Blacktown City 1 Camden Tigers 0
Blacktown City’s search for a goalscoring solution continues following a narrow 1-0 win against Camden Tigers at Landen Stadium. Sunday’s Football NSW League One Women’s Under 20s clash of two mid-table teams was locked at 0-0 for 88 minutes when Niamh Nolan burst clear to finish at the Prospect Highway End, a wave of relief flooding through her team as they finally snatched the three points. The visitors can consider themselves unfortunate, and they had their own chances to win the game throughout the preceding tussle, but ultimately and perhaps predictably, that single goal was enough to send the home team back to winning ways and keep them in touching distance of the top four.
Coach Jake Gomez brought in Sophie Roberts for a first start to try and turn his team’s enterprising approach play into goals, and there was a debut for new signing Emma Kociper in goal and a first appearance since round 1 for Zoe Thompson on the bench to add some firepower to the misfiring Blacktown attack. The opening exchanges were brutal, robust challenges flying in, Montanna Taff and Isabella La Malfa having to keep cool heads at the heart of the Camden defence to repel the waves of City attack down both flanks.
The first chance came within minutes, and it was a sweet turn by Issy Saunders and strength through the tackle that saw the ball played through to Hayley Reynolds on the right side of the penalty area in space. By the time the ball was under control the defence was in tackling range, but Reynolds got the shot away, goalkeeper Zarli Lakeman making a fine stop.
Blacktown continued with their positive play up the left and when Roberts dug out a cross, La Malfa sent a looping header towards her own goal that Lakeman did well to reach and hold on to the rebound.
Camden were in control at the back, taking the sting out of the game, while City sat back inviting them to attack. When Eve Wilson slotted through a ball for the dangerous Emilia Michalak, Nicola Ciocca was quickly on the scene to clear up the danger. Michalak then beat two City players on the right to deliver a deflected spinning ball into the penalty area, and when Kociper couldn’t hold it, Aurelia Smith was there to force the ball behind with Camden players lurking in front of the unguarded goal.
More good work up the right saw Wilson fire in a shot that bounced wide and the danger signs were there for the home team. City countered and raided down the right, Reynolds teasing in a cross, Emily Jackson challenged with Lakeman and the ball popped out to Roberts who fired a stinging shot just past the post. The wide play from City was bringing dangerous moments; first Roberts fed Reynolds but her touch was too strong, then Smith, Jackson and Reynolds combined with slick one-touch passing, Saunders challenging with the goalkeeper, Lakeman doing well to snatch the ball ahead of the Blacktown striker.
The home side were given a massive let-off midway through the half. Ciocca dwelled on the ball and was dispossessed, Shae Paananen racing clear with only Kociper to beat, but the shot was scuffed horribly wide and the chance was gone. The game was ebbing and flowing, Camden’s Jenna Schifino lashing a shot out for a throw-in after a free kick from the left, while Lucia Franulovic raced on to another tidy move by Smith and Reynolds, but the cross was again well dealt with by Lakeman.
Michalak raced through with Lily Thompson in close attendance, Kociper out quickly to deny the tricky Camden forward, before City fashioned their best chance yet when Reynolds raced through to challenge with the advancing Lakeman. The ball fell perfectly for the pacy Blacktown winger, who took a touch past Lakeman and fired on goal from an acute angle. Unbelievably the ball bounced off the bar of the open goal and a glorious chance was missed.
Saunders then fired in a cross that Lakeman did well to inercept; Roberts played in Saunders but Lakeman made a good save, before Camden produced their best football of the half. First Schifino raced up the left, the cross showing us Ciocca’s phenomenal pace in dealing with the loose ball, then Rebekah Fenech found space on the left, but Annabelle Gerard was there with a big clearance. Michalak smashed a high ball into the area that had the City defence on full alert, but the half ended with City on the attack. Great work by Jackson and Nolan saw Jackson cut in from the left and fire in a shot. Lakeman saved with her feet as the ball bounced in front of her, and coach Gomez could be heard cursing when no City player followed up the shot. The half-time whistle went with the scores locked at 0-0, the hopes of a change in fortune in front of goal as yet unrealised.
A careless start to the second half had City on the defensive. Paananen released on the left but pushing the ball too far. The spectre of offside that has plagued the home team in such games this season was again in evidence, when newly introduced substitute Zoe Thompson played a one-two with Saunders but had gone too early. Smith then played in Saunders on the right, but she ran out of space looking for a cross, before Jackson showed her trickery to win a corner on the left.
Jackson’s corner was controlled by Gerard, but the rushed shot was hoisted well over the bar. Blacktown then had a horror moment that could and should have changed the context of the game. Ciocca played a ball straight to Paananen who raced through, poking a shot goalwards. Kociper got a touch and the ball was hacked away for a corner, the City defence breathing a sigh of relief.
Ellie-Leigh Lontis was brought down centrally for a free-kick to the Tigers, and when Michalak raced on to Maddison Jones’ ball, Ciocca was there to clean up, using her pace and strength to again avert the danger.
More enterprise from Zoe Thompson and Nolan saw Jackson cross from the left but Lakeman was there to pick the ball out of the air. It was end-to-end now, a simple clearance saw Michalak race through but Ciocca was there once more, Kociper pouncing on the loose ball.
Sienna Bell then sprinted onto a through ball from Zoe Thompson to fire on goal, Lakeman getting an important touch to send the ball wide. The resulting corner was met by Roberts with a glancing header, but she didn’t get enough on it and the ball went well past the far post. A Blacktown City game would not be complete without a fearless crunching tackle by Bell, this time leaving Jones with no doubt of her opponent’s presence.
Paananen continued to make headway up the left, unlucky not to keep the ball in with Gerard in close attendance. The delicate skills of Ashlee Taff were starting to give the City defence issues, and it was the busy midfielder who curled a shot on goal that Kociper saved comfortably. Taff then played through Lara Underwood but Abby Duggan was quickly on the scene, Taff’s shot from the loose ball blocked.
City kept pushing. Zoe Thompson played in Jackson who raced through, but the defence swamped her and the chance was gone before she could get the shot in. Zoe Thompson then almost intercepted a backpass before Franulovic was upended for a free-kick in a dangerous position. The free-kick was lifted towards Brianna Tinney, who looked for a moment to be peeling off the back of her defender to meet the ball on the volley, but instead the ball bounced through harmlessly for a goal kick.
City were frustrated, but persistent. Tinney played a superb ball to Bell on the right. She reached the byline and crossed, the ball cleared to Duggan, racing in on the right of the penalty area, but her composure deserted her, and the shot was blazed into the canteen behind.
Roberts then played in Tinney in a similar situation on the right, but the shot on the stretch was well wide of Lakeman’s goal. Tinney flattened Charlotte Taylor in frustration, before Tinney and Duggan combined beautifully, but the cross was too close to the grateful Lakeman.
Time was running out. City were rampant. Zoe Thompson suddenly touched a pass in for Nolan on the run and she found herself one-on-one with Lakeman. Despite a heavy second touch, the Camden goalkeeper hesitating as the City winger bore the weight of her team’s hopes on her shoulders, Nolan got to the ball first, poking the ball inside the near post with a terrific finish. The relief was palpable. The celebrating players were joined by the rest of their teammates, celebrating more that the weight had been lifted, rather than in joy at the winning goal.
The game had a minute left, but when Zoe Thompson was upended and knocked her head on the hard surface, the referee was obliged to offer treatment, taking the clock to the 90-minute mark and handing the three points to the home team.
This had been a difficult game for Blacktown City. They had certainly made it difficult for themselves. The domination in the first half was replaced by nerves in the second, and momentary lapses in concentration almost cost them all the points in what should never have been such an even game.
The wait for the complete Blacktown City performance continues, but the welcome three points and a debut clean sheet for Emma Kociper keeps the home team in touch with the leaders. The visitors were understandably gutted by the manner of the defeat after giving a good account of themselves for the whole ninety minutes. Camden Tigers entertain SD Raiders next week in a tricky encounter to kick off the second round of fixtures, while Blacktown City travel to Nepean in the hope of turning their dominance into goals and righting the wrongs of their round one clash at Landen Stadium.
Congratulations on the win, but improvement is still sought. Was it one? Yes. Was it easy? No. See you next week for more top drawer action from the Football NSW League One Women’s Under 20s. Enjoy your week!
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