After Round 22 in the National Premier Leagues NSW Women’s competition, APIA Leichhardt can now put the champagne in the ice bucket while there is a change in top four and the relegation battle has got a whole lot more interesting.
Match of the Round: APIA Leichhardt 1-1 Macarthur Rams
APIA Leichhardt put one hand on the NPL NSW Women’s Premiership on Sunday night as they rescued a late draw against the Macarthur Rams at Lambert Park.
An intense game of football with immense quality on display, the spoils were shared with a 1-1 stalemate.
NWS Spirit 4-4 Emerging Jets
The Emerging Jets not only served up one of the shocks of the season but also a comeback from the ages, clawing back from four down to draw 4-4 at Christie Park on Saturday afternoon.
Spirit raced off to a 1-0 lead after Morgan Roberts got on the end of a good through ball before finishing well after only 40 seconds.
Then Spirit turned it on and scored three quick goals in just over five minutes.
First Sky Hallmarick got her first NPL goal with a powerful finish beyond the Jets keeper.
The youngster had a second within sixty seconds, pinching the ball and then lobbing it over the Jets keeper and into the back of the net.
It was 4-0 not long after, Halmarick was brought down in the box as Ella Abdul Massih stepped up and blasted the penalty home.
What came next no one expected at Christie Park.
Claire Adams’ cross come shot caught Katie Offer out as the whipped ball found its way into the back of the net.
Minutes later it was 4-2 as Brinley Gentle got onto the end of a cross to the far post with a well taken effort.
Spirit’s collapse continued in the 89th minute as Katie Offer lost the ball after a corner, as Jets substitute Ruby Jones reacted quickest to poke the ball home.
The incredible comeback was complete late in stoppage time as Gentle had her second, taking advantage of confusion between Offer and the Spirit defence to bury her 15th of the season and earn the Jets a well-earned point.
Sydney University 1-0 Bankstown City Lions
Sydney University continued their late season renaissance with another victory as they dispatched of the Bankstown City Lions late on.
An even first half ended all square as neither side could find the go-ahead goal after the first 45 minutes of play.
It took until the 93rd minute for Uni to pinch the points and it was in some style with the final kick of the game.
Uni won a corner, Annabel Martin stepped up and curled the ball into the back of the net direct from the set piece for all three points to stay at the Uni.
Bulls FC Academy 0-0 Manly United
The points were split at Northbridge Oval on Sunday afternoon as Bulls FC Academy and Manly United shared the points.
The first half was a very tight affair with neither team able to really test the opposition goal keeper.
On the other hand, the second period saw a lot more attacking football.
Nicole Simonsen was called into action early, saving from Aideen Keane.
A late flurry from Manly almost had them steal the points at the death but Trudy Simmons stood tall to save from Emily Bastow.
Football NSW Institute 1-3 Northern Tigers
The Northern Tigers continued their fine form with a strong 3-1 victory over the Football NSW Institute.
Northern Tigers had the lead after nine minutes as Ella Tonkin reacted quickest in the box, volleying well into the back of the net.
15 minutes later and it was two from another set piece, this time Shadeene Evans reacting quickest after the home side failed to clear their lines.
Minutes before the break it was 3-0 after another set piece, this time Rebecca Lake reacting quickest to poke the ball home.
Mid-way through the second period the Institute had a consolation as Sienna Saveska popped up but it would be little to late to mount a comeback.
Blacktown Spartans 4-2 Illawarra Stingrays
It was a relegation battle that went the way of the Blacktown Spartans on Sunday as they defeated the Illawarra Stingrays 4-2 at Blacktown Football Park.
The home team had the lead after 27 minutes when Maja Prostran pinched the ball in midfield before a through ball was played for Amber Luchtmeijer who made no mistake with the finish.
It was the away team that responded not long before the break as Caitlin Cooper popped up to volley home an equaliser.
The Spartans were back in front on the hour mark as Prostran reacted in the box following an Alana Murphy corner.
10 minutes later and the visitors were level again, Tara Cannon equalising from the spot for the Illawarra Stingrays.
With the game headed for a draw, Naomi Chinama popped up after another Murphy set piece, to force the ball over the line and put the Spartans back in front, 3-2.
With the Stingrays pushing hard for an equaliser, the Spartans added another in some style as Luchtmeijer scored a spectacular to record her second of the evening and round off the 4-2 victory.
Sydney Olympic v Gladesville Ravens – Postponed