It was a dramatic final day in the Women’s Premier League, with the top four changing throughout the final round and the finals picture going down to the wire. With the top four now locked in, a huge finals series awaits from next week.
In the lower half of the competition, the finalists are also set after two closely fought Semi-Final encounters.
Flying Bats FC 2 – 2 North Sydney United
This clash brought together two sides who had already seen their hopes of a finals appearance disappear, but both were determined to finish their seasons on a high.
It was a tight opening half at Morrison Bay, with neither side able to find a breakthrough. That changed with 10 minutes remaining before the break, when Raili Haagensen opened the scoring for the Flying Bats. Just six minutes later, Matilda Vaughan doubled their advantage, sending the hosts into half-time with a 2-0 lead.
Facing a two-goal deficit, North Sydney United had a choice: accept another defeat or come out of the sheds with renewed intent. They chose the latter.
The away side came out firing and built momentum, eventually getting their reward in the 68th minute when Elizabeth Bottomley pulled a goal back for North Sydney. The comeback was well and truly on, and Bottomley struck again soon after to level the scores at 2-2.
Neither side could find the decisive winner, but North Sydney United can take plenty from their second-half fightback as they battled until the final whistle to close out their season with a point.
West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook FC 1 – 0 UTS FC
This was a massive clash for West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook, who entered the final round sitting just outside the top four. To keep their finals hopes alive, they needed to pull off a huge upset against the league leaders and hope Hornsby Heights dropped points elsewhere. Could they do the unthinkable?
WPHC made their intentions clear from the opening whistle, coming out firing and finding the breakthrough after just five minutes. Natasha Hartley calmly found the back of the net to put the home side 1-0 up and send them into dreamland. The perfect start had given WPHC a platform to claim a memorable victory.
The remainder of the first half was closely contested, with neither side able to add to the score. As the second 45 began, WPHC knew they had a huge defensive task ahead of them if they were to hold off a UTS side that had dominated the league all season.
UTS pushed forward in search of an equaliser, but WPHC stood firm. Despite the pressure increasing as the clock ticked away, the home side refused to give the league leaders a way back into the contest.
Then came the final whistle. WPHC had done it.
The result elsewhere confirmed their place in the finals, with West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook securing fourth spot and setting up a rematch with UTS next week. After producing a fantastic performance against the league leaders, WPHC will head into the finals full of confidence, while UTS will have a week to regroup and rediscover the quality that has seen them finish top of the table.
Congratulations to Natasha Hartley, who is the Player of the Round after her crucial goal for WPHC secured finals football for her side.
Lindfield FC 3 – 2 Hornsby Heights FC
Hornsby Heights entered the final round with a slender one-point advantage over WPHC, knowing a win against Lindfield would guarantee their place in the finals. Lindfield were looking to bounce back at home after their recent loss to UTS.
The away side made the perfect start, with Grace Perring finding the back of the net in the 8th minute to put Hornsby Heights ahead. At that stage, the result would have secured their place in the finals. However, their lead lasted just one minute, with Lindfield immediately responding through Lilly Reading to level the scores.
The game settled into a tight battle for control, but it was Lindfield who found the breakthrough before half-time. Emily Wood put the home side in front just before the break, leaving Hornsby Heights with plenty of work to do in the second half.
Lindfield came out of the sheds with the same intensity they showed at the end of the first half, continuing to push for another goal. Their pressure paid off in the 58th minute, with Eliza Apps extending the lead to 3-1.
With their finals hopes hanging in the balance, Hornsby Heights needed a response, and they got one. Lucca Taylor pulled a goal back with 15 minutes remaining, giving Heights a chance to mount a late comeback.
Heights pushed forward in search of an equaliser, but Lindfield held firm to see out a 3-2 victory to finish the regular season on a high.
For Hornsby Heights, attention turned to the result between WPHC and the league leaders, with a WPHC defeat enough to keep their finals hopes alive. However, in a huge upset, WPHC secured the win, meaning Hornsby Heights narrowly missed out on a place in the finals.
The Final Four
The final four of the Women’s Premier League are confirmed, with West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook jumping Hornsby Heights on the final day to complete the list. UTS will rematch WPHC next week for a spot in the final, whilst Northbridge and Lindfield go head-to-head in a blockbuster clash.
Epping FC 0 – 2 Northern Galaxy
This was a huge semi-final clash in the lower half of the league, with Epping coming into the contest as favourites after finishing top of the lower half and defeating Galaxy in their previous meetings.
The opening 45 minutes were a tightly contested affair, with Epping continuing their strong defensive form from recent weeks. Despite creating opportunities, neither side could find the breakthrough, sending the game into half-time locked at 0-0. Galaxy, however, could take plenty of confidence from their performance as they began to grow into the contest.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with both sides battling for control and struggling to find a way through. As the clock ticked towards the final 15 minutes, Galaxy finally found the breakthrough. Natalie Garner stepped up to fire her side into a crucial 1-0 lead.
Epping responded by throwing numbers forward in search of an equaliser, but Galaxy’s defence held firm. Then, just before the final whistle, Natasha Tindale put the result beyond doubt, doubling Galaxy’s advantage and securing their place in the final.
Galaxy will now face Beecroft FC in the decider, after Beecroft secured a 1-0 victory over Macquarie Dragons in the other semi-final.
