Launceston United claimed their first piece of Statewide Silverware since 1967 by downing the Kingborough Lions 3-1 in Monday’s Women’s Statewide Cup Final.
A brace from Laura Dickinson proved crucial in the victory as Dickinson struck just five minutes into the contest and then again midway through the second half to double her side’s lead. Danielle Kannegiesser provided a brief glimmer of hope for the Lions by pulling it back to 2-1 with 20 minutes to play, but that hope was quickly extinguished by Ellie La Monte who fired home a response five minutes later to secure the 3-1 victory and the Cup victory for United.
American Alex Mitchell was awarded the player of the match for her staunch midfield performance. Mitchell kept things ticking over nicely, acting as a playmaker and allowing United a firm control of the game from midfield where they dominated possession as well as paving two assists from United’s 3 goals.
United wasted no time in taking the lead and had the ball in the back of the net after just five minutes as the Lions were made to pay for a failure to clear their lines. A mishit clearance from Menadue cannoned into Dickinson, who did well to keep her composure, track the ball down and from a sharp angle conjure a classy first-time strike to open the scoring.
The early goal boosted the confidence of the WSL leaders, but the Lions were not deterred, and they appeared determined to ensure the game would not go the way of their WSL meeting last month when United routed to a 5-0 win.
They brought a more defence first, rigid approach this time, trying to crowd out United around the penalty box and then hit them on the counterattack.
This approach meant that United completely dominated possession, probing around the penalty area and providing a stern examination of the Lions defence minute after minute of the first half. The likes of Mitchell, Gilpin and Jones were dominating in the engine room as they continued to win the ball back high up the pitch.
For the most part the Lions defence held up exceedingly well under this test, though they weren’t creating much of anything in attack. Lashmar fired a shot wide from outside the box after a clever nutmeg from Moore in the lead-up at the half-hour mark. But by large this was a backs-to-the-wall defensive job, holding out against the United onslaught.
And hold on the Lions did, as for all United’s possession they weren’t exactly creating a deluge of quality scoring looks. Gunton had the best chance when she lofted a shot just over the crossbar and Mitchell came close with a back post header just before the half time break, but they were finding room hard to come by in the penalty area with the Lions parked back there and as a result, clear cut chances were rarities.
United seemed firmly in the ascendancy as the teams headed into the sheds but with just a single-goal lead, it was far from settled if the Lions could continue to defend as they had in the first 45 throughout the second half.
The fragility of that single-goal lead was highlighted just after the restart when the Lions nearly drew level but Sydney Carnie, who had been a virtual spectator for the first 45 minutes, came up with a huge save to deny Kannegiesser and keep her side ahead.
The second half largely followed the pattern of the first, though the Lions were having a little more success in stringing together a few more counters this time around. It was still United firmly on top of the game though, bossing possession and a second goal seemed inevitable.
Eventually, it arrived via Laura Dickinson on 67 minutes. Alexis Mitchell won a scrap in the box and showing sharp foot skills when surrounded by defenders, she turned away from goal, drew those defenders to her then slid back through a delightful reverse pass for Dickinson to run onto and fire home. It was the type of pass and play United had been searching for all afternoon to unlock the Lions compact defence and Player of the Match Mitchell would be the one to deliver it.
But the Lions would not go away quietly and any thoughts that United would cruise to the finish line from this point were quickly put to bed when they pulled a goal from their skipper Danielle Kanegiesser.
A surging run from Samantha Watkins down the left saw her crossing back into the middle of the box where Kannegieser was waiting to prod home and cut the lead to 2-1. She’s a big game player is Kannegiesser, with a track record delivering on the big stage and here she was yet again leading from the front and making her mark in a cup final.
But having seen a lead slip away from them in the 2021 Decider against Olympia, Launceston United were not going to be denied this time. With the Lions now playing more adventurously and getting more bodies forward in search of an equalizer there was now some more room at the back for United to operate in. Taking advantage of that, Alexis Mitchell lobbed one over the top for La Monte to run onto into the box. She cut back inside, beating her marker all ends up before placing a shot past the keeper and restoring United two-goal buffer.
It would prove the sealer as from that moment on they professionally killed the game off and ensured the long drought for a major statewide trophy was over. United had won 3-1 and claimed the Women’s Statewide Cup.
United’s Captain Nichola Clark touched upon the enormity of the achievement in her post-game speech accepting the Trophy and suggested the side still had unfinished business,
"That's our first state title since 1967 so this is a huge day for Launceston United.”
"We've worked so hard to get here and have all put in an amazing amount and cannot wait to see where this thing goes."
That ‘thing’ could well be a WSL/Statewide Cup double, with United currently undefeated and six points clear on top of the table in that competition, putting them in the position to complete the coveted league/cup double. With yet another dominant display in a big game here, you certainly wouldn’t be betting against them doing just that, because this is an extremely talented side who plays for each other.
