Blacktown City 1 Marconi Stallions 0
An unbelievable start to the Football NSW League One Women’s Under 20 clash at Landen Stadium saw Blacktown City strike in the very first minute with an incredible long range shot. Lara Green could not have caught her shot more sweetly and it sailed over the stunned Kiara Fragomeli in the Marconi goal and dipped under the bar for a sensational start to the game. The touch-paper was lit and the bumper crowd expected fireworks to follow, but some wasteful finishing from both sides, a little luck in defence and two inspired goalkeeping performances kept the rest of the game goalless and City nicked the three points in a tense finish.
The last throes of summer greeted players and fans as they arrived in sunny Seven Hills, and the slightly delayed start had us underway a few minutes later than planned. The coaches and fans were just taking their seats when Blacktown City launched the ball forward from the kick off. Green was onto it in a flash, the quickest to react on the left side of the attack, and after a touch to steady herself, she unleashed an incredible shot over Fragomeli and just under the bar for a stunning opening goal.
That sparked a frantic opening to the game, and it was Marconi who did most of the probing in the Blacktown half. Talia Kupceric burst through on the right and brought a fabulous save from Amy Harkin, and she was in the thick of it again soon after, Abby Duggan keeping her at bay at the expense of a corner.
Eleni El Azar was the next to go close as she forced a shot against the left-hand post, and Amira Shalak struck from distance but Harkin was right behind it. The right-hand side was fruitful for the visitors, Stevie Flint first finding space up the wing, then Kupceric firing in a cross that no one could finish. Marconi were enjoying the game, but had already started the game off in deficit. When Kupceric raided up the right once more, Aurelia Smith deflected the ball against her own post before Niamh Nolan could clear the ball away. City were struggling to get out of their half, with wayward passing from the back giving Marconi more and more possession.
Nolan was again instrumental in defence when Annabelle Gerard could only head backwards with the sun straight in her eyes, Nolan quickest to clear up the danger, and City only got respite when Brianna Tinney was thumped to the floor for a free-kick in the middle of the park. A long raking ball found Lucia Franulovic, who shot on goal, but Fragomeli was equal to it. Another foul gave City a chance to give the visiting defence a test, but the ball was cleared and Elizabeth Jamieson raced out of defence, the home team grateful for Harkin’s quick thinking in coming out to meet the shot, which was straight at her.
A galloping run from Nicola Ciocca saw her stride down the left wing, and when she cut in, there was a faint shout for a foul as she hit the deck on the edge of the area. The game was becoming littered with fouls, Tinney again on the receiveing end, but again Gerard’s free kick into the danger zone was easily dealt with. Smith broke up the left and went to ground under pressure, but kept the move going, but the fluent attacking from the wings that we have become accustomed to at Landen Stadium had deserted the home team.
Gerard had to be quick to thwart Kupceric at the expense of another corner, and when the ball was half-cleared, Mona Amini smashed in a shot which Harkin plucked spectacularly out of the air to cheers from the stands.
A good win by Ciocca on the left then set Emily Jackson away, but her defender was resolute and the ball was shepherded out deep into the penalty area. Amini was fouled and Jamieson flashed in a quick free kick – Nolan read the flight of the ball, but her clearance was sliced spectacularly over her own bar to the relief of the home fans.
City then fashioned a great chance, Green did well to keep in the ball and fed Jackson through the middle. Fragomeli had raced out of her area and was easily rounded by Jackson, who took a moment and clipped the ball towards goal from thirty yards out, the ball nestling in the net as the whistle blew to acknowledge the assistant referee’s flag, the first in a litany of offsides that would blight the game.
A ball played across the City defence was bravely headed away by Nolan under pressure, but she had taken a knock to the head and was down. El Azar received a yellow card. There was concern from Nolan’s teammates and she was led off the field to be replaced by Hayley Reynolds, a sizeable bump visible on her head already.
Once play resumed, the players having taken on much-needed fluid, Jackson and Tinney combined to release Reynolds, but she was offside. Smith and Franulovic combined up the right, but the cross was easy for Fragomeli, before City had their best chance of the half. Tinney was released on the left and arrowed down on goal; she had time and space, took a moment to compose herself, but the shot was straight into the arms of Fragomeli and Marconi survived. The half ended with Kupceric menacing up the right again, Franulovic quick to mop up this time and the whistle sounded to bring a fascinating half to a close.
The second half was only a moment old when Tinney brought down Caitlin Cook on the right. The free kick from Jamieson was right into the penalty area, but Harkin leapt and gathered well. Tinney and Sania Sahib were embroiled in a head-to-head battle which was entertaining to watch, but the main danger was Kupceric, and this time she managed to get the cross in which Harkin claimed well.
As was the case in the first half, Marconi persisted up the right. Alliyah Yamaguchi tricked her way to the byline and again Harkin had to be sure with her handling to claim the swirling cross.
City did though create a glorious chance when Jackson fed Reynolds, but her fierce shot was acrobatically tipped away for a corner. Green’s corner was straight at Fragomeli with the City attack waiting in the area. Isabella Saunders then gave away a foul on the left; set-piece specialist Jamieson swung the ball in but Harkin was there to take the sting out of the Marconi attack once more.
All of a sudden a poor goal kick from Fragomeli was intercepted by Reynolds. The ball fell for Tinney with the Marconi goalkeeper stranded, but the instant shot was wide of the post and the visitors were given a let-off. A superb turn by Tinney then allowed her to play in Reynolds on goal, but not for the first time, she had strayed offside and the frustration continued.
Gerard’s long free kick up the right found Saunders in space, and she cut in and delayed the delivery allowing her defender to concede the corner. Reynolds was caught offside again, looking straight into the assistant referee’s eyes in an offside position and the theme of the day started to irritate.
A moment of panic in the City defence then almost let in Marconi for the equaliser. Harkin let the ball bounce and couldn’t win the high ball, and she was happy to see Duggan clearing up behind with Yamaguchi in attendance.
Reynolds then broke away up the left , but a majestic tackle by Olivia Marchione stopped her in her tracks. Mel Napoli then raced up the right and delivered a teasing ball across goal but there was no one there to apply the finish and the goalshy City attack was once again denied. Jamieson then sliced down Reynolds on the left to earn herself a yellow card, and she was immediately substituted by the no-nonsense Marconi coach. The free kick was hit straight at Fragomeli by Saunders.
Marconi then broke up the left, Yamaguchi and Emma Dugandzic combined but the cross was wasted. Reynolds then fed Saunders at the other end, but the whistle had gone for, yes, you guessed it, offside before she could smash the ball home. Napoli teased a ball through for Tinney, but Fragomeli was out quickly.
The visitors then fashioned their best chance of the half when Kupceric burst through with only Harkin to beat, but the City goalkeeper stood her ground and the shot was straight into her arms with the whole of the goal to aim at. A glorious chance wasted.
Napoli was caught offside. Ciocca intercepted well to feed Saunders. Offside. Franulovic conceded a free kick out on the left and it looked like the most likely route to goal for the away team. Amini took the free kick but the header under pressure at the far post was harmlessly wide. Kupceric smashed in a shot that brought cries of handball, but the referee was unmoved, and then Sahib was brought down by the tenacious Franulovic for a free kick, central and within range. Amini’s strike from the free kick was well dealt with by Harkin.
City still had plenty of attacking to do. A free kick by Gerard found Saunders in acres of space on the right. She cut in and went for goal, but again the shot was straight at the goalkeeper. Marconi then did the same thing, Kupceric clean through with only Harkin to beat, and again she hit the ball straight into the grateful goalkeeper’s arms when a little bit of imagination was needed.
Tinney’s close control then sent a ball through to Napoli via a deflection off the defender, but the verdict was offside. At the other end, Harkin was left to deal with a bouncing ball with Kupceric in attendance; the ball bounced away from goal and Harkin was stranded, but the ball was slow in coming into the box and City survived.
Another foul on Sahib brought a free kick, in a perfect position, this time Marchione lifted the ball over the bar and the chance was gone. Saunders raced away up the right as City looked to seal the win, but she stalled, unsure as to whether to chance her arm again on goal or tee up Napoli in the centre and the ball was duly blocked by the defender. Reynolds then shot from long range on a whim that didn’t trouble Fragomeli, and City were hemmed into their half for the final three minutes as they fought to preserve the lead that they had held for the entire game.
The final whistle was a relief for the home team, frustration for the visitors in equal measure after they had squandered good positions. For City, the pattern continues. One of the lowest scoring teams in the league, they still find themselves in the top half thanks to their miserly defence. To have won five games and only scored nine goals tells a story, and it was something that coach Jake Gomez was keen to address as he contemplated this narrow win.
Blacktown City continue their run of home games with a tough assignment against Bankstown City Lions next weekend, while Marconi face a free-scoring Mt Druitt Town Rangers at Marconi Stadium. Stay tuned for more top-class Football NSW League One Women’s action as Blacktown City look to establish themselves as a top-half team in a very difficult league.
Now, just to finish, here are some of our Under 20s stars hamming it up for the camera. These girls certainly play with smiles on their faces.
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