ACT WOMEN’S PREMIER LEAGUE
MATCHDAY 13
Thursday 21st July 2016
Tuggeranong United 3 (Meg McLaughlin 46’, 49’ (pen), 86’) Gungahlin United 6 (Brittany Palombi 14’, 63’, Ashleigh Palombi 16’, 54’, 83’, Natalie De Marco 74’)
(Woden Park)
Gungahlin United continued their momentum as they marched towards finals football with a 6-3 win over Tuggeranong United in an exciting match played at Woden Park in midweek. Two players managed hat-tricks on the evening, as the trio who lead the Golden Boot race emphasised just why they are the deadliest forwards in the competition with a masterclass of finishing.
Gungahlin led 2-0 at the interval after a first-half in which, whilst not totally dominating the play, they certainly created the better chances and took the lead in the 14th minute through a well taken goal from Brittany Palombi. Ashleigh Palombi was quick to follow onto the score-sheet, netting just two minutes later as the Gunners took control of the match. Any thoughts that they might cruise to victory were dispelled quickly after the interval.
Tuggeranong’s leading scorer Meg McLaughlin pulled one back within a minute of the restart and the striker was on target again just three minutes later, coolly converting from the penalty spot to bring her team level. Gungahlin weren’t fazed however and Ashleigh Palombi restored their lead in the 54th minute to swing the game back in favour of the visiting team.
Brittany Palombi made it 4-2 on 63 minutes with her nineteenth goal of the season before Natalie De Marco took the game out of the reach of Tuggeranong with the fifth sixteen minutes from time. Ashleigh Palombi completed her treble, moving onto sixteen league goals for the season to seal the points in the final six minutes. There was still time for McLaughlin to net her third of the game, and fourteenth of the campaign, minutes later to finish the scoring.
Tuggeranong United: 1. Jill SCOTT, 6. Rachael CORBETT, 8. Meg MCLAUGHLIN, 10. Miranda SUMMERSBY-MITCHELL, 11. Sophie EVANS, 12. Sarah DAISLEY, 13. Rhiannon DAISLEY, 15. Stephanie COATES, 19. Kimberly MORGAN, 23. Beth WILLIAMS, 25. Dianne WILSON
Substitutes used: Cristina ESPOSITO, 2. F PRICE, 9. Katelyn EVANS
Gungahlin United: 87. Elena HARIDEMOS, 3. Georgia FOGARTY, 8. Ilahna AITCHISON, 10. Ashleigh PALOMBI, 11. Brittany PALOMBI, 12. Grace FIELD, 13. Natalie DE MARCO, 15. Peta-Claire FOTHERGILL, 16. Alex PATTERSON, 18. May BAILEY, 21. Ashlyn GARRITY
Substitutes used: 22. Madeline PERCEVAL, 25. Alex MARTENS, 27. Darby WHITELEY
YELLOW CARDS: 10. Ashleigh PALOMBI, 18. MAY BAILEY (Gungahlin United)
RED CARDS: Nil
Sunday 24th July
CU Academy 0 Belconnen United 9 (Cara Cutaia 20’, 30’, Aofie Colvill 41’, Ellie Raymond 52’, 84’, Madelyn Whittall 61’, 63’, Sabrina Sanchez 70’ (og), Katie Woodman 72’)
(AIS Synthetic)
By Nick Amies
Belconnen United secure the ACT Women’s Premier League title with an emphatic 9-0 win over the Canberra United Academy. Canberra United made a positive start in chilly conditions at the AIS, but as the half wore on the league leaders took control of the match. Having been a consistent threat with her pace, Aoife Colvill dribbled past her defender and cut the ball back to Cara Cutaia for a simple finish.
The Academy’s compact defence was restricting space for their opposition, but the Blue Devils would double their lead in the 30th minute. Sam Roff’s overlapping run was picked out by Lauren Keir, and the left back sent in an early cross to once again find the run of Cara Cutaia. After brining the delivery under control, it was once again a composed finish from Cutaia to double her side’s lead. Once again the speed of Colvill broke through the right flank, and this time the Belconnen forward was the one to make a mark on the scoresheet, calmly finishing past the goalkeeper.
Ellie Raymond, pushed forward from right back after Colvill’s half-time substitution, made the early breakthrough in the second half, latching onto a through ball before finishing calmly past the goalkeeper. The pressure on the Canberra United defence continued, with Katie Woodman trying her luck from the edge of the area. Goalkeeper Sabrina Sanchez was able to make the save, but unfortunately palmed the ball into the path of Maddy Whittall, who made a simple finish.
It took just minutes for Whittall to find her second of the match. Ellie Raymond once again broke in behind the Academy defence and sent a pinpoint cross to the back post, where Whittall was waiting for the finish. Raymond continued to provide a threat on the right flank, and once again found herself played in behind her marker. This time, the forward’s cross did not find a teammate, but instead the ball was spilled over the goal line by goalkeeper Sabrina Sanchez as she attempted to gather the delivery.
Just minutes later Raymond was at it again, picking out Cara Cutaia with a low cross. The midfielder then laid the ball off to Katie Woodman for a driving shot that went past the despairing keeper and into the net. The result was capped off in the closing minutes by Raymond, flicking home a corner by substitute Jessie Williams. Canberra United would continue to push for a consolation, but could not find a way through on the efforts of Isabel Mulhall and Mia Giorgi.
CU Academy: 1. Sabrina SANCHEZ, 2. Bronte PYKE, 3. Mikayla VIDMAR, 4. Sophie BARNSLEY, 5. Emily JENSEN, 7. Isabella TAMMARO, 9. Mia GIORGI, 10. Georja DICKIE, 12. Demi NIKIAS, 14. Molly LAWLESS, 16. Lily DAWSON
Substitutes used: 8. Anna MIHALYKA, 13. Stella DE MARCO
Belconnen United: 1. Jess GIOVINAZZO, 2. Katie WOODMAN, 3. Lauren KEIR, 4. Amy SPENCE, 5. Samantha ROFF, 9. Aofie COLVILL, 11. Madelyn WHITTALL, 12. Nicole JALOCHA, 14. Ellie RAYMOND, 15. Jordan BUCHANAN, 16. Cara CUTAIA
Substitutes used: 6. Annalise HEDDITCH, 7. Jessie WILLIAMS, 8. Michaela DAY
YELLOW CARDS: Nil
RED CARDS: Nil
TABLE
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
1 | Belconnen United | 13 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 59 | 7 | +52 | 36 |
2 | Gungahlin United | 13 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 54 | 15 | +39 | 29 |
3 | Canberra FC | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 27 | 15 | +12 | 18 |
4 | Tuggeranong United | 13 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 29 | 38 | -9 | 12 |
5 | Woden-Weston FC | 11 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 14 | 19 | -5 | 10 |
6 | CU Academy | 11 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 82 | -80 | 0 |
LEADING SCORERS
19 Brittany PALOMBI (Gungahlin United)
16 Ashleigh PALOMBI (Gungahlin United)
14 Meg MCLAUGHLIN (Tuggeranong United)
8 Ellie RAYMOND, Madelyn WHITTALL (Belconnen United)
6 Cara CUTAIA, Michaela DAY (Belconnen United), Kristy HELMERS (Tuggeranong United), Erika PENNYFIELD (Woden-Weston FC)
5 Aoife COLVILL (Belconnen United), Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Own GOALS
4 Talia BACKHOUSE, Caitlin MUNOZ, Katie WOODMAN (Belconnen United), Emma BESTEK, Kate THORNTON, Marcia WALLIS (Canberra FC)
3 Chloe CALLAGHAN, Samantha PRICE, Jessie WILLIAMS (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)