Welcome to the Weekend Wash-Up for Round 7 of the MyState Bank Women’s Super League. It was a weekend that saw South Hobart make a major statement, scoring a massive win on the road over Devonport to open up a four-point gap atop the standings, with Pishon Choi sealing their win with a quality goal. Launceston United moved up into second as they got past a spirited Lions side, whilst the Clarence Zebras claimed their third win of the season by downing Taroona.
South Score A Big Statement Win
The game of the Round took place on Saturday, as the Devonport Strikers welcomed South Hobart to Valley Road with top spot firmly on the line.
The Strikers took the lead early on in typical fashion, with Jazmin White timing a run perfectly off the shoulder of the last defender and slotting home, though she was helped by a rare error from Jenna Farrow who slid out but couldn’t claim or clear the ball, allowing White an empty net to deposit the ball into.
It was the opposition’s goalkeeper that was the story heading into this game, however. The news broke late in the week that the Strikers have moved to address their goalkeeping hole following the departure of Hayley Julian by acquiring the services of Kacee Ponting who has made the move from the Clarence Zebras. With Ponting in a battle for minutes with Monique Pinkiwiezc and the Strikers in dire need of a shot-stopper, it’s a move that suits both parties and she was immediately inserted into the starting line-up here.
It was another recent Zebras departure who made her mark on the contest to draw South Hobart level, as the recently signed Caitlin Stalker drew a foul from Abbie White in the box with her quick feet. Up stepped Lucy Roberts to send Ponting the wrong way from the spot and square the game at 1-1.
Georgia King was then a bit too casual dealing with a looping ball at the top of the box which allowed Amy Ollington to nip in, pick her pocket and dispatch a powerful shot past Ponting and put South 2-1 ahead after half an hour of play.
The game would linger at 2-1 for the next 60 minutes, as South tried to find the insurance marker and the Strikers the goal to get themselves back on terms. The contest would eventually be settled by some brilliance from Pishon Choi, who continued her strong season with a top-class volleyed finish from a Lucy Roberts free kick as the game ticked into stoppage time. She has been one of the stars of the competition this year Choi and this was a classy way to ice a game.
It secured the 3-1 victory and sees South Hobart open up a four-point gap on top of the table and a six-point gap to the Strikers. Getting the positive result on the road was enormous for their title aspirations and has them firmly in the driver's seat as we pass the 1/3 mark of the season.
The two sides will meet once again next weekend, this time in the Statewide Cup Semi-Final.
Otto Return Boosts United
Launceston United took advantage of the Strikers slip up to move into second place, as they dispatched the Kingborough Lions 3-2 on Sunday evening at Floorworld Park.
Two goals from Courtney Marten and a starring display from the returning Adilat Otto helped secure the win for United, which ended up tighter on the scoreboard than general play would have suggested, as the Lions refused to go away quietly and fought on till the very end.
United dominated territorially in the first half but were finding chances difficult to conjure as a strong Lions rearguard led by an impressive performance from Chelsea Segger continually frustrated them.
They did get one in the first half as the returning Otto wasted no time in leaving her mark, pouncing from a corner in the 17th minute to fire her side into the lead.
United will be delighted to be able to call upon her services again and she showed her quality here. Having slipped slightly in the title race in recent weeks, the squad seemingly needed some reinforcement and Otto is the perfect addition. If they can get Madison Gilpin back from injury that will certainly make them a tougher side to play and they are still within touching distance of South Hobart with plenty of football left to play.
United quickly doubled their lead after the restart as Madeline Lohse fired a shot that slipped through the fingers of Mackintosh before Courtney Marten made sure of it by heading home from point-blank range.
The game seemed to be petering out into a comfortable United win, as the game became rather scrappy and the Lions struggled to create much. But from out of the blue, it was game on when substitute Greta Morgan Crevatin-gunn played a delightful ball for Cara Lashmar to run onto and finish.
United were able to refocus and close things out, as Marten bagged a second goal three minutes from full time, prodding home once more from close range after Otto’s shot hit the woodwork.
The Lions continued to show plenty of fight though and once again pulled it back to a one-goal game when Lashmar scored her second in the 94th minute. They were granted another three minutes of stoppage time, but couldn’t find a third and it ended 3-2 in United's favour.
This game will also get a re-run next weekend, down at KGV in the Statewide Cup Semi-Final. A rematch of both this game and last season's decider.
Baric Hat-trick Fires Zebras Past Taroona
At Wentworth Park, a Millie Baric hat-trick helped fire the Clarence Zebras to a 4-0 win over Taroona FC, as they did the damage in the second half.
Taroona will have been pleased with their work in the first 45, defending stoutly to keep the Zebras out. The game largely mirrored their first meeting in the league back in Round 2 in that respect, with the Zebras denied for a half, before running over the top of their opponents.
After being frustrated for 45 minutes, they broke through almost immediately after the restart as Baric bore in on goals on the right-hand side of the box before firing home clinically.
A well-angled run saw her sprung in behind the defence 10 minutes later and she had her second for the day, once again producing the perfect finish.
Eliana Diafokeris then got in on the act, firing one from distance that squirmed through the arms of the usually spectacular Ottavi. It was one she would’ve liked back, but made little difference to the end result, with the Zebras in complete command of the game.
Baric then sealed her hat-trick in the 84th minute, reading a deflection before rounding the keeper and passing her third of the afternoon into the back of the net.
Both these sides will return after a week off next weekend, with both eliminated from the Statewide Cup, with the Semi-Finals for that slated for next weekend and the pause button hit on the league once more.
Round 7
Devonport 1 (J.White 15”)
South Hobart 3 (L.Roberts 21”, A.Ollington 32”, P.Choi 89”)
Clarence Zebras 4 (M.Baric 47” 60” 85”, E.Diafokeris 74”)
Taroona 0
Launceston United 3 (A.Otto 18”, C.Marten 46” 88”)
Kingborough Lions 2 (C.Lashmar 78” 90+3”)