Michelle Heyman struck the only goal after 36 minutes as Canberra United defeated Newcastle Jets 1-0 in Week Six of the Westfield W-League.
Michelle Heyman struck the only goal after 36 minutes as Canberra United defeated Newcastle Jets 1-0 in Week Six of the Westfield W-League.
Canberra United Coach Ray Junna threw a surprise selection choice with Nicole Sykes back into the starting eleven, after returning from injury, in place of Lyndsay Glohe with the former Central Coast Mariners defender left out of the squad entirely in favour of young defender Sally Rojahn who was named amongst the substitutes.
With both team-s fairly evenly matched a rather dour first half ensured punctuated by a few half-chances for both teams. United threatened early on when Sally Shipard tested home goalkeeper Alison Lipsher from distance closely followed by Caitlin Munoz with the Matilda-s striker firing a fierce effort straight into the arms of the home ‘keeper.
In response the Jets saw an Amber Neilson corner, driven to the near post, pushed to safety by Canberra ‘keeper Lydia Williams before former United centre-back Thea Slatyer headed wide from a corner when under pressure from the visiting defenders.
After a match that ebbed and flowed in a midfield tussle, it was Canberra that took the lead in the 36th minute. Emily Van Egmond created it, threading a superb through ball between a square Jets defence, to free top-scorer Michelle Heyman who showed excellent composure to advance on goal and slot a low shot past Lipsher for her sixth goal of the season.
Suddenly finding themselves behind the Jets upped the ante and another ex-United player, Kara Mowbray, shot straight at William when well placed as Canberra took a narrow advantage into the half-time interval.
After the break it was Canberra that had the better of the opportunities without unduly troubling the home custodian. Heyman found herself on the end of a deep cross to head just over the crossbar before young Kahlia Hogg fired a mid-range shot that tested the reflexes of Lipsher.
What followed was a typical mid-season battle with the central areas becoming rather congested as both teams tried to wrestle their superiority and take a stranglehold on the clash.
The Jets almost grabbed a leveller in the 77th minute when Hannah Brewer burst forward, unchecked, to blast a twenty mere effort towards goal that Williams was relived to watch pass harmlessly over the bar to safety.
Both sides made changes in an effort to affect the outcome of the match with the home side introducing Alex Huynh and Carlie Ikonomou in an effort to break down a resolute Canberra defensive effort led by the central defensive pairing of Caitlin Cooper and Ellie Brush which was, once again, outstanding.
Towards the end of the match a calf injury to Kahlia Hogg allowed United to introduce Sally Rojahn for a Westfield W-League debut but, by then, Canberra had long since looked likely to claim the points and did so with the minimum of fuss.
Newcastle Jets 0 Canberra United 1 (Michelle Heyman 36′)
Saturday, 11 December 2010
EnergyAustralia Stadium, Newcastle
Referee: Peta McCallum
Assistant referees: Catherine Nash and Penny Nash
Fourth official: Tanya De Boer
Newcastle Jets: 1. Allison LIPSHER(gk), 2. Hannah BREWER, 3. Hayley CRAWFORD (c) (17.Alexandra HUYNH 70-), 4. Niki CROSS, 5. Gema SIMON (14. Carlie IKONOMOU 79-), 6. Renee CARTWRIGHT, 7. Tara ANDREWS (10. Leia SMITH 63-), 8. Amber NEILSON, 9. Sasha McDONNELL, 11. Kara MOWBRAY, 13. Thea SLATYER, 16. Kate HENSMAN,
Substitutes not used: 20. Alison LOGUE (gk)
Yellow cards: Leia SMITH 79-
Red cards: Nil
Canberra United: 1. Lydia WILLIAMS (gk) (c), 2. Caitlin COOPER, 4. Michelle HEYMAN, 5. Kahlia HOGG (12.Sally ROJAHN 89-), 6. Caitlin MUNOZ (8. Tseng SHU-O 80-), 7. Ellie BRUSH, 9. Grace GiLL (19. Jennifer BISSET 70-), 10. Emily Van EGMOND, 13. Nicole SYKES, 15. Sally SHIPARD, 16. Ellyse PERRY
Substitutes not used: 20. Jocelyn MARA (gk)
Yellow cards: Nil
Red cards: Nil
