Tuggeranong United 2 (Steph Coates 37’, Own Goal 47’) def. Wagga City Wanderers 0

By Jakob Gisik

A Steph Coates header and a fortunate deflection were enough to lift Tuggeranong United to a 2-0 win over the Wagga City Wanderers at Greenway on Saturday afternoon.

The victory is Tuggeranong’s third this season and propels them into sixth spot on the NPLW ladder, while Wagga City remain without a win since round one.

It was the Riverina side that produced the first scoring opportunity of the match 10 minutes in, and it was a golden opportunity at that.

Tuggeranong goalkeeper Miriam McLaren rushed out to gather the ball and fumbled it into the path of Brooke Gayler who should have scored, but the Wanderers striker stabbed her shot wide of the open goal.

The home side slowly worked their way into the game, as Alice Linn and Kristy Helmers began to cause the Wagga City back line some headaches.

Both Linn and Helmers were denied by Wanderers keeper Sammy Emms within the space of 30 seconds, before Helmers missed a great chance in the 29^th minute when she struck the woodwork from six-yards out.

Tuggeranong’s attacking pressure finally paid off in the 37^th minute when Coates drifted into the penalty area and headed home a Sarah Daisley corner to put her side up 1-0 leading into the break.

It took just two second-half minutes for United to double their advantage, as a powerful strike from Helmers deflected off the shoulder of Wagga City’s Dimity Curran and fortuitously floated into the goal.

Helmers could have had a second almost immediately, after she got on the end of a lovely ball from Sophie Bui, but she couldn’t keep her shot on target.

Wagga City’s defence clamped down on their opponents from that point onward, while Piper Lockley and Christina Graver-Kompos, formerly of Canberra FC, began to combine well in midfield.

Their best chance of the half came in the 61^st minute when Gayler was brought down just outside the penalty area, but she hit the crossbar with the resulting free-kick.

The visitors tried hard to claw a goal back, but the Tuggeranong defence held firm to record their second clean sheet in as many matches.

Both sides will now enjoy the week’s rest, with no NPLW games scheduled due to the Federation Cup Final between Belconnen United and Woden-Weston FC on Saturday.

 

 

Canberra FC 0 def. by Belconnen United 1 (Maddy Whittall 62’)

In another exciting installment of the ongoing battle between the two clubs, Belconnen United prevailed by a single goal at Deakin to widen their lead at the top of the table.

Key moments |

Early injury: Canberra FC started strongly but their day was thrown into chaos when Nat Vasta collided with Bronte Pyke and was stretchered off, before later being taken to hospital. Alice Churchill went into goals in her place, taking one of Canberra FC’s defensive stalwarts out of the backline.

The goal: Ivana Galic cleared an initial Maddy Whittall chance from danger but Belconnen won it back shortly after, and Nicole Jalocha played Whittall in behind again. This time she turned with a good touch before firing past Churchill to net the game’s only goal.

Next up |

Belconnen are right back in action as they take on Woden-Weston in the Women’s Federation Cup final on Saturday, while Canberra FC will have the weekend off and then face the Wanderers themselves in round 11.

 

Woden-Weston FC 1 (Sarah Whitfield 60’) def. by Canberra United Academy 2 (Hayley Taylor-Young 20’, 62’)

Hayley Taylor-Young struck twice on Sunday at Melrose to help the Canberra United Academy jump Woden-Weston back into the top four.

Key moments |

Opening goal: The Academy broke up a promising Woden-Weston attack before going forward themselves, but that was broken up by Woden. Jemima Millar-Carton then played the ball back to her keeper, but it was picked off by Taylor-Young who streaked through and finished calmly.

Equaliser: After a sustained period of pressure Woden-Weston won a corner on the hour mark, and Sarah Whitfield got the last touch as the ball was swung in close to the goal line to pull her side level.

Instant response: No sooner had the hosts pulled level though and they were behind, as Taylor-Young raced forward from kick-off, beat her defender and chipped a lovely effort over the top of Lilian Geale in goals to put the Academy ahead for good.

Next up |

Woden-Weston will now get up for the challenge of taking on Belconnen United in the Federation Cup final, which is set to be a belter on Saturday at Deakin. The Academy will take on Monaro on Sunday in a rescheduled match at Hawker before facing Canberra Olympic in round 11.

 

 

Canberra Olympic 2 (Eleanor Jones 12’, Lily Dawson 63’) def. by Monaro Panthers 5 (Darby Whiteley 42’, 45’, Yip-Au 53’, Kelly Stirton 75’, Sofia Furlanetto 86’)

Monaro came from behind on Sunday to get revenge over Canberra Olympic for their round one defeat in a convincing 5-2 victory at O’Connor.

Key moments |

Olympic strike early: A free-kick in a seemingly innocuous position was struck well by Emily Dillon, and beat everyone to find Eleanor Jones at the back post.

Darby double: The hosts were leading and in control, but four minutes before the half Darby Whiteley looped an effort in from the edge of the area, and then was set free to knock in her second on the stroke of the break despite the best efforts of Victoria Jamieson.

Yip-Au scores: Monaro started the second half on the front foot, and they pulled further ahead when Chris Yip-Au reacted fastest at the back post to tuck home a corner.

Olympic pull one back: Just after the hour mark Lily Dawson was played through on goal and she did well under pressure to cut the lead back to one goal.

The sealers: Monaro netted twice in the final 15 minutes to kill off the game, first through Kelly Stirton as she was first to a rebound from the keeper, and then as Sofia Furlanetto as she tucked the ball into the far corner.