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Smarter than Smoking Women's Premier Round 16 Review |
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Thursday, 28 August 2008 |
Penny TannerHoath
There are only two fixtures left leading into Top Four Finals. Queens Park, Northern Redbacks and Balcatta are all within five points and the league title. Subiaco and UWA are fighting for that last Top Four Finals berth, a place which is beyond sixth placed East Fremantle’s reach now.
Redbacks and Queens Park had to play out the very last game of the season in 2007 to determine who would be the League Champions. The same scenario won’t pan out this year with UWA and Beckenham playing the top two on September 7 and Balcatta having one game up their sleeve still.
Northern Redbacks 3 East Fremantle 1
The Redbacks are one of the most entertaining teams to watch in the Women’s Premier League. Ask anyone who was at the Smarter than Smorking Cup semi final last Wednesday evening at Windmills. Coach Tim Hodgson’s coaching philosophy has been clearly demonstrated in his squad and they have looked the goods more consistently than any other team this year.
East Fremantle dominated the first half of their Sunday fixture and deserved the early lead after Ebony Drane's goal on 19 minutes. Perhaps it was a larger bench than East Fremantle that eventually saw the Redbacks overrun them in the second half. Steph Grant, J. Nellany and then Lara Filacamo pacifying Hodgson’s first half frustration.
East Fremantle play Nedlands tonight at Wauhop Park at 7pm under lights in a fight for Nedlands to stay out of the bottom two. Tony Carvajal will need to motivate his squad after Sunday’s loss to beat an improving Nedlands.
Mandurah 0 Balcatta 3
J.Carley put two goals away in the first half and Rene Forth one in the second without any reply from Mandurah at the Hyundai Stadium on Sunday. Sara King in goals for Mandurah, along with some poor finishing from Balcatta, stopped what could have been an onslaught. Balcatta are five points off Queens Park and still have one game in hand to play before September 7.
UWA 2 Nedlands 1
UWA’s C.Meaton capitalized on a rare defensive mistake by M.Kent inside of 4 minutes to slide the ball past the Nedlands ‘keeper. The game was open and end to end. Nedlands simply could not put the ball in the net after some great passages of play. UWA put a second away just inside the half time whistle when another defensive lapse saw Mossenson advance into the opening space and easily put the ball in the corner of the net. The second half, much to Coach John Warrington’s delight, was 80% inside UWA’s defensive area but it took a frustrating 80 minutes before the tallest striker in the league J.Bennett headed past Peterson. The game ended with no clear shots on goal from UWA in the second half but a much needed 2-1 win for them.
Queens Park 5 Beckenham 0
Queens Park simply overran Beckenham, flaunting five different goal scorers (K.Woodfin after only two minutes, Learmont, Heinsen, Pearman and Langley). Stacey Woodfin was kept quieter by Sarah Van Snick and Beckenham’s Claire Wragg and J.Gale worked tirelessly to try and keep midfielder Gemma Langley out of the game. Queens Park had three of the Woodfin clan on the park with Stacey, Kylie and young Brittany all displaying the typical Woodfin tenacity under Coach Steve Woodfin and Manager Lynda Woodfin.
Match of the Week Round 17
Balcatta v Queens Park 3pm at Grindleford Reserve. This will determine if Balcatta can still grasp the title of League Champions.
Full results for the round
Cockburn City FF to Subiaco, Northern Redbacks 3 East Fremantle 1, Mandurah 0 Balcatta 3, UWA 2 Nedlands 1, Queens Park 5 Beckenham 0
CUP AND TOP FOUR FINALS
Last Wednesday’s Semi Final saw Northern Redbacks defeat Queens Park 8-7 after normal time ended 3-3. It took one each in sudden death to narrowly establish the Redbacks as a Grand Final contender.
The cold and wind didn’t stop the entertainment and speed and by all accounts it was one of the matches of the season. The game was a contrast of the speed of Queens Park’s attack and the long ball to utilize pacey forward Stacey Learmont and the patient build up by the Reds. Nicola Williams was back from an 8 week break from a broken wrist and giving Jackie Nellany some great service up front from which she converted two.
Subiaco B play Balcatta A tonight at Morley Windmills at 7pm for the right to play Redbacks in the Final.
The Top Four Finals are on the 14th and 21st of September.
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