The Builders Club Women’s Division 1 – Round 5 wrap

Round 5 of The Builders Club Women’s Division 1 produced another shuffle of the deck, with Albion Park showing they really are the Ace of Spades after a convincing win over University. Last season’s champions are now five points clear of the chasing pack, with results elsewhere seeing a bunching of teams vying for Finals spots, and a close race to avoid the basement berth.

Last week’s review omitted Albion Park’s Renee Crowe from the list of women who had scored in every round, but she didn’t hit the back of the net this weekend. So now Rylee McGartland and Casey-Leigh Suttle of Albion Park, along with Uni’s Kristen Gorgieski, are the only players to have achieved the remarkable feat of scoring in five successive rounds of football.

Fernhill 2-1 Thirroul

Emilia Skopal scored her third goal of the season to help Fernhill to its first three-pointer of the 2018 season and lifted her side off the bottom on goal difference. Fernhill’s other scorer was Jacoda Links, with her first goal after 21 starts for the club at this level.

Fernhill coach Josh Sebben was pleased: “The work we’ve done over the previous weeks has started to bear fruit, helped by fielding an entire first grade squad for the first time this season. We created lots of chances but lacked a clinical finish. We now want to push on and make it two on the trot.” Fernhill face Russell Vale next up.

Thirroul are now propping up the ladder on goal difference and the win over Kiama two weeks ago must seem a distant memory as Tina Siskoska’s side travel to Balgownie next week trying to get their campaign back on track. Thirroul’s goal came from former youth grader Cara Baker.

 

Kiama Quarriers 3-1 Woonona

The Quarriers not only leap-frogged over Woonona in the ladder with this win, but they had to come from behind to do so over the 90 minutes. The result leaves both sides on 10 points from the five matches, but Kiama just ahead in second spot on goal difference.

The Quarriers’ goals came from Katie French (her fifth of the season), Josie-May Iorianni and Kristina Janeska. Woonona’s only goal early in the tie came from Elyse Mcnally.

Kiama coach Umberto Sorrentino acknowledged Woonona were a hard team to beat. “We needed to get hungry and fight for the ball, which we did in the second half. Once we began winning the 50/50 balls, we just kept going at them and the goals came”. Everybody played their part, he said, but he picked out Janeska’s goal as a ‘beautiful individual effort’.

Both sides have tough gigs next weekend, with the Quarriers travelling to Kooloobong Oval to take on University, while Woonona face Albion Park away.

 

Russell Vale Black 0-1 Balgownie Rangers

Ashleigh Anderson’s first half strike was enough to give Balgownie Rangers their first win of the season and propelled Earle Canvin’s side up to fifth in the ladder, two points clear of the bottom three.

Canvin acknowledged that his side’s performance wasn’t the best, but they ‘dominated the first half,’ he said. “We needed to learn how to win so hopefully we can move on from this in the coming rounds.”

Next up for Balgownie is a visit from bottom side Thirroul, with a chance for the Rangers to make up ground on the top teams. Russell Vale will be looking to get points on the board at home to Fernhill next week, as the Blacks have lost three on the bounce now, following their fantastic win at University in Round 2.

University 1-5 Albion Park

Albion Park’s dominance at this level was confirmed with yet another convincing win, but University asked a few questions of the reigning champions.

Uni managed what no other team has done this season so far and breached the Albion Park defence. In fact, thanks to ex-Albion Park striker Kristen Gorgieski’s early goal, Uni led this tie for the first half hour and a shock might have been on the cards.

But the champions equalised before the break and pushed to 3-1 up early in the second half. Uni coach Brod Crighton admitted that ‘superior fitness wore us down’. “With 15 minutes to go, and 3-1 down, I pushed girls forward to see if we could get one back, but this didn’t work and they scored two more. Fair result in the end.”

Gorgieski’s tally for the season has now reached seven. The race for Albion Park’s golden boot continues to see-saw along with Rylee McGartland’s hat-trick here giving her the upper hand on 10, while Casey-Leigh Suttle’s single goal took her to nine for the season.

Next week sees these two in the top ties of the Round: Uni take on Kiama, while Albion Park host Woonona.

Photo Library: Dylan Arvela