Blacktown City 1 Bankstown City Lions 1
Blacktown City’s Emily Jackson took full advantage of a contentious refereeing decision midway through the second half to sweep her team into the lead against the run of play in their Football NSW League One Women’s Under 20 clash with Bankstown City. A flurry of substitutions then led to a well-taken equaliser by Aniese Ismail as the half wore on and by the final whistle, the home team were holding on to parity as the energetic visitors squandered the better chances to wrap up the three points. An entertaining game at Landen Stadium to kick off Female Football Week despite the less-than-favourable weather and the onset of winter.
Heavy rain in some parts of Sydney hadn’t hit Blacktown at kick-off, but this was definitely a wintry scene as the teams walked out onto the field led by the officials for this special fixture between two mid-table teams with lofty ambitions. It was a family affair too as Bankstown’s goalkeeper Ivana Franulovic faced off against Blacktown City captain Lucia Franulovic; this would be an entertaining spectacle for that fact alone. Blacktown sprung to life early in the game, Lily Thompson firing in a shot from distance, and from the clumsy clearance, Sienna Bell fired over the bar, the home team trying to assert themeslves from the start.
Caitlin Bleeker spun quickly just outside the area at the other end and fired over, a warning shot for the hosts, but Blacktown continued to attack, Lara Green brought down on the left when challenging for a long free kick from Annabelle Gerard. Gerard’s shot from the set piece was just wide of the right-hand post. There were early signs of the refereeing team’s difficulties when Hayley Reynolds’ run was halted and bounced off her, only for the referee to signal for a corner. Bell then played in Jackson on the right, who did well to get a shot in, but it was always going to hit the side-netting. Throw-ins were mysteriously going to the wrong team, and the players were powerless to argue, the frustration mounting and Bankstown centre-back Elif Erdogan becoming frustrated.
Bleeker and Sammi-Lee Nassar combined well up the right for the visitors, but Gerard did well to clear the danger. Jackson and Green then gave us a passage of intricate passes that won a corner for the home side, but Jackson’s corner was again ineffective, Blacktown City unable to make any impression in the penalty area. Two good breaks from the visitors then threatened to open the scoring. First, Ismail raced up the right and crossed well, but Blacktown goalkeeper Amy Harkin was quick to react. Then Nassar beat Niamh Nolan on the right but again Harkin was alert and plucked the dangerous cross out of the air.
The quality of passing in midfield was making this a difficult game to watch at times, but route-one was always an option. A free-kick from Sofija Zabic saw Ismail race through unchallenged, but the bounce of the slick surface took the ball straight through to Harkin, who had raced out smartly. There were moments of skill though. Thompson smashed in a shot from distance that was just wide of the left-hand post, and Sienna Broughton had the crowd off their seats with some Brazilian trickery in the middle of the park as the visitors pressed. Chiara Cencigh did brilliantly to keep the ball in on the left and raced to the byline; she tricked her way past Abby Duggan, but Gerard was there to concede the corner.
The moment the crowd had been waiting for came soon after, when Lucia Franulovic took aim from distance with a looping shot. Ivana Franulovic in the Bankstown goal stood her ground and made the save at the second attempt as the spectators held their breath. Nolan then did brilliantly on the left to beat her player, played a one-two with Reynolds and looked up to see Bell steaming in at the far post, but her cross was cut out by goalkeeper Franulovic and the home team were denied.
Bell’s all-action style then saw her go in with a crunching tackle on the right to raise the eyebrows of the referee, but no card was shown. Nolan then cut in from the left and delivered a through ball that was just too strong, Reynolds unable to get a foot in as Franulovic advanced. Bleeker was bossing the midfield for Bankstown, but half-time was welcome for the visitors, the scores locked at 0-0, but a stiff wind starting to blow towards the Ashley Brown end of Landen Stadium that would give them the advantage in the second period.
A searching run by Broughton was curtailed when Nolan intercepted at the expense of a corner as Bankstown started the second half on the attack. Ismail met the corner unchallenged with a header that Harkin and Nolan combined to scramble off the line, but the ball fell perfectly for Cencigh who blazed over the bar from close range. A great chance gone begging. Blacktown’s Franulovic was then fouled, Gerard hoisting the free-kick long to the edge of the area where Brianna Tinney did well to head on, but Bankstown cleared their lines.
Blacktown continued to attack. Thompson played a ball out to Reynolds who shot, but Bankstown’s Franulovic was right behind it. Enterprising work up the right then saw Jackson find Tinney in space on the left, who shot instinctively, the ball just going past the left-hand post to oohs from the main stand.
A moment that will be scrutinised intensely on the footage after the game then saw Thompson feed Reynolds, the ball just a little too strong. Reynolds didn’t give up though and managed to get the cross in. Arms went up for a goal kick but Jackson reacted quickest and flicked the ball into the net with the whole defence standing in disbelief, expecting the assistant referee’s flag to be raised. Memories of Japan v Spain at the Qatar World Cup, and the goal stood despite the protestations of the Bankstown defenders who were much closer than the assistant referee. 1-0 to the home team then, somewhat against the run of play, and definitely contentious.
Gerard released Reynolds for another run up the right, which was bundled behind for another corner, before Blacktown changed the spine of the team with a triple substitution. Kath Spooner-Smith had done well to intercept when she was closed down and coughed up possession, Ismail striding through unchallenged to lift a superb shot around Harkin for the equaliser. Her celebrations were raucous, leaving her on the ground, and when play resumed she was down again; perhaps an injury from the celebrations, it’s been done before!
Blacktown had to react. Tinney chanced at a long-range effort with Asha Eveniss in an offside position, but it was easy for Franulovic. The home team then fashioned a great chance, Eveniss for Tinney up the left who crossed and the ball fell for Issy Saunders, who smashed the ball at goal from close-range, but Franulovic pushed the ball round the post with a reaction save. The resulting corner saw Samantha Cole challenge with the defenders and when the ball broke out to Green, she hoisted the ball well over the bar.
Another moment of controversy then saw the assistant referee at the other end pull up Bankstown for offside, hoots of derision echoing from the main stand as the call was subject to much debate. A quick free-kick then saw Ismail played in again and she should have hit the target but sent the ball over the bar. Cencigh threatened to burst through the whole Blacktown defence on her own, bundling through a number of tackles as the visitors pressed for a winner, and an almighty scramble ended with a ball poked wide when the goal was open.
The defending was shambolic as Blacktown were hemmed in, and a corner was twice-cleared only to be launched back in and Karen Bennett met the cross unmarked but headed over the bar.
Blacktown though did finish the game strongly. Tinney was brought down on the left, Saunders smashed a shot on goal over the wall which was just wide. Reynolds then raced to the byline again on the right, but this time the assistant ruled the ball out. Green played in Saunders but the ball was too strong, and as the clock edged closer to 90 minutes, Tinney took on a 40-yard shot that was never going to threaten the Bankstown goal. The final whistle was met with muted applause. This had been a below-par performance from the home team, and they had allowed their visitors to play in their half for large parts of the second half.
Coach Jake Gomez delivered some home-truths at the end as the players gathered to dissect the result. They would have to be so much better next week when they visit high-flying free-scoring Mt Druitt Town, and today will look like points dropped when in fact it was probably the right result.
Bankstown City Lions will meet Mt Druitt Town Rangers first though, a midweek clash at Jensen Park, while Blacktown City travel to Popondetta Park on Sunday. Stay tuned to see how the league’s fourth most miserly defence goes against the division’s top scorers.
Thanks for reading. Remember to like and share wherever you clicked and feel free to leave a comment on the page too! Look forward to the next report from the Football NSW League One Women’s Under 20s. Let’s go City!