Sandringham Soccer Club have closed the gap on Ashburton United, pipping an invaluable 1-0 win at Kingston Heath on Monday night.
Heading into the game five points apart in fourth and fifth place on the ladder respectively, Emma Runnals’ header from a set-piece did the trick, bridging the gap to just two points between the sides.
In an often cagey and scrappy affair, the hosts’ defensive discipline helped them over the line, keeping the talented Ashburton forward line to a clean sheet.
Early push and shove in Ashburton’s attack led to a spilled ball that Georgia Cloepfil pounced on, but Ingrid Philippe stood tall to deny the American.
The visitors were coming into the game with a reorganised defence due to an injury to Maria Patrikis the week before against Casey, with Holly Richardson moving to the right side, Olivia Edwards shifted to left fullback, and Christine Pfeiffer partnering Emma Checker in the centre.
The new look back four were left exposed in one instance when Runnals pounced on a loose ball and played through Annabelle Gibney on goal, but her shot missed wide.
Laura Spiranovic then got in the game, taking two shots from the left side that were denied by the ‘keeper.
Two moments later in the half saw Fede Frew and Brit Thomas – in particular the former who had Melina Ayres waiting at the back post for an open opportunity – shoot at goal instead of looking for another option, raising the ire of coach Sinisa Cohadzic.
With the first period ticking away, Cloepfil did have the ball in the back of the net, but instead of a goal received a yellow card for taking the shot after the play had had been stopped for offside.
After the break it was more of the same for Cohadzic, who this time bemoaned Ayres not squaring a ball into the middle.
The handful of missed chances came back to haunt the visitors, who fell behind against the run of play in the 63rd minute to Runnalls’ header from a corner.
The goal itself was a culmination of controversial and bizarre circumstances, with Ashburton kicking the ball out of play when Pfeiffer went down hurt but not receiving it back from Sandringham after the restart, Olivia Edwards copping a knock in the box in the lead-up to the corner delivery, and Patrikis – acting as club marshal during her injury – correctly predicting the goal from the sidelines after having a bad gut feeling moments before it happened.
The game somewhat opened up after the deadlock was broken, with Ashburton determined to pull back the deficit, and Emma Checker almost equalised in identical fashion but her header was caught by Philippe.
Gibney then had a chance on goal out of nothing following a speculative long ball out of the Sandrigham defence, but Maizels was up to the task.
The contest eased into another lull thereafter, with nothing seemingly working for Ashburton, summed up by a scuffed shot from Spiranovic that missed safely wide.
Substitute Gleadall tried to use the wind to her advantage, but couldn’t catch out Maizels from distance.
With time ticking away, Sandringham stood tall to record a vital three points and keep in touch with the competition’s top four, while Cohadzic and his crew were left frustrated at a night where nothing seemed to go Ashburton’s way.
Sandringham Soccer Club 1 (Runnalls 63′) defeated Ashburton United 0 at Kingston Heath Soccer Complex
Sandringham: 1. Ingrid Philippe, 2. Lauren Diduszko, 9. Emma Robers, 6. Steph Parton, 7. Kirsty Shearing, 8. Nicola Westwood, 9. Emma Runnalls, 10. Steph Tanti, 18. Sienna Fogarty, 19. Annabelle Gibney, 28. Emily Morris Krause
Subs: 12. Eliza Gleadell, 21. Niki Cook, 20. Hannah Stuart, 50. Louis Greenwood
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
Ashburton United: 1. Melissa Maizels, 3. Holly Richardson, 15. Emma Checker, 14. Christine Pfeiffer, 19. Olivia Edwards, 20. Alyssia Blewonski, 11. Fede Frew, 4. Britt Thomas, 18. Georgia Cloepfil, 21. Laura Spiranovic, 9. Melina Ayres.
Subs: 12. Amy Malander, 6. Rebecca Saber, 16. Rachel Jarvis, 13. Azize Erenli, 10. Julia Skowronska
Yellow Cards: Cloepfil 45′
Red Cards: None