Woonona have claimed their first win of the season with an impressive 4-0 win over Balgownie in wet conditions in this round four clash of The Grange Women’s Division One competition at Judy Masters Oval. A brace to Ainsley Hawes either side of half-time and two late goals courtesy of Angela Graham and Fiona Leafe gave the Sharks a much needed and well deserved three points.

The Rangers had a positive start to the year, winning their first two games before going down to Albion Park last week, 5-2. Woonona have had to settle for two draws so far including a frustrating 0-0 result last week, away to Kiama.

The Rangers came out of the sheds firing. Two chances in the opening two minutes setting a benchmark for what was to come for the rest of the game. Firstly, pressure on the backline gave the chance for Rebecca Apostolovski to come up with a shot from the 18-yard-box which was saved by Samantha Clark.

The next chance, coming in the second minute saw some nice interplay passing up the right-hand sideline between Caitlin Cardwell and Teisha McKenzie. The ball finished at the feet of Cardwell at the edge of the area but her long shot bounced into the arms of Clark.

Woonona’s first opportunity of the game saw them take the lead in the 13^th minute. A deadly counter-attack saw Fiona Leafe send a long through ball looking for the run of Ainsley Hawes. The striker’s first touch was good with the shot even better, finding the bottom left and giving the Sharks the first goal of the day.

In the 25^th minute, Hawes ran through on goal, this time from a through ball from Le-Tisha Kable. Her first time shot from the right-hand side of goal was saved with a reflex stop by Aaliyah Sigabalavu.

Balgownie’s next chances on goal both came in the 29^th minute. Mariah Peever picked out Sophie Hancock with an accurate pass towards the box. Her first touch set up a shot on her right but failed to get power behind the ball as it rolled to Clark. Then just 30 seconds later, some nice interplay up the left from Cardwell and McKenzie again set up another shot for Cardwell. Although her shot fired straight to Clark.

The last chance of the half came from a looping free-kick that was met off the head of Woonona’s Kayla Draper but could only sail wide as the Sharks took a slim 1-0 lead into the sheds.

Balgownie were inches away from grabbing their equaliser just five minutes after the restart. Hancock got the best off a McKenzie corner with her touch six yards from goal looking destined for the back of the net. But it was the foot of Bonnie Macdonnell that cleared the ball off the line.

It was just two minutes later that the Sharks would go up the other end and grab their second of the day. It was Hawes again running onto a through ball from the midfield, this time chipping the bouncing ball over Sigabalavu and into the net.

After the goal, both the rain and intensity started to pick up. It turned into a very cagey affair with neither side posing any chances on the opposing teams’ goal for a short period of time. It wasn’t until the 72^nd minute that Hawes would run onto yet another through ball, but this time couldn’t angle her chip on target as it bounced wide of the goal.

Woonona wouldn’t be too disappointed with the missed opportunity as they grabbed their third just two minutes later. A run up the right wing from Shannon Peters was met with a cross onto the penalty spot. A mistake at the back for the Rangers saw the ball fall perfectly for Angela Graham who calmly side footed it into the bottom right, putting the game beyond doubt.

Balgownie were close to pulling one back from the restart when McKenzie ran through one-on-one. Her touch around Clark was a bit too big as the striker couldn’t adjust her feet to angle it back towards goal as the ball went out for a goal-kick.

With just two minutes left to play, Woonona put the icing on the cake with their fourth of the day. A cross from the right-hand sideline skidded along the wet ground through several players in the box and landed at the feet of a wide open Leafe at the far post. She took one touch before side footing a shot into the roof of the net.

Woonona running out comfortable winners in this one as the Rangers suffer their second defeat in as many weeks.

Balgownie take on a tough task next week when they host University whereas Woonona travel to top placed Albion Park.

 

Sunday 5 May at Judy Masters Oval

Balgownie Rangers FC: 0

Woonona Sharks: 4 (HAWES 13’ 53’, GRAHAM 73’, LEAFE 89’)

 

Line-ups:

Balgownie Rangers FC: Mikaylee AIR, Alicia ANDERSON, Ashleigh ANDERSON, Rebecca APOSTOLOVSKI, Sophie BOURKE, Caitlin CARDWELL, Gabrielle DAVIS, Sophie HANCOCK, Emma JONES, Teisha MCKENZIE, Mariah PEEVER, Courtney RIORDAN, Aaliyah SIGABALAVU, Chelsea TASEVSKI.

 

Woonona FC: Samantha CLARK, Kayla DRAPER, Sara HAMILTON, Ainsley HAWES, Le-Tisha KABLE, Fiona LEAFE, Bonnie MACDONNELL, Elyse MCNALLY, Jasmin PEARCE, Morgan POTTER, Jordan WHEATLEY, Georgia LANG, Angela GRAHAM, Shannon PETERS.

*Interchange Rule Applied

 

Referee: Trevor HAWKEN

 

Report by Nathan Turner, on Twitter @nathanturner23_

Photo courtesy of Dana Guthrie