Football West News

Northern Redbacks' Sarah Carroll sidefoots home to bring up her hat-trick. Photo by FotoEnzo

Sarah Carroll put Subiaco to the sword as Northern Redbacks began their NPLW WA season with a resounding 4-0 win at Kingsway.

Carroll scored all four goals for Conrad McKelvie's side, two in each half.

Jayna Ridley had already missed a good opportunity for Redbacks by the time Carroll opened the scoring on 20 minutes. A trip on Emily Dunn resulted in a penalty and Carroll sent Subiaco keeper Marissa Pidgeon the wrong way.

Georgia Cawley then hit the bar from 30 yards before Carroll scored her second just before half-time, turning in Carla Bennett's centre.

Carroll's hat-trick arrived 10 minutes into the second half. Pidgeon's loose goal-kick went straight to Melanie Doeglas, who crossed for Carroll to sweep home.

There will be tougher tests ahead for Redbacks but they did what they had to do and Carroll's fourth came via another penalty after substitute Janelle St Pierre had been hauled down.

Perth SC struck twice inside the opening 14 minutes to defeat Night Series winners Fremantle City 2-1

The Azzurri were ahead after only three minutes. Fremantle failed to clear a corner and Jaime Duncanson hooked the ball high into the net.

Tessa De Leo added the second when she curled in a free-kick after Freo defender Steffi Nadilo handled on the edge of her own penalty box.

Both sides' willingness to play football was hampered by the bobbly surface. However, Fremantle got back into the game when Gemma Craine set up Laura Waltman, who cracked home left-footed from outside the box.

Nadilo had a great chance to make amends for her earlier mishap and rescue a point for Freo with the last kick of the game, but she lost her balance and fired over.

Sunday's other match saw Balcatta win 3-2 at Murdoch University Melville.

It was an incident-packed opening, with four goals in the first 20 minutes.

Balcatta nosed ahead on four minutes when Caitlin Doeglas broke down the right and fired low into the far corner.

Ellie La Monte thought she had equalised almost immediately but the assistant referee had her flag up for offside. Instead, Balcatta went up the other end and made it 2-0 as Cassandra Harvey ran on to Christiane Astorp's defence-splitting pass and slipped the ball beyond Melville keeper Danelle Cornish.

Within two minutes MUM were on the scoresheet. Joey Cartwright escaped down the right and her cross was headed in by Katarina Jukic.

It was whirlwind start and matters took another turn in the 20th minute when MUM did level through Jukic. The former double Football West Gold Medal winner turned on the edge of the box before scoring past Gabi Dal Busco.

MUM's fightback ultimately counted for nothing. Nine minutes from time Astorp brushed aside Kathryn Schubert and coolly drilled home.

On Friday night Curtin University and Football West Hyundai NTC played out an entertaining 2-2 draw.

Jess Darmago struck for Curtin before half-time. Isabella Wallhead headed NTC level early in the second half, only for Tayna Campos to quickly restore the hosts' advantage.

But with time running out Judy Connolly stabbed home NTC's second equaliser.

Round One results

Curtin University 2-2 Football West Hyundai NTC

Murdoch University Melville 2-3 Balcatta

Northern Redbacks 4-0 Subiaco

Perth SC 2-1 Fremantle City