Sandringham have pulled off one of the greatest escapes in Women’s Premier League history after striking twice deep into injury time to overcome a distraught Casey Comets 2-1 at Kingston Heath.
A slick opener from Casey’s Sheridan Dudley paved the way for the Comet’s first full haul of points for season 2015, but Sandringham’s Annabelle Gibney and Nicola Westwood had other ideas, as they flipped the result late into the piece.
Much like the conditions on the pitch, with a thick shroud of fog masking the green turf below, the play in the first half wasn’t as crystal clear as some spectators might’ve expected.
Casey, who’ve only got the one point to their name this season, were resilient in defence, and confident in possession, a far cry from the outfit that were outplayed in their last outing against NTC.
They took the game onto Sandringham, and rode the temperate waves of pressure with success.
A pot shot from Katrina Avila in the opening stages tested the mettle of keeper Nikki Cook, but she held comfortably to pass her first test.
Emma Runnalls looked up for the fight, and showed plenty of run, with her direct approach causing a few headaches for the Casey defence.
A strong spell in the middle of the half saw the Comets prod two successive shots towards goal, but the ball was twice forced away by a planted Sandy defence.
Caught a little flat-footed, Sandy sprung to life, and a lovely weighted ball from Westwood found Emma Robers free on the left flank.
A squaring cross on her non preferred left was fractions away from finding a wanting Runnalls.
In a tight fight for supremacy, Casey struck a damaging blow, as Dudley’s 32nd minute effort took the breath away from the hosts.
A tailing cross from Candela Ferreyra-Bas on the right found Dudley in a paddock of space, and the midfielder assessed her options before deciding to go herself, with a low strike from just inside the box.
Sandringham thought they’d hit back immediately, but they were cruelly denied their equaliser, as Westwood’s classy finish was chalked off for an offside.
That proved to be the last action in a tense first half, and at the restart it was Sandringham who had the ascendency, as they carved out a number of great chances.
Runnalls was at the centre of everything good, as she twice capitalised on some sleepy defenders, first stealing possession on the edge of the box and firing wide, then latching onto an under hit back pass, before teeing up a teammate.
Her ball found Steph Tanti, who trickled an effort on goal, only to see it cleared off the line by some desperate Comets defence.
A pair of headers from the aerial threat Runnalls were here last contribution on the match after she fell to a leg injury with just under 20 minutes to play.
The chilly conditions started to seep in on the players as their movement visibly slowed down approaching injury-time.
But a late twist from a set-piece changed the mindset of all 22 players on the pitch.
Bustling midfielder Annabelle Gibney set up a tense finale with a 92nd minute header from a corner kick, with the Sandy girls helping along the restart in their search for a winner.
It came through winger Nicola Westwood, who broke the lines deep into stoppage time, slotting to the right side of Marika Kamoda in goals and sending the Sandy support into senseless celebration.
Sandringham SC 2 (Gibney 90+2’, Westwood 90+5’) defeated Casey Comets 1 (Dudley 32’) at Kingston Heath Soccer Complex [HT: 0-1]
Sandringham SC: 21. Nikki COOK (GK), 18. Sienna FOGARTY, 19. Annabelle GIBNEY, 13. Alina KAPUSTA, 11. Lucyna KAPUSTA, 28. Emily MORRIS-KRAUSE (2. Lauren DIDUSZKO 62’) , 6. Steph PARTON, 8. Nicola WESTWOOD, 4. Emma ROBERS, 9. Emma RUNNALLS (12. Eliza GLEADELL 79’), 10. Steph TANTI (7. Kirstie SHEARING 71’)
Unused Substitute(s): 27. Simone KENNY, 1. Ingrid PHILLIPE
Yellow Card(s): Gibney 75′
Red Card(s): Nil
Casey Comets: 1. Marika KAMODA, 15. Sheridan DUDLEY, 12. Harriet CORDNER, 4. Rachael BINNING, 2. Shaunna MURRAY, 3. Laura CROFT, 14. Ahouk MEEREBOUR, 16. Katrina AVILA, 8. Sharnoah HURLEY (5. Melissa KIRBY 75’), 10. Candela FERREYRA-BAS (6. Chelsie SELLECK 60’) , 11. Natasha MACHADO
Unused Substitute(s):, 25. Amy RADFORD
Yellow Card(s): Nil
Red Card(s): Nil