THEY got soaked by rain and battered by driving wind, but unfortunately Western NSW Mariners FC did not get the goal they were looking for in Sunday’s Women’s State League match against SD Raiders.
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While the Mariners created more chances throughout the contest at Proctor Park, the defending premiers emerged 1-0 victors.
The match-winning goal came just after the half-time break and before play was temporarily halted due to a driving rain storm.
“We got saturated. We’d had half-time and we’d just come out and it started to come down. I was standing on the sideline trying to fight the wind with an umbrella,” Mariners coach Jason Payne said.
“It was starting to come in and the girls – you know when you try and protect you eyes from the rain by tilting your head to one side? Play had really slowed down, so the referee put a stop to it. He spoke to both coaches and we were happy to let it pass.”
When play resumed the hosts continued to press for an equaliser, but as had been the case in the first half, the Raiders were able to hold them out.
Caterina Moio scored the decisive goal for the Raiders, finishing on the far post after a well weighted cross from the left wing.
“We had plenty of opportunities in the first half, I think our five front players all had pot shots towards goal and they went directly to the ’keeper and she caught it or they just missed, or hit the post or whatever,” Payne said.
“All the front five got shots away in the first half, we just weren’t able to get one on target and put it past her.
“It was certainly windy when we first started the game and I think that played a part in how we played. I told the girls at half-time that the first week we seemed to have a different intensity about our game and the combinations weren’t clicking as well.
“We looked a little bit clunky and in the second half again a few loose passes crept into our game and that put us on the back foot.
“But it is pretty much a completely new side from last year – so a couple of weeks down the track when we’ve had more training sessions together and more time to work together, those shots, those chances we had might end up in the back of the net.”
Having played last year’s grand finalists in the opening two rounds – drawing 2-all with APIA Leichhardt Tigers in week one – the next assignment in a fortnight should be easier for the Mariners.
They will take on Parramatta after the Easter break, a side which lost 11-2 in their season opener on Sunday.
