South East Phoenix 0 Blacktown City 2
Blacktown City arrested their mini slump in the Football NSW Girls Youth League 2 Under 18s with a commanding victory in Nowra against a spirited South East Phoenix on Sunday. A maiden goal for Evdokia Papafilopoulos and a trademark finish from Zoe Thompson had the visitors in the box seat by half time, but any momentum was lost in the second half and a serious injury to striker Sarah De Sousa stopped the game prematurely, the score remaining 2-0 to Blacktown City as the full-time whistle sounded across the otherwise deserted field.
A game that was in jeopardy all week due to the weather was further affected by a sewerage problem in the main stadium at Ison Park, forcing this game onto an adjoining field as Blacktown City were the latest team to head to South Nowra in search of competition points. South East Phoenix started the day at the bottom of the ladder coming into this one, but had run some teams close in recent weeks, so the injury-hit City would need to be on high alert to turn their season back around. Goalkeeper Millie White took her position behind central defenders Bridie Glover and Emily Grasso for the hosts, but not before the teams had lined up for a solemn minute’s silence for one of the South East Phoenix club members.
City started in a lively fashion, Mikayla Gadd racing forward to force a corner from nothing, and Thompson repeated the feat soon after, the corner kicks themselves not forcing White into any action. Lily Waterhouse was the first player to get a shot in, the ball falling to her outside the area, but she didn’t catch it right and White was right behind it.
A superb run from Emily Jackson saw her feed Thompson who found Lara Green on the rampage up the left, and she teed up a shot that was again straight at White in the Phoenix goal. There was little for Phoenix to feed off up front, and when goalkeeper Courtney Mackenzie did field the ball, she sent it upfield immediately. Papafilopoulos was onto it in a flash, putting enough pressure on her defender to force the error, and she made off towards goal with the ball, taking her time to size up the opportunity and lashed the ball into the goal, giving White no chance. Her first goal of the season, and a well-taken one at that.
Jackson was enjoying a lot of possession, allowed to advance through the middle of midfield, and when she found Thompson, the shot was true, but once more straight at White and Phoenix survived. A long searching run by Waterhouse then won a corner on the left. Thompson went for the in-swinger, which bounced off the near post, City unable to profit from the rebound. When Phoenix did venture forward, they were well marshalled, Aurelia Smith able to ease Hailee Glover off the ball. When a throw-in on the left turned into a corner, Sophie De Wit sent in a shot from distance that Mackenzie easily fielded.
The hosts continued to put themselves about, Courtney Kitching penalised harshly on the left for a foul just outside the penalty area. Grasso sent in the free kick and Mackenzie watched it sail over the bar, hitting the back stanchion of the goal to oohs from the crowd. When Amelia Cummings got free down the right for the home team, she crossed for Marli Renshaw, but Mackenzie was alert to the danger. The game was in the balance, and City were under pressure.
City attacked. Papafilopoulos did well to win the ball and feed Jackson, who advanced upfield and unleashed a shot that just cleared the corner of post and bar. Green then marauded up the left to cross, the ball blazed away out of the park for a corner as a new ball was found. Thompson’s corner found Kitching with the header, and Gadd just couldn’t connect at the far post to convert the chance.
Renshaw then won a free kick on the right. Grasso sent in another searching free kick, but Mackenzie made a difficult save look comfortable.
City started to press for a second. Thompson did well on the right to cross for Papafilopoulos, but her control let her down, White able to intercept, then Jackson’s probing ball for Papafilopoulos saw the City attacker bumped off the ball, fairly according to the referee. Papfilopoulos controlled a high ball and lifted a pass over to Thompson but White was attentive to the unfolding situation and raced out to collect. A fabulous nove involving Jackson, Papafilopoulos and Waterhouse then saw Jackson fire in a shot that White saved and pounced on the rebound as the ball threatened to bounce out of her grasp.
City’s best move of the game saw Smith advance in midfield and play a deliciously weighted pass through for Thompson, who advanced and fired a low shot out of the reach of White, but agonisingly past the far post.
A speculator from Grasso kept Mackenzie on her toes as Phoenix reminded the visitors of the slender scoreline, but City kept pushing for a second goal. A mysterious handball call from the referee gave Jackson the chance to lift in a delightful free kick, but White showed good hands to come and collect the ball under pressure. Green was again busy up the left, embarking on a lung-busting run upfield, Hadli Lissenden doing well to force the ball away for a throw-in. The second goal did finally arrive, and it was beautifully executed, Rachel Fry slipping the ball through for Thompson, and the City striker made no mistake with a low finish past White for 2-0.
A third goal before half time was not out of the realms of possibility, and when Green and Fry combined to play in Thompson, the City forward showed great feet to get away the shot, but White was behind it an saved easily. Blacktown with the advantage at half time and the feeling was that this could develop into a comprehensive victory in the second half as the players disappeared into the changing rooms.
Jackson seemed determined to put White to the test, and took on three players before shooting just wide of the post as City started the second half with their tails up. Gadd found space on the right to cross, but White intercepted well, but there were signs that the game was turning in the hosts’ favour, Angelica Conate and Kitching having to be very neat and tidy at the back, using Mackenzie as the extra defender to mop up when they were involved in a foot race with their attacker. At one stage Kitching left the ball for Mackenzie, who had left the ball for Kitching, and City were almost caught out, and a midfield giveaway by the visitors allowed Glover a sight on goal, but Conate intercepted with a fabulous tackle to cut out the immediate danger.
Grasso’s free kicks were into the right area, but there was little change from the City defence, and when Kitching was penalised for a shove on the edge of the area, Phoenix might have expected more from Grasso, but the ball was well wide of the goal.
The game continued in the City half, and the visiting defence almost coughed up a goal, Gadd’s bizarre ball straight to Leilarni Findeisen giving the Phoenix striker a chance to score her team’s first goal of the season, but the shot was harmlessly wide from close range.
Blacktown finally got their grip back on the game; Fry flicked a ball to De Sousa, who showed good persistence to beat her player on the right and fire in a shot that went just wide. There was a definite shout for a penalty as De Sousa was sent tumbling in the area, the referee unmoved despite the clumsy challenge. Thompson then swivelled and ran at goal, her shot well saved by White and the rebound hacked away by the Phoenix defence. There was a lot of toil, but the end product wasn’t there for Blacktown.
Cummings was the constant thorn up front, the City defence struggling to contain her as she hassled and harried, but it was City with the half-chance when Waterhouse passed to Smith who fed Fry but the powerful shot was always rising and just cleared the bar.
The game ended in extraordinary fashion. A ball was played forward in midfield for City and bounced past De Sousa, who was hauled to the ground and left in a heap on the grass. As players stopped in anticipation of the referee’s whistle, Papafilopoulos was clean through. She hesitated, the referee waved play on, goalkeeper White wasn’t even watching as confusion reigned at Ison Park, and when Papafilopoulos eventually gathered herself and went to shoot, she had left it too late and the shot was blocked. All eyes turned to De Sousa, who had sustained a neck injury, vocally appealing to the referee for the foul, and was now on the floor, not moving and clearly in a lot of pain. The referee sent the players off to the benches to give the two club physios an opportunity to tend to the stricken City player, and eventually, after a lengthy delay, the final whistle sounded to signal the end of the 90 minutes.
City had won the encounter, but De Sousa was down in the middle of the field, awaiting an ambulance to assess the situation. A round of applause accompanied De Sousa into the ambulance after on-field assessment. The City players had a long journey home, De Sousa delayed in Shoalhaven Hospital while she was cleared of any major damage, and an eventful afternoon in Nowra had reaped three points and a clean sheet, but at what cost?
South East Phoenix continue their quest for a first point and a first goal of the season when they entertain Blacktown Spartans on Friday night and on today’s performance they could go close to getting both. Blacktown City meanwhile will be looking to stem the flow of goals for free-scoring SD Raiders when they visit Ernie Smith Reserve on Sunday afternoon. Stay tuned for more exciting action from the Football NSW Leagues.
Thanks for reading this far! As always, there may be some facts that need to be corrected; if you spot a mistake, please do not hesitate to contact me and it will be fixed. Those 1s look like 7s on the back of the Phoenix shirts! Look forward to seeing you back next week for another exciting wrap up of the action. And a shout out to the two physios and everyone involved as Blacktown’s Sarah De Sousa was treated on the field at full-time. It’s good to know our girls are in good hands.