The Womens Division One competition has become a three horse race and the fourth playoff spot is also up for grabs as we head into Round 14.

Reigning champions Albion Park hold a slender one point lead over Woonona with Tarrawanna just four points behind. Wollongong Olympic (17 points) and Port Kembla (15 points) seem to be in a battle for fourth.

Tarrawanna v Port Kembla @ Tarrawanna Oval, Sunday 3 July - kick off 1.00pm

Tarrawanna are coming off a nailbiting 3-2 win over Wollongong Olympic last weekend to keep pace with the leaders. Kahlia Muilwyk was the hero scoring a hart-trick to bring her season tally to 11 and move into third in the race for golden boot.

Port Kembla too held off a determined Helensburgh side for a 3-2 away win. Kristina Janeska, Irene Kyriacou and Hannah Pellegrino getting the goals that got Port over the line.

In the only other occasion these two sides met, it was Tarrawanna who edged out Port Kembla 1-0 and another close game is anticipated although once expects that if Tarrawanna are any chance of taking out the league, they will need three points here.

Balgownie v Thirroul @ Judy Masters Oval, Sunday 3 July - kick off 2.00pm

Balgownie are finding it difficult this year to compete with the top sides and this was evident last week when Woonona put seven unanswered goals past them. They have only won two games all season however one of those was a 3-0 win over Thirroul earlier this year so they will go into this game with some confidence.

Thirroul are having a bit of an up and down season and are an outside chance for the playoffs but they are going to have to beat the likes of Balgownie if they are serious about that. Thirroul had a day they would rather soon forget last Sunday when Albion Park showed little mercy running out 11-0 winners. 

Hard one to tip although I think Thirroul will have dusted themselves off and will reverse the result in the previous meeting between these two teams.

Wollongong Olympic v Woonona (deferred)

Wollongong Olympic played two games last week. On Friday night, they drew 1-1 with Albion Park with leading goalscorer Sophie Lederer getting the goal for Olympic. That game may have sapped a bit of their energy as mentioned earlier, they succumbed to Tarrawanna 3-2 on Sunday with Lederer and Emi Skopal the goal scorers. 

Woonona on the other hand had a comfortable weekend winning 7-0 over Balgownie. Sinead Bailey brought up her 7th goal of the season when she bagged two in this game. Ebony Fraser, Angela Graham, Jordan Wheatley and Sinead Giraldi getting a goal each.

This game is deferred due to State Cup semi Final committments for Wollongong Olympic.

Helensburgh v Albion Park @ Rex Jackson Oval, Wednesday 6 July - Kick off 7.30pm

Although the Burgh ladies are sitting on just one point, they haven't really stopped trying all season where they are finding the transition to Division 1 quite difficult. They went pretty close to getting something out of last week's 3-2 loss to Port Kembla with Alana Humphries and Andrea Blackwell the standouts. Goalscoring has been a major issue for Burgh this year and it's hard to see them scoring against the stingiest team in the league (9 goals conceded).

Albion Park nailed Thirroul 11-0 last week and a similar scoreline is on the cards unless Helensburgh can knuckle down and compete for the majority of the game. Brittany Ring helped herself to six goals last week to top the goal scoring charts. She has the capacity to blow the golden boot race wide open this weekend if she plays.

In the only other meeting, Albion Park win 7-0 and it is likely to be something similar again one thinks sadly for Helensburgh. Park though are playing the State Cup Semi Finals this weekend so maybe Helensburgh can catch them nursing a hangover.

Photo courtesy of Noel Wynn