The Weekend Wash-Up
Welcome to the Weekend-Washup following Round 3 of the MyState Bank Women’s Super League. It was a weekend where the main title contenders all made major statements. The current leaders Launceston United did so by digging deep to overcome the Clarence Zebras 4-2 having fallen behind early in the second half. If you haven’t already, go check out the goal highlights package from that game, it will be well worth your while as there were some truly incredible strikes.
South Hobart found their goalscoring boots against Taroona by storming to a thumping 9-0 win and probably had just as big of a win off the field, with Jenna Farrow reportedly set to join their squad. Farrow was the best keeper in the state before she departed so she will serve to strengthen their title hopes significantly. Up at Valley Road, Devonport punished the Lions for their errors, with the goal machine that is Jazmin White doing what she does best and leading them to a 3-0 victory. It maintained their unbeaten start to the year and they are playing at a nice level that will make them tough for anyone to beat. It leaves the league delicately poised as we head into a break weekend for the Statewide Cup.
Five Minute Burst Fire Champions Past Zebras
We will start at Wentworth Park where the Clarence Zebras v Launceston United clash more than lived up to its billing as the match of the round. In a see-sawing contest, Launceston United scored three times in the space of five second-half minutes to turn the match on its head and walk away with a massive 3 points. Trailing 2-1 after 56 minutes and with momentum starting to turn the other way, United offered a stunning riposte. Lucy Smith scored a brace, as did Dani Gunton but it was the calibre of the goals scored in this one that really stood out. Gunton’s opener was a thumping hit, taking one touch to drive inside before unleashing a rocket from 30 yards that flew into the top corner.
The Zebras responded early in the second half as Caitlin Stalker stormed in behind and levelled things up on 52 minutes. Three minutes later and Eliza Wylie, who was just about to subbed out of the game, bought herself a few more minutes and a goal of the week contendor with a blast from long range.
The response from United was instantaneous, Lucy Smith launching an equally as spectacular effort from range, as she lobbed Ponting and levelled the game at 2-2.
But that goal had United’s tails up and within five minutes they would suddenly have a two goal buffer. Laura Dickinson launched an enormous throw into the box that led to a chance for Gunton who duly dispatched it.
A minute later and they had another to leave the Zebras completely stunned, Smith finishing with a classy dink over the advancing Ponting from close range after a wonderful flowing counter attacking move.
It would be the end of the scoring, as the game calmed down from the most furiously action packed 10 minutes of football you are likely to see and petered out a little from there.
It leaves United’s perfect record intact and they head into the Cup weekend as the only side in the league to win all of their opening three games. They haven’t missed a beat in their title defence so far and if they play in this manner, they will be mighty tough to beat again.
Strikers Punish Lions Mistakes
The Devonport Strikers maintained their unbeaten start to the season, as they downed the Kingborough Lions 3-0 at Valley Road to remain unbeaten through the opening three weeks.
The Strikers clinically pounced on some sloppy errors at the back from the Lions, with the dangerous Jazmin White continuing her free-scoring ways with a brace.
Both the Strikers first-half goals came from fairly basic errors passing out from the back. The first was an underhit free kick that saw them turn the ball straight over and a lot of space for White to run into behind the defence. It was the type of goal we’ve seen many times from White, just outpacing the defence before slotting home and it certainly won’t be the last time we see it either. She simply doesn’t lose those sort of foot races.
The second goal came after White pressed Kannegiesser and impacted her pass, which then went straight to Maddy Payne who promptly took advantage of the keeper being off her line and lobbed her. It was the Lions being their own worst enemy at the back and the Strikers taking full advantage.
If the Lions were to get back into the contest then they needed an early goal in the second half and they almost found one when Laura Davis burst in behind the defence, only for Hayley Julian to get out and take the ball away from her. The rebound fell nicely for Watkins but she couldn’t hit the target and the moment went begging. It was that sort of an afternoon for the Lions really, they created a few good scoring looks but the ball just wouldn’t go in. Julian would make another big save to deny Davis in stoppage time as the Lions star’s frustrating start to the season in front of goal continued. She is getting in great positions and making good runs, so the goals will surely come eventually, but right now they are proving elusive for the Lions star.
White made certain of the victory on 76 minutes when she was played in behind once again and cooly passed it into the back of the net to seal the 3-0 win.
South Dismantle Taroona
At Kelvedon Park it was all one-way traffic as South Hobart inflicted a thumping defeat upon Taroona, running out comprehensive 9-0 victors. Having struggled to take their chances in the early weeks of the season, there was no sign of that at Kelvedon Park as South were utterly clinical in this one to ruthlessly dispose of the Pirates.
Aayliah Browning scored a hat-trick whilst Pichon Choi and Emily Flies both grabbed braces in the rout as they dominated the clash from the opening moments. They picked and pulled apart the Pirates defence and left Ottavi with no chance in goals and facing an absolute deluge of one-on-one situations.
South will have bigger fish to fry in the coming weeks, but with Farrow on the way to sure up the keeping position and their attackers finding their clinical edge here, they are sitting pretty after three weeks.
For Taroona, well, the red lights are lighting up on the dashboard. It’s been a very tough start to the season but unless they can find some solutions shortly, it threatens to be an awfully long year. The Cup weekend probably comes at a good time for them, allowing a reset as they won’t be in action having been drawn through to the Quarter Final stage already.
Round 3 Results
Full Time
Devonport 3 (Jazmin White 22' 76’, Maddy Payne 32')
Kingborough 0
Clarence Zebras 2 (Caitlin Stalker 53', Eliza Wylie 55')
Launceston United 4 (Danielle Gunton 35' 60', Lucy Smith 57' 61')
Taroona 0
South Hobart 9 (Aaliyah Browning 17' 20' 56', Amy Ollington 35'90+4', Eve Swain 39', Pichon Choi 43' 77', Emily Flies 58')