NPLW Top Four Cup: RedStar show again why they are the best
Perth RedStar showed again why they are the outstanding team of the NPLWA - Women’s competition with a commanding performance in the Top Four Cup final on Saturday.
Carlos Vega Mena’s team beat league runners-up Perth SC 4-1 at the State Football Centre to add the end-of-season trophy to the NPLW title for the second successive year.
The victory came on the back of RedStar’s 5-1 win over the same opposition six days earlier, leaving no doubt who are the No.1 side in the state.
The opening goal arrived on eight minutes. Moments after the Azzurri thought they had cleared the danger, the ball fell to Reina Kagami just outside the area and she swivelled before hitting a dipping shot over Rebecca Bennett.
Ten minutes after half-time RedStar went 2-0 up. A loose back-pass from Matilda Boehm put Bennett in trouble and Olivia Wood made her pay by lifting the ball over the keeper and into the net.
The game was made safe five minutes from full-time when RedStar opened up the Perth defence and Kagami slipped in Abbey Woolley, who rounded Bennett to score the third.
Wood got her second a minute from the end from Woolley’s pass, before Perth got a late consolation from Gemma Craine after a goalline scramble.
The victory made it two Top Four Cup wins for RedStar’s women’s sides at the State Football Centre, following their triumph in the U21s final earlier in the day.
They had to come from behind to do it against Balcatta Etna, beating the league champions 2-1.
Balcatta went ahead five minutes in the second half when Nicole Smith tried her luck from 20 yards and the ball flew into the top corner.
The game turned in the 66th minute when Etna keeper Isabella Comito flew out and upended Natalie Malicky. Comito not only gave away a penalty, RedStar’s second of the game, but received a second yellow card as well. Goalscorer Smith took the gloves but she was unable to keep out Charlotte Taylor’s penalty and it was all-square.
The winning goal arrived five minutes from the end as Alkira Mogridge’s corner was diverted into the net, seemingly via the back of Balcatta’s Chloe McGlinn.