Football West News

NTC Coach Ben Anderton oversees NTC training. Photo by Football West/FotoEnzo

Female football in Western Australia is set to win over a new audience this weekend when Inglewood United host a grand final double-header.

Fremantle City and Football West Hyundai NTC will meet in the NPL WA Women’s Night Series final on Saturday.

This will be followed by the Men’s Night Series decider between Floreat Athena and Perth SC.

Both games will be livestreamed on the Football West Facebook page.

This is the first time the men’s and women’s finals have been held together and comes ahead of the inaugural NPL Women’s season.

And with a bumper crowd expected at Perth Plasterboard Centre Stadium, NTC Head Coach Ben Anderton believes it is a terrific opportunity to showcase the female game.

“It’s very exciting and fantastic that a new set of fans will get to see first-hand what the women are capable of,” he said.

“A lot of the NTC girls have come up from Under 15s and so it will be a great experience for them.

It’s a big occasion and a new level of pressure. It will be good for them.”
Football West’s National Training Centre team have reached the final without the likes of Leticia McKenna, Hana Lowry and Taneesha Baker, who have been on W-League duty with Perth Glory.

“We will have the same squad that has got us this far and it’s good to show faith in them,” Anderton said.

NTC began the Night Series with a 4-0 loss to Fremantle.

They still managed to clinch second place in their group and last week came through against a Murdoch University Melville side which contained a number of the Queens Park outfit Anderton coached to the Women’s Night Series title 12 months ago.

“I don’t think the result against Fremantle first up was reflective of our performance,” Anderton said.

“But they are always a strong side and very good in transition. That is why they score so many goals and we’ll have to be on our game for the full 90 minutes.”

Fremantle showed what they are about in defeating Northern Redbacks 3-1 in their semi-final.

Skipper Mikayla Lyons and Courtney Butlion have been in red-hot form throughout the Night Series, while they also boast joint Gold Medal winners Laura Waltman and Gemma Craine.

Meanwhile, in the men’s competition Floreat Athena bid for a third successive NPL Night Series title against Perth SC.

Floreat, who reached the final with a 4-2 win over Gwelup Croatia, publicly revealed this week that skipper Dean Evans and several other senior players will be missing the match due to Evans’ wedding in Sydney.

Add to that Perth’s 1-0 win over Floreat in the final group game – Athena’s first Night Series loss in three years – and Ante Kovacevic’s side could be up against it.

Perth came through their semi against Perth Glory on penalties and will be keen to add the NPL Night Series crown to the league title and Top Four Cup they retained in 2019.

One positive for Floreat is they are returning to the venue they claimed the 2018 Night Series, a 3-1 defeat of Subiaco. They followed that up with victory over Bayswater City last year.

DETAILS
Saturday, 7 March

Perth Plasterboard Centre Stadium (Inglewood United FC)

NPL Women’s Night Series Grand Final (5pm)
Fremantle City v Football West Hyundai NTC

NPL Men’s Night Series Grand Final (7.15pm)
Perth SC v Floreat Athena