Gorillas Strike In Extra Time To Sink Panthers
North Pine 2 (Broad 102', 103') Park Ridge 0 AET HT 0-0 FT 0-0 Played at: Bob Brock Park
Two goals in two extra time minutes from Sharna Broad saw Women's Capital League Champions North Pine progress to next weekend's Grand Final as they overcame a gutsy Park Ridge side on Saturday afternoon at Dakabin. Chances were few and far between throughout the ninety minutes on a tight and bumpy second pitch at Bob Brock Park after the game was forced to be moved over from the main field due to a family of plovers that were proving far fierier than either team's attacking force. The first real chance of the game fell to Park Ridge shortly into the start of the second half when Ashleigh Martinovic forced a good save out of North Pine keeper Sasha Vijars. A Morgan Schoener free kick from 25 yards out, just before the hour mark, cannoned off the cross bar as the hosts nearly took the lead and the Gorrilla's nearly snatched victory towards the end of normal time when India Schoots' shot from just outside the box flashed narrowly wide of Rachel Oates' post in the Park Ridge goal. Extra time was an inevitability and suddenly the urgency of avoiding a penalty shoot out was realised as both teams looked to force the issue. Women's Capital League Golden Boot Alexis Ball nearly found a goal after battling for the ball from Broad's cross, but she put her effort wide of the mark. As is often the case when waiting for a bus, two come along at once and that was the analogy towards the end of the first period of extra time for the hosts. Broad found herself in space on the edge of the box before striking a low drive that evaded Oates as it glided just inside the post to put the Gorillas ahead. A minute later and from an almost identical position, Broad pounced again following a good ball into the box from Ball, shooting low again with an effort that perhaps Panthers keeper Oates will look back upon and feel she could have done better with; as the ball squirmed under her and drifted into the back of the net. Ridge almost found a reply in the second period of extra time when Salena Catchpole's shot was initially saved by Vijars before Jess Barnes followed up but was unable to convert. North Pine's fitness was evident in extra time in the end as they held out to progress to a Grand Final showdown against UQFC who had brushed the Gorilla's aside in last week's preliminary final. It was a gutsy display from Ridge who had finished fourth in the league but who had previously defeated North Pine on both home and away fixtures. They contained leading goal scorer Ball superbly. North Pine will need to assess last weekend's result against UQFC and hope the Wolter Park surface is more conducive to their style of football.
Coaches Remarks:
Jamie Sanckson - North Pine: "I thought we played over the 90 minutes personally. I said to the girls at half time and at the end that we're doing well and doing the right things, but we were just lacking a goal. We were tight at the back and creating chances. In the end I think we deserved the win." Adrian Bakker - Park Ridge: "Yeah it was a tough game but we took the premiers to extra time so I'm happy. We were perhaps a bit unfortunate in the end but someone's got to win and someone's got to lose."
FB Media Player of the Match: Kirsten New (North Pine) & Alisha Freiberg (Park Ridge).
In such a tight game there's often a player from each side that puts on a superb performance for there side and in both players' cases, New and Freiberg stood out on the day with solid displays. Freiberg was forced off injured towards the end of normal time having thrown everything she had into the game and perhaps that allowed the Gorillas to capitalise in extra time. Whilst New was immense for her side throughout the encounter.
Team Line-ups
North Pine: Vijars (gk), Ball, Born, Broad, Carloff, Di Francesco, Michel, New, Savill, Schoener, Schoots, Eccles, Stelzer. Park Ridge: Oates (gk), Bakker, Barnes, Brimelow, Brown, Catchpole, Freiberg, Hunter, Jordinson, Somers, Vernon, Archers, Graham, Kuiper, Martinovic, Mead. REFEREE: Paul Eldridge
