(Women’s Super League, Wentworth Park, Wednesday, 2
September 2020)
Clarence Zebras 1 (C Stalker 23)
Olympia warriors 0
HT: 1-0 Att:
200 Ref: T Peart
Clarence Zebras: Cook -
Marmion, Dixon, O’Brien, Steventon
- Ferrier, Burt, Gadon, Stalker - Berry, Nichols
(Subs: Bowden, Fiehmann, Gill,
Rand, Richardson)
Olympia Warriors:
Farrow - C Chambers, Black, Leszczynski - Roberts, Bomford, Michael, Gubb - M
Cane, Davies, M Chambers (Subs: I Cane, Johnson, Russell, Teale, Pinkiewicz)
Photo: Bonnie Davies flies through the air [PlessPix]
Clarence Zebras beat Olympia Warriors 1-0 at Wentworth Park
tonight to go to the top of the Women’s Super League standings.
The win was a crucial result for the home-side as they now
lead the Warriors by one point with half the season gone.
Olympia had most of the play and their tally of shots and
corners was much greater than their opponents, but it’s balls in the back of
the net that count in football and Clarence Zebras managed one of those whereas
Olympia did not.
The goal came midway through the first half after Olympia
conceded a needless corner.
The corner from the right was taken by Georgia Burt, who
sent the ball beyond the far post where Caitlin Stalker volleyed home off the
underside of the bar to give Clarence Zebras the lead.
Photo: Olympia's Madison Chambers (right) gets a cross in despite the attentions of Clarence Zebras' Isabella Ferrier [PlessPix]
The closest Olympia came to equalising was when Bonnie
Davies gained possession in the inside-right position and turned sharply before
chipping goalkeeper Shelley Cook, but the ball came back off the crossbar and
was cleared by a relieved Clarence Zebras defence.
Credit must go to Clarence Zebras for their dogged
defending. They made Olympia work hard
for the ball and generally made them play wide and into less dangerous
positions.
Louisa Marmion, Zara Dixon, Madeline O’Brien and Selina
Steventon did very well in blunting the Warriors’ attack, while goalkeeper Cook
was steady and safe and inspired confidence in her team-mates.
Sophie Leszczynski and Maddie Black were solid at the back
for Olympia, while Hannah Johnson also played well when she replaced Charlotte
Chambers during the second half.
Photo: More gymnastics by Bonnie Davies [PlessPix]
Davies did a lot of running, but apart from the effort that hit the woodwork, her shooting was wasteful. She threatened danger when in possession and Steventon was shown the yellow card at one stage for bringing her down.
Davies did a lot of running, but apart from the effort that hit the woodwork, her shooting was wasteful. She threatened danger when in possession and Steventon was shown the yellow card at one stage for bringing her down.
Maddie Chambers was often too deep and only managed a few
runs down the flank to deliver crosses.
Olympia were confident in midfield but not direct enough, preferring
to play the ball square or back instead of utilising the pace of players such
as Davies, Maddie Chambers and Mia Cane.
Photo: Olympia's Mia Cane in a sprint for the ball [PlessPix]
Innocent Michael, Olivia Bomford and Caitlin Roberts had
ample possession but were unable to make it effective because of the tenacity
of Clarence Zebras’ Burt, Bronte Gadon, Isabella Ferrier and Stalker.
The Warriors dominated the entire second half but a
goal eluded them because of poor shooting and stout defending by a Clarence
Zebras outfit that worked as a team and got players behind the ball when they
lost possession.
Photo: Olympia goalkeeper Jenna Farrow takes a cross [PlessPix]
Olympia Warriors coach, Alastair Russell, said:
“I’m proud of the effort but so frustrated we couldn’t put
away at least one of our chances.
“Credit to the Clarence Zebras defensive effort.
“We are already looking forward to the next clash in just
over a week.”
Photo: Referee Tony Peart books Clarence Zebras' Selina Steventon, who faces up to Bonnie Davies [PlessPix]
Clarence Zebras coach, Chris Hey, said:
“We went into the game with some niggles and having lost three players in the past two weeks in Danielle Kannegiesser, Stacey Burdack, both injured, and Lily Hulton, so our squad depth has been tested.
“We had a specific plan and in the first half it worked well for us so we decided not to change things in the second half.
“Olympia pressed us more in our back-third and we struggled to get the ball into our front half for the majority of the second half.
“Having said that, the game is about scoring and defensively I thought we were superb.
“Players worked hard to get behind the ball and Olympia struggled to breach us.
“I’m very proud of the discipline our players displayed in this game.”
14 comments:
...and the football Gods have spoken!
Well , what a fantastic game that was , actually showed the boys a thing or two with some superb passing and plays from both sides , Zebras win the first half and Olympia the second although the wind probably played a fair part in the Zebras all defence tactics in the run home .Just brilliant sportsmanship and a deserving great crowd considering the Wednesday night . That was probably game of the year so far in both Men’s and Ladies League and shows just how close these two teams are .Cant wait for the next two encounters
Olympia needed to settle down and play to feet, long shots were always going to be tricky against the experienced Clebras keeper. When coming up against a backline of nine players, Olympia needed to be patient and play the ball around instead of taking pot shots from distance. What worked best for Clebras is that they played like a team, whereas Olympia played more like a group of individuals at times. Overall a good game to watch, although frustrating at times.
Tactically interesting. Definitely not amazing. If that were a men's match people would be critisizing the players. Clarence defended well but didn't attack, does that consist playing well? They defended well..
Warriors passed well until they got into the Clarence half, but created very little from there, does that consist of playing well?
If it were a men's game the knives would've been out.
Perhaps the men's critisism is unfounded. Either way I enjoyed the game, easily 2 very interesting and opposing sides.
It was entertaining enough because of the closeness of the score, but it wasn't great football from either side. Clarence defended reasonably well, but they struggled to keep the ball for any extended period of time. They look unfit as a collective so I'm not sure whether it was entirely a tactical decision to sit quite so deep, but it worked in their favour. Olympia had plenty of time in possession, but their ball movement was so slow and lacking in purpose that it gave Zebras plenty of time to organise defensively. Chambers and Davies are ineffective when they don't have space behind the opposition's defence to run into, so they were basically reliant on individual efforts from Bomford, who often needed to beat 3 or 4 opponents.
I'm not sure why some people feel the need to compare it to a men's game though, can't we just enjoy a competitive game of football on its own merits?
Anon 2.44,,, Oh yeah I bet we are all at peak fitness this year after sitting around for 6 months you flogger ,, get a grip , both teams put on a great game considering they are used to smashing in 10 goals a game , well done Ladies you won a lot of supporters last night
You've got to be joking... Neither team could string a pass together. Olympia dominated the second half and if it wasn't for some wasteful finishing, they would have won by four or 5. Even then, the game was awful... Why are so many of these girls shooting from 35 yards out when they can hardly make the distance? It all felt very rushed to me... Shocking game.
5.11,, you are embarrassing yourself with dumb comments! You obviously were not there as both teams put a lot of passes and moves together , didn’t mean they ended well but the defence closed a lot down ,,, as for shooting from 35 metres in that wind last night I would have backed the girls to make the distance from 50 ,, unless you were at the game which I’m sure you will say you were , you can’t judge conditions from an I phone screen , as for Shocking game , mate you need to have another Bong !
I cannot fathom a coach instructing a team to park the bus in tassie,Chris hey did just that!!
And they complied like sheep!!
Walter did you watch the game?? the refereeing was abbissmal and the negative tactics employed by one coach is not the way to bring people to the game!!
I could not care less olympia vs clarence but to say by some within FFT's media jerk off that refereeing has improved over last 10 years is an insult to our intelligence!And to past referees including douggie slater and Basil!!
7.50pm. Of course I was at the game. How else would I have taken the photos?
Good point Walter...not very bright that bloke!
1. Sitting deeper (park the bus) speed of opposition limited in getting behind defence.
2. Complied like Sheep (Followed coaches instructions) better that than defiance.
3. Negative (in your view) = positive result on the night 3 point & top spot.
4. Causing opposition to shoot from distance (opposition frustration & panicking)
I have watched a good number of Clebras & Zebras (past) female games and they are generally a very attacking side, so as much as they played a more defencive style of game, they achieved their purpose and got the chocolates.
I would be surprised by your naming of previous Refs who go back a very long way that you are not an avid Football follower, so also surprised at your negative comments about coaches tactics in this game as managers across the world at the highest level have employed these tactics in the past.
I love the comments. You have those that clearly watched or were at the game saying it was great etc then you have the uneducated who make the most ridiculous and laughable statements.
This is the most talked about game of the season, male or female. Big win for women’s football!
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