Taroona's second-half revival blows Clarence away

Photos (Top to Bottom): Clarence United's starting eleven; Taroona's starting eleven; Officials (L-R) are assistant referee Lauren Hargrave, fourth official Michael Thain; referee Richard McAllister and assistant referee Christie Cox-Haines; Where is that ball?; Clarence's Marlugu Dixon controls the ball despite pressure from a Taroona defender; Now I wonder who that is? Clarence coach Ronnie Bolton (right) watching the action; Taroona coach Dirk Gadd (left) in a busy technical area; Taroona defend a Clarence corner; Clarence's Teegan Roy (right) tackles Taroona's Karina Tarbath; Clarence's Harkana Dixon holds off Taroona's Holly Ayton and Sarah Cretu; Clarence's Harkana Dixon in possession as Taroona's Kellie Konings moves in; Clarence's Harkana Dixon gives flight to the ball; Taroona's Emma Fyfe in action; A frantic chase for the ball; Taroona's Ashlee Tolman has scored to put Taroona ahead [PlessPix]

Women’s State-wide Final (KGV Park, Saturday, 18 September 2010)

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Clarence United 2 (M Gillbee 17, M Dixon 21)

Taroona 3 (A Tolman 14, 61, S Cretu 47)

HT: 2-1 Att: 150 Ref: R McAllister

Clarence United: Ven Der Niet; Herbert, Goss, Brighell, Pagano, Undy, Kannegiesser, Ridler, Bolton, M Dixon, Edwards, H Dixon, Gillbee, Roy, Archer, McLeod [Interchange rule applied]

Taroona: Catheral; Ayton, Tarbath, Fyfe, Bremner, Tolman. Parsell, Ormandy-Neale, Cretu, D Raymond, Konings, H Manuela, Prescott, Collet, Wilsdon, Farquhar [Interchange rule applied]

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Clarence came out with all guns blazing and a hesitant Taroona defence came close to conceding several times in the first 10 minutes.

But, in the 14th minute, Taroona showed they had weathered the storm by taking the lead with a fine goal. Laura Prescott attacked down the right and cut the ball across the penalty area from the byline, leaving Ashlee Tolman with an easy finish.

This surprise reversal stung Clarence into action and they equalised in the 17th minute after some poor defending by Taroona. Madeline Gillbee’s initial shot was blocked by keeper Savannah Catheral, but instead of clearing, the ball cannoned off a Taroona defender and presented Gillbee with a second chance. She took it, driving the ball into the net with venom.

Clarence realised they had missed too many early chances and they settled down to consolidate their superiority and played some fine attacking football.

This paid off in the 21st minute when the mobile and skilled Marlugu Dixon took advantage of uncertainty in the Taroona rearguard to side-foot home from close range and give Clarence a 2-1 lead.

In the 37th minute, Danielle Kannegiesser rounded two Taroona defenders with ease and got inside the box, but her shot was straight at Catheral.

Taroona fought back and captain Holly Ayton almost grabbed an equaliser when she chased Clarence defender Casey Pagano for a through-ball. Clarence keeper Amelia Van Der Niet managed to block the ball and Pagano cleared it to safety. But, it was a sign of things to come.

Four minutes before half-time, Ayton crossed dangerously from the right and Ven Der Niet could only palm the ball wide to Tolman, whose shot was deflected for a Taroona corner.

Taroona’s second-half revival was evident as early as the 47th minute when they drew level through Sarah Cretu, whose header came off Rachel Ridler’s thigh and flew into the roof of the net.

In the 55th minute, the excellent Prescott won the ball on the right and took it to the byline before setting up Kellie Konings for an easy chance, but the Taroona striker lifted the ball over the bar when facing an open goal.

Tolman should have scored in the 59th minute when Cretu got to a corner and flicked the ball back for her, but she shot wide.

In the 61st minute, Tolman netted her second goal of the game after an incisive attacking foray involving Emma Fyfe and Konings to give Taroona a 3-2 lead.

Taroona were well on top now and Cretu might have done better than shoot straight at the goalkeeper in the 75th minute after the ball ricocheted to her.

Taroona continued their onslaught and Lisa Bremner rattled the Clarence crossbar with a fine effort in the 77th minute. The ball dropped dangerously into the penalty area, but no Taroona attacker could reach it before Clarence cleared.

Cretu was in dangerous and confident form now and, with 8 minutes remaining, sent in a header at goal, but it lacked power.

Clarence still had life, however, and seconds later, Marlugu Dixon showed the Taroona defenders a clean pair of heels down the right, only to shoot straight at Catheral.

Three minutes from the end, Cretu popped up again and drove just high and wide of the target.

In the final minute, it was Taroona on the offensive again and a corner by Bremner caused panic and confusion in the Clarence defence, but the ball bobbled narrowly wide of the far post.

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Clarence United coach, Ronnie Bolton, said:

“Overall, it’s a fair result. Taroona deserved it. They finished a lot stronger than we did, which is probably a legacy of last week’s game in extra time, a tough bruising encounter.

“We carried a few injuries into today’s game, but credit to Taroona. I think they fully deserved it.”

Taroona coach, Dirk Gadd, said:

“It was a game of two halves. I think Clarence should have buried us in the first half, to be honest.

“But, a bit of soul searching in the second half, or at half-time, the girls got what they wanted. It was a good result.