There promises to be lots of goals and drama in Round 5 of the Women’s Premier League as we are treated to a top of the table clash between unbeaten teams EAP and South Melbourne, while Bundoora seek to repair their wounded pride via a visit to winless Altona. The Corner Flag reviews every single fixture ahead of this exciting weekend’s action.
Box Hill (5) vs Sandringham (2)
8:30pm, Friday 10th May 2013 Wembley Park, Box Hill South
Form:
Box Hill – DDWW
Sandringham – WWWD
Head to Head:
02 Apr 2012 – Sandringham 0 Box Hill 1 (Kingston Heath Reserve)
15 Jun 2012 – Box Hill 6 Sandringham 1 (Wembley Park)
This is the first of two games this weekend between unbeaten teams, as defending champions Box Hill look to build on the momentum gained after the convincing win over Bundoora. Sandringham themselves have had a fine start to the season, but three wins on the trot were followed by a surprising draw at home to Bulleen before a nervy one-goal win over State League 1 team Monbulk in the Knockout Cup. Both Box Hill and Sandringham will be boasting W-League pedigree, with Jessica Humble lining up in defence for the hosts while Stephanie Catley provides a genuine Matildas level threat off the Sandy bench (Correction: Steph Catley is in Canberra with the national team). Expect the unexpected, this could go either way.
Key Players:
Ellvana Curo (Box Hill) – Curo stole the headlines this week with a shock midweek move from title rivals South Melbourne, following reports that she was looking for more game time. Despite getting tongues wagging by moving to her seventh club in five years, there is no denying that this is a good pick up for Box Hill. The striker will offer much needed support for Seyma Erenli after the luckless Deanna Niceski succumbed to yet another ACL injury. Whether Curo starts on the field or the bench this weekend though, will be quite something else.
Nicola Prins (Sandringham) – Shaun Parton’s preseason capture of the former Casey player looks to be a real feather in his cap, as Prins has taken to Sandringham like a fish to water. The forward has linked up well with the already impressive attacking unit at Kingston Heath and has racked up four goals and three assists to date. Having gone on holiday and skipped the cup fixture against Monbulk last weekend, Prins will be raring to go. Box Hill, you have been warned.
Heidelberg (8) vs Casey (6)
4:00pm, Saturday 11th May 2013 Olympic Village, Heidelberg West
Form:
Heidelberg – DWLL
Casey – LWLW
Head to Head:
12 May 2012 – Heidelberg 1 Casey 3 (Olympic Village)
29 Jul` 2012 – Casey 3 Heidelberg 2 (Comets Stadium)
The shambles that was the forfeited cup match against South Melbourne will have done Heidelberg no favours at all, as they look to pick up the pieces following a recent dip in form. Promising results against Box Hill and Altona have swiftly been erased by humbling defeats to South Melbourne and EAP. There’s plenty of young talent in the ranks together with some experienced heads at Olympic Village, but a balance needs to be found quickly especially up front where there is no recognised striker. Casey meanwhile have had a bit of a topsy turvy ride, though their last out 11-goal effort against Altona will have given them confidence. How much energy was expended during a sapping 120 minute cup affair against Bulleen remains to be seen though, as the Veneto Club outfit pushed them to the brink. Coach Ian Williamson was happy with his charges after the game, but they will need to dig deep into their energy reserves to ensure they don’t continue this habit of one loss every other game week.
Key Players:
Tahlia Tisocco (Heidelberg) – ‘Tinka’ (short for Tinkerbell) will need to be at her twinkly-toed best on the flank for Heidelberg if they want to genuinely pose a threat to the opposition defence. Casey captain Laura Croft will beat anyone in the air on her day, but is much more susceptible on the ground and against speedy forwards. The fleet-footed Tisocco could prove quite a handful if she chooses to cut in and give it a right go, she’s shown she’s very capable of stepping it up a notch in the early rounds this season.
Alexandra Gummer (Casey) – Almost lost to the team in preseason, Gummer’s returned with a vengeance after deciding that State League 1 football wasn’t really her cup of tea. The dynamic midfielder can be a real game changer and given the form she’s in, could cause quite some damage. Heidelberg will have to shackle her in midfield if they hope to get anything out of this encounter, but Gummer’s strength and skill means that’s easier said than done.
Cairnlea (9) vs Preston (12)
3:00pm, Sunday 11th May 2013 Cairnlea Park, Cairnlea
Form:
Cairnlea – WLLL
Preston – LLLL
Head to Head:
01 Apri 2012 – Cairnlea 2 Preston 2 (Cairnlea Park)
17 Jun 2012 – Preston 0 Cairnlea 3 (B.T. Connor Reserve)
Both Cairnlea and Preston will be desperate for a result here, be it by a controversially awarded set-piece or a lucky deflected goal off a beach ball from Mars. It’s that desperate down near the bottom of the table for two teams that were given last minute reprieves from relegation. Cairnlea would scarcely have believed they would be in this situation after a rousing season-opening win over Casey Comets, but new gaffer Jamie Monteith suffered a wretched debut loss two weeks ago and will have been all too aware of the size of the task that faces him in the coming months. Preston too are low in spirit and bemoaning a lack in depth after four straight losses to start the season. Goalkeeper Alexandra Bogdanovski was a fine capture, but there are massive problems with the squad carrying over from last season that have not been fixed. Aimless long ball tactics will not work if there are no willing runners, but coach Zivko Kolevski will have to work miracles with what he has to save their season.
Key Players:
Tijen Hussein (Cairnlea) – The Cairnlea captain is one of their most dangerous attacking weapons (two goals, two assists) and given the right service, she will be able to run riot against a porous Preston defence. The likes of Ebru Hasan, Nilsen Ozcan and Christie Graham will be expected to provide the ammunition, but are more than capable of being attacking weapons themselves if Hussein draws a hard tag.
Paula Massouh (Preston) – Massouh is unique in the Preston team this season, due to her being their only goal scorer so far. The one goal against Ashburton in Round 3 is all the Lions have managed to muster, but that is only part of what Massouh brings to the team. The versatile footballer provides plenty of run and carry through the Preston midfield, something that was sorely missed during her absence as they went down to South Melbourne last time out. One player will not a winning team make, but it’s certainly helpful to have her back.
Altona (11) vs Bundoora (4)
3:00pm, Sunday 11th May 2013 Kim Reserve, Altona
Form:
Altona – LLLL
Bundoora – WWWL
Head to Head:
None (Altona were in State League 1 last season)
Bundoora will want to forget their last league fixture in a hurry after losing their perfect record to bogey team Box Hill, but they have a perfect opportunity here to banish their demons against a struggling Altona. City have failed to win any of their games so far following promotion from State League 1, and as much as you’d like to cheer on the underdogs, they will need to pull off something special if they want to come away with their first points of the season. Bundoora will still be missing the services of knee injury victim Caitlin Friend, but should still have enough firepower in the team to pulverise anyone in their way.
Key Players:
Georgia Smith (Altona) – The Altona centre back returns to the team after missing two games due to a bout of glandular fever. Her team has looked a little lost without her in recent weeks and will certainly welcome her presence in defence as they look to launch a likely 90 minute rearguard action against Bundoora.
Enza Barilla (Bundoora) – Barilla is the life and soul of this Bundoora team, the heartbeat in the middle of the yellow Bundy tide. The pint sized forward will keep going and going in the attacking midfield slot, never shirking a challenge and always looking for ways to dismantle opposition defences. Ultra-reliable and universally-loved by her team mates, the captain leads by example.
EAP (3) vs South Melbourne (1)
3:00pm, Sunday 11th May 2013 DISC, Darebin
Form:
EAP – WDWW
South Melbourne – WWWW
Head to Head:
20 May 2012 – EAP 2 South Melbourne 9 (DISC)
11 Aug 2012 – South Melbourne 7 EAP 2 (Lakeside Stadium)
What happens when an irresistible force meets an immoveable object? We might just be about to find out as the two unbeaten sides lock horns. The young EAP upstarts take on the dream team from South Melbourne as they both look to capture a prize scalp and prove they are the real deal this season. There are tiny complications for both sides though: EAP are missing the services of Cindy Lay, Beattie Goad and Eleni Fakos due to international duty while South Melbourne have parted ways with striker Ellvana Curo. Nevertheless, this promises to be an intriguing match up as we wait to see if South Melbourne goalkeeper Cassandra Dimovski will be properly tested for the first time. EAP veterans Tal Karp and player-coach Kat Smith will be doing their best to ensure their younger teammates stay focused on the task at hand.
Key Players:
Jessica Pitts (EAP) – Pitts will likely make a return after a three week recovery period following concussion suffered against Box Hill. The talented midfielder can play in either an attacking or defensive position, offering plenty of movement through the middle. She will need to be at her very best if she is to counter the elite Natalie Martineau-Morany Chek pairing for South.
Alex Cheal (South Melbourne) – The red-headed central defender is hard to miss at the back for South Melbourne, not just for her distinctive hair colour but also because of the solidity she adds to the back line. No matter who her defensive partner is, Cheal rarely times her tackles wrong and is magnificent when it comes to clearing her lines. The long-range shooting from EAP’s sharpshooters will be quite a different threat to deal with but you suspect Cheal will be more than up for it.
Bulleen (10) vs Ashburton (7)
8:30pm, Monday 12th May 2013 Veneto Club, Bulleen
Form:
Bulleen – LLLD
Ashburton – LLWW
Head to Head:
None (Bulleen were in State League 1 last season)
This is one game where there might be more than meets the eye, or at least more than the form table suggests. Ashburton might have five more points and three league positions on their opponents, but it is Bulleen who have been far more impressive lately, despite their solitary draw so far. The Lions impressed quite a few people in a plucky loss to Bundoora, before snatching an unlikely draw against Sandringham. A penalty loss to Casey in the Knockout Cup proved they had what it takes to play 120 gruelling minutes against quality opposition, so Ashburton will have to be very wary. Ashy come off two consecutive wins against Preston and Cairnlea, with the second performance a marked improvement on previous outings but they might find Bulleen a slightly different kettle of fish on Monday night. The visitors will need their leaders to stand up and be counted, from the likes of defender Kristin Stensholt to midfielder Christine Pfeiffer to utility Bonnie Barnes.
Key Players:
Olivia Ellis (Bulleen) – The 14-year-old wunderkind has been undaunted by a step up to the senior team this season, rewarding Adrian Drury’s faith with some stellar performances. The ability to play both defence or lead the line makes Ellis a very useful player to have, and she has already been showing some signs of forming partnerships with teammates all over the pitch. Definitely one to look out for.
Chloe Drinockzy (Ashburton) – Drinockzy’s tireless work on the flank is invaluable to her team, never seeming to slacken during the course of an entire game. This might be more vital than you think given coach Ariel Regosa’s strange disdain for substitutions. If ‘Chloe Dee’ can successfully win her battles on the wing this Monday evening, Ashburton will stand a good chance of coming away with something from the game.
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