A clinical performance by Kingborough Lions saw the side deliver a convincing victory over Ulverstone in bleak and raining conditions. The early pace set by the home side provided nothing but a false sense of security for the Reds. Rather the tables turned quickly when the Lions secured a two goal advantage against the run of play before halftime. Kingborough would prove to be a further headache, adding another goal to their tally before Ulverstone could claw one back, ultimately unable to mount a meaningful late come back.
While the pitch looked choppy, heavy and waterlogged, the style of football both sides brought to the table from the first whistle was a stark contrast of neat combinations, clever through balls and nifty pieces of skill. Ulverstone were the first out of the gate, gaining control early. Causing trouble down the flanks, too often a Red's player was found in the middle of the area receiving a ball crossed in, only to blaze the ball over the crossbar. Danielle Mitchell, Tiela Weeda, Georgia Foote and Amy Bissett all blowing golden opportunities over the upright, seeing Ulverstone’s chances of an early lead go in the same direction.
Weathering the storm on the pitch, the Lions turned the tables on the half hour mark. A clumsy challenge and handball outside of the box by Reds keeper Georgia Anderson on Laura Davis saw the Lions with a free kick at the edge of the area. Zoe Horgan stepped up to the challenge, chipping the ball into a sea of Lions players waiting in the penalty box for Natalie Roubickova to find the finish the game was yearning for.
A goal against the run of play was all that was needed for the Lions to start showing their quality. Wind under their sails, barely ten minutes after the opener, the away side clinched a second. Having found early success from the quick transitions, the second goal all started with Hanna Manuela winning a turnover up one end. Moving the ball forward, the Lions found a few simple combinations before Horgan could produce a bombing shot from range that wound up in the back of the net.
Just after the 50th minute mark, Davis had the initial shot having found space from her marker. The effort by the Lions forward was denied, but Leila Hickman was there to clean up and secure a three goal cushion for Kingborough.
A substitution from the home team seeing Lucy Reimer down the left flank was the fresh legs needed for the side to gain some form of traction. Just moments prior, the winger showed early signs of promise. The Lions shifting their defence to handle the left flank threat, saw space open up in the box for Ulverstone. A ball crossed from that flank into the box gifted Lucy Foote the opportunity to tap the ball into the net for the consolation goal.
The sole goal by Ulverstone was to be the last of the match. The Reds continued to search for a way to further close the deficit. The Lions looked settled and more than comfortable pitching a tent in the wet and gloomy conditions to deny Ulverstone the space to control the game in the final third, while finding moments of potential with a fast transition out of defence.
During the dying minutes, the game sparked to life with a double save by the Lions keeper, Olivia Gardner up one end, and Georgia Anderson making a defenders challenge well outside of the area up the other end.However the 3-1 scoreline would remain as settled as the water on the pitch.
In a game lacking a true wet weather condition goal celebration of the superhero slide, it otherwise brought the type of football that’s worth sitting in the soaking rain for. Able to only find finishes best left on an Aussie Rules field, Ulverstone left the match in a state for the Lions to pounce and assert their authority on after the initial confidence booster of the goal at the half hour mark. Once again showing possession doesn’t win matches, goals do and that’s what the Lions were able to produce.