The Builders Club Women’s Division 1 kicked off last Sunday and already four players have caught the eye, with hat-tricks for Albion Park’s Rylee McGartland and University’s Kristen Gorgieski, and a brace apiece for Woonona’s Sinead Bailey and Kiama’s Katie French.

There were convincing wins for last season’s unbeatable Champions Albion Park and for University, but in the other two ties the result could have gone either way, suggesting there could be fierce competition for the Finals berths come the end of the 2018 season.

Balgownie Rangers 0-6 Albion Park

It looks like business as usual for last season’s all-conquering Albion Park outfit. Rylee McGartland took the headlines in this one with a superb hat-trick, while the 2017 top scorer Brittany Ring also got her name on the scoresheet along with Casey-Leigh Suttle and Renee Crowe. It’s Fernhill next for the Champions.

For the new-look Balgownie team, it was a baptism of fire, but coach Earle Canvin saw the positives in his side’s performance: “The score was only 2-0 at half time and we should have got one just before the break, but Albion Park’s pedigree showed in the second half”. With 13 players making their senior debut for Balgownie, this side will still need time to gel. Next up is Kiama Quarriers away.

 

Woonona 2-1 Fernhill

Sinead Bailey began her 2018 account with an exact matching of her goal tally in the 2017 season opener. She has a habit of popping up in the right place at the right time, having scored the winner in the Semi-Finals last term. And she did it again last weekend, scoring the opener and then the winner just eight minutes from time, giving Woonona a winning start once again.

Fernhill only just managed to field a full 11 players, with late pull-outs meaning they started with no replacements on the bench. They fought hard, though, and coach Josh Sebben took many positives from the game: “Woonona had the better of the first half, but we dominated the second and created enough to win the game. A few injuries on the field and no subs was basically our undoing. It was heartbreaking, but as players return to the squad there’s a lot to look forward to”. Sebben’s sister Kate, scored Fernhill’s goal.

Next up for Woonona is a home tie against Thirroul; for Fernhill, they’ll need all their strength and resources as they go to Albion Park.

 

Russell Vale Black 2-3 Kiama Quarriers

This was another tie which went to the wire, with the scores tied at 1-1 after a penalty apiece in the first half. Kiama’s Katie French scored twice in the last 15 minutes to give her side victory and set them on the road back towards a repeat of 2017’s Finals berth.

Kiama coach Umberto Sorrentino said after the game that his side did just enough to get the points, “which is enough for Round 1”. He’ll be looking to build on that start with the visit of Balgownie next weekend.

For Russell Vale, this was a first outing at this level, and in the absence of team manager Leah Carlton, they may well see this as a decent result against a Semi Finals team from 2017. Their second goal came from a late own goal. And they’ll need to regroup quickly for next weekend when they take on a buoyant University of Wollongong.

 

Thirroul 0-5 University of Wollongong

University set out their stall for 2018 on Sunday and on this performance will be contenders for a top spot by the season’s end. There was a hat-trick for Kristen Gorgieski, who could be a key acquisition for Uni after transferring over from Albion Park’s under 21s, where she scored a remarkable 39 goals last season. Former NPLW player Stella-Marie Veith and Kylie Lambert got the other goals in this one-sided affair.

Uni coach Brod Crighton was pleased with performances across his squad but picked out captain Elise Battin for leading by example. “It was the first game the girls had played together so there’s room for much improvement, but we played out from the back extremely well and created enough to score many more”.

Thirroul coach Tina Siskoska paid credit to a Uni team she acknowledged had 70% of the possession. “When we kept the ball and attacked as a team, the girls played quality football and gave glimpses of what we are capable of this season”. Next up for Thirroul is a local derby against Woonona.

Uni take on Russell Vale next Sunday.

Report by Simon Duffin

Photo courtesy of Dylan Arvela