South Hobart's win over Taroona puts them 2 points behind Women's Super League leaders Launceston United

Photo:  Taroona goalkeeper Isolina Ottavi turns Mia Cane's penalty against the bar. [PlessPix] 

Women’s Super League (KGV Park, Wednesday, 17 August 2022)

South Hobart 4 (N Moutsatsos 3, M Cane)

Taroona 1 (M Lane)

HT:  3-0

South Hobart:  Butler;  Bachelor, M Cane, Choi, Cooling, DeclerckN Moutsatsos, Roberts, Swain, Westwood, Wright (Subs:  I Cane, Coy, Kidd, McConnon, White)

Taroona:  Ottavi;  Bain, Blackwood-Coyle, Cropp, Fujiura, King, Lane, Lucas, McGinn, Price, Riley (Subs:  Gale, Krelling, Thomson)

Photo:  Taroona goalkeeper Isolina Ottavi takes a cross and thwarts a South Hobart attack. [PlessPix]  

This was a game South Hobart had to win to stay in touch with Women’s Super League leaders, Launceston United.

And win they did.  The victory puts them within 2 points of Launceston United, but the northerners have a game in hand.

The first half was largely one-way traffic, with South Hobart dominating possession and keeping play in Taroona’s half for long periods.

South Hobart were able to push defenders forward in attack as they were never really under any pressure at the back.

Photo:  South Hobart's Mia Cane (left) fights for possession. [PlessPix]  

Bridie Cooling rarely had to defend and was able to initiate attacks from the back or from midfield.

South Hobart scored three goals without reply and should have had at least another, but Taroona keeper Isolina Ottavi, who had conceded the penalty, turned Mia Cane’s spot-kick against the crossbar.

The second half saw Taroona come out fighting and they did much better than in the first half.

Photo:  A Taroona attacker races down the wing with South Hobart's Niki Moutsatsos in hot pursuit. [PlessPix]  

They conceded a fourth goal early in the half but South Hobart were unable to add to their score after that.

Taroona’s perseverance and tenacity was rewarded 5 minutes from the end when Madeleine Lane hammered an unstoppable shot past keeper Samantha Butler from the edge of the penalty area.

Niki Moutsatsos hit a hat-trick for South Hobart, while Mia Came grabbed the remaining goal.

Photo:  Niki Moutsatsos is congratulated after scoring a goal in the first half. [PlessPix]  

WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE (As at 17 August 2022)

TEAM	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Launceston United	14	12	1	1	49	19	37
South Hobart	15	11	2	2	78	23	35
Devonport Strikers	15	10	2	3	74	20	32
Clarence Zebras	15	9	1	5	75	26	28
Kingborough Lions	14	4	0	10	40	60	12
Taroona	14	2	0	12	11	82	6
Olympia Warriors	15	0	0	15	7	101	0

Photo:  A duel on the wing at KGV Park tonight between South Hobart's Talia White and Taroona's Isabella McGinn. [PlessPix]

Photo:  An unorthodox but effective thigh trap by a South Hobart player and watched by team-mate Sophie Westwood (right). [PlessPix]
 

Photo:  South Hobart skipper Lucy Roberts (left) in a shoulder-to-shoulder confrontation with Taroona's Nathalia Krelling. [PlessPix]