Women's NSL - Season 2003/2004

Women's National Soccer League

Supplied by AWSA and transcribed by Thomas Esamie

Home Team v Away Team

Round Nine (played Decmber 6 & 7)

Venue : Pittwater Park, Sydney

NSW Sapphires
Kell (Jackson 46), Brogan (Graham 75), Gilbert, Bazi, Blayney, Shipard, Rockall, Ledbrook, Holcombe (Ristevski 38 (Todd 75)), Burgess (Hilder 71), Carney
Goals : Taryn Rockall 27, Michelle Carney 57, 73 3 - 3 Adelaide Sensation
Wirkus, May, Alagich (Day 78), Shigrov, Slater, Burgess, Papageorgiou, Wilson, Vogt, Balomenos (Ralph 55), De Vanna
Goals : Leanne Slater 38, Lisa De Vanna 41, 66

On Sunday afternoon, in the doubleheader before the NSL's Northern Spirit match, NSW Sapphires had to be content with a 3-3 draw with Adelaide Sensation from a see-sawing, exciting clash between two attacking teams. Sapphires were the more composed on the ball overall and enjoyed the greater number of chances, whilst Adelaide were dangerous on the break and always in the game.
Sensation went with the stiff southerly wind in the first half, but it was the home side who caused the early pressure, Jo Burgess and then Michelle Carney not far wide within the first ten minutes. At the other end, it wasn't long before livewire Lisa De Vanna started causing headaches for the Sapphires defence.
Midway through the half, Leah Blayney was finding space and peppered the goal with several shots. In the 27th minute, Blayney was the provider for the opening goal, cutting the ball back for Taryn Rockall who hit the back of the net from 20 metres, giving the goalkeeper little chance.
Adelaide, never content to dwell on matters, fought back and were rewarded with two goals within three minutes to take the lead into the halftime break. Leanne Slater's freekick from out wide was perhaps meant more as a cross but with the wind behind it, escaped the attempted headed clearance by a defender and bounced into an empty net for the equaliser. A Vicki Balomenos through ball then picked out De Vanna, beating the offside trap for a one-on-one with the keeper and the striker converted with a shot just inside the near post. Burgess had a chance to level for NSW but the attempt went just wide.
The wind continued to play a role in the second half, an early Kylie Ledbrook cross for NSW flying over the keeper and hit the crossbar. It was clear there were more goals to come in this contest. NSW levelled at 2-2 in the 57th minute, a Blayney cross found Burgess on the byline who cut back to Carney on the penalty spot and the ball was threaded through traffic into goal.
Sensation snatched the lead back in the 66th minute, NSW losing possession and allowing De Vanna in for her second goal. Slightly off her line, the keeper attempted to steer the high ball up over the crossbar but without success.
Seven minutes later, Sapphires got back on equal terms once again with Carney's second for the match. From a very acute angle on the right with everyone expecting a cross, Carney neatly beat the keeper inside the near post. All square at 3-3.
In the next seven minutes, NSW went all out for the winner, Blayney again with several shots, then setting up Rockall, a chance which keeper Emma Wirkus smothered just in time. A Ledbrook freekick from distance saw Wirkus fumble but regather with Carney racing in for the challenge. Wirkus then pulled off a great save to deny a long-range piledriver from Ledbrook.
The action didn't let up in the dying minutes, with both keen to grab the three points, Adelaide's best chance seeing De Vanna losing out to substitute keeper Monique Jackson who got down well to prevent the winner.

Venue : ANZ Stadium, Brisbane

Queensland Sting
Kitching, Garven, Reuter, Grant, Beaumont (Walsh 75), McShea, Duus, Ferguson (Carroll 46), Harch, Mitchell (Mann 75), Dawney (Williams 86)
Goals : Belinda Dawney 7, Kate McShea 69 2 - 0 Canberra Eclipse
Beattie, Taylor, Davies, C Maciejewski, Somi, Brush (Wilson 80), Karp, Hepperlin, J Maciejewski, Chapman, Munoz

Reigning champions Queensland Sting came away with a 2-0 win over Canberra Eclipse on Saturday night but it was Canberra who played the better football for much of the match but, as has been their problem all season, were unable to convert the possession into goals. Sting uncharacteristically did not combine well as a unit, giving the ball away regularly, but were still able to make their chances count.
Eclipse looked hungry for the win throughout the clash, but their attacks broke down with the final pass or loose shooting. Their possessional domination was evident with their greater number of corners and freekicks than the home team.
Queensland claimed the lead after just seven minutes, Lana Harch releasing Jessica Mitchell up the left. The goalkeeper got a hand to Mitchell's cross but fumbled and Belinda Dawney raced in to score from the loose ball.
Eclipse then dominated the next half hour, keeping the Sting defence busy without creating real danger on goal. Canberra's best chance for the match fell to Caitlin Munoz late in the first half, her strike sailing just over the bar. Queensland came back the stronger going into the break, Harch close to scoring but her long-range effort was deflected wide.
Sting improved in the second half but were still not at their polished best and created few real chances. In a more evenly-fought second 45 minutes, Canberra remained as keen as ever, running and tackling hard, but still posed little threat on goal.
Queensland scored their second in the 69^th minute, a corner kick resulting in an almighty scramble. Kate McShea had a bicycle kick attempt hit the crossbar, the rebound then headed by a teammate but saved by keeper Amy Beattie, and the loose ball fell into McShea's path, who this time stuck the ball in the back of the net.

Venue : Serbian Sports Centre, Melbourne

Victoria Vision
Barbieri, McEvoy, Smith, Ruyter-Hooley, Jackson (Kuralay 72), Bisby, Digiammarco, Fitzgerald, Totsidis, Terek, Pannella (Angelucci 81)
Goals : Belinda Pannella 27, Louisa Bisby 72 2 - 1 Northern NSW Pride
Logue, Cotts, Shepherd, Townsend (Oxtoby 77), O'Toole, Neilson, (Khamis 73), Colthorpe, Howes (Tristram 53), Small, Gill, Crawford
Goal : Katie Gill 9

Earlier Saturday, Victoria Vision carved out a gutsy 2-1 win against Northern NSW Pride despite having a player sent off shortly before halftime. The incident was the turning point of the match, ironically in Victoria's advantage as it only seemed to steel their resolve for the second half, during which they produced the winner to break the deadlock in a dramatic and exciting encounter.
In an open, free-flowing contest, both teams looked good in attack, but Northern NSW enjoyed the better of the first half with the greater amount of possession and opportunities on goal. Vision on the other hand relied more on the counterattack.
Pride claimed the early lead in the 9^th minute of play. Victoria lost the ball in the middle of their own half, striker Katie Gill accepting the ball and making the solo raid before finding the back of the net. Five minutes later, the visitors almost doubled their lead, but for a top save by Vision keeper Melissa Barbieri diverting Amber Neilson's strike over the crossbar.
Vision's attack to date was orchestrated by Amy Jackson's work up the flank but the crosses provided found no willing finishers. Vision then found the mark with the equaliser in the 27^th minute, a Louisa Bisby ball finding Belinda Pannella who neatly turned her marker and struck in clinical fashion.
In the 41^st minute, Northern hit the post, not long before Vision's send-off. During another Pride attack, the ball appeared to the home side to go out over the goalline and the defence stopped. Northern however continued on playing and their shot flew just over. Vision's Daniela Digiammarco voiced her opinion on the situation, and again on being shown the yellow card, used verbal dissent to be instantly issued a second yellow and therefore a red card.
Victoria emerged from the dressing room fired up more than ever, intent on securing a win despite their numerical disadvantage. In the backs-to-the-wall situation, they rose to the occasion, and defended valiantly. Northern produced numerous promising attacking moves, led by the dangerous runs of Danielle Small, but seemed unsure of how to benefit from their extra player, and chances broke down on the final pass.
Midway through the half, Vision's Sarah Fitzgerald was unlucky not to score, and then an attempted clearance from the boot of Northern's goalkeeper struck Pannella, the rebound not far wide of the target. In the 72^nd minute, Victoria were rewarded with what turned out to be the winning goal. A Bisby freekick from 30 metres out was curled into the area, but although covered by the keeper, a defender stuck her leg out to the ball and deflected it into goal for a 2-1 scoreline.
With ten minutes remaining, Northern made a last ditched effort to grab at least a point, making for a very tense finish. A Gill freekick had the keeper beaten but she was denied by the crossbar. A short corner move was well saved by Barbieri, tipping the ball around the post, and then a goalmouth scramble eventuated from the resulting corner. Gill had another chance, before Gemma O'Toole almost pulled off a spectacular equaliser, her attempt from the edge of the centre circle over the goalkeeper off her line only to hit the bar.

Home Team		v		Away Team
Round Nine (played Decmber 6 & 7)
Venue : Pittwater Park, Sydney
NSW Sapphires Kell (Jackson 46), Brogan (Graham 75), Gilbert, Bazi, Blayney, Shipard, Rockall, Ledbrook, Holcombe (Ristevski 38 (Todd 75)), Burgess (Hilder 71), Carney Goals : Taryn Rockall 27, Michelle Carney 57, 73	3	-	3	Adelaide Sensation Wirkus, May, Alagich (Day 78), Shigrov, Slater, Burgess, Papageorgiou, Wilson, Vogt, Balomenos (Ralph 55), De Vanna Goals : Leanne Slater 38, Lisa De Vanna 41, 66
On Sunday afternoon, in the doubleheader before the NSL's Northern Spirit match, NSW Sapphires had to be content with a 3-3 draw with Adelaide Sensation from a see-sawing, exciting clash between two attacking teams. Sapphires were the more composed on the ball overall and enjoyed the greater number of chances, whilst Adelaide were dangerous on the break and always in the game. Sensation went with the stiff southerly wind in the first half, but it was the home side who caused the early pressure, Jo Burgess and then Michelle Carney not far wide within the first ten minutes. At the other end, it wasn't long before livewire Lisa De Vanna started causing headaches for the Sapphires defence. Midway through the half, Leah Blayney was finding space and peppered the goal with several shots. In the 27th minute, Blayney was the provider for the opening goal, cutting the ball back for Taryn Rockall who hit the back of the net from 20 metres, giving the goalkeeper little chance. Adelaide, never content to dwell on matters, fought back and were rewarded with two goals within three minutes to take the lead into the halftime break. Leanne Slater's freekick from out wide was perhaps meant more as a cross but with the wind behind it, escaped the attempted headed clearance by a defender and bounced into an empty net for the equaliser. A Vicki Balomenos through ball then picked out De Vanna, beating the offside trap for a one-on-one with the keeper and the striker converted with a shot just inside the near post. Burgess had a chance to level for NSW but the attempt went just wide. The wind continued to play a role in the second half, an early Kylie Ledbrook cross for NSW flying over the keeper and hit the crossbar. It was clear there were more goals to come in this contest. NSW levelled at 2-2 in the 57th minute, a Blayney cross found Burgess on the byline who cut back to Carney on the penalty spot and the ball was threaded through traffic into goal. Sensation snatched the lead back in the 66th minute, NSW losing possession and allowing De Vanna in for her second goal. Slightly off her line, the keeper attempted to steer the high ball up over the crossbar but without success. Seven minutes later, Sapphires got back on equal terms once again with Carney's second for the match. From a very acute angle on the right with everyone expecting a cross, Carney neatly beat the keeper inside the near post. All square at 3-3. In the next seven minutes, NSW went all out for the winner, Blayney again with several shots, then setting up Rockall, a chance which keeper Emma Wirkus smothered just in time. A Ledbrook freekick from distance saw Wirkus fumble but regather with Carney racing in for the challenge. Wirkus then pulled off a great save to deny a long-range piledriver from Ledbrook. The action didn't let up in the dying minutes, with both keen to grab the three points, Adelaide's best chance seeing De Vanna losing out to substitute keeper Monique Jackson who got down well to prevent the winner.
Venue : ANZ Stadium, Brisbane
Queensland Sting Kitching, Garven, Reuter, Grant, Beaumont (Walsh 75), McShea, Duus, Ferguson (Carroll 46), Harch, Mitchell (Mann 75), Dawney (Williams 86) Goals : Belinda Dawney 7, Kate McShea 69	2	-	0	Canberra Eclipse Beattie, Taylor, Davies, C Maciejewski, Somi, Brush (Wilson 80), Karp, Hepperlin, J Maciejewski, Chapman, Munoz
Reigning champions Queensland Sting came away with a 2-0 win over Canberra Eclipse on Saturday night but it was Canberra who played the better football for much of the match but, as has been their problem all season, were unable to convert the possession into goals. Sting uncharacteristically did not combine well as a unit, giving the ball away regularly, but were still able to make their chances count. Eclipse looked hungry for the win throughout the clash, but their attacks broke down with the final pass or loose shooting. Their possessional domination was evident with their greater number of corners and freekicks than the home team. Queensland claimed the lead after just seven minutes, Lana Harch releasing Jessica Mitchell up the left. The goalkeeper got a hand to Mitchell's cross but fumbled and Belinda Dawney raced in to score from the loose ball. Eclipse then dominated the next half hour, keeping the Sting defence busy without creating real danger on goal. Canberra's best chance for the match fell to Caitlin Munoz late in the first half, her strike sailing just over the bar. Queensland came back the stronger going into the break, Harch close to scoring but her long-range effort was deflected wide. Sting improved in the second half but were still not at their polished best and created few real chances. In a more evenly-fought second 45 minutes, Canberra remained as keen as ever, running and tackling hard, but still posed little threat on goal. Queensland scored their second in the 69^th minute, a corner kick resulting in an almighty scramble. Kate McShea had a bicycle kick attempt hit the crossbar, the rebound then headed by a teammate but saved by keeper Amy Beattie, and the loose ball fell into McShea's path, who this time stuck the ball in the back of the net.
Venue : Serbian Sports Centre, Melbourne
Victoria Vision Barbieri, McEvoy, Smith, Ruyter-Hooley, Jackson (Kuralay 72), Bisby, Digiammarco, Fitzgerald, Totsidis, Terek, Pannella (Angelucci 81) Goals : Belinda Pannella 27, Louisa Bisby 72	2	-	1	Northern NSW Pride Logue, Cotts, Shepherd, Townsend (Oxtoby 77), O'Toole, Neilson, (Khamis 73), Colthorpe, Howes (Tristram 53), Small, Gill, Crawford Goal : Katie Gill 9
Earlier Saturday, Victoria Vision carved out a gutsy 2-1 win against Northern NSW Pride despite having a player sent off shortly before halftime. The incident was the turning point of the match, ironically in Victoria's advantage as it only seemed to steel their resolve for the second half, during which they produced the winner to break the deadlock in a dramatic and exciting encounter. In an open, free-flowing contest, both teams looked good in attack, but Northern NSW enjoyed the better of the first half with the greater amount of possession and opportunities on goal. Vision on the other hand relied more on the counterattack. Pride claimed the early lead in the 9^th minute of play. Victoria lost the ball in the middle of their own half, striker Katie Gill accepting the ball and making the solo raid before finding the back of the net. Five minutes later, the visitors almost doubled their lead, but for a top save by Vision keeper Melissa Barbieri diverting Amber Neilson's strike over the crossbar. Vision's attack to date was orchestrated by Amy Jackson's work up the flank but the crosses provided found no willing finishers. Vision then found the mark with the equaliser in the 27^th minute, a Louisa Bisby ball finding Belinda Pannella who neatly turned her marker and struck in clinical fashion. In the 41^st minute, Northern hit the post, not long before Vision's send-off. During another Pride attack, the ball appeared to the home side to go out over the goalline and the defence stopped. Northern however continued on playing and their shot flew just over. Vision's Daniela Digiammarco voiced her opinion on the situation, and again on being shown the yellow card, used verbal dissent to be instantly issued a second yellow and therefore a red card. Victoria emerged from the dressing room fired up more than ever, intent on securing a win despite their numerical disadvantage. In the backs-to-the-wall situation, they rose to the occasion, and defended valiantly. Northern produced numerous promising attacking moves, led by the dangerous runs of Danielle Small, but seemed unsure of how to benefit from their extra player, and chances broke down on the final pass. Midway through the half, Vision's Sarah Fitzgerald was unlucky not to score, and then an attempted clearance from the boot of Northern's goalkeeper struck Pannella, the rebound not far wide of the target. In the 72^nd minute, Victoria were rewarded with what turned out to be the winning goal. A Bisby freekick from 30 metres out was curled into the area, but although covered by the keeper, a defender stuck her leg out to the ball and deflected it into goal for a 2-1 scoreline. With ten minutes remaining, Northern made a last ditched effort to grab at least a point, making for a very tense finish. A Gill freekick had the keeper beaten but she was denied by the crossbar. A short corner move was well saved by Barbieri, tipping the ball around the post, and then a goalmouth scramble eventuated from the resulting corner. Gill had another chance, before Gemma O'Toole almost pulled off a spectacular equaliser, her attempt from the edge of the centre circle over the goalkeeper off her line only to hit the bar.