The Olympia Warriors narrowly avoided slipping to second spot in the Women's Super League, as a Bonnie Davies hat trick featuring a last-gasp winner saw them steal a 3-2 win over the Kingborough Lions.
It was a back-and-forth affair at Lightwood Park as both sides had time in the lead, but it took a 91st minute strike from Davies to finally seal a victory for the Warriors. The result sees them stay at the top of the WSL table, while the Lions fell heartbreakingly short of a statement win against the league leaders.
The opening exchanges went as the form guide would suggest, with the Warriors dominating the possession early. They struggled to convert that dominance, though, as Kingborough's defence worked hard to alleviate the threat on their goal. The Lions struggled to entirely contain the ever-dangerous Davies and Madison Chambers, but they did enough to minimise their impact in the final third.
That allowed them to slowly work into the game, and after withstanding the early pressure they snatched a lead just after the half hour mark. Mia Cane won the ball in the forward third and played it to Laura Davis, who drove into the box and thumped a shot past the goalkeeper at the near post.
With a deserved lead on the scoreboard and some momentum in general play, the Lions could have been excused for feeling comfortable as half time approached. The attacking quality of the Warriors was always looming, though, and they nearly struck back in the dying moments of the first half.
It started with a double chance for Chambers, as she broke down the left and into a one-on-one with Lions 'keeper Olivia Gardner. Her first shot was parried away but the rebound fell back to her and she fired again with Gardner out of the picture, only to see her second effort brilliantly chased down and blocked to safety by Hanna Manuela.
Minutes later the Lions were saved by the woodwork, as a Chambers cross was met by a first-time Davies shot that that looped past the goalkeeper but bounced off the crossbar and out. Despite those close calls the Lions took their lead into the half time break, giving the Warriors all the work to do in the second half.
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Bomford and Davis duel- Solstice Photography[/caption]
The game went to another gear immediately from the restart, as Olympia's push for an equaliser saw them threaten the goal but leave themselves more open to the attacks of the Lions. The Warriors were again denied by the woodwork, this time with a Hailey Marino shot off the post, while Cane and Zoe Horgan both forced saves from Olympia 'keeper Jenna Farrow.
The end-to-end action continued and saw the momentum, and the scoreboard, swing wildly in a manic seven-minute span. It started in the 68th minute with an equaliser for Olympia, as Chambers once again beat her marker down the left and created space to cross. Her delivery behind the Kingborough defence was met by the run of Davies at the back post, and she finished well into the bottom corner.
The favourites were back on level terms, and just four minutes later they were in the lead. Another sweeping cross-field ball found Davies in an acre of space on the right, and with time on her side she took a touch, dribbled past the goalkeeper and finished into an open net.
The drama didn't end there, though, as the Warriors lead lasted just three minutes. Suddenly forced to chase a game that they were moments ago defending, the Lions threw numbers forward and saw a hopeful cross from the right flicked on by the head of Davis. It fell behind the defence and at the feet of Cane, and she had time to steady and finish to pull her team level once again.
Both teams continued to push for a winner, but it was the Warriors that looked more likely in the game's last ten minutes. That proved to be the case, but they left their strong contingent of fans on edge until the game's dying moments with a 91st minute winner.
They were the best players on the ground all game, and it was the combination of Chambers and Davies that finally won the game for the Warriors. Another breakaway down the wing from Chambers gave her space to cross again, and while Gardner got a fingertip to the ball it beat her and fell to the back post. Davies was in the right position, and with an open header she made no mistake and buried the winning goal for Olympia.
The full time whistle sounded just minutes later, sealing a potential season-defining comeback for the Warriors and a devastating loss for the Lions. With the result Olympia remain one point clear of the Hobart Zebras at the top of the WSL table, while the Lions will rue a missed opportunity to make up ground on the top three.
Bomford and Davis duel- Solstice Photography[/caption]
The game went to another gear immediately from the restart, as Olympia's push for an equaliser saw them threaten the goal but leave themselves more open to the attacks of the Lions. The Warriors were again denied by the woodwork, this time with a Hailey Marino shot off the post, while Cane and Zoe Horgan both forced saves from Olympia 'keeper Jenna Farrow.
The end-to-end action continued and saw the momentum, and the scoreboard, swing wildly in a manic seven-minute span. It started in the 68th minute with an equaliser for Olympia, as Chambers once again beat her marker down the left and created space to cross. Her delivery behind the Kingborough defence was met by the run of Davies at the back post, and she finished well into the bottom corner.
The favourites were back on level terms, and just four minutes later they were in the lead. Another sweeping cross-field ball found Davies in an acre of space on the right, and with time on her side she took a touch, dribbled past the goalkeeper and finished into an open net.
The drama didn't end there, though, as the Warriors lead lasted just three minutes. Suddenly forced to chase a game that they were moments ago defending, the Lions threw numbers forward and saw a hopeful cross from the right flicked on by the head of Davis. It fell behind the defence and at the feet of Cane, and she had time to steady and finish to pull her team level once again.
Both teams continued to push for a winner, but it was the Warriors that looked more likely in the game's last ten minutes. That proved to be the case, but they left their strong contingent of fans on edge until the game's dying moments with a 91st minute winner.
They were the best players on the ground all game, and it was the combination of Chambers and Davies that finally won the game for the Warriors. Another breakaway down the wing from Chambers gave her space to cross again, and while Gardner got a fingertip to the ball it beat her and fell to the back post. Davies was in the right position, and with an open header she made no mistake and buried the winning goal for Olympia.
The full time whistle sounded just minutes later, sealing a potential season-defining comeback for the Warriors and a devastating loss for the Lions. With the result Olympia remain one point clear of the Hobart Zebras at the top of the WSL table, while the Lions will rue a missed opportunity to make up ground on the top three.