ACT WPL MATCHDAY 12: Tuggies Into Top Four

ACT WOMEN’S PREMIER LEAGUE
MATCHDAY 12

Saturday 16th July 
Belconnen United 5 (Talia Backhouse 4’, 73’, Aofie Colvill 39’, Nicole Jalocha 63’, Caitlin Munoz 90+2’) Canberra FC 0
(McKellar Park)

Belconnen United stamped their authority on the ACT Women’s Premier League by thrashing third placed Canberra FC 5-0 in the Saturday evening fixture at McKellar Park. The league leaders were in imperious form and never looked like being pegged back by Canberra FC who slipped to what was only their second loss of the season. Young forward Talia Backhouse gave the Blue Devils the perfect start with a goal in only the fourth minute and it provided the platform for what was to follow as the home team doubled their lead before the break when Aofie Colvill netted her fourth goal of her maiden top-flight campaign. At 2-0 the game was arguably still in the balance but when Nicole Jalocha struck her first league goal of the season in the 63rd minute, it was all over as a contest, Backhouse grabbed her second of the match, and fourth of the season, with seventeen minutes remaining and the icing was out on the cake in stoppage time as Caitlin Munoz made it five. 

Belconnen United: 1. Maja BLASCH, 2. Katie WOODMAN, 3. Lauren KEIR, 6. Caitlin MUNOZ, 8. Aoife COLVILL, 9. Tahlia BACKHOUSE, 10. Chloe CALLAGHAN, 11. Madelyn WHITTALL, 12. Nicole JALOCHA, 14. Ellie RAYMOND, 16. Cara CUTAIA
Substitutes used: 5. Sofia MERKOUREAS, 7. Jessie WILLIAMS,
Canberra FC: 1. Georgia STEWART, 2. Alice CHURCHILL, 3. Meg MCFARLAND, 5. Kate THORNTON, 6. Amy MCLACHLAN, 8. Emma BESTEK, 10. Jennifer BISSET, 11. Ella-Jane RILEY, 13. Brigitte WRIGHT, 18. Chantel JONES, 34. Marcia WALLIS
Substitutes used: 12. Sheridan MCELLIGOTT, 22. Milli MALLINSON
YELLOW CARDS: Nil
RED CARDS: Nil

Woden-Weston FC 0 Tuggeranong United 3 (Kristy Helmers 43’, 86’, Meg McLaughlin 82’)
(Viking Park)

Tuggeranong United moved into fourth place on the ACT WPL ladder after claiming what could prove to be a vital 3-0 win over Woden-Weston FC at Viking Park on Saturday evening. With the game staged at the iconic venue as part of Tuggeranong United’s 40th Anniversary celebrations, the home team knew a win would see them displace the Wanderers in the top four and leave them in pole position to claim finals football. They managed exactly that, but the manner of the victory saw them pushed all the way by a valiant Woden-Weston FC. The pivotal moment arrived just before half-time when Kristy Helmers snatched the lead for the hosts with a fine goal. It wasn’t until late on that Tuggeranong was able to make the game safe with a brace of goals within four minutes of each other. Meg McLaughlin, who was named Club Pink Player of the Month in the week, notched her eleventh goal of the season before Helmers brought up half a dozen for the campaign with the third as time ticked away. 

Woden-Weston FC: 1. Georgia BORIC, 2. Celina GAYER, 3. Edith MELI, 4. Rhianna GOLDSTEIN, 5. Karen CLARKE, 7. Sarah CRITTENDEN, 8. Erika PENNYFIELD, 14. Georgie THOMSON, 17. Leah CARNEGIE 18. Bridgit PLUMMER, 52. Isobel D’AMICO
Substitutes used: 9. Paula VAN DOMMELEN, 10. Natalie LACEY, 16. Lauren ALLEN
Tuggeranong United: 1. Jill SCOTT, 3. Kristy HELMERS, 6. Rachael CORBETT, 7. Rhiannon DAISLEY, 8. Meg MCLAUGHLIN, 10. Miranda SUMMERSBY-MITCHELL, 11. Anna DOYLE, 12. Sarah DAISLEY, 13. Sandra HILL, 15. Stephanie COATES, 20. Sophie EVANS
Substitutes used: 23. Katelyn EVANS, 24. Beth WILLIAMS, 25. Kimberley MORGAN
YELLOW CARDS: Nil
RED CARDS: Nil

Sunday 17th July
CU Academy 0 Gungahlin United 11 (Ashleigh Palombi 6’, 14’, 15’, 60’, Georgia Fogarty 36’, Darby Whiteley 40’, Brittany Palombi 27’, 42’, 71’, 82’, Natalie De Marco 90+2’)
(Riverside Stadium)

By Isaac Norwoozi

Gungahlin United recorded a comprehensive win over the CU Academy at the Riverside Stadium in Queanbeyan on Saturday. Both Ashleigh and Brittany Palombi scored four times as the Gunners ran out 11-0 winners. Gungahlin staked their claim on the game right from the first whistle, dominating possession and giving CU Academy plenty to worry about moving forward. It took just six minutes for Gungahlin United to find an opening, as Ashleigh Palombi darted down the centre of the pitch, touched the ball past the keeper and passed the ball into the net. 

CU Academy did well to control possession in the midfield with some good passing, however they were never able to be a real threat up front. When Gungahlin found an opening, they struck again, Ashleigh Palombi bagging her second of the game just eight minutes after her first. Just one minute later, Ashleigh Palombi would bag her hat-trick to make it 3-nil Gungahlin in just 15 minutes. Academy defended valiantly after the third goal, and looked to find a counter, but Gungahlin were relentless in their push forward. Soon, it was Brittany Palombi’s turn, finding the net off a good move to put her side up by four. Gungahlin would then go on to find three more before half time, through the likes of Georgie Fogarty, Darby Whiteley and Brittany Palombi’s second to make it 7-nil at half time. 

CU Academy looked like a completely different side coming into the second, with slick passing and good movement surprising the Gungahlin defence and putting them on the back foot. However, despite their dominance, Academy were unable to find the net and Gungahlin continued the onslaught. Ashleigh Palombi bagged her fourth goal of the game soon after Gungahlin regained control of the game, before Brittany Palombi got her hat-trick. Then, not to be outdone by her sister, Brittany Palombi also found her fourth of the game with under ten minutes left in the half. Gungahlin kept pushing forward right up until the final whistle, and were rewarded with their 11th goal in stoppage time via a clever strike from Natalie De Marco. 

CU Academy: 1. Sabrina SANCHEZ, 3. Mikayla VIDMAR, 4. Sophie BARNSLEY, 5. Emily JENSEN, 7. Isabella TAMMARO, 8. Anna MIHALYKA, 9. Mia GIORGI, 10. Georja DICKIE, 12. Demi NIKIAS, 13. Stella DE MARCO, 15. Lily DAWSON
Substitutes used: 2. Bronte PYKE, 9. Molly LAWLESS, 14. Isobel MUHALL
Gungahlin United: 1. Gill RAYMOND, 3. Georgia FOGARTY, 6. Najwa ALLEN, 8. Ilahna AITCHISON, 10. Ashleigh PALOMBI, 11. Brittany PALOMBI, 13. Natalie DE MARCO, 15. Peta-Claire FOTHERGILL, 16. Alex PATTERSON, 18. May BAILEY, 27. Darby WHITELY
Substitutes used: 20. Kayla MARGIOTTA, 21. Ashlyn GARRITY, 30. Kiara GASPARI
YELLOW CARDS: Nil
RED CARDS: Nil

TABLE

LEADING SCORERS 
17 Brittany PALOMBI (Gungahlin United)
13 Ashleigh PALOMBI (Gungahlin United)
11 Meg MCLAUGHLIN (Tuggeranong United)
6 Michaela DAY, Ellie RAYMOND, Madelyn WHITTALL (Belconnen United), Kristy HELMERS (Tuggeranong United), Erika PENNYFIELD (Woden-Weston FC)
4 Talia BACKHOUSE, Aoife COLVILL, Cara CUTAIA, Caitlin MUNOZ (Belconnen United), Emma BESTEK, Kate THORNTON, Marcia WALLIS (Canberra FC), Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Own GOALS
3 Chloe CALLAGHAN, Samantha PRICE, Jessie WILLIAMS, Katie WOODMAN (Belconnen United), Alice CHURCHILL, Grace GILL (Canberra FC), Alex LAWRENCE (Tuggeranong United), Karen CLARKE (Woden-Weston FC)
2 Jennifer BISSET, Kat CONROY, Eden STODDARD (Canberra FC), Ilahna AITCHSION, Grace FIELD, Georgia FOGARTY, Alex MARTENS, Sally ROJAHN (Gungahlin United), Jamie BERKELEY (Tuggeranong United)
1 Adriana ILHEO, Nicole JALOCHA, Amy SPENCE (Belconnen United), Chantel JONES, Rachael GOLDSTEIN, Brigitte WRIGHT (Canberra FC), Lily DAWSON, Karly ROESTBAKKEN (CU Academy), Caitlin CANTRILL, Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United), Sarah DAISLEY, Sophia EVANS, Sandra HILL, Hayley MCLACHLAN (Tuggeranong United), Leah CARNEGIE, Sarah CRITTENDEN, Rhianna GOLDSTEIN, Paul VAN DOMMELEN, Cassandra WATSON (Woden-Weston FC)