Westfield W-League Round 5 wrap

So now we are officially halfway through the season and the contenders I think have truly separated from the pack. Namely, Brisbane Roar and Sydney FC. Within 24-hours of each other, they have both recorded W-League record scores. It was the Central Coast Mariners that set the record for biggest ever win in Season 1, with a 5-0 win over Adelaide. But this round, Brisbane eclipsed that over the hapless Perth with a 6-0 win. But Sydney FC didn't let them keep it for long, as they equalised it with a 6-0 romp over the poor Reds - who still haven't scored a goal. That and more in the Round 5 wrap.

MELBOURNE VICTROY 2 (Katrina GORRY 45', Deanna NICESKI 90'+3) bt NEWCASTLE JETS 1 (Renee CARTWRIGHT 61') at the Veneto Club, Bulleen.
So the first ever game on a synthetic pitch seemed to go on without too much concern from either team, but then again there were not quotes in the sportal match report so I'm not entirely sure if it affected much. The main thing is that the Jets came very very close to claiming their second point of the season, before Deanne Niceski scored the winner in the 93rd minute. Ouch. Good news is that the Jets new signing, former Young Matilda Renee Cartwright, had immediate impact and she scored in the 61st minute. With the Jets depleted through international duty and HSC exams, once they get a few of those girls back in, then things will really start looking up. Melbourne are now outright third on the ladder and have bounced back well after last week's horror game against Canberra.
MATCH DETAILS
Referee: Rebecca Durcau
Assistant referees: Elizabeth Hyland and Jonathan Barreiro
Fourth Official: George Lakrinidis
Melbourne Victory line-up: 1. Melissa BARBIERI (gk), 2. Vedrana POPOVIC, 4. Tal KARP (c), 5. Laura ALLEWAY, 6. Maika RUYTER-HOOLEY (7. Sarah GROENEWALD 45’), 8. Katie THORLAKSON (10. Deanna NICESKI 58’), 12. Monnique HANSEN KOFOED, 13. Katrina GORRY, 15. Jessica HUMBLE (18. Ursula HUGHSON 71’), 19. Enza BARILLA, 21. Kara MOWBRAY
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Nicole PAUL (gk)
Yellow Cards: Kara MOWBRAY 89’
Red Cards: Nil
Newcastle Jets line-up: 1. Alison LOGUE (gk), 3. Pelay INGLES, 4. Loren MAHONEY (8. Bronte BATES 45’), 5. Stacey DAY, 6. Amber NEILSON, 7. Gema SIMON, 9. Kate HENSMAN, 10. Hayley CRAWFORD (c), 13. Caitlyn JARVIE (11. Carlie IKONOMOU 71’), 15. Renee CARTWRIGHT (21. Harmonie ATTWILL 75’), 8. Leia SMITH
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Emma-Kate DEWHURST (gk)
Yellow Cards: Renee CARTWRIGHT 50’
Red Cards: Nil

CENTRAL COAST MARINERS 1 (Kendall FLETCHER 20’) drew with CANBERRA UNTED 1 (Ellie BRUSH 3’ (pen)) at Canberra Stadium. Well, definitely the most physical game I've seen so far this W-League season. I can see why the Mariners have claimed the results this year, they are physically imposing and not afraid to use their bodies and that combined with the fact that when they get close to goal, they actually shoot. It's simple football but it works. While I've seen other teams hesitate and try and set up the perfect goal, the Mariners on Saturday made a run, smashed through a few defenders and then had a crack. The players backed themselves and it was great to see. At the end of the day, a draw was probably an accurate reflection as both team's dominated at different parts of the game. Canberra did have a number of chances in the final few minutes though, which is why midfielder Grace Gill and coach Ray Junna were disappointed because they thought they could have won. Hmm, it's a very similar story to United's first season last year - when they claimed the most draws in the season - but found winning form at the end of the season and in the finals to make a grand-final appearance. Can they do it again this year, or is five points too far behind the pack already? Mariners coach Stephen Roche thought his team also had chances to win, and were particularly ruing their quick free kick in the first half. United goalkeeper Lydia Williams had still been organizing her wall when the Mariners took it, but it went waay wide. Another one took an off-the-line save from United’s Jenny Bisset to keep the Mariners out.
“I thought we held possession pretty well, it was pretty physical in spots but I think all the games are like that anyway,’ Roche said. “I’m pretty disappointed, we probably could have killed the game off in the first half with the quick free kick…then the one off the line, there was quite a few chances that could have killed it off. A point is a point and it’s away from home, even though it is our home game, but I thought we could have taken three points back. It’s just taking our chances, they just have to go in the net, which we have been doing.”
And also a quick word from Mariners American goalscorer Kendall Fletcher, whose flat shot across goal took a deflection and went in to help the Mariners claim a point, on what she thinks about the league.
“I think it’s great,” she said. “I didn’t really know what to expect but it was a great opportunity for us American girls to come down here, it works well with our league, it’s a bit more physical than sometimes we are used too, it’s a whole new set of challenges and it makes us see the game differently, a different set of players, a different look, so it’s great for us.”For Canberra United, injuries are now their biggest problem, with both central defenders out for next week’s game against Brisbane. Lin Chiung Ying did her ACL and Ellie Brush an ankle.
MATCH DETAILS
Referee: Kate Jacewicz
Assistant referees: Brett Woodford and Greg Taylor
Fourth Official: Gary Vandeburgt
Central Coast Mariners line-up: 1. Jillian LOYDEN, 2. Caitlin COOPER (c), 3. Lyndsay GLOHE, 4. Rachael DOYLE, 8. Kelly GOLEBIOWSKI (13. Trudy CAMILLERI 70’), 9. Renee ROLLASON, 10. Kendall FLETCHER, 11. Michelle HEYMAN (16. Jenna KINGSLEY 78’), 12. Samantha SPACKMAN, 14. Ashleigh CONNOR, 19. Lydia VANDENBERGH
Substitutes Not Used:17. Britt SIMMONS, 20. Rachel COOPER (gk)
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
Canberra United line-up: 1. Lydia WILLIAMS, 2. Rebecca KITING, 4. LIN Chiung Ying (5. Kahlia HOGG 30’), 7. Ellie BRUSH (c) (3. Bronwyn STUDMAN 68’), 9. Grace GILL, 10. TSENG Shu O, 11. Cian MACIEJEWSKI (12. Snez VELJANOVSKA 89’), 14. Ashleigh SYKES, 15. Nicole SYKES, 16. Ellyse PERRY, 19. Jennifer BISSET
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Jocelyn MARA (gk)
Yellow Cards: Jennifer BISSET 21’
Red Cards: Nil

BRISBANE ROAR 6 (Lana HARCH 8’/54’, Courtney BEUTEL 19’, Ellen BEAUMONT 21’/80’, Sasha McDONNELL 90’+1) bt PERTH GLORY 0 at Ballymore Stadium. So it seems Brisbane have smashed itself back into goalscoring form against the hapless Perth. Mainly, what has happened to the Glory? It seems losing both Sam Kerr (international duty) and Lisa de Vanna (suspension), was a little too much for one game. De Vanna will be back this week, while Kerr will miss the next three with the Australian team. But I reckon that it's about this time Perth are set to unveil Katie Gill, the Matildas striker who hasn't made it back to the W-League this year as her season in Sweden Gill of course played for Newcastle last year, but she's headed back to Perth when she does return. Which I think will be in the next two weeks. Brisbane are now a game clear on top of the ladder ahead of Central Coast. And what's more, Brisbane still didn't have Tameka Butt, who I think is arguably one of the most exciting young talents in the W-League.
MATCH DETAILS
Referee: Casey Reibelt
Assistant referees: Renae Coghill and Christie Robb
Fourth Official: Pru Donohue
Brisbane Roar line-up: 1. Casey DUMONT (GK), 2. Kate McSHEA, 4. Clare POLKINGHORNE (C), 5. Brooke SPENCE, 6. Joanne BURGESS (15. Leah CURTIS 67’), 7. Pam BIGNOLD, 8. Elise KELLOND-KNIGHT, 10. Lana HARCH (9. Jenna TRISTRAM 77’) , 11. Aivi LUIK, 18. Courtney BEUTEL (14. Sasha McDONNELL 67’), 19. Ellen BEAUMONT
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Kate STEWART (GK)
Yellow Cards: Ellen BEAUMONT 43’
Red Cards: Nil
Perth Glory line-up: 1. Emma WIRKUS (GK), 2. Carys HAWKINS, 5. Shannon MAY, 8. Tanya OXTOBY (C), 9. Danielle CALAUTTI, 13. Elisa D’OVIDIO, 14. Collette McCALLUM, 15. Alexandra SINGER, 16. Sadie LAWRENCE (21. Jaymee GIBBONS 72’), 17. Marianna TABAIN, 18. Ellis GLANFIELD (10. Ciara CONWAY 34’) (19. Katarina JUKIC 72’)
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Zoe PALANDRI (GK)
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil

SYDNEY FC 6 (Alesha CLIFFORD 6’, Sarah WALSH 23’/36’, Leena KHAMIS 60’, Michelle CARNEY 74’, Catherine CANNULI 84’) bt ADELAIDE UNITED 0 at Sydney Football Stadium. Not content to let Brisbane hold the record for long, Sydney FC promptly went about showing they could easily net a 6-0 win yesterday too. It's a scoreline that I think Sydney FC have hoped for weeks though as clearly besides Brisbane, they have the most talented team on paper. Actually I think they have more international caps than Brisbane. But as Sydney coach Alen Stajcic said earlier, they hardly had a preseason at all together so it was basically a matter of using the first few games to work everything out. Now it's clearly working. The Mariners may be equal top at the moment, but I'm thinking that it's looking like a Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar grand final at the moment. (A bit unfair to the Mariners you say? Perhaps, but I just think Sydney get them on experience). And poor Adelaide who are yet to score a goal, perhaps they have their best chance when they meet the Newcastle Jets again next week?
MATCH DETAILS
Referee: Kiralee Gardener
Assistant referees: Liz Shorter and Laura Elliot
Fourth Official: Peta McCallum
Sydney FC line-up: 1. Nikola DEITER (gk), 4. Alesha CLIFFORD, 6. Servet UZUNLAR, 7. Heather GARRIOCK (c), 8. Julie RYDAHL (13. Catherine CANNULI 77’), 9. Sarah WALSH (12. Michelle CARNEY 64’), 10. Kylie LEDBROOK, 11. Cathrine PAASKE, 15. Kyah SIMON, 16. Linda O’NEILL (5. Lisa GILBERT 75’), 19. Leena KHAMIS
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Carla MONFORTE (gk)
Yellow Cards: Lisa GILBERT 88’
Red Cards: Nil
Adelaide United line-up: 1.Sian McLAREN (gk), 2.Ebony WEIDENBACH, 3.Renee HARRISON, 7.Racheal QUIGLEY, 11.Georgia CHAPMAN (10.Marijana RAJCIC 78’), 12.Katerina BEXIS (9.Angela FIMMANO 64’), 14.Donna COCKAYNE, 16.Christina PAPAGEORGIOU (c), 17.Karina ROWETH, 18.Rochelle KUHAR, 19. Nenita BURGESS (15.Tenneille BOALER 34’)
Substitutes Not Used: 20.Kristi HARVEY (gk)
Yellow Cards: Renee HARRISON 64’, Ebony WEIDENBACH 76’, Christina PAPAGEORGIOU 82’
Red Cards: Nil

Also don't forget to check out all the reports and great interviews from Ann Odong on http://www.thewomensgame.com/.