Kiama dug out a 3-2 win over Russell Vale in the opening round of the 2018 Women’s Division 1 season at Cawley Park. The Quarriers, who made the semi-finals in 2017, were forced to work for the three points against a vastly more experienced Russell Vale side. Katie French proved the difference with two impressive goals as well as earning Kiama a first-half penalty.

There was little between the two sides in the opening half an hour with most attacking raids falling well short of the 18-yard box. Had it not been for Vale goalkeeper Melissa Spero, Kiama would have opened the scoring in the 30th minute after Allira Giles-Gregory surged into the right of the box. The number 9 whipped a ball across the box but the former Tarrawanna goaltend was able to cut it out, had she not intervened, two Quarriers were on hand to tap home into an empty net.

In the 35th minute, Kiama were awarded a penalty after French was brought down in the box. Tamara Duckitt stepped up to the mark and blasted the ball into the bottom left corner and out of Spero’s reach.

Only three minutes later, Russell Vale were awarded a penalty of their own after an infringement off a corner kick. Potent goal-getter Jasmin Pearce took the penalty and she made no mistake in placing the ball in the top right corner.

Inside the final minute of the half, Kiama came close to retaking the lead. French flicked on a header to play Giles-Gregory down the right flank, she cut the ball back to French on the edge of the box but her effort faded to the right of the goal. From the resulting goal kick, the halftime whistle blew with the scores locked at one apiece.

Each side had half chances in the opening 10 minutes of the second period. In the 50th minute, Kiama’s Louisa Wood was played into the left of the penalty area but her shot sprayed across the goal. Two minutes later, Russell Vale's Courtney Collins teed the ball up for Camille Augustyn but the strikers shot blazed high and wide.

From there, Kiama’s began to gain a stronger foothold on the match with Spero forced into making a couple of solid interventions including snatching the ball off Giles-Gregory’s feet as she was lining up to shoot.

With 15 minutes remaining, Kiama finally got their second goal of the afternoon. Sara Saliba played French through on goal and the forward thundered the ball past Spero to find the back of the net. The three points were sealed 10 minutes later when Josie-May Iorianni lumped a free kick from deep for French to latch onto before a classy finish, lobbing the ball over the onrushing Spero.

Russell Vale managed to find the back of the net for a second time with only a minute remaining courtesy of a defensive mix up that led to Emma Dowse trundelling the ball into her own net.

After the match, relieved Kiama coach Umberto Sorrentino admitted it was a tough day at the office for his side, “Russell Vale fought really well,” he said before adding, “In the end, we just did enough to get the points which is enough for Round 1.”

The Quarriers next match is at home to Balgownie, the Rangers lost 6-0 to reigning Premiers Albion Park. As for Russell Vale, their match is away to University who started their season with a comprehensive 5-0 win over Thirroul.

Listen to the full post-match interview with Kiama coach Umberto Sorrentino on Wednesday’s FSC Weekly.

 

Sunday 8 April @ Cawley Park

Russell Vale Black - 2 (PEARCE 38’ pen, own goal DOWSE 89’)

Kiama Quarriers - 3 (DUCKITT 31’ pen, FRENCH 75’, 87’)

 

Russell Vale Black - Camille AUGUSTYN, Courtney COLLINS, Frances HALLOWAY, Kristen IRELAND, Lisa IRELAND, Kerry MATTHEWS, Taryn RUIZ, Melissa SPERO, Kristy SHELDRICK, Belinda JACOBS, Jasmin PEARCE

 

Kiama Quarriers - Megan BLANCH, Emma DOWSE, Tamara DUCKITT, Katie FRENCH, Allira GILES-GREGORY, Kari GONZALEZ, Josie-May IORIANNA, Kristina JANESKA, Hannah PELLEGRINO, Brooke PERKISS, Sara SALIBA, Shantelle SMITH, Louisa WOOD

 

Referee - Brendan Fotheringham

Report and photo by Dylan Arvela, on Twitter @dylanarvela