Zebras Claim Super League Title

The Hobart Zebras are Women’s Super League champions after goals from Allie Berry and Jesse Williams saw them fight back from a goal down to defeat the Olympia Warriors 2-1 in their final day showdown. The Warriors had the Zebras on the ropes for much of the first half, producing a captivating performance but couldn’t find a goal to show for it. A pearl of a goal in the second half from an Olivia Bomford free kick, finally provided them the lead. However Allie Berry produced a lifeline soon after with a quickfire response, before Jessie Williams put the icing on top of the Zebras 2-1 victory. Before the kick off, the Zebras made the first move of the match by pushing Danielle Kannegiesser into right back in an effort to contain Madi Chambers. While the off-field decision saw rewards, the early moves to be played out on the park inched the Warriors ahead in the arm wrestle. The young side bringing all the fuel and fire that clinched them a 3-0 victory last time round. The traffic was all one way in the first half. The Warriors looked to expose the flanks once more, while producing industrious work in the middle to ensure the Zebras were limited to no more than three consecutive passes. The deep defensive line of the Zebras meant the Warriors were unable to find the space in behind as they usually look to enjoy. The real saving grace to keep the Zebras in it, was the goalkeeping prowess of Shelley Cook, who came up with multiple saves to deny the team in blue. A frustrating half for the Warriors saw the side unable to convert any of the number of opportunities at their disposal. The battle of the first half was between Kannegiesser and Madi Chambers. The newly dubbed fullback took to life in defence like a fish in water, limiting Chambers to crosses on the touch line. While the Warriors were proactively searching for a chink in the oppositions armour unsuccessfully, the Zebras went into the break having felt the blows of punches but still very much standing. Play began to open up after the break, with the anticipation of goals from these high scoring sides felt around the packed grandstand of KGV. The Zebras found their ability to string together some passes, yet were still needing some desperate defending at the back. The desperation got the better of Selina Steventon, with the Zebras centre back leaving her leg out in a challenge on Bonnie Davies to concede a free kick in a dangerous territory. Olivia Bomford stood up to the mark and set the game on fire with a pearl of a free kick, coming in off the upright to land in the net. The type of free kick dreamed of many times on the training ground was executed with dazzling perfection to provide the breakthrough the Warriors sought. A goal finally in the bag, the Warriors looked to assert their dominance by landing another. However the hard work would cruelly unravel barely ten minutes later. A loose ball in the back was sniffed out by the Zebras captain, who pounced on the chance to go 1v1 with the keeper. The clinical, chipped finish from long range by Allie Berry saw the sides level on goals, level on points but it was advantage to the Zebras for the title on goal difference. Following the equaliser, big changes were brought in by both sides. Looking to the cross-coders to further inspire their forward lines, the pair of Jessie Williams and Amy Prokopiec hit the field for their respective sides. With everything on the line, the Warriors threw everything including the kitchen sink forward as the game wore on. The importance of Cook in goal highlighted through several astounding saves with her feet to deny the title from slipping through her side’s hands. A heavy sense of one more goal for either side was felt, with the match opening up. Chasing a game is never an easy thing. The Zebras defence bunkered in against the oncoming, multiple attacks of the Warriors to deny any last gasp heroics. Rather it was up the other end, where Warriors defenders were becoming fewer as they threw bodies forward, that the final blow was landed. The industrious work of Zoe Nichols saw her shrug off several tiring defenders. The forward charged towards goal, then laid it off to Williams who had no problem finding the bottom corner with a low and hard shot. The strike broke Warrior’s hearts, putting the nail in the coffin of their title hopes and securing the Zebras triumph. Both sides can come out of this match with their heads held high. The result will be a tough pill to swallow for a dominant Olympia Warriors, whose only fault was their inability to convert in that first half. While the Hobart Zebras have battled hard all season to come back from behind, they showed their stubbornness once again on the final day to seal the Cup. After the match, a clearly heartbroken Alastair Russell lauded his side’s first half performance, “we played some outstanding football in the first half. The girls are obviously proud to wear the shirt to try and win”. Picking on the match-winning difference between the sides, the Olympia coach carried on to say, “a bit of inexperience maybe, but I guess this is how you get experience”.  A relieved Chris Hey provided honest comments summarising the match as “a tough day in the office”. The Zebras coach went on to admit “we just didn’t seem to get out of first gear in the first half.. Shelley kept us in it”. Drawing on a season of comebacks, Hey pointed out, “the girls character shone through today and we got a win”.