Welcome to the Weekend Wash-Up for Round 13 of the MyState Bank Women’s Super League. With the Launceston United v Clarence Zebras game postponed, we had just the two games for the weekend, both taking place at Kelvedon Park.
Five-Star White Downs Lions
An inspired performance from Jazmin White saw the Devonport Strikers hammer the Kingborough Lions 8-3 at Kelvedon Park. The league’s leading markswoman scored five times as the Strikers turned a game that was locked at 3-3 approaching halftime, into a comfortable victory, as they slammed on 4 goals in 15 minutes either side of halftime.
The game didn’t take long to spark into life as the Lions took the lead from the first opportunity of the game in just the second minute, as Danielle Kannegiesser rose to head home Lashmar’s corner.
Devonport quickly restored parity as Jazmin White bagged her first of the day, lifting her shot over Rose after an intelligent flick-on header from Abbie White.
But Laura Davis offered an immediate riposte from another well-struck Lashmar set piece, this time a free kick that found Davis at the back post to head home.
The furious-paced opening 20 minutes continued, and we soon had a fourth goal when Nikita Boyd was on the spot to prod home a rebound from a Rose save that had denied White.
The Lions twice came close to retaking the lead when Sam Watkins had a huge penalty shout turned aside after she was brought down in the box by Ponting, before Ponting came up with a big save off her line to keep out Davis moments later. Davis had somehow stayed on her feet despite being cynically pulled back from behind by King to impede her as she raced in behind the defence. The Lions looked expectantly for a red card, but King was shown just a yellow and the Strikers remained at full strength.
That proved a major sliding doors moment as the Strikers took the lead three minutes later via the returning Lucy Foote, who chipped the keeper from 20 yards out.
The Lions would get their penalty in the 38th minute as Watkins was clipped in the area and up stepped Kannegiesser to level it at 3-3.
From that point on though, the Strikers ran rampant, with White striking twice in first-half stoppage time to set up a 5-3 halftime lead. The first was a brilliantly timed run, streaming in behind the defence in typical fashion before she knotted her hat-trick in stunning fashion. From 25 yards out she unleashed a rocket that flew top corner.
The onslaught of Strikers goals then continued quickly after the restart as White bagged her fourth from the penalty spot, converting the spot kick she herself had earned, before making it five when she finished off King’s through ball.
Maddy Payne, rounded out the scoring for the afternoon in the 69th minute when she tapped home from close range after White got in behind but unselfishly decided to pass it off rather than try for a sixth.
Adding further salt into the Lion's wounds, Teigan Hennessy was given a straight red card, ironically for a last-defender foul on White in the 89th minute.
It capped a tough day at the office for the Lions, whilst showing the Strikers remain an incredibly potent outfit on their day, with the brilliant White continuing to dominate the league.
South Take Care of Business Against the Pirates
South Hobart continued their ascent towards the 2023 League title, as they ground their way to a 2-0 victory over Taroona FC at Kelvedon Park.
It wasn’t the ladder leader's most eye-catching performance of the year, but they got the job done and claimed the three points which is all that really matters to them and leaves them 12 points clear with 7 games to play.
Amy Ollington nearly had them ahead in the tenth minute but found her shot turned aside by a sliding Izzy Ottavi. The Taroona keeper had to be sharp early, and she saved once more soon after to deny Eve Swain on the turn.
South would eventually find the breakthrough however as Lucy Booth sent in a cross that took a deflection that sent it into the back post, where it rebounded and fell for Madi Chambers, who reacted quickest to bury it.
They doubled the lead in the 37th minute when Ottavi misjudged a lobbed ball into the area from Westwood, as the swirling winds saw it float over her and into the back of the net for a somewhat fortunate goal.
Taroona came close to pulling one back just before the break but Dunbabin was denied by some excellent work from Jenna Farrow getting quickly off her line.
South should’ve killed the contest in the 52nd minute when Chambers inexplicably elevated the ball over the crossbar from 2 yards out with an empty net beckoning. It mattered little, however, as Taroona didn’t create a high-danger chance as the half wore on and South were able to grind out a win.
It wasn’t always the prettiest stuff, but it was never likely to be given the diabolical weather conditions. Ultimately South got what they needed from this and took another step towards claiming the league title. Taroona meanwhile continues to be a much-improved outfit from the opening months of the side and look capable of challenging the other sides down the stretch as they pursue a breakthrough win.
The game was also notable for it being Pishon Choi’s 100th game for South Hobart. I’ve waxed lyrical about Choi plenty this season and will do so once more because she really has developed into one of the finest players in the state. She is everything you want in a box-to-box midfielder, tidy in possession, defensively responsible, tactically intelligent and has a knack of scoring crucial goals. She isn’t the tallest figure but there are few better in the air than her, as she demonstrated in the recent Cup Final. She has been a big part of why South are doing so well this year as she has ascended from underrated utility to genuine star of the competition.
Round 13
Kingborough Lions 3 (D.Kannegiesser 2” 39” L.Davis 13”)
Devonport Strikers 8 (J.White 11” 45+2” 45+4” 51” 57” N.Boyd 20” L.Foote 36” M.Payne 69”)
Taroona 0
South Hobart 2 (M.Chambers 25” S.Westwood 39”)
Postponed: Clarence Zebras v Launceston United