MATCH OF THE ROUND
Gosford v Terrigal
Gosford will welcome Terrigal to Gavenlock Oval for your WPL Round 11 Match of the Round.
Gosford remains a perfect 8 from 8 to start the season but have had their last 2 games postponed. Pete Edward’s side has not conceded a goal in first grade in their last 630 minutes of WPL football, a truly remarkable statistic. Although the Dragons are flying high, one of their toughest matchups this year was against the opposition they face again this weekend. On that day, Gosford came out 2-0 victors but Terrigal were very unlucky not to take something away from that game. Gosford will look to further distance themselves away from the rest of the competition with another clean sheet win this weekend to keep their perfect season alive.
Coach Pete Edwards knows they are up against a very tough challenger this weekend and states his side will need to be at the very best against the O’lasses. “We are really excited to get back out on the field after only really playing 35 minutes worth of football in the last 2 weeks. I’m not shocked at some of the results Terrigal have managed this year. I think they are a fantastic young and high energy team who are set up each week by a top coach in Daryl. I expect the game to be as close as the first round. My team will need to be focused and playing as good as they can right from the kick-off. As always, we go into this game with confidence and belief in how we play and I’m looking forward to a top game of footy on the weekend.”
Terrigal will be out to shock the rest of the competition with a win over reigning League Champions Gosford this weekend. Gosford is the only team Terrigal have failed to score against this season and the O’lasses will be looking to change that and join Wyong as the only team to score against Gosford. A win this weekend would see Terrigal go on equal points with 1st place Gosford as Terrigal look to also be only the third team to record a win over Gosford in the past 12 months.
Assistant coach Gregory Parker has been very impressed with how the Terrigal side continues to develop and they are looking forward to the test that is Gosford. “Terrigal is looking forward to the contest against Gosford this Sunday. They have proven to be the benchmark of the competition to date. Our O’lasses are continuing to develop very well technically and tactically as our results are showing. We are still very focused on improving all areas of our game for the remainder of the season.”
Kanwal v Southern & Ettalong
4th placed Kanwal will be looking to separate themselves even further away on the ladder with a win over 5th placed Southern & Ettalong.
Kanwal are currently enjoying their biggest win streak of the season (3) as they look to make it 4 wins in a row come Sunday. Kanwal has scored more than half of their goals in their last 3 games and will look to keep the goals coming against Southern who keep them goalless in round 2 when they faced. Kanwal coach and player Hayls Ballard is leading the Bulls pack with 8 goals total for the year and will hope she, and her team will keep the momentum going as they chase down the top 3.
After being washed out last weekend, Southern will be hoping they can get back to winning ways in round 11. Southern are yet to see defeat in back-to-back games which will give Augusto Terra and his side confidence they can repeat their round 2 results where they beat Kanwal 1-0. Southern currently sits 4 points behind 4th place Kanwal but with 2 extra games in hand over the Bulls, a win this weekend could go a long way in Southern’s hope for playing finals football.
Kariong v Killarney
After a weekend off, Kariong will be looking to welcome back key players as they search for the first win of the season, against the Terriers.
Kariong were handed a 4-0 loss in round 10 after the Cougars forfeited their match fixture with Umina. Kariong finds themselves bottom on the WPL ladder without a point, very similar to their BPL side. Kariong has not recorded a single goal since round 5 as coach Haylie Eyers will be hoping her side can start to find the back of the net again. Kariong have been very unfortunate with injuries, so after a week off, hopefully, they can welcome back key players that will look to be a part of their initial win.
Adam Tait and his Killarney side find themselves in 6th place on 13 points after 9 games, recording 4 wins, 4 losses and 1 draw to start the year. Killarney’s biggest win of the year came all the way back in round 2 when they beat Kariong 3-0. Killarney now has the tough task of repeating this result away from home as the Terriers look to pick up their first win since round 6.
Wyong v Umina
After losing 11-1 to the E-gals at the start of the year, Wyong will be out to prove how far they have come since then with a statement win over Umina.
Wyong were very new to the competition when they met Umina in round 2. A lot of people counted Wyong out after their opening 2 matches, but Paul Halton and his squad have gone onto pick up 2 wins and a draw since then, while also challenging and impressing many teams throughout the first half of the year. Wyong will be out to show how far they have come since their opening match and will be looking to upset last year Grand Final winners with a win in front of a home Baker Park crowd.
Umina regained their spot in 2nd place after a forfeit last weekend saw them jump Terrigal who have a game in hand over the E-Gals. it is a very crucial weekend for Umina as 1st place Gosford and 3rd placed Terrigal are set to do battle in this week’s WPL Match of the Round. A win could either see Umina jump into first place or give them a 4-point cushion in 2nd place depending on how results go. Umina boasts the current WPL Golden Boot leader Kate Styles who currently sits on 14 total goals. Kate managed to score 6 against Wyong last time around as she will be on the lookout to do the same come Sunday.
East Gosford v Woongarrah
East Gosford enjoyed their biggest win of the year so far over Woongarrah as the Rams look to chase down the top 4 clubs.
East Gosford is currently 7 points behind 4th placed Kanwal, but the Rams boast 2 games in hand. Jorge Chavez’s side have had their last 2 games postponed which could serve as a positive to his side who have been dealing with multiple injuries all throughout the season. East Gosford will be expecting nothing less than to play finals football this year and with their biggest win of the season so far coming against Woongarrah, the Rams will be confident to take the 3 points again when they face the Wildcats at Hylton Moore Oval.
Dave Hurley’s Woongarrah side went scoreless in their first 5 rounds of the 2021 WPL competition, and it took them until round 9 to find their first win of the season when they beat Kariong emphatically 6-0. The Wildcats are now on the search for their second win of the season as they start to find form in front of goal with Emma Hurley leading the charge with 6 goals in her last 3 games. Woongarrah’s only win came away from home and they will be hoping to repeat that performance and walk away with their second 3 points of the year.
Written by Adam Blunden.