W-League Round 9 Wrap: Top-Four Reshuffle

The Central Coast Mariners consolidated their W-League lead with a convincing 3-1 win over intrastate rivals Newcastle Jets on Friday night.

Prime golden boot contender Michelle Heyman opened the scoring in the 36th to notch up her 11th goal for the season.

Newcastle levelled the scores shortly before half time, but the Central Coast came out of the dressing room with clear intent to find a winner.

They found two: one when goalkeeper Emma-Kate Dewhurst couldn’t contain in a Kendall Fletcher corner; and one when Lydia Vandeburgh was left unmarked in front of the goal.

The result ensures that the Central Coast remain top of the table, although captain Caitlin Cooper will miss Round 10’s crunch match against Sydney after receiving her third yellow card for the season.

Second-placed Roar Women headed west to atone for round eight’s mistakes and chalk up their record 19th game undefeated. But 30 shots on goal—of which 10 were on target—later and the Roar not only didn’t atone, they recorded a shock loss and slipped to third on the ladder.

The Roar dominated the match but struggled to put the ball past Perth goalkeeper Emma Wirkus, while recent arrival Katie Gill took advantage of Perth’s few chances to score twice for the home team.

Striker Courtney Beutel put the Roar ahead just 11 minutes in, but Gill headed home a perfectly placed Samantha Kerr cross in the 18th and then slotted in the match winner from a corner in the 63rd.
The result sees the seemingly unbeatable Roar have slip to third on the ladder and break their 18-match undefeated streak.

While the Roar’s goalscoring has sputtered, Sydney’s is going from strength to strength, with the team claiming second spot with a 6-2 drubbing of Adelaide United in chilly conditions.

Sydney went 2-0 up within 10 minutes, courtesy of strikes from Matildas Sarah Walsh and Heather Garriock, with Leena Khamis giving them a third in the 26th. Garriock extended the lead to four by scoring a second goal in the 74th, but the plucky Adelaide found two goals of their own late in the match.

Racheal Quigley brought her tally to five goals in four matches when she scored in both the 82nd and 90th minutes, getting Adelaide on the board and giving them some much-need confidence. Her shots were quickly cancelled out, though, by goals by Brittany Whitfield and Kyah Simon, who slotted in Sydney’s fifth and sixth goals for the match.

Sydney now sit in second and will look to continue their strong goalscoring form as they head into finals.

Further south, Melbourne moved into outright fourth after defeating Canberra 1-0 in cold and rainy conditions.

Both teams signalled their winning intent from the first whistle, pushing forward and defending hard across the park, but neither team were able to break the deadlock before half time. Canberra should have been awarded a penalty for a clear, albeit accidental, handball in the 15th, but the referee didn’t award it and it will remain a could've-been talking point.

The deadlock remained as the clock wound down in the second half, with the game looking set for a 0-0 draw, until Katie Thorlakson lashed in the rebound from a Ruyter-Hooley shot that goalkeeper Lydia Williams could only parry in the 86th.

The outcome means that, short of some dramatic events in round 10, Canberra’s finals hopes are dashed and the Melbourne will join the Central Coast, Sydney, and Brisbane in the finals.

Before then, the Central Coast and Sydney will fight it out to finish on top of the table when they meet in the W-League’s final round.

Newcastle will host the Roar who cannot slip below third but who will be looking to reclaim second spot, Canberra will meet Adelaide, and Melbourne will travel west to take on Perth as they try to retain fourth spot.