Qualifying Final
Charlestown Azzurri 0(4) - 0(3) Maitland FC
Charlestown Azzurri coach Heath Whyte says it was his side’s composure that secured them the 0(4) - 0(3) victory over Maitland FC and a ticket straight to the grand final at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility on Saturday.
Both sides were determined to get an early lead after their last two matches went to the very end.
Maitland’s Renee Pountney had the first attempt of the afternoon when she launched the ball from outside the box straight to the hands of Charlestown’s goalkeeper Danielle Bartels in the eighth minute.
Charlestown responded in the 18th minute as Chelsea Lucas sliced the ball towards the goal but was denied by Maitland goalkeeper Annabella Thornton.
The ball spilled out of Thornton’s hands as Madi Gallegos charged into the box, but Magpies' Tahlia Gossner put a stop to Gallegos’ attempt.
The two sides continued to push to open the scoring but remained locked up as the sides went into half-time.
The second stanza saw the end-to-end contest continue as both sides struggled to get an advantage due to strong defensive performances by both teams.
At the end of regular time, the side’s remained locked up 0-0 and saw the sides go into extra time.
Both sides pushed to take the upper hand throughout extra time but were unable to do so.
The score remained 0-0 after 120 minutes and sent the sides to penalties.
Sophie Stapleford stepped up first for Maitland and calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net before Chloe Martin netted Azzurri’s first of the afternoon.
Maitland’s Ceanna Frost and Josie Morley netted their own, as well as Gema Simon for Azzurri.
Gallegos stepped up for her first attempt and after finding the back of the net was ordered to retake the shot as she took the penalty before the referee’s whistle. Gallegos calmly slotted her second attempt of the afternoon.
The Magpies Paige Kingston-Hogg looked to put her side one goal ahead but was denied by Bartels.
Azzurri’s Holly Vitnell netted their fourth before Maitland’s Sophie Jones stepped up for a much-needed goal.
But Jones was unable to find the back of the net and Azzurri claimed their ticket to the grand final with a 0(4) - 0(3) victory.
“It was a mentally demanding match from a coaching perspective and a physically demanding from a player’s perspective. I think we’re all dead on our feet today and trying to recover from a pretty exhausting day,” Whyte said.
“It was probably circa 127 minutes of football on the pitch and then it came down to pens in the end, so it had everything.
“They’re composure, our girls were really disciplined, they were calm, composed and they didn’t overthink things. They just got down and did their job.
“That’s what really impressed me about them when it came down to the wire and the penalty shootout.
“We had four pretty clean pens so when it comes down to the penalties, they’re composure was really impressive, but it’s also the calmness before the penalties.
“Defensively we had some work to do. The game did ebb, and flow and each team had their creative moments and their stanzas of possession.
“I think over a full game Maitland probably controlled the midfield a bit better than what we did and kept the ball and structurally looked quite good in attack. So, it definitely came down to the heart.
“Defensively I thought we were great, and we were quite composed but the heart had a big play in that game, but it’s got to.
“When the game gets to a point where you’re into the 120th minute of the match, something’s got to get you across the line. Everyone’s out on their feet and they’re exhausted.”
Charlestown now have a week off while they wait to see who they will go up against in the grand final, but Whyte believed the time off has come at a perfect time.
“I think we need it. Last year I was glad to maintain momentum because we were building and came from third position, so we had to win the three. It was week after week after week but this time around, the break’s going to be timely.
“We’ve had a pretty hectic build up, we had the midweek match against Adamstown that we had to win, and then five days later, we came up against Maitland which was a physically and mentally demanding game as well for the premiership.
“I’m looking forward to the week off and to just give us time to heal and recharge because we need it.”
Despite the loss Maitland coach Joe Wright was proud of his side’s effort and will now regroup for next weekend.
“I’m disappointed with the result but I was happy with the effort from the girls last night. Penalties are always a tough way to go,” Wright said.
“I think it showed the resilience of the girls to fight, and they’ve [Charlestown] have had a bit of good form against us. So, for us to push them all the way, I think that’s a positive sign.
“The girls have got their goals that they want to achieve. They want to get into the final, so it was nothing really different down to their mindset of what they wanted to achieve.
“The girls are still ready to go and will be prepared and ready to go for next weekend.
“There are no second chances now. If you want to be in the final, you’ve got to be ready to go. It’ll be all hands-on deck ready to go.”
Maitland will now reset as they prepare to host Newcastle Olympic in a do-or-die preliminary final showdown in front of a home crowd at Cooks Square Park.
Elimination Final
New Lambton FC 2 - 5 Newcastle Olympic
Newcastle Olympic coach Craig Atkins says it was a perfect performance by his side when they downed New Lambton FC 5-2 in the elimination final at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility on Sunday afternoon to advance to the preliminary final.
Two sides with everything on the line came out firing determined to get the upper hand early.
New Lambton’s Caitlin Pickett crossed to Cass Davis at the top right of the box in the eighth minute.
Davis wasted no time to slice the ball towards the goal but was denied by Olympic goalkeeper Janali Haynes.
Olympic flew down the field on the counterattack as Sophie McDonald charged into the box as her first shot was denied by Golden Eagles goalkeeper Isabella White.
But New Lambton’s Rebecca Johnson cleared the ball back to McDonald who slotted the ball into the back of the net in the ninth minute.
McDonald looked to add a second to her tally as she beat Johnson in the box but White dove and tapped the ball out.
Olympics’ Elodie Dagg stepped up for the corner and whipped the ball over a sea of players and into the hands of White who dropped the ball into her own net in the 15th minute.
New Lambton were not backing down as Davis sliced the ball onto the run of an unmarked Tessa Tamplin.
Tamplin slotted the ball into the bottom right corner in the 25th minute and brought her side one goal closer.
But Olympic had an immediate response through Ava McGann who ran into the box alongside New Lambton’s Amy Gosling.
White came off her line to clear the ball, but McGann continued her charge towards the goal and sliced the ball into the bottom left corner from the byline in the 26th minute.
New Lambton’s Zahna Franklin looked to lessen the deficit as Kiera Bainsfair fell at the top of the box and sent the ball onto the path of Franklin but was denied by Haynes.
The Golden Eagles were unable to claw one back before half-time and went into the sheds trailing 3-1.
Olympic came out of the gates firing in the second half when McGann had a shot just moments into the second stanza but was denied by White.
It did not take Olympic long to net their fourth of the day after Dagg launched the ball from just inside the box, over White on the goal line and into the net in the 49th minute.
The Golden Eagles' Tara Andrews searched for her side's second goal of the evening as she launched the ball from just after halfway towards the goal in the 59th minute.
But the ball hit the crossbar and bounced down just in front of the goal line where it was easily collected by Haynes.
Olympics’ Sophie Walmsley netted her side’s fifth of the evening in the 72nd minute as she slotted the ball into the bottom left corner.
Davis searched for an answer in the 74th minute as she sent the ball towards the goal but hit the post.
New Lambton continued to unleash balls towards the goal but either overshot the attempt or were denied by Olympic defence.
Haynes showcased her skills once again as Andrews launched a free kick from the top of the box towards the goal but was punched over the crossbar.
The Golden Eagles clawed one back moments before full time when Jacqueline Marshall sent the ball from the top of the box over Haynes and into the back of the net.
But Olympic proved too strong and lived to see another day after their 5-2 victory.
The defeat saw New Lambton bow out of the final’s series.
“I’m feeling pretty good. We obviously played them on Tuesday night, so we had to tweak a few things, but we came with a game plan, and the girls executed it down to a tee,” Atkins said.
“It was a real semi-finals game, and the girls just lifted the notch and the intensity was great, everyone did their job. They all had an individual role to do and that was really important today.
“We spoke about Tuesday, especially the second half and even going down to 10 men doesn’t matter. You should be able to hold a lead, so we spoke about that and especially coming into the second half on Tuesday night we dropped off, whereas tonight we couldn’t.
“We knew they were coming out hard and the 90-minute performance was what I asked for and I said they didn’t miss a game plan. It was perfect.
“They’re really excited, they’re stoked with that performance. They’ll go back and watch that game and we’ll enjoy the moment while we can because then it’s another tough game against Maitland.
“It doesn’t get easier but semi-finals football, that’s what we love.”
