Image: Rachel Bach
Calder United and Box Hill kicked off the weekend’s action in the WNPL, with the visitors grabbing the spoils 2-0 via goals to Emily Hulbert and Kristina Hall and keeping their momentum rolling with the upset.
In more important events off the ground, both teams pitched in raising money for Kiara’s Story and the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Over $1,000 was raised in arctic conditions, with wind and rain the dominant factors that Box Hill could take advantage of.
Heidelberg United beat Southern United in what was supposed to be a home game for the Bergers, but ended up at Darebin International Sports Complex. Leigh Gray scored the only goal, her 18th of the campaign to keep her second in the race for the golden boot.
Southern, to their credit, immediately responded. Some clever play on the edge of the Heidelberg area earned the side a free-kick that they converted, catching Melissa Barbieri unaware and heading into an open goal. The offside flag, however, prematurely ended their celebrations.
Alamein FC continued to be well beyond par in the competition, earning another convincing victory over Bayside United. Hannah Keane scored a brace, while Amy Malander snatched a late goal off the bench to cap off a 3-0 win.
The large margin of success will be welcome news for Alamein, who will be especially pleased to see their team score with ease without Melina Ayres getting on the scoresheet. Ayres currently sits first in the goals race, five in front of Heidelberg’s Leigh Gray, who also scored this round, and Calder’s Rachel Alonso on fourteen each.
Alamein have now won their last five in a row, scoring 19 goals in the process.
If it wasn’t for such an inconsistent start to the season in part due to injuries to their American duo, Alamein would almost certainly be in a better position by now, having scored almost 15 goals more than their closest opponent.
Meanwhile, Bulleen narrowly retain first position with a close fought encounter against Galaxy. In a top four clash against possibly the best defensive side in the competition, goals were always going to be at a premium for the Lions.
The game finished 1-0 in a game that, following recent scoring fests in the WNPL, will be considered a low scoring week all around.
Bulleen’s top scorer Emily Coppock made the breakthrough, scoring her third goal in two games and her ninth this season. After her first effort was saved, she lobbed home the rebound on the 67th minute to keep Bulleen’s noses in front at the top of the table.
Galaxy United, however, overcoming the weekend’s defeat, sealed a maiden finals berth with a 3-0 win over the Senior NTC.
This was helped by Heidelberg United’s 4-1 loss to Calder United in their re-scheduled Round 16 clash on the same night, which left them with an unassailable seven point buffer on the fourth-placed Galaxy.
Galaxy were off the mark after just 26 minutes through fullback Amelia Spiranovic. Sky Jensen added a second midway through the second half, before substitute Britt Elsen sealed the result just 10 minutes from time.
Galaxy sit just four points off top spot with two games to play and are still an outside chance of finishing the season as the NPLW Minor Premiers.
Calder United secured their first win in three starts to get their title aspirations back on track with a 4-1 thumping of Heidelberg United, which saw former Matildas captain Melissa Barbieri go down with a serious knee injury.
The Heidelberg shot stopper went down in a second half collision with Calder defender Rachel Binning as the pair contested a loose ball, with Barbieri landing awkwardly, forcing her to be stretchered off – at the worst possible time with the Dockerty Cup final and Tasmanian stint on the horizon.
Calder were a goal to the good at that point, with the impressive Cindy Lay putting her side into a first half lead. Calder were able to capitalise with Heidelberg utilizing a makeshift goalkeeper in Hannah Ryan – who played without gloves – by putting three goals past her.
Lay tapped in a second of the night, before substitute Brydie Syrij then steered home from a corner kick. Stacey Papadopoulos rounded off the scoring for Calder with a bursting run which saw her round the keeper and score. Heidelberg pulled one back on the stroke of full-time, as American Kasha Meyer conceded a penalty which Olivia Soares converted.