NPLW Round 5 Preview
Belconnen United v Woden-Weston | Saturday, May 4th – 3pm @ McKellar Park
Woden-Weston visit McKellar Park this weekend looking to challenge Belconnen United’s undefeated record, and to bounce back from their late defeat at home in round four. Woden-Weston held the lead late in that encounter before being overrun by Gungahlin late on, but there were positives to take from how the side performed in the other 85 minutes. Four separate players have scored for the Wanderers this season which is a good sign for their attack, but they have conceded 12 in their three matches at an average of four per game which has hurt their goal difference. Keeping out Belconnen United is no easy task but Mark Boyd and Sarah West can take confidence from the way this side performed at McKellar Park in their early clash here last season.
Belconnen scored four in either half to see off Tuggeranong United last weekend but they were pushed at times by their opposition, and there may be some changes to the squad this weekend as Antoni Jagrinec tinkers to find the right combinations. The array of attacking options at his disposal was clear on Saturday as two players scored braces and four others added to the scoresheet, and Belconnen are looking imposing at the other end too, yet to concede a goal in three outings this season. This is another chance for Jagarinec’s side to grab a win at home with the second half of their season dominated by away fixtures.
Canberra United Academy v Tuggeranong United | Saturday, May 4th – 5pm @ Hawker
Since a round one loss to Woden-Weston the Canberra United Academy have reeled off three straight league wins to sit just one point off top spot on the table. Hayley Taylor-Young and Sasha Grove continued their immense scoring form with a brace each at Riverside last week, and the Academy looked the goods throughout the first half. They were somewhat subdued in the second 45 though, struggling to break down the Monaro backline and they will need to improve on that against a Tuggeranong side that will dig in and look to deny them close-range chances. Taylor-Young and Grove remain the only goalscorers for the Academy in the league this season, and they need to diversify that output in case of an injury. Bella Barac returned last weekend and could be up for a start in this match, a welcome sight after recovering from an ACL injury last season.
After picking up their first win of the season prior to Easter Tuggeranong were knocked over by Belconnen at McKellar last weekend, albeit while fielding an understrength side. This week they welcome Alice Linn to the fold, and she could be the spark they have needed to really get their attack going. Sarah Daisley has scored twice and has been aided by goals to Kassandra Guglielmin and Sonya Sheedy, but Linn’s experience and talent will be a welcome addition to the side. They will be tested by the pace of the Academy, but they were tested last week too and held out well in the initial stages. With no Federation Cup this past week the team should be fresher than they were at McKellar Park and they will set out to match the Academy across the park.
Monaro Panthers v Canberra FC | Saturday, May 4th – 5pm @ Riverside
A tough test awaits at Riverside for the Panthers this weekend as they host a Canberra FC side who put 13 goals past Wagga City last Sunday. Monaro shipped three goals in the first half to the Canberra United Academy before digging in during the second stanza, and Alicia Meuronen nearly created a couple for the hosts with some strong play through midfield. She hit the bar with one such effort and will be chief troublemaker again this weekend as Monaro look for their first win of the season. Ian Worthington will again miss this game as he completes his A-Licence overseas, but will no doubt be keeping a keen eye on proceedings. In both their outings so far the Panthers have put in largely strong performances and will no doubt come out strong at home, but against the league leaders this will be a big task.
Eight different players scored for Nik Brozinic’s team last weekend in a dominant performance, taking the team’s tally to 27 goals in just four matches, one of which was a goalless draw. Since that round one draw with Belconnen they are averaging nine goals a game and have conceded just twice this season. Grace Gill returned last weekend but may again miss time with a hamstring injury, but Brozinic has plenty of depth to call upon for this outing. This match precedes a tough test when they take on the Academy next weekend, and the side will be keen to take full points here to keep momentum rolling into that clash.
Canberra Olympic v Gungahlin United | Sunday, May 5th @ O’Connor Enclosed
Gungahlin United can build off their exciting comeback win in round for when they take on Canberra Olympic at O’Connor on Sunday afternoon. Freyja Jacobsen was instrumental in that win with a goal and an assist, setting up Ella-Rose Brown for the winner in the dying moments of the game. It was a strong response against a team that had beaten them 4-0 in the Federation Cup before the Easter break, and a sign maybe that Diego Iglesias’ side have gelled and are now ready to make a proper tilt at top four. The input of four separate scorers is a good sign for this team and Iglesias will be looking for a similar performance here, albeit against a fresh Olympic team.
Andrew Woodman’s team had the weekend off after a big win over Tuggeranong United in the Women’s Federation Cup but will be raring to go back at home. The standout of that win was four goals to Natina Skinner, however Woodman will have been pleased with the overall performance of his team and the fact they were on the board inside just 30 seconds. Gungahlin will be a different test though, and Olympic are still yet to register a goal in the league after defeats to Canberra FC and the Canberra United Academy. In both of those matches the margin at the break was only two or three goals before things were broken open in the second half, so the hosts will be keen to ensure they play the full 90 minutes in this one. A win would bring them off the bottom of the ladder and build a good foundation moving forward in the season.
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