Kiama Quarriers kept alive their hopes of playing Finals football with a comfortable 5-0 win over basement side Thirroul Blue in Sunday’s Builders Club Women’s Division 1 fixture. There were two goals early on for Christie Akid and one apiece for Alex Stronach, Allira Giles-Gregory and Tamara Duckitt.

The game was played out almost exclusively in the Thirroul half, with Kiama keeper Megan Blanch barely getting a touch of the ball. So the Blue defence were working overtime and there were tired legs by the end, but apart from a shaky start to both halves, Thirroul defended solidly, with Carlie Tubridy putting in a good shift at centre half.

The game couldn’t have got off to a worse start for the visitors. Kiama’s front pair of Akid and Giles-Gregory virtually walked the ball into the net straight from the kick-off as the Blue line-up stood and watched. It was Giles-Gregory’s pace that left the Blue standing, but Akid who got the final touch to open the scoring in about 20 seconds.

There was barely time to settle before the Quarriers doubled their advantage. Giles-Gregory’s speed down the left flank won a corner in the eighth minute. Stronach floated the ball in right onto the head of Akid who steered the ball home for her second with less than ten minutes on the clock.

The same combination, of Stronach ball in and Akid head almost nicked a third moments later, but this time the Blue defence got a body in the way to block.

That miss seemed to allow the visitors to settle, with Tubridy and Maddison Yarrow putting in some useful tackles to keep Kiama at bay, and Marita Johnson getting her body in the way to prevent Ailin Olsen and Akid working a similar goal to Kiama’s first,

But it was Johnson who was caught in possession inside her own area in the 38^th minute. Stronach pounced, took one touch and fired a solid shot beyond the reach of Louise Vitney in the Thirroul goal for a 3-0 lead.

Just before the break the Blue had their first effort on goal. Taleah Mcpherson took a free kick from some 30 yards and forced Blanch into action for the first time.

But the 3-0 half time scoreline was a fair reflection of a one-sided first half.

The second stanza began much like the first with a goal in the opening two minutes. This time Akid played provider with a beautiful defence-splitting ball into the area. Giles-Gregory used her pace to beat her marker and fired the ball past the unfortunate Martha Davies, who had just come on as a half-time replacement goalkeeper.

The one-way traffic continued as Kiama peppered the Thirroul goal with shots. Davies made good saves to keep Akid and then Stronach out, while Brooke Perkiss, pushed forward out of defence, did great work down the left and swung a shot across the face of the goal, with no one on hand to put in the final touch. Stronach always looked a danger as she too pushed forward. Her free kick from 25 yards out flew inches wide and then another long range effort curved goalwards and forced a useful save out of Davies.

A fifth goal was always on the cards and with less than fifteen minutes to go it finally came.

Akid saw her shot blocked by Davies, but the ball flew out to Duckitt who prodded home from ten yards out.

The hat-trick eluded the Kiama centre forward, but it was not for want of trying. A shot blocked was followed quickly by a wayward effort that skied over the bar, and then a long-range effort on target, but taken easily this time by Davies.

Kiama would have to make do with five goals. But they very nearly conceded one right at the death. Megan Doyle set up Hayley Thusberg inside the box, but the forward sent her shot just over the bar, meaning the Blue remain goalless since their Round 9 victory over Balgownie. And the match finished at 5-0 for the home side.

Kiama coach Umberto Sorrentino was pleased to get the three points and keep his side on track to make the end-of-season finals. “For a team that has come up from the second division, a 4^th place finish would make for a successful season. I asked them for three points today and a minimum of five goals and I got that. Maybe I need to ask for more next time!”

Blue captain Louise Vitney admitted her side had been under the pump all afternoon and her players were nursing a few cramps, “but this was not a bad result considering we began with only nine or ten players and were up against a team challenging for the top four. The spirit remains high among the girls.”

Kiama Quarriers – 5 (Akid 1’, 8’, Stronach 38’, Giles-Gregory 47’, Duckitt 77’)

Thirroul Blue – 0

Assists: Kiama: Giles-Gregory, Stronach, Akid 2

Sunday 23 July 2017

Kiama Sports Complex

Referee: Peter Ilcevski

Assistant Referees: Jennifer Klepczarek, Club Official

Kiama Quarriers: Megan Blanch, Alex Stronach, Brooke Perkiss, Nerissa Peterson, Rachel Sheppard, Kate Nation, Tamara Duckitt, Ailin Olsen, Carolynn MacKenzie, Christie Akid, Allira Giles-Gregory (subs used in rotation: Emilee Della Libera, Vanessa Morgan, Nicola Miljevic)

 

Thirroul Blue: Louise Vitney, Madison Yarrow, Carlie Tubridy, Megan Doyle, Claire Vahtra, Taleah Mcpherson, Hayley Thusberg, Saskia Beeten, Marita Johnson, Jess Willard (sub Martha Davies)

Report and photo by Simon Duffin