Umina v Kanwal
Just two weeks after their match of the round contest, these two sides will headline the WPL fixtures once again as Umina look to settle a score when they welcome Kanwal coming off a 4-1 win over the E-Gals.
The reigning WPL Champions Umina got their season off to a relatively slow start to their own standards. Having lost some key players in the off-season, Steve Donaldson and his E-Gals struggled in the opening stages of the season but have turned things around in recent weeks.
Since their round 10 defeat to East Gosford, their biggest defeat of the 2023 season, Umina went on a spree where they managed to score four or more goals in the four fixtures proceeding that loss.
This spree included a 5-4 win over East Gosford as Umina were able to claw their way back from 4-1 down and hand the Rams just their second competitive loss of the year.
Steve and his squad then followed that up with a 0-0 draw with league leaders Terrigal as it looked like Umina were building momentum at the right time of the year. However, a slip-up in round 18 saw Umina travel to Wadalba and lose 4-1 against their opponents this weekend Kanwal.
“We lacked cohesion from back to the front. Our turnover in possession early when we were trying to progress the ball killed us,” stated Steve when reflecting on that contest.
But Umina will be adamant to make amends this weekend as they look to keep their terrific home record intact when they host the Bulls on Sunday.
Being a part of the only WPL fixture to go ahead last weekend, Umina were able to get back to winning ways when they faced peninsula rivals Southern & Ettalong in a rematch of the 2022 WPL Grand Final.
Umina was able to record a dominant 6-0 victory as Steve voiced how important that result could be heading into Sunday.
“We were keen to get a game in on Sunday knowing we wanted to get a win before playing Kanwal. We also weren’t too keen to catch up on the game midweek heading into finals. So, it was good to see our field hold up well to get a game on it.”
Steve also added what his team will need to do better on this occasion as they look to once again build momentum heading into finals. “A bit more confidence in our ability on the ball. Last time out, we really struggled to make any space with our poor execution of moving the ball.”
In their last game out, Kanwal welcomed this Umina outfit to their home and put on one of their most impressive and clinical performances of the season as they defeated this side 4-1.
However, Bulls coach Ben Raychaudhuri voiced that despite coming off that win over Umina, this weekend is a new day, and his side must be focused on the difficult task ahead. “Last time we played we got the better of them, but Sunday is a new day and I’m sure they will be fired up to make amends.”
Ben also mentioned last weekend’s washout and although it allowed his players to heal and rest, he is afraid that it could have halted their momentum which could be a key factor come Sunday.
“Missing last week’s game, as with the bye, has its positives and negatives. We got to rest up some sore bodies but also may have lost some of that momentum we built from the last game.”
The Bulls will also be keeping a close eye on the ladder as they will look to keep within winning distance of second-placed East Gosford and will be hoping the Rams slip up in the final few games of the year to snatch the second seed spot heading into finals.
But Kanwal will need to take things one game at a time as Ben will be resolute in conveying that message to his squad ahead of Sunday’s important clash.
“In order to get the better of Umina again this weekend we need to be switched on defensively first and foremost. They have such attacking power that can hurt you from anywhere so making sure we work hard defensively is key.”
“Obviously we need to take the chances that come our way too. Hopefully, we can repeat the performance from two weeks ago, but we know it’s going to be tough to achieve.”
Match Official – Jeffrey Smith
All Round 11 Fixtures –
