DETERMINED SHARKS OVERWHELM THIRROUL

Woonona made it two wins on the spin to start the Women’s Division 1 after a come from behind 2-1 victory over Thirroul at Ocean Park. The Sharks won by the same scoreline in Round 1 against Fernhill while Thirroul came into the match on the back of a 5-0 touch up at home to University.

Woonona had a couple of half chances in the opening 15 minutes but it would be the away side who would hit the target for the first time when Cara Baker teed up Ashleigh Cavagnino from distance in the 18th minute. Her curling effort was well held by Woonona goalkeeper Georgia Clarkson.

In the final 10 minutes of the first half, the Sharks had a swell of chances to take the lead. Elyse McNally had a couple of strikes which trailed high and wide from inside the area before Jordan Wheatley had tame shot that found the arms of Thirroul goalkeeper Matilda Davis-Raiss.

In the 40th minute, the Thunderbirds came close through a counter-attack but Bethany Grew's curling finish drifted wide to the right. From the resulting goal kick, Woonona had another opportunity through Sinead Bailey but Davis-Raiss was able to pull off a brave one on one save.

A minute out from the interval, McNally squared the ball back for Bailey on the edge of the 6-yard box but the Sharks’ forward was once again denied by Davis-Raiss. The significance of this save was magnified as Thirroul would go down the other end and score seconds out from halftime. Alexandria Pritchard the scorer with her floated effort from just outside the box getting caught in the wind and sailing over the head of Clarkson. The slightly fortunate goal gave the visitors a one-goal lead at the break.

Woonona would finally find the back of the net in the 50th minute after squandering two decent chances in the opening three minutes of the second half. Ainsley Hawes found a pocket of space just shy of the box before a thumping finish into the top right corner.

The Sharks pushed for their second and they had three solid chances over the next 20 minutes, one through Bailey and two through McNally. With 20 minutes remaining the pressure paid off, as did the persistence of Bailey who would score Woonona's second. The forward muscled her way into the right of the box before an intricate finish across the keeper and inside the far post.

Two minutes later, Bailey nearly set up her side’s third when she cut the ball back for Hawes. The midfielder was in a similar position to where she scored her first but this time she aimed for the bottom left corner but Davis-Raiss was up to the task.

The Thunderbirds tried to lift the tempo in the final period of the match but Woonona were able to thwart any fledgling attacking raids. The match would come to its conclusion with the Sharks prevailing 2-1.

After the match, Woonona coach Mick Sutton was delighted to come away with the three points after going behind just before the break, “In the second half we took the game to them and I think we dominated.” Sutton also credited match winner Sinead Bailey who was undeterred after a number of close calls earlier in the match, “Sinead always tends to get herself in really good positions... she always keeps going for that goal and today it was the winning one.” The Sharks travel to Judy Masters Oval next weekend to take on a Balgownie side who secured their first point of the season with a 1-1 draw with the Kiama Quarriers.

Despite the defeat, Thunderbirds coach Tina Siskoska managed to take positives out of the match, “We played a hundred times better than last week and that’s what this week was all about. We will look to improve week by week and hopefully get a result next match.” Next up for Thirroul is a home tie against the undefeated Quarriers.

 

Listen to the full post-match interview with Woonona coach Mick Sutton on Wednesday’s FSC Weekly.

 

Sunday 15 April 2018 @ Ocean Park

 

Woonona Sharks - 2 (HAWES 50’, BAILEY 70’)

 

Thirroul Thunderbirds - 1 (PRITCHARD 45’

 

Woonona Sharks - SINEAD BAILEY, Kayla DRAPER, Sara HAMILTON, Ainsley HAWES, Georgia LANG, Fiona LEAFE, Elyse MCNALLY, Morgan POTTER, Kate STEWART, Jordan VAN DE VOORDE, Jordan WHEATLEY, Jacqueline HOLLIDAY, Georgia CLARKSON

 

Thirroul Thunderbirds - Cara BAKER, Veronica CALDERON, Ashleigh CAVAGNINO, Claytyn GEHRKE, Bethany GREW, Zoe GREW, Arlena MACKENZIE, Alexandria PRITCHARD, Jenna ROSA, Tina SISKOSKA, Kirsten WARD, Matilda DAVIS-RAISS, Sarah HANLIN, Hannah CARLON

 

Referee - Helmut LUX

 

Report and photo by Dylan Arvela, on Twitter @dylanarvela

 




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