ROUND 12 REVIEW – NPL NSW WOMEN’S

A new round, a new leader as Sydney Olympic race to the front of the pack of the NPL NSW Women’s competition. 

Manly United has started put in a dominant performance while the Illawarra Stingrays are starting to put a run together.

APIA are slowly becoming the draw specialists, while the Rams and Koalas also shared the spoils.

Sydney Uni also secured a massive three points against a top five rival.

Sydney University 2-0 Blacktown Spartans 

Sydney University faced a tough task against the in form Blacktown Spartans at Arlington Oval.

But two first goals were enough for the Students to register an important three points.

The points were made all the more important after Uni was defeated mid-week against Sydney Olympic.

Uni hit the front just after 10 minutes on the clock.

Sarah Morgan fed in Uni top scorer Kaitlyn Torpey who easily played the ball beyond the goal keeper.

Just before the half hour mark the home side doubled their advantage.

Bianca Galic picked up a loose ball on the edge of the area before scoring a spectacular goal on the half volley into the top corner.

The win moved Uni ahead of the Spartans and into the top five while Blacktown dropped to eighth place.

Bankstown City 1-4 Manly United 

Bankstown needed to bounce back on Sunday against Manly United at Jensen Park but the visitor’s wouldn’t have it.

After a tight first half, Manly steam rolled the Lions in the second half.

It took Manly 60-seconds to hit the front.

An Elizabeth Copus-Brown corner wasn’t dealt with as Emily Minnett volleyed the ball home.

With half time approaching, Bankstown drew level.

Georgia Plessas picked up the ball on the edge of the area, let fly, as her shot deflected off a Manly defender before looping in over Whitton.

You wouldn’t believe it if someone told you but it took 60-seconds again for Manly to go back in front in the second half.

A free kick was headed back by Remy Siemsen as Tara Andrews volleyed her effort into the back of the net.

It was 3-1 10 minutes later as Remy Siemsen scored one of the goals of the season with a piledriver from distance.

The points were safe shortly after as Tara Andrews picked up her second, tapping home her own saved effort.

Macarthur Rams 0-0 NWS Koalas 

At Lynwood Park, Macarthur was desperate to find their way back to the top of the league as the NWS Koalas visited.

When the two met earlier in the campaign, it was the Rams that came away with a dominant 3-0 victory.

It was a different story this time though on Sunday afternoon.

Patty Charalambous had a fine opportunity to open the scoring after an excellent Leena Khamis run but couldn’t direct her shot on target.

Despite the Rams dominating the first 45 minutes, neither side could break the deadlock.

It was more even in the second half but the same scenario with the full time score remaining at 0-0.

Northern Tigers 1-1 APIA Leichhardt  

It was an interesting clash at North Turramurra between the Northern Tigers and APIA Leichhardt.

As the rain continuously fell, it was a fine tactical battle between two sides fighting for the Premiership.

It would be the visitor’s that would hit the front though mid-way through the first half.

Youngster Claudia Chicco took advantage of a ball in the box before blasting home to give APIA a lead they’d take into the break.

Just as APIA looked set to claim all three points, the home team struck.

A ball to the far post saw Hannah McNulty pop up and volley into the goal to give Jason Eagar’s side a valuable point.

Emerging Jets 1-5 Illawarra Stingrays 

The Illawarra Stingrays travelled north on Sunday in search of all three points against the Emerging Jets.

It took the visitors until first half stoppage time to hit the front with Kaelah Austin scoring a thunderbolt after the Jets failed to clear the ball.

In the second half, Michelle Carney showed all her experience to double the Stingrays advantage.

Sheridan Gallagher then extended the Stingrays advantage, scoring at the near post to make it three.

Not long after Austin had her second and the Rays fourth as she stuck a foot in to poke the ball home.

The Jets had one back through Milan Hammond who powered a header into the back of the net.

Late on Talitha Kramer rounded off the scoring with a goal of her own to make it 5-1.

Sydney Olympic 5-0 Football NSW Institute 

The new league leaders, Sydney Olympic, knew that a victory would push them further in front of the chasers against the Football NSW Institute.

You would’ve expected them to learn a lesson from the last time they met with the Institute and they certainly did, coming away with a 5-0 victory at Belmore Sports Ground.

They needed to get off to a fast start and did exactly that, going into half time three goals to the good.

The Institute, who had 11 players attend a Junior Matildas Camp this week, couldn’t respond and they were visibly tired.

Two more goals in the second half to the home team were enough for George Beltsos’ team to run away with a dominant victory and grab some revenge for the defeat they suffered last time the two met.

Five different scorers for Olympic on the day as Kiara De Domizio, Teigan Collister, Aimee Phillips, Alexia Karrys-Stahl and Sarah Yatim all found the back of the net.

It seems Olympic are hitting their stride at the right time and now look favourites to secure the Premiership with 10 games to go.

BY: NIKOLA POZDER, CHIEF NPL NSW WOMEN’S WRITER