The first weekend of Westfield W-League action included a match at Broadmeadow Magic’s revamped Magic Park, officially Wanderers Oval, though there is nothing remotely oval about this excellent facility nurtured by Newcastle’s Macedonian community.
The women of Newcastle Jets had new club Canberra United to contend with for their initiation and it promised to be a baptism of fire.
When Jets’ captain, Cheryl Salisbury, guarding the near post for a second minute Christine Walters’ corner from the left, stuck out a foot and turned the ball into her own net things looked grim for the home side, conceding agoal so soon after the start, but the locals recovered well.
They went on to beat Canberra 2-1, though most present would probably agree that the visitors were the better side on the day.
Officially the Canberra goal was credited to Sasha McDonnell, though it was hard to see how, even allowing for our view being blocked by late-arriving spectators standing in front of the media rooms, as the crowd built pleasingly to around 1,100 by Broadmeadow Magic officials’ estimates.
Newcastle took a while to settle but did produce the next real chance, as Canberra appeared to play within themselves, having taken an unexpected early lead.
In the eleventh minute the familiar figure of Katie Gill, who was later to score a brace and troubled the Canberra defence all afternoon, put what looked an excellent chance over the bar.
Canberra found their own first opportunity three minutes later when Kara Mowbray, getting away down the right, laid on a pass for Amy Chapman, whose shot was claimed down low by resolute Jets’ keeper, Alison Logue, who was to go on and make many more saves as the game wore on and become a real thorn in the side of the team in green.
Newcastle counter-attacked well in the 21st with Salisbury skipping clear into the Canberra box. While the ball was stuck away by Emily Van Egmond, after the Salisbury shot had been booted clear, the assistant’s flag had been raised for offside.
Three minutes later, however, Gill found the net legitimately, after Canberra had failed to press home their advantage in possession and the Newcastle strategy of attacking on the break yielded its first dividend.
Gill used her physical presence to get the better of the last defender to tuck the ball nicely past Lydia Willams to make it 1-1 at half time.
A Canberra corner two minutes after the restart, again from Walters, was played short to McDonnell whose cut-back to Caitlin Munoz was headed just over the bar.
The Canberra side was still looking the more likely winner at this stage.
A good chance went begging in the 52nd after Chapman on the right had provided McDonnell with the opening but the striker lacked conviction on this occasion.
A super-save from the busy Logue in the Newcastle goal denied Munoz in the 60th after Mowbray had once more done the spade work.
Canberra’s 58th minute substitute, Ashleigh Sykes, a member of the Young Matildas squad heading to Kuala Lumpur right after this match – Bronwyn Studman, Cian Maciejewski, Van Egmond and Samantha Wood also going there from those playing in this contest – showed great speed and strength to get past her markers on the right only to be thwarted by the cool presence of Logue once more.
It looked as if Canberra would go on with it but they lost a player to injury after making their last substitution and this could have been the catalyst that allowed Newcastle to win the game in the 82nd with another Salisbury goal, also on the break.
Right at the end, after seeing Logue frustrate them continually, Canberra had once last chance to take at least a point but skipper, Ellie Brush, volleyed just over the bar.
It was a great success, this first Westfield W-League game, played at Broadmeadow, as the crowd on a sunny, very warm afternoon exceeded all expectations and provided a tremendous atmospher
If all games in this new league can attract similar interest and support then Westfield has a winner.
NBN cameras were there to record the game played on a pitch lush with grass after a full winter of football played on it in the NBN League by Broadmeadow Magic and their opponents.
Only disappointing note was the lack of a match programme for the spectators who had forked out $5 to watch. Getting to know the names of the players is part and parcel of following a team and having their names on the back of their shirts is not always enough.
Newcastle may not have had the majority of the play but they played it tactically smart, had an excellent keeper and some highly experienced players in their ranks. Getting off to a winning start was great for the supporters and showed that coach, Gary Phillips, had his team well prepared for the opening fixture.
After the game participants from both teams talked freely with the media.
Newcastle coach, Gary Phillips, stated that “We have not had a good preparation but I still had a lot of confidence going into this game. I felt that the experienced player we had in the team would carry us through. We’re a bit under-done and we won’t be at our best probably until four or five rounds of the season. We should be OK then.”
Newcastle’s goalscorer, Katie Gill, said “It was good to be back here and after only 24 hours to recover from our flight it was never going to be easy. The crowd today was tremendous.”
Robbie Hooker, the Canberra coach, said “We had plenty of chances and there were a few tired bodies when it was all over. Caitlin has done her medial ligaments and Sasha (McDonnell) has a swollen ankle. It was a pretty physical match”.
“It just became sort of apparent, the old scenario, that the one just get two really good chances and score and the other team would have a thousand chances but just couldn’t score any,” added Hooker.
“I think [Jets' Coach] Gary [Phillips] will be the first to admit they dodged a bullet today, but there will be games this year I think we’ll will be lucky to get away with that, that’s football.”
“I don’t think they had any more experienced players out there than we did. That was not how they ended up winning the match,” he said when asked if he agreed with Phillips that his Newcastle team’s greater depth of experience was the deciding factor.
Canberra’s Thea Slatyer said that “It was quite physical and rough and a really fast game.” “My spirits aren’t down from that [performance] at all. It was really tough and the girls did a really good job, I’m really proud of them,” said Canberra United’s vice-captain. “We haven’t had a lot of preparation as a whole squad and I think we did really good job of gelling and playing together and I can’t wait to play again with the girls.”
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