Welcome to the Weekend Wash-Up from Round 9 of the MyState Bank Women's Super League. It was a weekend that saw the title fight at Darcy Street end in a stalemate, the Pirates getting their first point of the season, and the Zebras turning the tables on the Lions in the Safari Derby. All in all, in terms of final scores it was probably the closest weekend in the competition's history. An extremely encouraging sign for the home stretch to follow after next weekend's week off for the Statewide Cup Final.
Goalkeepers Shine At Darcy Street
In the top of the table showdown between the title contenders South Hobart and Launceston United, it finished exactly as it started, with scores locked at 0-0.
Neither side could find the winner, though both had good chances in the second half but the goalkeeping prowess of Jenna Farrow and Jazlin Venn saw it end in stalemate.
The first half was a 45-minute period largely devoid of scoring chances and was a fairly scrappy affair with both sides struggling to get their passing games going, with both sets of defence firmly on top.
Caitlin Stalker came close to opening the scoring when she struck the post and Lucy Smith drew a finger-tip save from Farrow with a fizzing free kick, but beyond that, it was a game bogged down in midfield.
In the second half, things really came to life however and it took just one minute for the first scoring chance to arrive.
Pishon Choi drew a good save from Venn with her low drive before Brigette Wright drew an even more extraordinary one eight minutes later. Stalker slid it through to Wright who appeared destined to score, only for Venn to whip out her right leg and make a stunning reflex stop to keep it at 0-0.
Not to be outdone, Farrow then stonewalled Courtney Marten in a 1 v 1 at the other end of the park as United showed they still had a threat on the counter, despite South really starting to dominate field position.
Unlike the first half, the chances were flowing but it remained goalless as Choi had a fine volley blocked off the line and Courtney Marten rattled the upright. South could’ve had a penalty when Otto’s arm was struck in the box, but their shouts were waved away and the wait for a goal went on.
South seemed to be looking the more likely side but United found a late push and it was again up to Farrow to come up with a massive block, this time outside the penalty area to preserve the clean sheet.
It would be the last chance of the game and the spoils were shared, which was probably a fair reflection on the contest. It sets the stage nicely for next weekend’s Statewide Cup Final between the pair, and keeps the title race close, with South still holding a four-point cushion. Given other results, it's surely now between these two for the silverware.
In addition to the goalkeepers, tremendous credit must go to both sets of centre-backs who acquitted themselves superbly. Cooling and Newell for South Hobart, and especially Hill and Clark, who had more to deal with for United were the best outfield players on the park and showed composure and discipline all afternoon long. It was a defensive masterclass at the back for much of the afternoon.
Zebras Reverse Result Against Lions
For the third time in three meetings between the Clarence Zebras and Kingborough Lions this season it once again ended 3-2, but this time it was the Zebras who flipped the script and walked away with the three points.
The Zebra's opener was a classily put-together goal as Bronte Gadon slid a pass through for Eliza Wylie who took a silky first touch that took her straight past Segger before picking out the bottom corner with a perfect finish.
The second was a belter from Marmion from long range, as Baez won the ball high up the pitch, shifted it to Marmion who took a touch to steady before launching a curler for the top corner.
Nikki Moutsatsos then gave the Lions a lifeline just before halftime as she tapped home from close range after Pinkiewicz had seemingly denied Davis with a brilliant save, only to see Moutsatsos sneak in behind and cut it to 2-1.
The Lions were back on terms shortly after the restart when Davis drew the defence out of position, threaded it through to Lashmar and from the angle she finished in style.
But the Zebras were determined to not let the opportunity slip and a barnstorming run from Elianna Diafokeris took her in behind the defence where she squared it for Marmion to tap in her second and restore the lead.
There was still over half an hour left to play and the Lions would come close to equalizing for a second time, with only some incredible goalkeeping from Monique Pinkiewicz preserving the lead. She was called into action frequently down the stretch, at one point making a triple save, the third of which was a stunning point-blank stop on Moutsatsos. She was called into action to deny Kannegiesser soon after and then finger-tipped a powerful drive from Davis over the bar that would've beaten many keepers.
There was even more late drama when a back pass was called by the referee against the Zebras, leading to the rarely-seen free kick in the box for the Lions. The wall did its job though and the Zebras survived to hold on and claim an important 3-2 win to see them move three points clear of the Lions on the ladder, back within a point of the Strikers in third place.
Pirates Break Through For First Point
Taroona FC are on the board in 2023! After a difficult start to the season, the Pirates claimed their first point for the year with an impressive road performance away to the Devonport Strikers that ended in a 1-1 draw.
Taroona started brightly and drew first blood via Jaylynn Barton in the 7th minute as she picked the pocket of Abbie White before firing off a rocket of a shot that blew past Ponting in the Striker's net.
It was a promising start from the visitors and they probably should’ve doubled their advantage as Ponting brilliantly denied Walker in a 1 v 1 before Parsell put one past the post she would normally bury. Indeed had they managed to take one of these chances it may well have been a first win for the year, and not just a point, as the Strikers were firmly on the back foot here.
For most of the afternoon the Taroona defence did an exceptional job denying Jazmin White the space in behind to run into that has seen her routinely terrorise them the past couple of years, but on 33 minutes they were caught out high up the field and in typical fashion White raced behind to square things at 1-1. She nearly had a second just before the break too, but her chipped effort was brilliantly kept out by a stretching Izzy Ottavi.
The second half saw the Strikers starting to dominate and it became a real backs-to-walls job for Taroona, yet despite the dominance in possession, the Strikers created very little in the way of scoring chances and with the exception of a 90-second period midway through the half, they were restricted to harmless shots from range.
That two-minute period that nearly took the game away from Taroona came in the 69/70th minutes as first White fired a big chance straight at Ottavi from point-blank range, before Ottavi denied Boyd in another 1 v 1, with Dunbabin sweeping across in support to then clear the trickling ball away from the goal line.
Taroona themselves came close in the dying embers with Buamee’s shot from the centre circle after Ponting had raced out to play sweeper covered by a backtracking Wylie. There would be no change to the score though, as it ended 1-1.
For Taroona, whilst not a victory, it will probably feel like one given how trying this season has been. The last couple of weeks they’ve trended in the right direction and this result is confirmation they are on the right path and those dog days are behind them. Drawing at Valley Road and hanging tight with South Hobart the week prior suggests they should be able to compete for wins in the back half of the season. They’ve got a first point, and now they can go looking for a first win.
For Devonport, it’s hard to see them fighting for the title now given the way the last month has transpired. They’re now 9 points back of South Hobart which is not insurmountable, but they simply aren’t playing the type of football that suggests they can haul in such a margin.
Round 9
Devonport 1 (J.White 33")
Taroona 1 (J.Barton 7")
Clarence Zebras 3 (E.Wylie 28", L.Marmion 37"57")
Kingborough Lions 2 (N.Moutsatsos 42" C.Lashmar 49")
South Hobart 0
Launceston United 0