Round 12 of the South East Women's Football Association competition saw Wanderers convincing winners, and at the same time putting Palace on notice that they will be a force to be reckoned with when it comes to the finals.
In the Seniors, Wanderers, Millicent and Palace all had wins.
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Seniors
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Wanderers v United
Having claimed the points against City last week, Wanderers are developing into a serious championship contender and took to the park determined to continue their winning streak. Their intensity shone through from the first whistle, chasing down every ball and pressuring United all over the park.
Their first goal came from a corner which was headed into the net by Nikita Kember. A second quickly followed via a penalty.
Zoe Groom made a welcome return to the United lineup and teamed well with Natalie Morony but they found it difficult to penetrate the solid defensive lineup. With a three goal buffer at the break, Wanderers played a patient game, waiting for opportunities in the second half, with coach McCallum rotating players often and trialling different positions in his run up to the finals.
Eme Ripper proved versatile in her switch from defence to forward creating several chances for Wanderers towards the end of the game.hen City met Wanderers in the first senior match of the round last weekend at Blue Lake Sports Park, each knew that a win would see them into second position on the ladder.
Final score: Wanderers 5 (N Kember 2, L McCallum, K Seiler, J D'Onghia) d United 0.
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Millicent v County
County claimed their only win of the season against Millicent in the first round but entered the pitch a little wary as Millicent have improved markedly since that game.
With only 10 players, Millicent saw the best form of defence to be attack and worked hard against the County surge. However, the extra player made the match difficult and the momentum slowly turned to County's benefit.
Against the run of play, Millicent found a gap and the running Jamey Grgetic who carried the ball into her half well and made no mistake in front of goal.
County midfield responded by picking up the pace and pushing forward but the goalkeeper stood her ground and was able to collect several well struck balls. In the dying minutes of the first half, County were awarded a penalty and levelled the score.
During the second half and reduced to 9 players, Millicent seemed content to defend this scoreline however County wanted more, with everyone but the goalkeeper in the Millicent half. Kathryn Galloway and Marg D'Agostino have been tremendous improvers for County in the latter part of the season, and showed great spirit for their team.
In the dying minute of the game, a long ball down the right side caught County out of position and a pinpoint cross to the middle was taken and finished well. This final touch saw a jubilant Millicent claim their first win for the season.
Final score: Millicent 2 (J Grgetic, N Lambert) d County 1 (N Algie)
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Palace v Villa
With the juniors having a bye, Villa coach Chris Harris was pleased to have fresh legs when his young side met Palace.
Palace demonstrated clean cut passing and excellent movement off the ball, to retain possession from the goalkeeper to forwards, however some wayward shots on goal and safe hands by the keeper limited them to a three goal lead at the break. Claudia Addicott seemed to enjoy her shift from her usual full back position into the midfield and was involved in overlapping plays, crossing the ball into shooting range.
Rachael Bennett in Villa's backline was forced to work hard all game however she read the play and challenged well, pressuring the composed attackers into mistakes. Janaye Donaldson proved that size is no obstacle, as the little girl with big staying power worked all game, proving a handful for Palace to contain.
Palace improved their shooting in the second half, working the ball to retain possession and provide team mates with the best chance on goal. Jenna McCormick showed mature decision making inside the 18 yard box, shooting only when presented with a clear opportunity and finding a team mate when she found herself under pressure.
Final score: Palace 10 (J Hill 4, J McCormick 4, K Pedlar 2) d Villa 0
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Portland v City
Portland have proved to be difficult to overcome at home and have claimed some highly prized draws this season. The waterlogged pitch made it difficult for City to play through balls and running plays with the ball held up on the heavy ground.
Despite several opportunities including a fine strike by Jen Smith hitting the crossbar, City could not capitalise with Portland defence proving to be almost impenetrable.
With more injuries added to City's lineup, substitutions became a luxury with the remaining players attempting to find that special something in trying conditions. Marshalled by Lauren Birch in the backline, City defence held strong but forwards could not find a way past Amy Gartlan in goal.
Portland's Jade Cockerill held her position forcing turnovers and pushed the ball back into attack.
On a day when City threw everything at goal without success, Portland thrived on their home ground advantage and were more than delighted with a scoreless draw at match end.
Final score: Portland 0 drew with City 0
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Under 14s
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Wanderers v County
With several players unavailable, County were unable to field a squad last weekend.
However, a "scratch match" was played with Wanderers players filling the void. The available County players were happy to be involved in this match, with spectators treated to a high quality match where the enjoyment of players was evident.
Final score: Wanderers 3 d County 0 (forfeit)
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Palace v City
With several players from each of these sides regularly kitting up for the senior matches each week, the improvement of these teams was clear from the sidelines, however neither could edge in front to claim the points.
Samantha Freeman has improved considerably over the season and demonstrated confidence on the ball, looking for a measured pass however her City counterparts continued to close down their opposition and frustrated Palace forwards.
Skye Moorhouse for Palace also showed tenacity and was resolute in winning the ball. The maturity of City's Meg Walters and Erin Ireland was clear with excellent reading of the play and choosing their passes wisely.
A draw was a fair result, with both sides showing huge progression of ball skills and tactical awareness.
Final score: Palace 0 drew with City 0
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Junior Development Squad
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JDS played their usual fun filled, spirited match and are showing no signs of tiring as the season comes to its final stages.
Their enthusiasm is a delight to watch and all girls between the ages of 5 and 10 are still encouraged to come out and give it a go.
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Next Week
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This week seems some vital matches taking place in the SEWFA league.
At 1:30 pm, United meet Portland in a must win game for both sides. Currently sitting 5th on the ladder, a win to United should see them sneak into the top 4 at the right end of the season however Portland will be desperate to cling onto that coveted position.
At 3:00 pm, City take on Palace which is always a fast paced, highly skilled game with lots of action. In the other 3:00 pm match, County will have a difficult task to rein in Wanderers.
Millicent have their final home match of the season and host Villa.
In the Under 14s, Wanderers will be hoping to take some points from Villa before the finals and Palace play County.
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