Welcome to the Weekend Washup for Round 15 of the MyState Bank Women’s Super League as we take a look back at a weekend where Launceston United moved ever closer to securing the league title, the Strikers continued their strong run of form and South Hobart inflicted more misery on the Warriors.
United Fire Out of the Blocks to Blow Zebras Away
Launceston United took another huge step towards securing the league title as they skipped past one of the last remaining obstacles in their way by downing the Clarence Zebras 4-2.
United made their intentions clear from the outset here, displaying a hunger from the opening whistle that the Zebras could not match. United were dialed in from the opening moments of this game. They travelled down with a clear purpose and made a massive statement by scoring all 4 of their goals in a scintillating first-half display.
Alexis Mitchell got things rolling in just the third minute as she made the Zebras pay for a failure to clear their lines with an emphatic finish into the top corner of the net.
But the Zebras drew level from a corner on 20 minutes as Anna Fewkes nodded one home to get her side back on terms as they grew into the contest after a sluggish start.
The Zebras earned another corner minutes later but this time it was United who would benefit from it, as Ellie La Monte turned defence into attack in the blink of an eye. She launched a blistering counterattack that saw her carry the ball from box to box before sliding it through to Mitchell to bag her second of the day.
La Monte then went herself three minutes later, driving a powerful shot from the top of the area that flew in bottom corner to make it 3-1 midway through the half.
The strike of the day was then provided by Dani Gunton when she absolutely rocketed a complete laser of a first-time shot from outside the box that flew top corner and left the keeper with absolutely no chance. It was a stunning strike and summed things up nicely for United, they were absolutely rolling at 4-1 to the good and there was only going to be one winner in this match. This was a side on a mission!
United sat on that lead for most of the second half, opting for a slightly more defensive approach to kill the game off with no need to overextend themselves or take unnecessary risks.
The Zebras clawed back a goal late on when Zoe Nichols headed one home from close range after approximately 267 deflections in the rather bizarre build-up to it. It was little more than a consolation goal however with United running out 4-2 winners and taking another giant stride towards the league title.
United play South Hobart and Devonport in their next 2 games. I have no doubt they will want to beat South next week to just about wrap things on their own terms, but after this result, they can now afford to lose both those games and still win the title. So long as they don’t drop points from their final 4 games, against Warriors x 2, Taroona and the Lions, they will still be uncatchable. None of those sides have come closer than a 5-0 loss to them in the league this season. So it’s not mathematically sealed yet, but they’ve got one hand and a few fingers from the other, just resting on the trophy right now.
Strikers Continue Surge by Downing Lions
The Devonport Strikers continued their strong run by downing the Kingborough Lions 5-2 at Valley Road. In an eye-catching game that featured some wonderful individual goals, a Laura Davis brace was not enough for the Lions, who had no answer to the Strikers’ attacking onslaught on a memorable Pink Day.
Laura Davis handed the Lions a surprise early lead when she spied Brooke Bennett slightly off her line and chipped her from distance for a stunning opening goal to the game.
The Valley Road faithful didn’t have to wait long for a response as Gardner left the right-hand side of her net unguarded from a free kick just outside the box and Georgia King took full advantage. She walloped in a scorcher of a free kick into the vacant side of the net to square the game after 15 minutes.
It seemed the game might head into the halftime break level but the Strikers broke the contest open just before the break. First Chelsea Dolbell stormed through the middle of the ground, slid in Payne whose shot hit the post, but waiting to poke home the rebound was Jazmin White to make it 2-1.
King then produced her second piece of set-piece wizardry for the afternoon as she blasted in a long range shot from 40 yards that cannoned down off the upright and over the line. Suddenly the Strikers had a 3-1 cushion to take into the halftime break.
White bagged her second shortly after the restart, firing home from close range after some nice build up play from Hardy. The fifth arrived via the penalty spot as Nicole Mettam picked out the top corner to extend the lead to 5-1 and lock up the victory.
Having been denied by a spectacular diving save from Bennett earlier in the half, Laura Davis then added another highlight reel goal nearing full time, getting the better of Bidwell and squeezing a shot in from the tight angle to cut it back to 5-2 by full time.
So ultimately a familiar story for the Lions, they can score goals but just can’t seem to keep the best sides out and Devonport have shown this year they are certainly one of those. The win has elevated them above the Zebras and into third place on the table, with South Hobart now catchable in second place. They are certainly playing some lovely and eye-catching footable at the moment.
South Breeze Past Warriors
In Sunday action it was a familiar story at Empire Couriers Park as South Hobart ran up an emphatic score against the Warriors in a 10-1 win.
The Warriors took the surprise lead in the game as Jessie Williams, making a shock start for the club, tore through the South defence and drew a save from Butler. Reacting first to fire home the rebound was Josie Mamic and for the first time all year, the Warriors led in a match.
From there however it went downhill and became an all too familiar script for the Warriors as South surged with a pair of former Warriors star players coming back to do the bulk of the damage.
Bonnie Davies bagged five goals, closing within 2 of Jazmin White in what is developing into a very tight Golden Boot race. Davies now has 29 with White still leading the way on 31. Madi Chambers also scored two goals for the game as the former Warriors duo shone on return to their former haunt.
A Moutsatsos brace and late strike from Ella McConnon rounded out the scoring for South to make it 10-1 and yet despite the enormous win, this weekend was certainly a setback for South Hobart. They really needed the Zebras to do them a favour over at Wentworth Park and take some points from United if they were going to be able to catch them in the title race. They now head into next week’s crunch trip to Floorworld Park knowing that even if they win that one, they are also going to need a healthy dose of fortune from elsewhere.