MATCH OF THE ROUND
Terrigal 1 – 4 East Gosford
East Gosford proved why they are once again heavy favourites in the WPL competition this season, defeating a resilient Terrigal side 4-1 to kick start their 2025 in the round 1 WPL Match of the Round.
It didn’t take East Gosford long to get settled into the contest. They started hard and fast, but the Terrigal defence kept them at bay for the opening 15 minutes.
However, the opening goal was looming for the Rams and their first goal followed shortly thanks to Annika Hansen who opened East Gosford’s account for the 2025 season.
East Gosford soon doubled their lead through the 2024 WPL Player of the Year and Golden Boot winner Jessica Dominello who continues to showcase her talent launching a great strike that the opposition goalkeeper was unable to deal with.
Terrigal had a few chances of their own inside the opening 45 minutes, but wayward shooting saw these attempts either go wide of the goal or directly into the path of the East Gosford keeper as the score remained 2-0 after the first period.
It was only a matter of time before Kelly Hogan made her presence known on the pitch, and just three minutes into the second half Hogan was able to find the back of the net for her first of the day.
Terrigal rallied together, and despite having a young side, Terrigal looked for a reply rather than just laying over and were awarded a lifeline 65 minutes in when the official pointed to the penalty spot. Captain Emma Power stepped up for her side, slotting the ball past the keeper.
The second half was a physical affair and the skill through of the East Gosford’s midfield was on show. The final goal of the game saw Hogan once again show her attacking prowess, scoring East Gosford’s fourth and final goal as the Rams took all three points back to Hylton Moore.
Despite coming up short, Cait Walker was proud of the performance shown by her squad. “A rematch of the grand final, that’s what this game was marked as, but it wasn’t as we are a new team.”
“We went into this match as our first hit-out to see where we are sitting in our formation and skills. We knew it was going to be hard when we had lost through injury most of our backline. So, to have a non-tested backline and midfield we had to dig hard and believe that we could hold them out and trust each other.”
“As a new young team and having so many players out of position I could see that we are that team that will keep going until the whistle blows. We might not have looked pretty in parts of the game, but we showed grit and had a belief in each other.”
Match Official – Steven Miklecic
Umina 1 – 1 Kanwal
Kanwal’s long trip to the peninsula almost saw Rodney Squires team walk away with all three points, but a determined Umina side under new coach Dave Brewer was able to mount a comeback to share the points on opening day.
Ready to start the year with a bang and put last year’s struggles behind them, Kanwal started the contest strong and were awarded a free kick early in the first half just outside of the 18-yard box.
The talented Molly Couch stepped up for the Bulls, slotting the ball straight into the back of the net to give Kanwal a crucial lead early in the contest.
Despite on enemy territory, Kanwal continued to dominate the run of play, having a number of shots on goal in the first half but were unable to take their chances to double their lead.
After a positive team talk during the break, the second stanza saw a different Umina take the field as the home team started strong and were pushing numbers forward to try and get back on level terms.
After putting Kanwal under constant pressure but lacking the finishing touch, things finally paid off as a Umina’s Michaela Kent was left alone at the top of the box after a corner and riffled a shot that hit the crossbar and landed over the line to make it 1-1.
With a win now in sight, Umina continued to push numbers forward in the hopes of a second goal, but in doing so left their midfield wide open which allowed Kanwal to attack through the middle which made for an end-to-end finish.
The last 15 minutes were frantic as both teams searched for the three points. However, neither side were able to capitalise on their chances.
Kanwal had the better opportunities, but tremendous goalkeeping from the Umina keeper saved a number of shots in the dying moments of the game, including clearing the ball of the line three times, as both teams were forced to split the points.
After managing his first official game for Kanwal, Squires stated, “It was a great game, good first hit out for the squad.”
Dave Brewer had plenty of praise for both sides after full time. “In the end I think it was a fair result.”
“Kanwal battled hard all game and will be a difficult team to beat all year. For our team it was a great result when we are already missing some key players and are short on numbers. The younger players we bought in did a great job and will be a big part of our season going forward.”
Match Official – John Shaw
Killarney 6 – 0 Southern & Ettalong
Killarney put the rest of the competition on notice following their empathic opening-round victory over newly promoted Southern & Ettalong, defeating the understrength Lionesses 6-0 in front of a home crowd.
Despite having only nine players available from their team in the lineup and having to rely on players from their All Age 2 team backing up after a full game prior, Southern showed up to Edsacc Oval with intent and they hit the ground running, disrupting play through the middle of the park and making it difficult for Killarney to find their rhythm early on.
Southern’s Larna Homer, brought flair to the midfield with some razzle-dazzle footwork, drawing a couple of key fouls and keeping the pressure on the home side who came out hard with a strong physical presence.
Killarney continuously moved the ball around well, creating a couple of opportunities on goal early. Southern’s defence scrambled to adjust, but adjust they did, keeping Killarney to shoot mainly from distance.
The deadlock was broken in the 11th minute after some excellent wide passages of play found Jordan Evans on the edge of the box and her powerful shot put the Terriers ahead.
Southern responded and Emily Diaz showed exactly why she’s considered one of the league’s top strikers, launching a powerful effort from outside the box, only to be denied by a superb fingertip save from goalkeeper Chloe Smith.
Another opportunity for a free kick 30-yards out gave the visitors some hope for a reprise, but the shot bounced off the wall.
The more the first half played out, the more Killarney found their rhythm and added to their tally with Jordan Evans finding the back of the net for a second time. Kayla Vanderfield also found herself on the scoresheet, giving Killarney a halftime lead of 3-0.
In the second half, the heat and pace of the game was taking its toll on the away players, some of whom had already played a full game. Killarney made an adjustment to a more attacking style of play, hoping to capitalise on that fatigue, but the Southern players rallied as best they could on tired legs.
While Southern delivered moments of brilliance throughout the match, it was Killarney’s quality across the park and well-executed game plan, focused on width, rotations and quick transitions, that ultimately proved decisive.
Killarney’s own homegrown talent, Aleisha Radford, rose to the occasion in front of family and friends, capitalising with a composed finish in the 54th minute to take the score to 4-0.
Watching the Killarney army put more and more fresh legs on, they kept coming. As the game went on, Southern started to find gaps and have more opportunities at goal but lacked that final shot to see them rewarded for their efforts.
Candice Phelan was rewarded with goal in the 61st minute for the team’s brilliant press and Maddie Yates completed the game with goal number six with a suburb long-range strike in the 75th minute for the final goal of the game.
Coach Sarah Hudson has kicked off her season in strong form, leading the team with confidence into what promises to be an exciting campaign ahead for the Terriers.
The Southern Ettalong girls can certainly hold their heads high against the tough and well-versed squad that Killarney are.
Match Official – Rodney Mcleod
Kincumber 1 – 1 The Entrance
In their first fixture back in the WPL competition, The Entrance had the daring task of facing Kincumber away, but a determined Reddies outfit showed they aren’t to be taken lightly in 2025, picking up points against one of the competition favourites.
It was an emotional and significant day for The Entrance WPL team as they faced Kincumber. The match began with a heartfelt minute of silence in memory of their wonderful coach, Javier “TONY” Antonio Cabarrus, who sadly passed away last year. Tony had been a guiding force for the team, leading them to an undefeated season and promotion to the Premier League.
He was also the loving father of team member Angela. The Entrance’s new coach, Malcolm Treuer, also paid tribute to his own father, who was a major influence on him. This emotional tribute set the tone for the match as the team looked to honour Tony’s legacy.
It was evident from kick-off that the Entrance would not give up this match without a good fight. Although Kincumber recorded a win over this side in pre-season, the Roos found it hard to play their usual style of football.
The Entrance won the toss and chose to run north in the first half. Kincumber controlled the bulk of possession early on, with their first shot on goal coming 10 minutes in, narrowly missing the target.
With a few of Kincumber’s players still carrying injuries and niggles from pre-season, the home side worked tirelessly and created a lot of chances, but it wasn’t to be their day.
At 23 minutes, Kincumber’s Lauren Tindale turned past one of The Reddies defenders and fired a shot, but goalkeeper Cara Maxwell was on hand to deal with it easily.
Shortly after, TEBBFC won their first corner of the match, but Kincumber immediately responded, with Helaina Wellington taking another shot on goal. But Cara was ready to deal with it once again.
After a cagey yet promising half from both teams, the entire first 45 minutes was played without the deadline being broken.
During the break, Coach Malcolm reminded the team that they were very much in the game and that the game plan was starting to work. He made two changes to the lineup, opting for a more attacking formation. The team came out in the second half with renewed energy, determined to secure all three points.
The second half saw Kincumber take things to another level, creating chances after chance but again couldn’t convert these opportunities.
Fifteen minutes into the second half, Kincumber had their best chance of the game, firing a shot toward the bottom left corner. However, Cara made an incredible save to keep the game level.
As the game opened up in the final 20 minutes, The Entrance’s attacking front line started to look more dangerous.
With 15 minutes left, striker Ruby Watt made a brilliant run, picking up the ball just over the halfway line. She split two defenders with her pace, found herself one-on-one with the Kincumber goalkeeper, and calmly slotted the ball home to give The Entrance a 1-0 lead.
However, their lead was short lived as Kincumber were awarded a penalty for their attacking effort. Jasmine Beacroft stepped up for the home side and perfectly executed from the spot to take the game back on level terms.
The last 10 minutes of the match were played at a frenetic pace. The visitors created several chances, with Kincumber also pushing for the winner.
As time looked to be running out and the end of the game in reach, Kincumber were awarded a late free kick in a promising area which hit the goal frame and bounced out.
For the remaining minutes, Kincumber fought hard for a second, but The Entrance remained strong in their defensive duties to hold out a determined Kincumber side and split the points.
Kincumber’s Tamer Mansour spoke on the contest, “It was a frustrating one for us, but we will keep fighting hard to get our momentum going again.”
Entrance assistant coach Simon Adnan-Berry was full of praise for his side post-match. “The result that showed the resilience and determination of TEBBFC After a 4-0 loss to Kincumber in the preseason, this was a tremendous response from the team.”
“Despite the emotional start and a tough contest, TEBBFC showed their growth and character. The team’s defence, led by Alex, Ella, and Sammy, was outstanding, playing with confidence and composure.”
“It was a well-earned point and a strong foundation for the team as they continue their journey in the Premier League. Kincumber surely didn’t expect such a tough challenge after their preseason win, but we proved they are a team to be reckoned with.”
Match Official – Troy Ward
Golden Boot Standings –
| 2 | Jordan Evans (Killarney), Kelly Hogan (East Gosford) |
| 1 | Aleisha Radford (Killarney), Candice Phelan (Killarney), Kayla Vanderfield (Killarney), Madelene Yates (Killarney), Jasmine Beacroft (Kincumber), Ruby Watt (Entrance), Annika Hansen (East Gosford), Jessica Dominello (East Gosford), Emma Power (Terrigal), Molly Couch (Kanwal) |
Points Table –
Division 1
Round 1 Results –
Points Table –
