Women's NSL - Season 2002/2003

Women's National Soccer League

Supplied by AWSA and transcribed by Thomas Esamie

Home Team v Away Team

Round Eight (played November 23 & 24)

Venue : Coffs Harbour International Sports Stadium

Northern NSW Pride
Hunter, Dunne, Alley, Shepherd (Aimie Neilson 72), Baker, Crawford, Amber Neilson, Colthorpe, McMinn (Cotts 70 (Searle 85)), Wilson, Gill (Tristram 57)
Goal : Tara McMinn 10 1 - 3 Queensland Sting
Nichols, Duus (Castelanelli 88), Garven, Grant, Garriock (Beaumont 78), Hohnke (Reed 82), McShea, Mann (Mitchell 74), Harch, Thomas, Dawney (Ferguson 82)
Goals : April Mann 44, Lana Harch 67, 70

Queensland Sting came back from an early Northern NSW Pride goal to take control of the game from midway through the first half today in Coffs Harbour. Northern started brightly against the favourites but were set back by a sending-off shortly before half-time.
Pride took the lead after ten minutes, a cross from the left finished well by Tara McMinn. The midfielder was unlucky not to add another from two similar chances soon after. Sting then found their way and responded by peppering the opposition goal, bringing out some fine saves by Pride keeper Erin Hunter. The pressure finally paid off for Queensland a minute before the break when Northern's Tracy Baker was ajudged to have handballed a shot on goal and was shown the red card. April Mann made the resultant penalty count to go in at half-time level at 1-1.
A sharper Queensland continued to attack and twice hit the post midway through the second half. In the 67^th minute, they claimed the lead after some good lead-up work on the right provided a cross to Lana Harch who volleyed home. Three minutes later, Sting won the ball in midfield and a smart series of passes criss-crossing towards goal again left Harch with the job of finishing from 10 metres.

Venue : West Belconnen Leagues Club, Canberra

Canberra Eclipse
Marzotto, Swaffer, Borucinski, Davies, Taylor, Wainwright (Rukavina 80), Karp, P Hepperlin, Thomson (Thompson 73), David (Parker 62), Wilson
Goal : Amy Taylor 87 1 - 0 Victoria Vision
Barbieri, Black, Groenewald (Humble 79), Lamb, Totsidis (Smith 46), Maza, Bisby, Fitzgerald, Terek (Thornton 69), Farrugia, Kuralay

Canberra Eclipse made life hard for themselves in their quest for a grandfinal berth, waiting till the dying minutes to claim a 1-0 win over Victoria Vision. Eclipse dominated throughout but were held back with either stray passes or poor shooting, whilst Vision never gave up but rarely threatened in attack.
Despite not playing near their best, Canberra had numerous first half chances. Amy Wilson, still missing strike partner Caitlin Munoz through injury, went wide with a header and a neat strike on the turn, and teammates Tal Karp and Peita-Claire Hepperlin missed from long range. Eclipse's one shot on target came just before the break but Sacha Wainwright's first-time attempt was stopped by a flying save by keeper Melissa Barbieri.
Canberra's frustration continued early in the second half with two great opportunities created from play up the right flank. Wilson on both occasions was found unmarked on the 6-yard box but her first chance was denied by a fantastic reflex save by Barbieri, and the second was hit straight at the keeper. After several more chances, Eclipse finally found the target in fine style with three minutes remaining. Tal Karp picked out Amy Taylor, free on the blind side, who took one touch to control and cracked a sweet drive inside the left post from 20 metres.

Venue : Valentine Sports Park, Sydney

NSW Sapphires
Kell, Tann, Warrener, Collins, Carney, Rockall, Ledbrook, Blayney (Walsh 75), Burgess, Small, Cannuli (Slatyer 90)
Goals : Lisa Warrener 55, Taryn Rockall 70, Joanne Burgess 89 3 - 3 Adelaide Sensation
Trimboli (Gubbins 77), May, Benoist, Katianos, Slater, Blacker, Stocco, Madden, Hodge (Walsh 70), Balomenos (Sabljak 76), De Vanna
Goals : Lisa De Vanna 29m, 88m, Vicki Balomenos 40

The young Adelaide Sensation, after two heavy losses, showed they aren't a spent force, and despite the continued absence of Cheryl Salisbury were unlucky not to pull off the upset win which would have put them within a point of the top pair. In the end, the experienced NSW Sapphires were able to lift a gear after a slower start and snatch the vital point, moving them level on points with Queensland Sting at the top of the ladder, at least until Sting play tomorrow.
Adelaide Sensation signalled they meant business by taking the lead just before the half-hour, league top scorer Lisa De Vanna beating two defenders and poking the ball home. NSW enjoyed a good share of the possession in the first half, but were unable to produce that final telling pass or strike on goal. Sensation then doubled their lead five minutes before the break, De Vanna's ball from the right picking out 14-year-old Vicki Balomenos to score her first ever WNSL goal.
The trailing Sapphires were rocked into action from the start of the second half, applying plenty of pressure on the visitors. Defender Lisa Warrener pulled one back ten minutes later with a header to convert a Taryn Rockall corner. Midway through the half, a dangerous Catherine Cannuli was brought down in the box, and Rockall calmly slotted the resultant penalty for the equaliser, 2-2.
The leveller sparked more life into the game and the pace increased with both sides wanting more, but no-one predicted just how dramatic the finish would be. In the 88^th minute, Adelaide reclaimed the lead from a breakaway, the speedy De Vanna making no mistake in a one-on-one with the keeper. But the visitors' celebrations were cut short the following minute when a deep Rockall cross from the left saw Joanne Burgess score with a looping header to rescue a point for NSW.

Home Team		v		Away Team
Round Eight (played November 23 & 24)
Venue : Coffs Harbour International Sports Stadium
Northern NSW Pride Hunter, Dunne, Alley, Shepherd (Aimie Neilson 72), Baker, Crawford, Amber Neilson, Colthorpe, McMinn (Cotts 70 (Searle 85)), Wilson, Gill (Tristram 57) Goal : Tara McMinn 10	1	-	3	Queensland Sting Nichols, Duus (Castelanelli 88), Garven, Grant, Garriock (Beaumont 78), Hohnke (Reed 82), McShea, Mann (Mitchell 74), Harch, Thomas, Dawney (Ferguson 82) Goals : April Mann 44, Lana Harch 67, 70
Queensland Sting came back from an early Northern NSW Pride goal to take control of the game from midway through the first half today in Coffs Harbour. Northern started brightly against the favourites but were set back by a sending-off shortly before half-time. Pride took the lead after ten minutes, a cross from the left finished well by Tara McMinn. The midfielder was unlucky not to add another from two similar chances soon after. Sting then found their way and responded by peppering the opposition goal, bringing out some fine saves by Pride keeper Erin Hunter. The pressure finally paid off for Queensland a minute before the break when Northern's Tracy Baker was ajudged to have handballed a shot on goal and was shown the red card. April Mann made the resultant penalty count to go in at half-time level at 1-1. A sharper Queensland continued to attack and twice hit the post midway through the second half. In the 67^th minute, they claimed the lead after some good lead-up work on the right provided a cross to Lana Harch who volleyed home. Three minutes later, Sting won the ball in midfield and a smart series of passes criss-crossing towards goal again left Harch with the job of finishing from 10 metres.
Venue : West Belconnen Leagues Club, Canberra
Canberra Eclipse Marzotto, Swaffer, Borucinski, Davies, Taylor, Wainwright (Rukavina 80), Karp, P Hepperlin, Thomson (Thompson 73), David (Parker 62), Wilson Goal : Amy Taylor 87	1	-	0	Victoria Vision Barbieri, Black, Groenewald (Humble 79), Lamb, Totsidis (Smith 46), Maza, Bisby, Fitzgerald, Terek (Thornton 69), Farrugia, Kuralay
Canberra Eclipse made life hard for themselves in their quest for a grandfinal berth, waiting till the dying minutes to claim a 1-0 win over Victoria Vision. Eclipse dominated throughout but were held back with either stray passes or poor shooting, whilst Vision never gave up but rarely threatened in attack. Despite not playing near their best, Canberra had numerous first half chances. Amy Wilson, still missing strike partner Caitlin Munoz through injury, went wide with a header and a neat strike on the turn, and teammates Tal Karp and Peita-Claire Hepperlin missed from long range. Eclipse's one shot on target came just before the break but Sacha Wainwright's first-time attempt was stopped by a flying save by keeper Melissa Barbieri. Canberra's frustration continued early in the second half with two great opportunities created from play up the right flank. Wilson on both occasions was found unmarked on the 6-yard box but her first chance was denied by a fantastic reflex save by Barbieri, and the second was hit straight at the keeper. After several more chances, Eclipse finally found the target in fine style with three minutes remaining. Tal Karp picked out Amy Taylor, free on the blind side, who took one touch to control and cracked a sweet drive inside the left post from 20 metres.
Venue : Valentine Sports Park, Sydney
NSW Sapphires Kell, Tann, Warrener, Collins, Carney, Rockall, Ledbrook, Blayney (Walsh 75), Burgess, Small, Cannuli (Slatyer 90) Goals : Lisa Warrener 55, Taryn Rockall 70, Joanne Burgess 89	3	-	3	Adelaide Sensation Trimboli (Gubbins 77), May, Benoist, Katianos, Slater, Blacker, Stocco, Madden, Hodge (Walsh 70), Balomenos (Sabljak 76), De Vanna Goals : Lisa De Vanna 29m, 88m, Vicki Balomenos 40
The young Adelaide Sensation, after two heavy losses, showed they aren't a spent force, and despite the continued absence of Cheryl Salisbury were unlucky not to pull off the upset win which would have put them within a point of the top pair. In the end, the experienced NSW Sapphires were able to lift a gear after a slower start and snatch the vital point, moving them level on points with Queensland Sting at the top of the ladder, at least until Sting play tomorrow. Adelaide Sensation signalled they meant business by taking the lead just before the half-hour, league top scorer Lisa De Vanna beating two defenders and poking the ball home. NSW enjoyed a good share of the possession in the first half, but were unable to produce that final telling pass or strike on goal. Sensation then doubled their lead five minutes before the break, De Vanna's ball from the right picking out 14-year-old Vicki Balomenos to score her first ever WNSL goal. The trailing Sapphires were rocked into action from the start of the second half, applying plenty of pressure on the visitors. Defender Lisa Warrener pulled one back ten minutes later with a header to convert a Taryn Rockall corner. Midway through the half, a dangerous Catherine Cannuli was brought down in the box, and Rockall calmly slotted the resultant penalty for the equaliser, 2-2. The leveller sparked more life into the game and the pace increased with both sides wanting more, but no-one predicted just how dramatic the finish would be. In the 88^th minute, Adelaide reclaimed the lead from a breakaway, the speedy De Vanna making no mistake in a one-on-one with the keeper. But the visitors' celebrations were cut short the following minute when a deep Rockall cross from the left saw Joanne Burgess score with a looping header to rescue a point for NSW.