SOCCER
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THE Western NSW Mariners FC have put themselves well clear at the top of the women’s State League competition ladder thanks to a second half assault in their heavyweight clash with Gladesville on Sunday.
In perfect conditions at Proctor Park, the hosts had to overcome a determined opponent and some brilliant goalkeeping but persistence paid off as they secured a 4-0 win.
It was their fifth straight victory to open the season and puts them two games clear in the premiership lead, though a number of chasing sides have a game in hand.
A double to Kristy Collingridge and some good finishing late in the game secured the win.
However, it did take a lot of hard work and it was only in the final 20 minutes that Mariners coach Mick Godbier could start to feel safe.
“The kind of squad we have just keeps on going. A lesser team might have started to drop their heads today after so many missed opportunities, but we kept plugging away and the rewards came,” he said.
“The Gladesville ’keeper was class and really kept them in the game for a long time. They are a very good side, so to get that sort of win was massive.
“In a way the scoreline could have been anything, we really did set up a lot of chances. But it is testament to everyone’s determination that after missing a lot of them, we just kept going.”
In the first half an hour the Mariners made most of the play but as Godbier alluded to, they couldn’t turn that into goals.
Against the run of play, Gladesville went on the attack and a stray Mariners foot in defence almost resulted in an own-goal. Instead the ball struck the near post rather than beating goalkeeper Jess Daymond.
As half-time loomed, a couple more scoring opportunities were spurned by the home team before Collingridge finally found the mark.
Even then, a superb save from the opposition custodian went unrewarded, as she got hands to a Katie Pakai-Kelly strike only to see it end up in the chasing Collingridge’s path.
Buoyed by that timely effort going into the break, the Mariners came out with more intensity in the second half and were immediately on the attack.
Yet again their good work was thwarted by some good goalkeeping, but once more the mounting pressure on the Gladesville defence paid off.
Collingridge’s second goal came mid-way through the half as she headed home a nice ball after some good lead-up work from Salomoni and Megan Embleton.
That blow seemed to sap some of the spirit from the visiting side, though they still tried to counter-attack.
Late in the game Sarah Morris, one of the Mariners’ next generation, came into the action. She was on hand when a superb one-handed save from a Salomoni strike deflected to her, giving her a maiden top grade goal.
Salomoni herself finally got on the scoresheet moments later with her team’s fourth.
“It was another good day for us, we didn’t have Teegan Courtney and you can’t replace a player like her, but Kya [Godbier] went into the engine room and played that holding midfield role well,” the coach said.
“We had Tara Johnson debut for us at the back and she did a great job, everyone did a good job today really. I am pretty proud of their effort.”
WESTERN NSW MARINERS FC 4 (Kristy Collingridge 2, Sarah Morris, Jess Salomoni) defeated GLADESVILLE 0