Match of the Round
Umina 4 – 2 Woongarrah
On a day that was much bigger than football itself, Umina and Woongarrah headlined the ‘Aurelia Haynes Memorial Round’ which was an emotional day for all who paid tribute to a young life gone too soon.
Umina began the game on the front foot by taking the game to the visitors Woongarrah but as they have witnessed before against this side, Umina conceded goals against the run of play.
Some great build-up play by the Wildcats led to a nice through ball for Kelly Hogan to get the opening goal of the day and put her side 1-0 up.
The next 20 minutes Woongarrah felt they dominated possession, continuing to threaten the Umina goal and as the pressure built up, Woongarrah managed to find their second goal and doubled their advantage as Kelly Hogan found the back of the net for her brace.
With time running out in the opening period and only five minutes remaining on the clock, Umina started to gel once again and reinstate themselves in the contest which saw them get on a late roll and a free kick just outside the box was not dealt with by the opposition as Umina got one back to go into half time 2-1 down.
Umina were confident that by sticking to their game plan and with the continued pressure, the second half would prove fruitful for the home side.
The second stanza saw Woongarrah come out second to the ball for the majority of the half as a determined Umina came out with more desire to win the small battles and two quick goals from open play saw the score quickly turn around 3-2 in favour of the E-Gals.
With roughly 10 minutes left to play and still plenty to play towards for both sides, some great attacking play and a switch from the right to left saw Umina score the fourth goal of the day and come away with the 4-2 victory thanks to a Kate Styles hat-trick and a goal to Hannah Batten.
“This game, as anticipated was an emotional time for us. I would personally like to thank CCF for their arrangement of the memorial WPL round for Aurelia and Woongarrah players for the flowers,” said Michael Penn.
“I would also like to thank the Umina club committee members, players and supporters for their compassionate support and assistance to the team during this time.”
Penn also added, “Credit to Woongarrah who never gave up and challenged to the final whistle.”
“What an emotional for all involved. Especially the Umina team, spectators, and family, a great memorial was set up for Aurelia,” mentioned Kaine Harmsworth.
“Unfortunately for us two weeks in a row we have played a very good first half. Just not been able to finish it off but some positives again to come out of this game as we continue to learn through our first year. Well done Umina on the three points.”
Match Official – Peter Hall
Killarney 0 – 4 Terrigal
The Terrigal Tords travelled north to Edsacc Oval on Sunday to face a determined Terriers squad, who were in close contention for a place in the finals series. With three crucial points on the line, the Terriers were eager to bolster their finals hopes.
Despite a gruelling schedule of seven matches in just three weeks, Terrigal’s depth has been tested by injuries and absences. Yet, the team managed to secure an impressive 19 out of 21 possible points, heading into the finals with strong momentum.
Terrigal made their intentions clear early in the match, taking the lead just 10 minutes in. Fullback Lily Brooks received the ball just ahead of the halfway line, took a sublime first touch, and unleashed a stunning strike that could easily be a contender for goal of the round.
Settling into their rhythm, Terrigal applied consistent pressure, while Killarney’s defence worked tirelessly to stifle the Tords’ advances.
Terrigal’s direct style of play proved effective, with Tahlor Thackray frequently finding space in and around the 18-yard box, persistently threatening to add to the scoreboard.
Killarney, however, remained resolute, creating attacking opportunities through Laura Knight and Mel Young, while Misch Bocska anchored the defence, keeping the match within reach for a potential upset.
In the 30th minute, Terrigal struck again. Lily Brooks executed a precise switch of play, finding pacey left winger Kate Moss, who controlled the ball with composure and slotted it home at the far post, doubling the Tords’ advantage.
After the halftime break, Terrigal introduced fresh legs into their attack, and substitute Emma Taylor wasted no time making an impact.
Rising above the pack, she connected perfectly with a delivery into the box, further extending the Tords’ lead to a comfortable 3-0.
The depth of Terrigal’s squad was evident once more in the 76th minute. Substitute Candice Phelan broke through Killarney’s defensive line and, with only the goalkeeper to beat, confidently buried her shot into the top of the net. The goal sealed a 4-0 victory and another three points on the road for the ladies in orange.
“A good game of football, despite the scoreline, Killarney made us work for it and tested our defence until the very end,” spoke Gab Blanch.
“It was a good performance from our Girls today, we have played ourselves into a bit of form over the last few weeks, and now with some normality in our training routine, and everyone back to full fitness, we’ll be able to focus on refining some of the finer details,” added Blanch.
Match Official – Stephen Wrightson
East Gosford 1 – 1 Kincumber
The Kincumber Roos have continued their recent impressive form against competition heavyweights East Gosford, again holding them to a 1-1 draw and picking up a vital point to further their odds of playing finals come the end of the season.
Like their draw several weeks ago, the Roos dominated much of the match. Kincumber started very strongly and, after five minutes, took the lead following a tremendous cross from young star Olivia Melenewycz, who found several Roos in front of the goal, including Helaina Wellington, who found the back of the net.
The following 15 minutes saw the ever-improving Roo girls pepper the Rams goal and were unlucky not to be leading by several during this period.
The Roos dominance was predicated on a strong midfield presence, where Tamara Foster, in particular, found the speedy Roos attackers in strong field positions on numerous occasions.
The Rams had a chance to equalise at the end of the first half when they were given a penalty, courtesy of an unlucky and unintentional handball in the box. Golden Boot leader Jessica Dominello stepped forward to convert, only to be denied through a great save by Roos Keeper Heidi Cullen.
Eager to change the momentum, the East Gosford coach moved an additional attacker up front, which shifted momentum to the home side in the second period.
With more possession, the Rams eventually found an equaliser midway through the second half courtesy of the ever-reliable Annika Hansen.
The game intensity lifted as both sides strived to find the winning edge. Kincumber had the best opportunity to win the match when Roos striker and captain Emily Smith broke through the defence, poised to go one-on-one with the keeper when she was brutally cut down metres outside the box by a Ram’s defender.
The subsequent yellow card was little consolation as Smith was left in agony on the ground, and the score remained 1-1.
Post-match, the Roos felt that this was the one that got away from them and that they would only be motivated to go one better the next time they met.
Match Official – Larry Jenkins
Golden Boot –
| 20 | Jessica Dominello (East Gosford) |
| 15 | Laura Mundy (East Gosford), Madelene Yates (Terrigal), Kelly Hogan (Woongarrah) |
| 14 | Kate Styles (Umina) |
| 10 | Emma Hurley (East Gosford) |
| 9 | Kate Styles (Umina), Charlotte Heath (Kincumber), Indiana Moyes (Terrigal) |
Points Table –
Divison 1
Round 17 Results –
Points Table –
