Blacktown City 0 Bankstown City Lions 1
A terrific free kick from Rachel Thompson midway through the first half was enough to steer Bankstown City Lions to victory at Landen Stadium as Blacktown City were made to pay for their profligacy in front of goal. Despite a host of chances for the home team, there was only ever going to be one goal in it as two well-matched teams battled in the hot sun in this Easter weekend clash. The result led to the two teams swapping positions in the tight mid-table tussle, and City will know that their problem area is far from being resolved.
There was a familiar name for the Lions as Ivana Franulovic lined up in goal behind her central defenders Rachel Thompson and Samantha Casamento and with the lively Mia Martin in midfield, the visitors looked fresh and ready in the early stages. Blacktown took their time to settle, Rachel Fry pressing up the right to win a throw-in to ease the pressure, and from then on, the game was open and hotly contested. Lara Green forced a corner on the left after Emilie Chandran had battled with her defender; Emily Jackson lifted the corner in, Fry laid the ball back for Zoe Thompson, but the shot was just wide of the post.
Bankstown attacked, Hannah Al Koudmani breaking free on the right, but her shot was into the side netting with goalkeeper Courtney Mackenzie relying on instinct to leave the ball. City were the next to go close, Jackson cutting in from the left an unleashing from distance, but the ball bounced harmlessly through to Franulovic. The end-to-end nature of the game continued, Chandran forced to concede a corner on the Bankstown right. The City defence were caught napping as Bankstown took the corner short but Al Koudmani could only fire the ball high and wide. Nova Batman drove in a long-range effort soon after that Mackenzie dealt with comfortably, and City contonued to be hemmed in when Evangeline Santarossa and Allegra Park combined, but Courtney Kitching was alert and cleared the danger from right in front of goal.
Kitching was caught with the ball, but somehow won a free-kick as City diced with danger, and from the resulting long ball, Zoe Thompson took the ball in her stride, but Casamento did well to shepherd her away from goal. A harsh free kick conceded by Angelica Conate gave the visitors a good chance from a useful position; Rachel Thompson rolled the ball to Al Koudmani but the shot was blazed wide. The busy Conate then gifted the ball to her striker with a moment of madness, but she was quick to pounce when the Lions’ player failed to control. A searing hot day, getting hotter and hotter as the sun beat down on the smouldering Landen Stadium surface, allowed at least a drinks break, and both teams were happy to take on fluids.
The Bankstown coach let his team know in no uncertain terms that the performance was not up to standard, but the game continued its open and flowing pattern. Fry poked a ball through for Zoe Thompson, but Franulovic was out quickly to smother with the City striker reluctant to challenge for the ball. When Claudia Janus was sliced down deep inside the City half, that gave Bankstown another free kick in dangerous territory. This time Rachel Thompson lined up the shot, and the crowd held their collective breath as the shot sailed over the wall and beat the outstretched hands of Mackenzie, the ball somehow finding the very top-right corner of the net for an absolute corker of a goal. Quite righty the Bankstown players rejoiced; it was a goal worthy of a bigger stage than this.
The game was now well and truly sparked into life, Fry did a great turn on the left, emulating the superb spin of her teammate Chandran earlier in the half; Lily Waterhouse was onto the ball, and she forced the ball to Zoe Thompson, whose fierce shot was parried by Franulovic, and for a split second, Waterhouse had time and space to sweep the ball home on the rebound, but the defence closed in, and the ball was forced off the line and behind for a corner. Fry’s corner was met on the volley by the in-rushing Kitching but she couldn’t get the purchase on it, and a good chance went begging. The expert officiating was throwing up some strange moments, Zoe Thompson awarded a free kick in mysterious circumstances, and when Green was brought down and Fry played on looking to cross, play was brought back for the free kick, the referee having no faith that the cross would eventuate and that any advantage had gone.
The free kick was played in by Jackson, into the corridor of uncertainty, and Kitching managed to force a corner from Franulovic. Zoe Thompson fired just over from the corner and City’s wait for a goal would continue. Mikayla Gadd gave away possession cheaply on half way and Bankstown were off, Kitching taking a yellow card for the team as she sliced down Janus. Gadd then combined well with Zoe Thompson on the right, but the cross was cleared. Aurelia Smith pressured the Lions’ defence into a corner, Zoe Thompson’s corner kick falling for Green in a good position, but the shot was into Row Z even though she caught it well.
More industry from Smith in midfield saw Zoe Thompson cross to the unmarked Sarah De Sousa, but the free header was well off-target and Bankstown survived. The half ended with City in attack, De Sousa winning a cheap free kick that Zoe Thompson fired in, but Franulovic was behind it all the way. The half-time whistle was most welcome, the players once again having to do battle in furnace-like conditions.
City were slow out of the changing rooms, and were slow at the start of the second half. Bankstown looked the stronger side, but the chances fell City’s way. Smith and Fry combined to set up Zoe Thompson, but her shot was well saved by Franulovic. Green showed quick feet up the left, Zoe Thompson getting the ball through for De Sousa who was upended for a free kick on the left. Another perfectly weighted set piece from Jackson saw Franulovic come out, three City players closing in, and the visiting goalkeeper did well to field the ball. De Sousa then played in Green who had raced forward with a lung-busting run, but she ran out of space, and Green then intercepted a stray pass to tee up Jackson for a long-range shot but the ball bounced wide.
The pressure was relentless. De Sousa eked a free kick from the referee on the right. Kitching lifted in a tempting free kick, Jackson was on the scene, but couldn’t connect – any touch would have surely beaten Franulovic, but the ball rolled harmlessly wide. Gadd then romped up the right to win a corner; Fry’s centre found the head of Kitching, but the header was well off-target under pressure by the City captain. The visitors finally attacked, Sienna Hwaylo combining with Al Koudmani, but Kitching showed them into the corner and out of danger. Mackenzie’s huge kick then saw De Sousa scamper through, but she was crowded out. Chandran and Jackson linked well up the left, a deft ball through for De Sousa who won the corner.
The pressure was mounting. Fry rode a challenge in midfield and fed De Sousa, and her first-time toe-poke whistled just over the bar. Chandran was then sent into space on the left, but opted not to shoot, De Sousa was brought down, but Jackson’s free kick saw Kitching stray offside and another chance was passed up. Another powerful run by Smith than saw her drive a cross in near post, Franulovic getting there before De Sousa, and Jackson gave us a Maradonna run, weaving trough players at will, but she just couldn’t find the final pass. A totally dominant quarter of the game ended with De Sousa feeding Fry, but Franulovic had read the danger and came out to pounce on the ball. The second drinks break was upon us, fluids were needed for a final push.
Confusion reigned at the start of the final quarter, everyone stopped as Al Koudmani fired in a shot, Park did well to win a subsequent corner, and Mackenzie was fouled as she took the cross. De Sousa then attacked, feeding Fry who showed good strength, but again the shot was saved. A long clearance then nearly caught out City, Kitching slipped and Mackenzie could only slice the ball out for a corner. Al Koudmani’s corner flashed across goal with no takers. City continued to push, Smith pushing a ball through for Fry, but she ran out of space, before Smith intercepted a stray pass on the edge of the Bankstown penalty area and advanced on goal, the shot an inch wide of the far post. Glorious play by Green on the left saw Zoe Thompson win a throw-in, but by now a Lions player was down on the ground, game management creeping into the contest at this late stage as legs became weary and faces were flushed.
There was still time. Jackson was fouled on the left, Kitching lifted in another fantastic free kick, but Smith and Jackson couldn’t get the final touch, the ball scrambled for a corner. The sight of Zoe Thompson’s corner kick going straight out of play was a blow, but City weren’t finished, Kitching emerging from defence and embarking on a solo run before flicking the ball to Waterhouse, but the ball ran away from the winger and with it any chance of that equalising goal. The final whistle was a devastating blow; City had run the second half but had been unable to make their possession count.
It’s clear to see what the missing ingredient is; for all the hard work and clever football to create chances, there remains a lack of conviction in the final third of the field. City will need to address this to take their record of one goal per game to the next level. A big test of their defensive quality comes next weekend though as Central Coast Mariners host Blacktown City at Pluim Park, whereas Bankstown host the unpredictable Marconi Stallions back at their Jensen Park home.
Let us rejoice the winning goal today though, a thirty yard screamer into the top right hand corner of the goal; you don’t get many of those in a season, and congratulations Rachel Thompson on the match highlight.
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