Report by Tommy Doleman

Subiaco have shown a real improvement from last season. Now they just need the wins to follow. Photo via Subiaco AFC Facebook

Subiaco remain on the hunt for their first win in the NPLWA – Women’s era when they host Hyundai NTC on Sunday.

It was a tough first year for Subiaco in 2020, as they collected just two points from 14 league matches and scored only four goals.

Results-wise, things have not changed much with four straight losses to start this campaign. But there has been a marked improvement from the team in terms of playing style and competitiveness, which has given coach Iain Jolly plenty of early encouragement.

Jolly says he has seen a massive progression over the past year and is now hoping to turn that into wins.

“It’s been a lot better this year. For us, it’s about creating those solid foundations and the pleasing part is we’ve managed to compete in the first four games,” he said.

“We’ve given a good account of ourselves and it’s been really positive, even though we are still getting punished for mistakes. All in all, we’ve been a lot more solid and we may have scored a few more goals had luck gone our way at times.

“We’re certainly not going to sit here wanting to try and minimise damage. We want to keep progressing, to take out a couple of these teams and score some goals. I know that every week the confidence is growing and once they get that first win it will push them forward again.

“Everyone knows the next progression now is to get that win on the board and to not be happy until it comes. I really want to see the girls win. I see the hard work they put in and they really deserve it.”

Jolly moved to Perth from Scotland eight years ago, having coached at amateur level once injury curtailed his playing days.

Since then he has been part of the Subiaco fabric with a range of experience across the youth levels at the club, before stepping up to the senior women’s NPL side after last year’s COVID-19 lockdown.

“I’d never coached an all-female team before, even though we’ve had some really good females play in various youth teams, but it’s been great and I’ve really enjoyed it,” Jolly said.

“It’s been a tough ride because every week we know we have to be at 100% to get anything from the games, so it’s a mental game as much as anything.

“It’s been a learning curve but we marvel at it really because these girls were so far behind last year, and they’ve come so far in the space of a year it’s incredible. It really is a joy to coach them.”

Subiaco’s next challenge comes against an NTC side who won their first game of the campaign against Balcatta last Sunday. Last year when the sides met at Rosalie Park, it was the closest Subiaco came to a victory as NTC snatched a draw with a 94th minute penalty.

Jolly is hopeful of seeing a similarly positive showing from this weekend.

“Of course, we are expecting a hard game. NTC are one of the best passing teams in the league and play out really well from the back, but deep down I’m confident we can get something out of the game,” he said.

“We want to lay down a marker to say that if you’re coming to play us, then you better play well, because we’re not last season’s team anymore and that’s the motivation we are giving the girls.

“Now it's about getting a mindset of accepting you’re not as vulnerable as you were and swinging that around to see how we can get results out of games.”

The Round Six action kicks off on Friday night at Macedonia Park with a fixture between Northern Redbacks and Fremantle City.

Redbacks remain the division’s only unbeaten side and hope to increase their one-point lead over Murdoch University Melville. Fremantle sit third after their first defeat of the season against Perth SC last week.

On Sunday, defending champions MUM FC look to extend their three-game winning streak away to a Curtin University team who pushed leaders Redbacks in a five-goal thriller last week.

Finally, there is the ‘Italian derby’ at Grindleford Reserve as Balcatta meet Perth. Danielle Brogan’s team won both fixtures between the sides in 2020 and will want to build on last week’s first win at Freo, while the hosts aim to arrest a two-game losing run.

Fixtures (3pm unless stated)

Friday
Northern Redbacks v Fremantle City (7.30pm)

Sunday
Curtin University v Murdoch University Melville
Balcatta v Perth SC
Subiaco v Hyundai NTC