helped Perth SC win 6-1 against Murdoch University Melville.
Perth took the lead when Grace Johnston’s cross from the right reached Daisy McAllister on the edge of the area, with the midfielder bending brilliantly into the bottom corner.
A quickfire second was scored following another Johnston cross as Lincoln teed up Sam Mathers to fire home and make it goals in back-to-back games.
It was three when Lincoln threaded through for Johnston to slot in her first Azzurri goal, and Perth were in cruise control when Nadia Harvey’s cross was helped on by Lincoln with McAllister scoring low across the goalkeeper.
Four became five by half-time when Lincoln’s deflected effort sneaked in for goal number 16 of her season with victory all but cemented.
MUM FC fought hard and put in a much-improved showing after the restart. Luana Ascenzo-Cabello’s through ball reached midfield runner Nyana Jayme who found the back of the net to register her first NPLW goal.
Perth put the icing on the cake with 15 minutes left thanks to Mathers’ curler from 18 yards as the Azzurri continue to keep pace at the top.
They back up against Fremantle City in Tuesday’s first Hyundai Women’s State Cup semi-final, while MUM FC remain three points behind UWA at the bottom of the league and have now played a game more.
The fixture between UWA Nedlands and Fremantle City was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch with the time and date of the rearranged fixture to be confirmed.
Subiaco’s match with Hyundai NTC was also postponed with many of the NTC squad away representing WA in the National Youth Championships. The fixture will now take place at the Sam Kerr Football Centre on Wednesday 24 July.