Fremantle City gatecrashed Perth RedStar’s NPLWA – Women’s title party as Abbey Green’s superb hat-trick saw Faye Chambers’ side win 3-2 at RedStar Arena in the final round of the regular season.
It was just the second league defeat inflicted on the champions and ended a 19-game unbeaten run for Carlos Vega Mena’s team which goes all the way back to Round One.
Green’s sensational late goal also meant that Freo collected their first away win against RedStar since the NPL Women’s era began in 2020.
RedStar ultimately ended the campaign seven points clear of the rest and were presented the championship trophy by Football West chairman Sherif Andrawes after the game. They have now gone back-to-back and join Murdoch University Melville on two league titles in the NPL era.
It was a fun end to the season in Joondalup in an open and entertaining encounter. Maya Diederichsen tipped Jaime-Lee Gale’s curler past the post and Freo’s bright start continued with the opening goal as Green sneaked in behind RedStar’s defence to roll past the RedStar keeper.
Annabelle Leek bravely blocked from Reina Kagami and Chiori Ikeda as Fremantle preserved their lead at half-time, although the visitors may have led by more had Diederichsen not saved at the near post from Olivia Trueman.
RedStar then showed the spirit of champions early in the second half as they came out firing to turn the game around.
Olivia Wood’s persistence was rewarded with a fine strike to notch her fifth goal of the season, before Sophia Neal headed Ikeda’s corner in to register for a fifth successive game.
But Fremantle kept fighting and found a quick answer when Leek’s free-kick was cleared only as far as Green who rifled home to make it 2-2.
Wood’s effort clipped the top of the crossbar in an end-to-end final quarter of hour, but Chambers’ team dug deep to find a winner which will no doubt give them a confidence boost come Top Four time.
Glory winger Green was the catalyst again as she cut in from the right and curled home spectacularly from 20 yards to give City a first win over RedStar since Round 10 of the 2020 season and secure a home semi-final against NTC in a fortnight’s time.
Despite their win, Fremantle were unable to give themselves a double chance in the post-season as Perth SC held second spot with a 5-1 win over Balcatta Etna.
Lincoln started proceedings with a wonder strike midway through the first half, and she doubled the lead with ease after collecting Jess Flannery’s pass.
Liana Cook made it 3-0 just before the break with another long-range special for the Azzurri. Goals from outside the box continued to be the theme of the afternoon with Tia Stonehill adding to the tally with a curler from distance early in the second half.
Stonehill’s 24th goal of the year was ultimately enough to see her confirmed as the NPLWA – Women’s Golden Boot winner for the second time in three seasons.
But that was the only positive on a disappointing final day for Etna with Lincoln firing into the bottom corner to complete a treble and make it 13 goals for the campaign.
Cook’s quickly taken effort in the box gave her a second of the game with 20 minutes remaining and that’s how it finished at Dorrien Gardens. Perth now meet RedStar in the major semi-final, while Balcatta recorded their highest NPL Women’s finish of fifth.
Hyundai NTC rounded out their season with a 5-0 win over Curtin University in their final league game with a number of U21s players tasting first-team action at E&D Litis Stadium.
One of those players was Emily Garnett who scored a brace on the day. Her first came seven minutes in when the forward cut in from the left before bending into the far corner.
Theo Mouithys then scored for the first time at senior NPL level when through on goal and it was three at the interval after Louise Tana’s stunning strike from the right.
Garnett stayed onside to stride in and lift coolly over the goalkeeper for 4-0 and late on Mischa Anderson capped the win when finding herself up front to apply a finishing touch to Mia Britton’s effort.
It means the top four sides finish in the same order as 12 months ago, as Hyundai NTC goes to Fremantle for an elimination final in two weeks. Curtin University ended their season with 21 defeats from 21 matches.
On Friday night, Murdoch University Melville’s fixture with Subiaco AFC was abandoned as a draw 10 minutes in after the lights went out at Besteam Stadium.
MUM FC’s focus will now turn to this Saturday’s Hyundai Women’s State Cup final against Hyundai NTC following their sixth-place finish while Subi end the year in seventh.
Top Four Cup semi-finals
Perth RedStar v Perth SC (major semi)
Fremantle City v Hyundai NTC (minor semi)