A quick-fire double from Sandringham SC in the first-half set up a confident 3-1 win over Senior NTC at Kingston Heath.
The early goals came through Annabelle Gibney and Nicola Westwood, before NTC’s Melissa Taranto struck back with a beauty on the hour mark.
But a fortuitous late goal from Sienna Fogarty put a dampener on the NTC comeback, just as they’d started to build some momentum.
The hosts leapt out of the blocks in the Monday night fixture, as some deep pressure from Emma Robers forced a turnover in defence in the ninth minute.
Dynamic midfielder Annabelle Gibney was left the task of curling past NTC keeper Teresa Morrissey – a former Sandringham junior – from distance.
Their lead was doubled eight minutes later through Nicola Westwood, who continued her good form in front of goals with a back-post tap in, courtesy of her clever movement off the ball.
Looking to launch themselves further in front, a fantastic ball down the line from Sienna Fogarty set up Westwood yet again, but she poked her effort just wide of goals.
NTC’s Morrissey still cut a confident figure in goals, and she showed ballerina’s poise and beautiful footwork to turn Robers and play out from the back.
She was then tested in the more conventional sense, a Fogarty corner swinging dangerously through the box, where a near post flick on caused panic stations in the NTC area.
Morrissey was twice forced to claw clear, from Sandringham knock-on’s, before their defence eventually cleared.
Hayley Richmond was in fine touch for NTC, and she fashioned the best chance for the visitors at the other end, forcing Nikki Cook into a near post save with a lunging foot after a dazzling run.
The final 10 minutes of the half belonged to the elite pathways club, as they displayed a wonderful array of passing, with the Taranto twins both putting in super shifts.
The game evened out quite nicely in the second half, with Sandringham carving out a pair of early chances through Eliza Gleadell and Steph Tanti, both of which failed to result in a goal.
NTC again built momentum and this time capitalised, as the fluoro blue boots of Melissa Taranto struck venomously into the top corner from a good distance.
Sandringham thought they’d hit back in the 66th minute, but their effort was chalked off for an infringement on Morrissey.
Off the counter, Whitney Knight displayed her blistering pace as she embarked on a bolt down the right flank, eventually firing wide despite her good work.
But it was essentially game over in the 70th minute when Fogarty put the ball in from a corner, as the ball evaded the grasps of Morrissey before a goalmouth clearance was adjudged a goal.
NTC exploited their pace down both flank in the final 20 or so minutes, in the search for an avenue back into the game, but were unable to find that killer ball inside.
Skipper Annabelle Martin came closest with a fizzing ball across the area which tailed away past the far post.
Sandringham 3 (Gibney 9’, Westwood 17’, Fogarty 71’) defeated Senior NTC 1 (M. Taranto 61’) at Kingston Heath Soccer Complex [HT: 2-0]
Sandringham Soccer Club – WPL Squad: 21. Nikki COOK, 18. Sienna FOGARTY (c), 19. Annabelle GIBNEY, 11. Lucy KAPUSTA, 28. Emily MORRIS-KRAUSE, 6. Steph PARTON, 8. Nicola WESTWOOD, 4. Emma ROBERS, 7. Kristie SHEARING, 10. Steph TANTI, 13. Alina KAPUSTA, 12. Eliza GLEADELL, 27. Simone KENNY, 1. Ingrid PHILIPPE, 16. Elisabeth ROBERS, 9. Emma RUNNALLS
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
Senior NTC Squad: 16. Teresa MORRISSEY, 10. Lexi ANASTASSIOU, 7. Emily HARBIS, 14. Edith FORDYCE-CROCKER, 11. Whitney KNIGHT, 33. Ashleigh LEVEVRE, 25. Melindaj BARBIERI, 8. Melissa TARANTO, 6. Adriana TARANTO, 13. Annabel MARTIN (C), 31. Coby MCINERNEY, 3. Natasha DAKIC, 4. Liv ELLIS, 17. Hayley RICHMOND, 2. Jaimee WILLIAMS, 30. Celia KELSALL
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None