ACT WOMEN’S PREMIER LEAGUE
MATCHDAY 10
Saturday 18th June
Belconnen United 2 (Ellie Raymond 16’, Madelyn Whittall 63’) Woden-Weston FC 0
(McKellar Park)
Belconnen United carried on their march towards yet another crown with a 2-0 win over Woden-Weston FC at McKellar Park on Saturday evening. Goals from Ellie Raymond and Madelyn Whittall did the damage for the Blue Devils who are now seven points clear of the chasing pack and in pole position to rack up even more silverware as they chase three trophies.
On a day in which Sofia Merkoureas and Michaela Day racked up their 100th Premier League appearance since 2010, it was Belconnen who controlled the game from the outset, forcing Woden-Weston FC onto the back foot and dominating possession despite the best efforts of their opponents to nullifying the attacking threat of a team that had racked up thirty-nine goals in their matches prior to kick-off. And it took only sixteen minutes to make it forty as Raymond bagged her sixth of the season.
Surprisingly, the Blue Devils were unable to add to their tally before the break but made certain of the points with their second of the match just past the hour mark. Whittall has been in terrific form in recent weeks and made sure that Belconnen would be celebrating with her fifth goal of the season. Woden-Weston pushed on after, aiming for a way back into the match, but Belconnen held firm for their ninth win of the season.
Belconnen United: 1. Maja BLASCH, 2. Katie WOODMAN, 3. Lauren KEIR, 4. Samantha ROFF, 5. Sofia MERKOUREAS, 6. Caitlin MUNOZ, 8. Michaela DAY, 11. Madelyn WHITTALL, 14. Ellie RAYMOND, 15. Jordan BUCHANAN, 16. Cara CUTAIA
Substitutes used: 7. Jessie WILLIAMS, 10. Chloe CALLAGHAN, 13. Sam PRICE
Woden-Weston FC: 1. Georgia BORIC, 2. Celina GAYER, 4. Rhianna GOLDSTEIN, 7. Sarah CRITTENDEN, 8. Erika PENNYFIELD, 12. Cassia MCGLASHAN, 14. Georgie THOMSON, 17. Leah CARNEGIE 31. Lisa CEELY, 34. Cassandra WATSON, 52. Isobel D’AMICO
Substitutes used: 3. Edith MELI, 9. Paula VAN DOMMELEN, 27. Amelia TURNER
YELLOW CARDS: 12. Cassia MCGLASHAN, 14. Georgie THOMSON (Woden-Weston FC)
RED CARDS: Nil
Sunday 19th June
Canberra FC 1 (Marcia Wallis 34’) Gungahlin United 1 (Brittany Palombi 39’)
(Deakin Stadium)
By Nick Amies
Canberra FC and Gungahlin United conceded further ground on ACT Women’s Premier League leaders Belconnen United after playing out a 1-1 draw at Deakin Enclosed on Sunday. Canberra FC took the initiative early, applying heavy pressure to the Gungahlin defence thanks to the dangerous movement of attackers Kate Thornton, Marcia Wallis and Jennifer Bisset. The home side would go closest to opening the scoring in the opening stages, with Chantel Jones heading the ball into the cross bar from a pinpoint corner by Bisset.
Gungahlin were keen to get in on the act as well, and nearly used the wet conditions to their advantage from a corner of their own. Brittany Palombi’s initial delivery was cleared by the home side, but her second effort was drilled in towards goal. Canberra FC goalkeeper Georgia Stewart lost her footing in the six-yard box, but was able to recover at the last moment to palm the ball away. Jennifer Bisset was proving to be the lead threat for CFC, forcing Gill Raymond into a good save low to her right after a turnover in the Gungahlin backline. Right back Sally Rojahn produced the next chance for the visitors, firing her shot over the bar after receiving a pass from Ashleigh Palombi.
The home side would break the deadlock in the 34th minute. After the Gungahlin defence failed to clear their line Jennifer Bisset pounced on the loose ball, sliding a pass through the defence to pick out the run of Marcia Wallis. The striker made no mistake, poking it past Gill Raymond with her first touch to score her fourth goal of the season. It would not take long for Gungahlin to respond though, as the visitors equalised in the 38th minute.
With her back to goal on the edge of the box, Ashleigh Palombi drew the attentions of multiple defenders before laying the ball off to Grace Field. Spotting the run of the unmarked Brittany Palombi, Field quickly fed the ball to the Gungahlin attacker, who made an unerring finish past Georgia Stewart to send the teams into half-time on level terms. Playing conditions worsened during the break, making it difficult for both sides to create strong scoring chances in the second half. Canberra FC went to the flanks in search of their second goal as Kate Thornton swung in a cross from the left. Eden Stoddard jumped well to get her head to the delivery, but the midfielder could not direct the ball on target.
Gungahlin captain Ashleigh Palombi nearly put her side in front after winning the ball on the goal-line. The number 10 cut inside and attempted to curl a shot in at the far post, but Georgia Stewart was able to tip the ball around the post for a corner. Set-pieces continued to be a strong threat for Canberra FC. Jennifer Bisset’s delivery missed the heads of Chantel Jones and Eden Stoddard, but Kate Thornton was able to control the ball the back post. The Canberra FC attacker shot low through a crowd of players, but Gill Raymond was once again able to make a good save.
The last chance of the game would fall to Gungahlin’s Georgia Fogarty on the edge of the box. After seeing her initial attempt blocked, the midfielder sent a second shot just wide of the bottom corner of the net. The result leaves the two sides well adrift of Belconnen after their comprehensive win over Woden-Weston FC, with Gungahlin seven points off the pace in second and Canberra FC two points further back with a game in hand.
Canberra FC: 1. Georgia STEWART, 2. Alice CHURCHILL, 5. Kate THORNTON, 6. Amy MCLACHLAN, 8. Emma BESTEK, 9. Grace GILL, 10. Jennifer BISSET, 11. Ella-Jane RILEY, 18. Chantel JONES, 19. Eden STODDARD, 34. Marcia WALLIS
Substitutes used: 22. Milli MALLINSON, 31. Diarna GENOVESI
Gungahlin United: 1. Gill RAYMOND, 3. Georgia FOGARTY, 7. Caitlin CANTRILL, 8. Ilahna AITCHISON, 10. Ashleigh PALOMBI, 11. Brittany PALOMBI, 12. Grace FIELD, 13. Natalie DE MARCO, 15. Peta-Claire FOTHERGILL, 16. Alex PATTERSON, 17. Sally ROJAHN
Substitutes used: 22. Madeleine PERCEVAL
YELLOW CARDS: 8. Emma BESTEK, 19. Eden STODDARD (Canberra FC), 10. Ashleigh PALOMBI (Gungahlin United)
RED CARDS: Nil
Tuggeranong United 8 (Kristy Helmers 12’, 35’, 45’, 80’, Meg McLaughlin 35’, 85’, Sophia Evans 48’, Sarah Daisley 69’) CU Academy 0
(Kambah 2)
By Isaac Norwoozi
It was all Tuggeranong from start to finish as the host side handed the CU Academy 15s an 8-0 defeat on a wet day in Kambah. It was a quick start for Tuggeranong, as they pushed forward time and time again looking for an early opening goal. Meg McLaughlin and Kristy Helmers came agonisingly close on several occasions, and Coach Michael Aldred was getting visibly frustrated at his side’s lack of finishing on the sideline.
Shortly after, that frustration turned to joy as Helmers opened up the scoring for Tuggeranong. After another 20 minutes of dominance, Helmers scored her second. It took thirty seconds for Tuggeranong to make it 3-nil, stealing the ball from kick-off, before pushing forward. McLaughlin got her first of the game as a result. It would not end there for Tuggeranong, with Helmers earning her hat-trick right on half time to make it 4-nil at the break.
The story of the second half was similar to the first, however Tuggeranong would not have to wait long to open up the scoring. Sophia Evans took advantage of a lapse in defence to make it 5-nil to the home side. It was from there that CU Academy started their push forward, but despite their brief dominance in possession they never really looked like finding the net. Down the other end, it was a different story, as Sarah Daisley made it 6-nil as her strike beat the keeper. With twenty minutes to go, Tuggeranong remained ruthless, and Helmers earned her fourth goal of the game to put Tuggeranong up by seven.
CU Academy had put together some lively passages of football and had looked threatening on their sporadic breaks into the home team territory but, five minutes before the end of the play, Tuggeranong would strike one last time, with McLaughlin, who had set up so many of the goals before, getting her second and last of the match. Finally the referee blew the whistle to put the seal on a good afternoon for Tuggeranong United.
Tuggeranong United: 1. Cristina ESPOITO, 3. Kristy HELMERS, 6. Rachael CORBETT, 8. Meg MCLAUGHLIN, 9. Anna DOYLE, 10. Miranda SUMMERSBY-MITCHELL, 11. Hayley MCLACHLAN, 12. Sarah DAISLEY, 13. Sandra HILL, 14. Stephanie COATES, 24. Jamie BERKELEY
Substitutes used: 7. Kimberly MORGAN, 11. Sophie EVANS, 25. Stephanie TRIMBLE
CU Academy: 17. Olivia RIDDEL, 3. Mikayla VIDMAR, 4. Sophie BARNSLEY, 5. Emily JENSEN, 6. Cecilija MATIC, 7. Isabella TAMMARO, 8. Anna MIHALYKA, 9. Mia GIORGI, 10. Georja DICKIE, 12. Demi NIKIAS, 15. Isabel MULHALL
Substitutes used: 2. Bronte PYKE, 14. Molly LAWLESS
YELLOW CARDS: 6. Cecilija MATIC (CU Academy)
RED CARDS: Nil
TABLE
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
1 | Belconnen United | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 41 | 7 | +34 | 27 |
2 | Gungahlin United | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 35 | 11 | +24 | 20 |
3 | Canberra FC | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 27 | 10 | +17 | 18 |
4 | Woden-Weston FC | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 14 | -1 | 10 |
5 | Tuggeranong United | 10 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 23 | 28 | -5 | 9 |
6 | CU Academy | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 71 | -69 | 0 |
LEADING SCORERS
12 Brittany PALOMBI (Gungahlin United)
10 Meg MCLAUGHLIN (Tuggeranong United)
9 Ashleigh PALOMBI (Gungahlin United)
6 Michaela DAY, Ellie RAYMOND (Belconnen United), Erika PENNYFIELD (Woden-Weston FC)
5 Madelyn WHITTALL (Belconnen United)
4 Emma BESTEK, Kate THORNTON, Marcia WALLIS (Canberra FC), Kristy HELMERS (Tuggeranong United), Own GOALS
3 Chloe CALLAGHAN, Cara CUTAIA, Samantha PRICE, Jessie WILLIAMS, Katie WOODMAN (Belconnen United), Alice CHURCHILL, Grace GILL (Canberra FC), Alex LAWRENCE (Tuggeranong United), Karen CLARKE (Woden-Weston FC)
2 Talia BACKHOUSE, Aoife COLVILL, Caitlin MUNOZ (Belconnen United), Jennifer BISSET, Kat CONROY, Eden STODDARD (Canberra FC), Ilahna AITCHSION, Natalie DE MARCO, Alex MARTENS, Sally ROJAHN (Gungahlin United), Jamie BERKELEY (Tuggeranong United)
1 Adriana ILHEO, Amy SPENCE (Belconnen United), Chantel JONES, Rachael GOLDSTEIN, Brigitte WRIGHT (Canberra FC), Lily DAWSON, Karly ROESTBAKKEN (CU Academy), Caitlin CANTRILL, Grace FIELD, Georgia FOGARTY (Gungahlin United), Sarah DAISLEY, Sophia EVANS, Sandra HILL, Hayley MCLACHLAN (Tuggeranong United), Leah CARNEGIE, Sarah CRITTENDEN, Rhianna GOLDSTEIN, Paul VAN DOMMELEN (Woden-Weston FC)