University picked up a comfortable 4-0 win over a depleted Balgownie outfit in this round 12 clash of The Grange Women’s Division One competition at Kooloobong Oval. The students surged out to a 3-0 score-line at the break before only adding one more in the second against a Balgownie side low on players.

The sides last met in round five where University left as 2-0 winners at Judy Masters Oval. The students were coming off a 5-1 win over Thirroul on Wednesday night whereas the Rangers beat the same Thirroul side, 3-1 last Sunday.

The game sprung into life from the first whistle with the home-side creating chances early on. In the fourth minute, Georgina McDonnell’s through ball found the run of Jaimie Bailey in the box where she sent a power-shot onto goal. Balgownie shot-stopper Aaliyah Sigabalavu was able to parry it away but only to the feet of Jordan Rean at the edge of the area. Sigabalavu was able to return to her feet quickly to save the long shot from Rean comfortably.

But the students were straight back into the attack just one minute later as Bailey weaved her way into the box. She made no mistake when slotting it into the right hand side to give the home-side the lead on the day.

Balgownie had their first attack of their own in the 18^th minute when Eda Yakan ran through on goal thanks to a backwards University header following a goal-kick. The desperate defence from the students was able to put her off as a falling shot saw the ball be saved by Hannah Farrugia.

Just four minutes later, University grabbed their second. It was off a corner that McDonnell leaped the highest sending her header goal-wards. Elise Battin was the first on the scene as she poked home to double their lead.

In the 31^st minute, Bailey put an accurate cross into the box that found Kristen Gorgieski and her touch around the goalkeeper looked destined to be a tap-in but a determined clearance from Sophie Bourke saved the Rangers from conceding another.

Balgownie were lucky to still only be two behind again as University striker Lisa Prior ran onto a through ball from Battin into the box. However, from a tight angle and on her weaker foot, she blasted her shot into the post.

The Rangers then launched forward for attacks of their own in the 39^th and 40^th minutes. First, Sophie Hancock sent a chipped through ball into the path of Teisha McKenzie into the box. But to the Rangers despair, the ball bounced just past her foot and into the arms of Farrugia. Their next chance came through McKenzie again when her run up the right was met with a cut-back on the bi-line. But it was a surprise to Hancock that the ball fell at her feet as she shot wide.

It was three minutes from time that University grabbed another. Similar to their second, it was a tap-back from Lexi Carter at the back-post straight to the well-positioned Jinneecka Klenka to tap it in and make it 3-0 at the break.

The second 45 started quite like the first with University coming out of the sheds firing. Balgownie started the second half with only nine players on the field following an injury. They were under the pump early too with the students almost scoring on two occasions in the 50^th minute.

The first chance came after Prior sent McDonnell through on goal before blasting a shot towards the top left. But it was a spectacular save from Sigabalavu that deflected it wide. It was from the corner University came inches away from adding another when Gorgieski’s corner almost curled into the net but an outstretched arm from Sigabalavu touched it onto the crossbar and the Rangers were able to clear.

In the 55^th minute, a long-range effort from the back by Courtney Collins almost dipped into the goal from 30 yards out but was denied by the crossbar.

The Rangers didn’t see too much of the students’ goal but almost pulled one back on the counter. After dispossessing the ball off the University midfield, Chelsea Tasevski sent a long ball over the top for Hancock up the left. The winger surged onto goal but her low shot was saved by a diving Farrugia.

The home-side continued to pressure the patchy Balgownie defensive line when McDonnell ran onto a ball from Battin. Her first touch was good to set up the shot on her right foot but was saved by the outstretched arm of Sigabalavu. But it was from the corner that they would finally grab their fourth when Gorgieski’s accurate curling delivery falling to Bailey who headed it home from close range to give the students the fourth goal they deserved.

Despite being down by four goals and two players, Balgownie continued to play until the final whistle and saw another opportunity come when Hancock ran onto another ball up the left. But it was the same result for the Rangers as Farrugia was able to pull it in after the low shot.

Bailey almost snared her hat-trick in the final 10 minutes when she was found open at the back-post from Battin but couldn’t angle it on target as it rolled across the goal and out for a goal-kick.

In the end the students were too strong for the undermanned Rangers as they surged to their seventh win of the season.

The win for the students now sees them close the gap to just two points behind Albion Park at the top of the table. They will be confident they can snatch the top spot as they still have a game in hand when they play the catch-up game next Saturday at home to fourth placed Kiama. Then on Sunday, they travel to Fernhill who picked up their first point of the season following a 1-all draw with Kiama

The loss for Balgownie now sees them slip out of the top four on goal difference following Kiama’s draw. The Rangers are the only team to have played 12 games this campaign with Kiama having three games less. They have the weekend off next week hoping Kiama don’t pick up points against the two top teams in University and Albion Park.

Sunday 30 June at Kooloobong Oval.

University FC: 4 (BAILEY 5’ 78’, BATTIN 22’, KLENKA 42’)

Balgownie Rangers FC: 0

 

Line-Ups:

University FC: Jaimie BAILEY, Elise BATTIN, Lexi CARTER, Cayla CONSTABLE, Kristen GORGIESKI, Jinneecka KLENKA, Georgina MCDONNELL, Chantal PAGE, Lisa PRIOR, Jordan REAN, Kate SEBBEN, Tallara SHAW, Hannah FARRUGIA, Courtney COLLINS.

Balgownie Rangers FC: Mikaylee AIR, Alicia ANDERSON, Ashleigh ANDERSON, Sophie BOURKE, Sophie HANCOCK, Emma JONES, Teisha MCKENZIE, Aaliyah SIGABALAVU, Chelsea TASEVSKI, Eda YAKAN.

*Interchange Rule Applied

 

Referee: Martin Rowney

Report by Nathan Turner, on Twitter @nathanturner23_

File Photo