Welcome to the Weekend Wash-Up for Round 18 of the MyState Bank Women’s Super League. It was a Round where the Strikers and United scored big wins on Saturday over the Lions and Zebras before South Hobart’s defence was finally breached for the first time in 1000 minutes, but it didn't stop them from joining the winner's list in Sunday’s action.
White Shines Again As Strikers Thump Lions
Jazmin White ran rampant once again, scoring four times as the Devonport Strikers recovered from an early Lions opener to run out thumping 6-1 victors.
It was the Lions who took the lead in rapid fashion, getting the jump on the hosts when Laura Davis struck in just the second minute of play. Cara Lashmar played a well-weighted ball into the area that Davis reached first and despite Ponting saving the initial shot, she was able to bury the rebound.
The Strikers were able to level things up approaching halftime when Chelsea Segger miscued a clearance and absolutely smashed a ball into her own net to square things up.
The Strikers would claim the lead 2 minutes later when Davis clattered into Analee Bidwell from behind, right on the edge of the area, with the referee determining contact was just inside. White stepped up and buried her first of the afternoon from the penalty spot to make it 2-1 at the half.
The second half saw the Strikers start to dominate and they extended their lead in the 57th minute with a classy goal from Nikita Boyd, showing some nice dribbling skills before producing the composed finish from the angle.
A brilliant piercing pass from Georgia King sprung White for her second of the day as she ran onto it and extended the lead to 4-1. White then completed her hat-trick by finishing off a sharp passing move soon after.
She scored her final goal in stoppage time in a similar manner, as she was played in by Payne and took it around the keeper, leaving an empty net to emphatically blast home her fourth of the afternoon and 30th of another quite remarkable campaign from the competition’s dominant striker.
United Bounce Back With Big Win Over Zebras
Launceston United got themselves back on the winner's list as they downed the Clarence Zebras 3-0 at Wentworth Park on Saturday afternoon.
United almost led in the 11th minute if not for some fine keeping from Amelia Vanderniet to deny Dani Gunton in a 1 v 1. It would only delay them momentarily however as United got their lead five minutes later, albeit in fortuitous circumstances.
Vanderniet skewed a clearance that went straight up, spun backwards to a lurking Adilat Otto who struck the ball onto the leg of Anna Fewkes where it deviated back into her own net for an extremely unlucky own goal.
Both sides were largely restricted to shots from long range for the remainder of the half with United shading things, but the Zebras causing enough problems to maintain the belief they could snare something.
United made that task a difficult one in the 57th minute though when they doubled their advantage courtesy of a brilliant strike from Neve Farquhar, who let fly from 20 yards out and picked out the far corner of the net.
Baez looked to hit back instantly for the Zebras, but couldn’t get her effort past Venn and from that point on United never really looked like relinquishing the points.
United saw the final score extend to 3-0 approaching full time when Izzy Declerk bobbed up for the near post header from a corner and managed to turn her effort in, sparking some exuberant celebrations. She has had a good season for United and has been an extremely consistent performer for her side all season.
South Concedes at Last but Still Defeats Pirates
South Hobart finally conceded a goal but still continued their bid for an undefeated season, as they downed Taroona FC 2-1 at Darcy Street on Sunday.
After a scrappy opening quarter of an hour, Taroona came within centimetres of taking the lead in the 17th minute when Jessie Williams fired from long range. Jenna Farrow got up and got fingertips on it but then almost fumbled it over the line as she tried to control it, and was forced to dive back and swipe it away off the line. There seems little doubt some of the ball was over the line, but the AR’s flag stayed down as they didn’t feel it had fully crossed. It was a near let-off for South and a reminder of the ever-present threat that Williams poses.
South responded with a pair of chances as Mamic tested out Ottavi before some fine defending from Maeve Dunbabin denied Lucy Booth an empty net tap-in at the back post.
South eventually took the lead in the 40th minute as Mamic robbed a goal-kick from Ottavi before squeezing a shot home to break the deadlock.
South continued to look the more likely side to score in the second half and they eventually doubled their lead when Ruby Batchelor swung a cross in from the left to the near post that Amy Ollington was able to work home and grab South the insurance marker.
There was some late drama though as Taroona ensured a nervy finish when they halved the lead in the 88th minute. Jaylynn Barton rocketed a free kick into the crossbar and Williams was on hand to bob up and head the rebound home.
The goal was the first time South Hobart had conceded since the 12th minute of their Round 7 match against the Devonport Strikers. That’s over 1000 minutes of WSL gametime that they had gone without conceding, comfortably a WSL record and a testament to their defensive prowess.
Despite the late hiccup, they held on to record the 2-1 victory and whilst their clean sheet streak ends at two games, they remain undefeated for the season and are 2 matches away from achieving that feat.
Round 18
Clarence Zebras 0
Launceston United 3 (A.Fewkes OG 16” N.Farquhar 57” I.Declerk 85”)
Devonport Strikers 6 (C.Segger OG 38” J.White 41”65” 72” 90+3” N.Boyd 58”)
Kingborough Lions 1 (L.Davis 2”)
South Hobart 2 (J.Mamic 40” A.Ollington 65”)
Taroona FC 1 (J.Williams 88”)