Lady Reds Succumb To Jets

NEWCASTLE Jets struck twice late on as they defeated Adelaide United 2-0 on the opening day of the 2010/11 W-League season at Hindmarsh Stadium on Saturday.

Two goals in the final ten minutes from Jets forward Sasha McDonnell decided the result in an exciting and highly entertaining encounter that could have gone either way.

The loss was a tough pill to swallow for the new look Lady Reds, who showed encouraging signs and arguably had the better of the chances in the second half, only then to fall to a sucker punch from the Jets courtesy of two clinical finishes from McDonnell late on.

After having disappointing seasons last year, United's Women and Newcastle's Women's Team were determined to start the 2010/11 campaign well, both teams featuring a host of new faces.

Starting their season opener without captain Christina Papageorgiou, who was missing through injury, the home side took it up to the Jets in a high paced opening half with Katrina Gorry lively in midfield, but despite chances at both ends, the score remained nil-all at the break.

The Jets went inches from opening the scoring 10 minutes into the second half, but the Reds defence managed to clear the ball off the line.

Then in the 66th minute the home side had claims for a penalty turned down after the Jets halted Donna Cockayne's dangerous run into the box, but the referee was unmoved.

With both sides trying to break the deadlock, in the 72nd minute Newcastle's new American keeper Allison Lipsher produced a brilliant finger tip save to deny a long range Victoria Balomenos effort, defender Ruth Blackburn then watching her header crash into the cross bar from the resultant corner.

United goalkeeper Sian McLaren was doing her best at the other end to keep the Jets at bay, superbly tipping the ball over the bar from a stinging McDonnell shot in the 78th minute.

A draw seemed the likely result, and a point for each team would arguably have been fitting in what was a highly skilled and willing contest, but McDonnell had other ideas as she netted a late double.

First she took advantage of some confusion over a throw in on half way, getting on the end of a neat diagonal ball and putting her shot past McLaren. She then made sure the three points were heading back to Newcastle when she again timed her run to perfection to tuck away her second in the 88th minute and put the game out of United's reach.

Although the result did not go the Reds' way, there were plenty of positives to come out of the performance for Coach Mike Barnett, his team already showing significant improvements on last year.

Adelaide United Women's next match is against Perth Glory Women at nib Stadium in Perth on Saturday 13 November.

Match Details
Adelaide United Women 0
Newcastle Jets Women 2 (McDonnell 83', 88')
Hindmarsh Stadium
Referee: Stacey Sasopolous

Adelaide United line-up: 1.Sian McLAREN (gk) (c), 2.Ashleigh GUNNING, 4.Ruth BLACKBURN, 5.Stacey DAY, 7.Racheal QUIGLEY (12.Selin KURALAY 59'), 8.Katrina GORRY, 9.Ruth WALLACE (19.Nenita BURGESS 81'), 11.Vedrana POPOVIC, 13.Loren MAHONEY, 14.Donna COCKAYNE, 17.Angela FIMMANO (10.Victoria BALOMENOS 56')
Substitutes not used: 20.Kristi HARVEY (gk)

Yellow cards: Gorry 47'
Red cards: Nil

Newcastle Jets line-up: 1.Allison LIPSHER (GK), 2.Hannah BREWER, 3.Hayley CRAWFORD (c), 5.Gema SIMON, 6.Renee CARTWRIGHT (16.Kate HENSMAN 68'), 7.Tara ANDREWS (12.Melissa FEUERRIEGEL 75'), 8.Amber NEILSON, 9.Sasha McDONNELL, 10.Leia SMITH, 11.Kara MOWBRAY, 13.Thea SLATYER (17.Alex HUYNH 60')
Substitutes not used: 20.Alison LOGUE (GK)

Yellow cards: Cartwright 68'
Red cards: Nil

Sky Blues Edge W-League Goalfest

REIGNING W-League champions Sydney FC sent an ominous warning to their opponents on the opening day of the 2010/11 season with a 4-2 win over the Brisbane Roar at Ballymore on Saturday.

The Roar were keen to extract revenge against the side they lost last season's to, but made it difficult for themselves early, conceding a goal in the sixth minute.

Sydney's Kyah Simon, who had already tested Roar custodian Casey Dumont with a shot on target, charged into the penalty box.

When the Brisbane defence failed to properly deal with the threat, the ball fell to her captain Heather Garriock who slotted it home neatly from the edge of the area.

The home side were not content sitting back and had their equaliser just eight minutes later through Tameka Butt.

Receiving the ball outside the penalty box, the lively midfielder took the matters into her own hands and hitting a left-footed effort which took a slight deflection to lob over Dimi Poulos in the Sydney goal to level the score.

Simon put a swerving cross into the box, and when Dumont did well to punch it away, Sydney's Teresa Polias was quickest to react and rattled the upright with her powerful shot.

Dumont was again in the thick of the action minutes later, when Garriock sent another long-range effort goal-ward but the 18-year-old shotstopper pulled off an impressive, last-gasp save to keep Brisbane in the contest.

However, Dumont's efforts were not enough and Sydney soon had two goals in quick succession before the half time break.

Sky Blue Renee Rollason found the far post in the 33rd minute - however it looked as though she handled the ball in the lead-up to the goal - before teammate Simon extended their lead three minutes later after a well-placed through ball from Kylie Ledbrook.

Brisbane coach Jeff Hopkins looked to make amends, replacing right-back Brooke Spence with striker Amy Chapman, but it wasn't enough to salvage anything before halftime.

The start of the second half saw the introduction of Brisbane attacker Emily Gielnik, who made an immediate impact down the left wing, but it was Lana Harch who managed to reduce the deficit for the Roar.

Just four minutes after the restart, Harch netted an early contender for goal of the season, unleashing a 35 metre scorcher into the top corner of the net to bring the vocal Ballymore crowd to their feet.

The goal seemed to motivate Brisbane, but they fell victim to another Heather Garriock goal within five minutes.

The Sydney skipper, exploiting slight indecision within the Brisbane defence, was played in by Simon and hit the ball past Dumont at the near post to extend the away side's lead to two goals once more.

Both sides continued to press for goals as the game continued but the home side were dealt a blow when playmaker Tameka Butt suffered an injury and had to be replaced by Alicia Foote.

While Harch, Gielnik and Foote all looked lively in the final third, Brisbane were unable to find another goal and the match ended 4-2 in favour of the visitors.

Post-match, coach Hopkins said he was disappointed in the result, saying the effort of his players was just not enough to match a strong Sydney side.

"I'm really disappointed actually, I had high hopes for today and we didn't really deliver," he said.

"We were lacking ideas going forward, our play wasn't cohesive and it didn't really have any real tempo to it.

"Let's give them credit, they played very well and they looked very sharp."

Brisbane Roar Women 2 (Tameka Butt 14', Lana Harch 47')
Sydney FC Women 4 (Heather Garriock 6', 54', Renee Rollason 33', Kyah Simon 36')

Saturday, 6 November 2010

Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane
Referee: Jacqui Melksham
Crowd: 1,093

Brisbane Roar Women line-up: 1. Casey DUMONT (gk), 2. Laura ALLEWAY, 3. Karla REUTER, 4. Clare POLKINGHORNE (c), 5. Brooke SPENCE (14. Amy CHAPMAN 39'), 6. Joanne BURGESS (17. Emily GIELNIK 45'), 7. Kim CARROLL, 8. Elise KELLOND-KNIGHT, 10. Lana HARCH, 11. Aivi LUIK, 13. Tameka BUTT (9. Alicia FOOTE 72')
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Kate STEWART

Yellow Cards: Amy CHAPMAN 89'
Red Cards: Nil

Sydney FC Women line-up: 1. Dimi POULOS (gk), 2. Teresa POLIAS, 3. Danielle BROGAN, 7. Heather GARRIOCK (c) (13. Catherine CANULLI 62'), 8. Renee ROLLASON (16. Linda O'NEILL 89'), 9. Caitlin FOORD, 10. Kylie LEDBROOK, 11. Lydia VANDENBERGH, 15. Teigan ALLEN, 17. Kyah SIMON, 19. Leena KHAMIS (4. Alesha CLIFFORD 76')
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Erik HERD (gk)

Yellow Cards: Danielle BROGAN 76', Teigan ALLEN 90'
Red Cards: Nil