Sandringham are through to the next round of the Women’s State Knockout Cup after a brilliant 3-0 win over Monbulk Rangers under lights at Kingston Heath Soccer Complex on Tuesday night.
The cup match pitted the two Women’s Premier League clubs against each other with the fourth placed Sandringham coming into the match as favourites off the back of a 4-0 win over Cairnlea.
Both teams jostled for superiority early in the clash with some great chances falling either side but it was Sandringham’s Emma Runnalls who delivered the opening blow in the 25th minute.
The joint WPL top scorer opened the scoring after finding herself one-on-one with Steph Shulver, delicately dancing around her before finishing with finesse.
Sandringham’s steely defence were up to the task of keeping their lead, continuously cutting out Monbulk’s final ball, frustrating their opponents throughout the contest.
Spectators were then made to hold their breath in the 40th minute when Runnalls looked to have injured herself after a heavy collision with the Rangers’ custodian but she managed to get up and play out the half.
Sandringham came out of the blocks firing in the second half and were awfully close to making it 2-0 early on after a goalmouth scramble but Shulver saved well to keep her side in the match.
Both sides played tight, controlled football in the second half, but it was the hosts who looked the more lethal going forward, especially through the efforts of midfielder Elaina Vatcky who provided zip and speed out wide for Sandringham.
She used that speed to create some space for herself in the 59th minute, slotting home into the bottom corner cooly to make it 2-0.
Despite being relatively untroubled throughout the contest, Sandringham goalkeeper Lucy Kapusta was on hand to retain the two goal buffer, as she swiftly got a glove to an Emily Hulbert shot to deny Monbulk a quick reply.
Instead, Sandringham put the game to bed in the 67th minute through Annabelle Gibney, whose superb header into the bottom corner extended the lead out to three goals.
Monbulk did find some spark and looked to come alive late in the second half as they mounted hopes of a monumental comeback but were unable to break through a galvanised Sandringham defence as they ultimately fell to Sandringham 3-0.
FULL-TIME: Sandringham SC 3 (Runnalls 22’, Vatcky 59’, Gibney 65’) def Monbulk Rangers 0 [HT 1:0]
TEAM LINEUPS:
Sandringham SC: 11. Lucyna KAPUSTA, 6. Stephanie PARTON, 3. Christie PARTON, 18. Sienna FOGARTY, 20. Hanna STUART, 2. Annabelle GIBNEY, 12. Eliza GLEADALL, 15. Elaina VATCKY, 9. Emma RUNNALLS, 7. Kirstie SHEARING, 10. Stephanie TANTI
Subs: 16. Emma ROBERS, 21. Nikki COOK, 23. Elizabeth ROBERS, 19. Molly BURKE
Monbulk Rangers: 20. Steph SHULVER, 5. Aliesha WHETHAM. 17. Eliza JOHNS, 8. Tanya NEWMAN, 10. Jen CAMERON, 11. Liesl WOODS, 3. Nikki CEENEY, 13. Emily HULBERT, 4. Emma HECKENBERG, 6. Rebecca SABER, 16. Monique NOGUIERA
Subs: 2. Michelle De BOER, 14. Jo CARY, 7. Amelia PEGG, 15. Claire WOODWARD, 24. Mia KIRKHAM