Sydney goalless and spoonless

Central Coast Mariners 0 Sydney FC Women 0

Sydney FC women’s team rounded off an incredibly poor season with a priceless point that condemned reigning champions Central Coast Mariners to a sudden early season end, but more importantly prised the Girls In Blue off the foot of the A-League ladder to be replaced by cross-town rivals Western Sydney Wanderers as wooden spooners. The Sky Blues were patient and could have won the game as the contest opened up with the Mariners desperate for a goal, but the single point was enough and the Cove farewelled their heroes hailing a clean sheet but no goals. Saying goodbye to the players was poignant – this could be the last time we see a lot of these players in Sydney colours as the major overhaul gets underway – but we’ll all be back full of hope and expectation when next season rolls aound in six months’ time.

A bit of rain, but thankfully no long-weekend traffic, and the short scoot up the M1 was incident-free, although on arrival in Gosford, the main council car park was shut, forcing us out into the backstreets of the town to jag a free spot. Hotel Gosford was quiet, but our table grew in numbers, and we left in good spirits for the stadium with 45 minutes in hand. We were stopped in our tracks by the queue at the main gate – somehow the gate opening time of 1.30pm had been amended without our knowledge and the barriers were still down. The rush for the gate when it finally opened saw us take up our position in the away bay with the team just finishing up their warm-ups.

The drum arrived with the banners and flags and we were all set up and ready to roar on our players in time for the two teams to enter from the tunnel. Some new players in the team, Tori Tumeeeeth, Amber Luchtmeeeeijer and Kristy Fenton were read out by the ground announcer, and the countdown took place as the players were switching ends, the person in charge clearly not watching what was going on. We Are Sydney rang around the under-populated stadium, Heather Hinz and Tori Tumeth leaving the ball for each other in the first minute giving us no confidence whatsoever.

Sydney were completely prised apart fifteen minutes in, a long ball over the top finding Eliza Familton, a familiar face from NPL youth games over the years, and she galloped away from Willa Pearson, slotting the ball past Hinz, but the ball struck the inside of the post when it looked a goal all ends up. Sydney had very little to offer coming forward and had to soak up a lot of pressure, but young Clare Corbett was a shining light in the middle of the park, being trusted by her teammates to create the space with some very intelligent play.

Amber Luchtmeijer had perhaps the best opportunity of the first half for Sydney, but couldn’t pull the trigger in time before being tackled, and she somehow eked a free kick from the referee after miscontrolling and hitting the deck. The free kick was dangerous from Mackenzie Hawkesby, but the Mariners broke with speed, four players streaming out of defence but they contrived to waste a glorious opportunity to score before getting anywhere near the goal, former Sydney player Millie Farrow with an overhit pass. Abby Lemon strode up the left to cross in front of the Cove, but her ball was to no one and the chance was gone. Sydney were somewhat fortunate to go in 0-0 at half time, and anything could happen in the second half.

The rain had more-or-less cleared up by now, the second period started much the same as the first, Tumeth turning into trouble in her own area and almost gifting a goal. She was soon up at the other end of the field after a lung-busting surge, sliding in to make a chance for Hawkesby and then firing on goal when the chance was blocked. The game was opening up nicely, the urgency of the home team matched by the determination of the visitors. Pearson was again found wanting for pace as she was skinned right in front of us, the cross hacked away by the scrambling Sydney defence.

Hinz did very well to palm away a cross from the right and gather the loose ball, but this was now a shoot-out and was very exciting to watch, knowing the context of what was needed. Jodi Ulkekl left the field to chants from the Cove, but she was too busy getting hugs on the bench. When Luchtmeijer found Riley Tanner with the prefect ball to put her away, there was some inexplicable hesitation by the flying winger and she failed to pull the trigger to at least get a shot on goal. Charlotte McLean screwed a shot a mile wide, the Mariners brought on Blake Hughes, her long throw put into effect, but the chance of the game fell to Sydney. Luchtmeijer’s shot from Tumeth’s ball inside was close, deflected for a corner, and from Tanner’s cross, Kirsty Fenton raced onto the header and thumped it goalwards, the goalkeeper touching the ball onto the bar and then swatting the rebound away before Fenton could finish the job. It was thrilling, Luchtmeijer had another shot blocked, the leggy Shay Hollman shot when she had a player free out wide, and we endured six minutes of added time, enough time for Maddie Caspers to try and catch out the goalkeeper, but the final whistle brought cheers from the Cove, the Mariners players dropping to their knees and the Sydney defence huddling in celebration at the completion of a marvellous clean sheet.

What a finish! Whilst you do have to feel for the champions, knocked out of finals contention on the final day, this was all about Sydney FC. They rode their luck throughout the first half, but had enough chances in the second half to have won a very open game. The players eventually came over to salute the travelling fans, a lot of love shared and another goodbye for our American import Jodi Ulkekl. There were suggestions of other goodbyes too, most disappointingly Heather Hinz saying farewell with a tear in her eye. The rebuild starts now. Clare Corbett’s performance today was outstanding, Riley Tanner was again gritty with plenty of flair and if we do keep hold of some of the prodigious talent in this squad, some of them really do need to bulk up in order to compete with the bigger and more physical opponents that we have faced week in week out this season. Thank you to everyone involved in making this a season to remember, maybe not for the right reasons at times, and a big shout out to the Sydney Women’s Cove for providing the entertainment off the field.

There was a second game today. It was a thrilling 2-2 draw between the Mariners and Perth Glory in the A-League men’s, but most of the Sydney fans were long gone.