Woonona picked up their third win of their campaign with a 5-0 thumping of Thirroul in a Round 7 The Grange Women’s Division 1 clash at Ian McLennan Park on Sunday evening. The Sharks showed the value of having numerous goal scorers on a team with Georgia Lang, Morgan Potter, Jasmin Pearce, Shannon Peters and Sinead Bailey all finding the back of the net for Woonona in a strong performance that keeps the side in the top three.

Woonona entered the match hoping to extend the bragging rights over Thirroul they claimed last season - with the side picking up two wins from the two matches they played against the Thunderbirds - and Woonona came out firing from the opening whistle, with the side coming close to pulling ahead in the 9^th minute after a Sinead Bailey corner found the head of Kelsey Clements deep in the Thirroul box, but Clements’ header was denied by a fantastic save from Shahne Hocking, who managed to smother the effort and shut down the early attack.

But Thirroul were unable to hold out the Sharks for much longer, with the side finally breaking the deadlock in the 13^th minute after Shannon Peters was able to send a cross from the right-hand flank into the box, finding a waiting Georgia Lang who made no mistake of her effort, curling the ball past Shahne Hocking and into the bottom-right corner, handing Woonona the lead.

The Sharks spent no time doubling their advantage and nabbed their second goal of the match six minutes later thanks to a stunning long-range strike from Morgan Potter, who was able to make the most of a loose ball pushed out of the Thunderbirds box and fired a powerful effort from range and double Woonona’s lead.

However, the flurry of goals was not finished for the Sharks and the side added their third goal of the evening in the 21^st minute after the side was awarded a penalty for a handball in the Thirroul box. Jasmin Pearce stepped up to the spot and made no mistake of the opportunity, sending the ball deep into the bottom left corner and extending Woonona’s lead to three.

Woonona had a golden chance to further extend their lead just three minutes later after a quick ball from Fiona Leafe found Sinead Bailey down the right-hand flank, with the Sharks winger curling a shot from range that beat Thunderbirds shot-stopper Shahne Hocking but was unable to drop down fast enough, with the shot dipping just past the far-post and falling out of play.

But Woonona eventually found their fourth goal of the evening in the 33^rd minute after Sinead Bailey was able to fire in a cross from the right-hand side of the field. Thirroul’s Zoe Grew made an attempt to defend the ball but was unable to connect with the cross, resulting in the ball falling to Shannon Peters, who quickly slid the ball into the back of the net and further extended the Sharks’ lead.

However, the Thunderbirds refused to call the game quits and the side came close to pulling a goal back in the 41^st minute after a quick break down the right-hand side allowed Kirsten Ward to move into a one-on-one chance against Woonona keeper Samantha Clark but Ward was unable to pull a goal back before the half-time break, firing her effort directly into the grateful arms of Clark.

With the side already sitting on a comfortable lead, Woonona opted to continue applying the pressure on the Thunderbirds in the second half and the side received their rewards for the early pressure in the 58^th minute after Sinead Bailey was able to recover a loose ball from the Thirroul backline and make a quick push forward before finding the back of the net with a pinpoint shot from the edge of the box to give the Sharks their fifth goal of the match.

With the game falling solidly against them, Thirroul opted to poke holes in the Woonona defence and the side found themselves coming close to pulling a goal back in the 73^rd minute after a strong burst down the right flank from Bryony Loosemore allowed the Thunderbirds player to slide in a cross that found Jamie Budd right in front of the Woonona goal. However, Budd was unable to direct her volleyed effort into the back of the net, her shot powering over the crossbar.

The Sharks saw themselves coming close to adding a sixth goal to the scoresheet six minutes later when a Sinead Bailey turn and pass found Shannon Peters in the Thirroul box, but Peters’ shot was unable to trouble the scorers, sliding across the face of goal and just going wide of the left-hand post.

Thirroul continued to search for a consolation goal and the side almost nabbed one in the 80^th minute when a quick break from Hannah Bowen down the right-hand side put her in a good position to sneak the ball past Sharks custodian Samantha Clark, but Clark was able to deny Bowen’s effort with a fantastic sprawling save, using her sliding legs to knock away the shot and keep Thirroul at bay once more.

The Thunderbirds had one final chance to pick up a late goal in the 87^th minute after Bethany Grew managed to work her way into a good position with the ball, but her tapped effort ran into the legs of Woonona keeper Samantha Clark, who was able to redirect the ball just enough to push it out of play and help secure a strong 5-0 victory for the Sharks.

The win means Woonona pick up their third victory of the season and keeps the side in touch with the top two. The Sharks have the next round off thanks to the Bye, but the side will return to action on 9 June when they host University at Ocean Park in what will be a bumper fixture between two of the top three sides.

Meanwhile, the defeat means Thirroul remains in second-last on the ladder, with the side four points behind Kiama Quarriers but three points ahead of Fernhill at the foot of the ladder. Thirroul will be hoping to pick up a valuable three points when they host Fernhill next round at Thomas Gibson Park as the side hopes to create some breathing room between themselves and the bottom of the ladder.

Sunday 26 May 2019 at Ian McLennan Park, Kembla Grange

Woonona FC – 5 (Lang 13’, Potter 19’, Pearce 21’, Peters 33’, Bailey 58’)

Thirroul FC – 0

Woonona FC: Samantha CLARK, Kelsey CLEMENTS, Kayla DRAPER, Sara HAMILTON, Ainsley HAWES, Le-Tisha KABLE, Fiona LEAFE, Bonnie MACDONNELL, Elyse MCNALLY, Jasmin PEARCE, Morgan POTTER, Shannon PETERS, Meika QUINN, Georgia LANG, Melissa SALE, Sinead BAILEY

Thirroul FC: Cara BAKER, Hannah BOWEN, Claytyn GEHRKE, Mae GIBBESON, Bethany GREW, Zoe GREW, Jamie RYAN, Chloe HOCKING, Taylor SMITH, Jamie BUDD, Shahne HOCKING, Ashleigh WALTER, Bryony LOOSEMORE, Kirsten WARD, Kelly MAR

*Interchange system in place.

Referee – Maya FRANCIS

Assistant Referees – Charlotte FLYNN and Emerson PEARDON

Report by Cal Behrendt, on Twitter @CalBehrendt

Photo courtesy of Noel Wynn