Fernhill were narrowly defeated 2-1 by Kiama at Ray Robinson Field. Kiama came into the game in poor form having failed to pick up a point in their last two games as well only scoring one goal. As for Fernhill they were unbeaten in their last two games and had conceded just the one goal. An opportunity then for Fernhill to cause an upset.

After a slow start to the game the first chance went the way of Kiama as in the 8th minute Kristina Janeska played a pass onto the edge of the box from the left-hand-side for Alex Stronach who was able to shoot but Rebecca Manwarring was able to hold onto the shot. Just two minutes later Kiama came forwards again as Janeska took aim but this time from a much greater distance though the outcome was still the same as the shot was held. Within a minute Fernhill responded, Kya Godbier taking advantage of a failed clearance and taking a shot but Emma Dewhurst was equal to it. Three minutes later Kiama opened the scoring when a ball played over the top of the Fernhill defence found Allira Giles-Gregory who managed to sneak a strike under the goalkeeper, a deserved lead to Kiama.

With their tales up, Kiama came forwards again, on this occasion Katie French, was given too much room on the edge of the box and thundered a shot off of the crossbar. Just past the halfway mark of the first half, Fernhill were back on level terms. A freekick swung in from Kate Sebben wasn’t dealt with by the Kiama defence allowing Lisa Paton to poke the ball into the far corner. Their joy was short lived though as straight from kick-off Kiama were back in front, a great passing move found Hayleigh Fisher on the edge of the box who took a first time shot which looped over the keeper.

With a minute of the first half left to play Fernhill had an opportunity to equalise again when Emilia Skopal showed great skill to go in between two players and made her way into the box. One-on-one with the goalkeeper, her shot beat the keeper but also beat the post. At halftime, Kiama went in with a slender lead, but the score could’ve been anything, neither had really taken the game to the other.

Fernhill came out of the sheds with attacking ambition and just five minutes into the second half, they won a freekick in a dangerous position. Sebben stepped up and fired a strike goalwards but Emma Dewhurst managed to hold onto it. With Fernhill pushing for an equaliser, gaps were left in behind for Kiama to exploit on the counter-attack. Just before the hour mark, Giles-Gregory took advantage of this by storming down the right wing and passing a ball into the box for French who laid the ball back to Cardwell who was on the edge of the box. Her shot narrowly cleared the crossbar.

Despite Fernhill’s possession in the second half they had failed to create many clear-cut chances meaning that on the stroke of fulltime the score was still 2-1 to Kiama. With one last opportunity Fernhill came forward and Godbier found space to shoot on the left-hand-side but the shot cannoned off of the crossbar, but it wasn’t over yet as Paton was on the end of the rebound facing an open goal all she had to do was tap it in but she inexplicitly smashed it over the crossbar and moments later the full-time whistle blew.

A real opportunity for Fernhill to take points off of their opponents Kiama considering the form but it just wasn’t to be. Emilia Skopal was causing havoc all game and was unlucky not to be on the score sheet. Fernhill face fellow strugglers Thirroul next time out and will hope to avoid going bottom of the table. This can be achieved by not losing next Sunday. As for Kiama, this puts a bad run of form to end for the Quarriers. They will play Woonona next week and with a victory, it would send them above their opponents.

 

Sunday 1^st of July 2018 at Ray Robinson Field

Fernhill – 1 (Paton 26’)

Kiama – 2 (Gregory-Giles 14’, Fisher 28’)

 

Fernhill: Jessica CARMAN, Kya GODBIER, Jessica KELLY, Rebecca MANWARRING, Pollie MILLER, Katrina O’DONNELL, Lisa PATON, Kate SEBBEN, Emilia SKOPAL, Caitlin WALKER, Kelly CHONTELLE

 

Kiama: Megan BLANCH, Caitlin CARDWELL, Tamara DUCKITT, Katie FRENCH, Allira GILES-GREGORY, Kari GONZALEZ, Iorianni JOSIE-MAY, Kristina JANESKA, Hannah PELLEGRINO, Brooke PERKISS, Shantelle SMITH, Alex STRONACH, Rebecca WELSH, Louisa WOOD, Hayleigh FISHER, Emma DEWHURST

 

Referee: Graeme CHARKER

Assistant Referees: Taya and Levi STARR

Report by Timothy Gibson, on Twitter @timg123_

Photo by Noel Wynn