Match of the Round
Kanwal 1 – 3 Kincumber
The Kincumber Roos have continued their good form against the Bulls, defeating Kanwal 3-1 in their Round 16 match of the round clash at their home ground as the Roos now find themselves back inside the top four.
Kincumber and Kanwal have developed a keen rivalry over the past few seasons, with their encounters tending to bring out the best in both teams.
The teams met just three days earlier in a challenging make-up game at Tuggerah, where the Roos prevailed 4-1. This match was a bruising encounter, with a handful of Roo girls carrying a few niggles into the Sunday clash.
The Kincumber girls dominated early and were rewarded with a sensational length of the park team goal, converted by the ever-present striker Helaina Wellington.
This impressive passage of play began with goalkeeper Heidi Cullen finding her right back Emilie Piltz, who shot a rocket pass to rookie winger Olivia Melenewycz, who used her speed to evade several defenders before finding Helaina Wellington one-on-one with the Bull’s keeper.
The next twenty minutes saw the Bulls lift, with both teams producing open, entertaining football. The determined Bulls equalised mid-way through the first half thanks to Hayley Ballard who was gifted a goal following a Roos defensive error.
The Roos, though, dug deep and began to dominate field position, with the Bull’s defenders finding it difficult to match the blistering speed of right back Rhianna Matkovich, wingers Charlotte Heath and Olivia Melenewycz and the pocket-rocket striker Helaina Wellington.
After several near misses, the Roos doubled their lead when Wellington bagged her second goal of the evening to give her side a crucial 2-1 lead after the opening 45 minutes of intense action.
The Roo girls sustained their field domination into the second half as their midfield of Lauren Tindale, Tamara Foster, and Nina Boije Af Gennas continued to deliver precision balls to the Roos speedsters up-front.
It was only a matter of time before the Roos took a 3-1 lead after a Melenewycz cross found Airley Arnold in front of the goal who converted to double the home side’s advantage.
The playing conditions became increasingly difficult as the game progressed, with the surging and swirly wind making aerial play difficult.
To their credit, the Bulls kept pushing the Roos and played with determined spirit until the final whistle but were unable to find the back of the net once again as Kincumber recorded their fifth victory of the season.
Match Official – Adam Sloan
Killarney 2 – 3 East Gosford
An Emma Hurley hat-trick was the difference between these two sides last Saturday night at Edsacc Oval as the Rams knock Killarney out of the top four and finish the week as league leaders thanks to their superior goal difference.
East Gosford approached the game with the same intensity and strategy that they had used in the second half of their previous encounter with the Terries.
The Rams had a clear game plan, and as anticipated, Killarney had thoroughly prepared and came out stronger both tactically and physically as they looked to bully the opposition to gain dominance.
It didn’t take long for East Gosford to find their usual rhythm, sticking to their principles and game plan, as Emma Hurley found the back of the net in the 4th and 34th minute to take a comfortable 2-0 lead into the halftime break.
Hurley’s first goal was a rocket in the top left corner which she then followed with a clinical finish after she found herself on the end of a low driven cross from the right wing.
The dynamics shifted in the second period when the Rams were reduced to 10 players, prompting them to adapt.
Georgie De Courcy received a red card for back-chatting to the referee, recognising that her emotions had gotten the better of her which impacted not only herself but also her teammates.
Through a series of events like the red card and injuries, their tactical flexibility from here allowed them to make necessary adjustments, and the girls on the field and on the sidelines supported each other and dug deep to fight together to see out the victory.
Melissa Young and Bethany Hogg linked up well to play a direct ball piercing the Rams defence. After a chaotic pinball within the box, Laura Knight stepped forward and poked the ball past a stretching keeper for the Terrier’s first of the day, reducing the deficit to one.
Emma Hurley came up big for her side again, scoring her third goal of the night with another clinical finish to secure her hat-trick and reinstate East Gosford’s two-goal lead.
With little time left on the clock, a beautifully crafted through ball from Daniella Ward found the feet of Tori Robertson who took a deft touch inside the box and fired past the keeper to get the Terriers back to within one.
However, it was too little too late for the visitors as East Gosford saw out the victory to claim an important three points.
“Two different games from 7-0 to 3-2, massive efforts and a big confidence hit for the squad, knowing what they’re capable of,” stated a proud Jai Menser.
“The girls have still so much more to unleash and showcase, this potential isn’t just for one season, this is for the next couple and beyond”
Match Official – Jayden Russell
Umina 2 – 2 Terrigal
Umina are just the second team this season to take points from the reigning league champions Terrigal as the E-Gals showed their strength and quality in front of a home crowd to end the weekend inside the top four.
In an electrifying start to the match, Terrigal’s Tahlor Thackray found the back of the net within the first three minutes, setting the tone for an exhilarating contest.
Terrigal then looked to assert their attacking dominance, exploiting wide areas and keeping Umina’s defence on high alert.
As the first half progressed, Umina began to gain momentum. In the 40th minute, a rare error from Terrigal goalkeeper Abbey Omayao allowed Umina’s Kate Styles to equalize, shifting the momentum in their favour.
Just four minutes later, Umina capitalised on a chaotic scramble in the box as Styles was quickest to react and came up for big for her team again, netting a brace to give the home side the lead after the opening period.
Emerging from the halftime break, Terrigal faced a tough challenge and Umina made it clear they were determined to hold their advantage.
The final 25 minutes saw Terrigal dominating possession, relentlessly attacking Umina’s defence in a bid to salvage a point.
Tahlor Thackray once again proved her worth, scoring in a frantic 18-yard box scramble to level the score.
Despite Terrigal’s best efforts to push for a win, Umina held firm to secure a draw. Both teams walked away with a point, reflecting a hard-fought and competitive encounter.
“A game of mixed emotions for us today,” reflected Gab Blanch. “We started well, with great energy, an area of our game we have worked hard to gain consistency. Unfortunately, some basic technical things let us down. Umina put up a good fight and deserved the point.”
“The previous game five days earlier, gave us insight into Terrigal’s style of play so we made the required changes to our game in order to address this,” announced Michael Penn.
“We felt quite confident with our amended plan going into this match and I’m sure Terrigal would have been confident also, due to the result earlier in the week. This was a well earned point and has boosted the team’s moral going into the final round of games.”
Match Official – Jayden Russell
Golden Boot Standings –
| 17 | Jessica Dominello (East Gosford) |
| 15 | Laura Mundy (East Gosford) |
| 12 | Kelly Hogan (Woongarrah) |
| 11 | Kate Styles (Umina) |
| 10 | Emma Hurley (East Gosford) |
| 9 | Kate Styles (Umina), Madelene Yates (Terrigal) |
Points Table –
Division 1
Round 15 Results –
Points Table –
