Tamworth FC 0-1 Alstonville FC
Alstonville FC coach Andy Brown believes the UNE NNSW Regional Super League has helped his side reach another level after they secured a 1-0 victory over Tamworth FC at Coffs Coast Synthetics on Sunday afternoon.
Both teams entered the must-win clash following defeats, with Tamworth falling 1-0 to Coffs City United in round one and Alstonville suffering a 4-1 loss to Coffs City in round two.
With a semi-final berth on the line, neither side could afford another defeat.
The high stakes were evident throughout a hard-fought contest as both teams battled for control but struggled to break the deadlock.
That changed in the 75th minute when Alstonville substitute Emmaliesse Ulriksen found the back of the net just 10 minutes after entering the field.
Tamworth pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages, while Alstonville looked to extend their advantage, but neither side could add to the scoreline as the match finished 1-0.
The result ended Tamworth's campaign, while Alstonville progressed to the semi-finals in July.
“I think playing opposition like Coffs [Coast United] on Saturday gave us a bit of a spike in terms of where we needed to be and the level of football we needed to play,” Brown said.
“The girls definitely showed that on Sunday.
“In all seriousness, we probably should have scored more goals, but I thought we were the stronger team for most of the game.
“On Saturday, we knew we needed to win, but it was one of those situations where we were playing at a new level and could treat it as a free shot.
“If you go well, the rewards are there, but if not, at least we had a crack. The girls were really solid with that mindset, and I think it helped us play with a bit of freedom on Sunday.
“This weekend showed me another level the girls can get to. Our goal was to make the semi-finals and now we might have to set the bar a little higher.”
Brown admitted his side was prepared for a tight contest, having already experienced several late winners during their Football Far North Coast Women’s Premier League campaign.
“We've probably had a couple of those games already this year in our local competition where things haven't gone our way early and we've missed chances,” Brown said.
“I think there have been two games where we've scored the winner with about 10 minutes to go.
“Even when we have a lot of possession and things aren't quite happening for us, the girls don't seem to panic. They're a pretty level-headed group.”
Alstonville will now face Lake Cathie from Football Mid North Coast in the semi-finals in July.
Byron Bay FC 2(3) - 2(4) Urunga FC
Urunga FC coach Trevor Martin said he was proud of his side's composure after they prevailed in a penalty shootout to defeat Byron Bay FC 2(4)-2(3) at Byron Bay Memorial Recreation Grounds on Monday morning.
The Raiders entered the match following a 2-1 defeat to Lake Cathie in round two on Saturday.
Byron Bay, meanwhile, came into the contest without the fatigue of backing up from the previous day but had not played an UNE NNSW Regional Super League fixture since their opening-round 3-1 loss to Lake Cathie in February.
Byron Bay struck first in the 18th minute when Maddison Green found the back of the net.
The hosts held their advantage for much of the first half before Urunga responded four minutes before the break through Cooper Andrews.
Urunga carried that momentum into the second half and took the lead in the 53rd minute when Breanna Martin scored.
Byron Bay refused to go away and were rewarded in the 76th minute when Tahlia Farrant levelled the scores at 2-2.
Neither side could find a winner in the closing stages, sending the contest to a penalty shootout.
Emily Rumming, Andrews and Martin all converted their spot-kicks for Urunga, while Lora-Jean Damen, Lucy Hastings and Green kept Byron Bay in contention.
With the scores level, Lauren Rigney calmly stepped up and converted the decisive penalty to secure a 2(4)-2(3) victory and book Urunga's place in the semi-finals.
“I was very pleased with the performances. We expected it and we knew what was coming,” Martin said.
“There's a high level of intensity and physicality in those games and, in the back of my mind, I wondered how it was going to affect us on Monday.
“But the girls pushed through and there were no ill effects at all.
“It didn't show up, so I was really proud of them.”
While the penalty shootout brought plenty of nerves, Martin backed his side to rise to the occasion.
“I'm always a little bit worried. I was quietly confident, but you just never know,” Martin said.
“It raises the level of nerves for the girls because they're under the spotlight, so you never know what you're going to get.
“But we spoke about it beforehand and we had practised penalties at training, so we were as prepared as we could be.
“They went out there with cool heads and mentally they did the job.”
The result kept Urunga's title hopes alive and secured a semi-final clash with North Coast Football side Coffs City United in July, while Byron Bay's campaign came to an end.
Bye – Coffs City United
Bye – Lake Cathie