SPECTATORS might have seen a Bathurst District Football Ladies Premier League grand final preview on Sunday as CSU took on Eglinton in a top-of-the-table fixture.
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CSU nabbed a goal midway through the second half and held the lead until the end to take a 2-1 win at Proctor Park.
Clear cut chances were difficult to come by for both teams as the respective defensive lines stood tall.
A shock own goal opened the scoring in Eglinton’s favour but a perfectly placed, long range effort from Tegan Kerr allowed CSU to draw level before the break.
Emily Thurlow finished off a nice piece of team play through the middle of the park to give CSU what would ultimately be the decisive goal.
CSU coach Riley Smith hopes the result can give her team’s season a kick start.
“We had a few weeks off during uni holidays and that really rocked us. We had our first loss and have conceded quite a few goals compared to the start of the season,” she said.
“Hopefully we can get back into training hard and get a few of our regular players back.
“We have to work on those first touches and passes to feet and making good choices on the ball. That’s going to be a big help for us.”
Eglinton looked the more dangerous team in the opening exchanges and made several probing runs on both wings.
Maddie Booth found space just outside the penalty area in the 12th minute but the Eglinton player put the first genuine scoring opportunity of the game left of the target.
Just five minutes later Eglinton got their breakthrough but it didn’t come from their own boot.
A long range effort into the box was mishit by Lydia Nancarrow and goalkeeper Ciara Kearnes watched helplessly as the ball sailed over her head and into the net.
CSU kept their heads up after the goal and started making some strides down the left edge of the field. The most threatening of those moves was a Thurlow run in behind the Eglinton defensive line, stopped inside the box.
It took a moment of magic from Kerr to bring the game level.
Facing away from goal with an Eglinton defender on her back Kerr spun to her left and launched a long effort towards the net.
The ball found the top left corner and it meant Eglinton’s lead had lasted only five minutes.
CSU continued to enjoy the bigger share of possession following the goal and nearly had another when Paula Mitchell’s rocket shot was stopped by Katie Kennedy.
The Vixens were awarded a free kick just outside the Eglinton box with 10 minutes before half-time but the effort sailed over the crossbar.
The match became more end-to-end as half-time approached.
Eglinton’s first chance for some time came from an Eileen Cosgrove effort – sent from almost another postcode – but Kearnes got herself behind the ball and stopped it right on the goal line.
Two minutes into the new half CSU nearly found goal number two when Mitchell almost chested a corner into the Eglinton net.
Kerr was given another opportunity to score but sent a free kick straight to Eglinton goalkeeper Brooke Alexander in the 51st minute.
Eglinton enjoyed one of the strongest periods of the match for the following 10 minutes, asking serious questions of the Vixens defence and keeping CSU camped in their own half.
Despite the extra time on ball the women in blue and yellow couldn’t find the goal that would give them the lead.
Thurlow linked up with Julia Koko to break through the middle of the Eglinton defensive line and set up a one-on-one with Alexander.
Alexander got a glove to the ball but the force of the shot carried it into the net.
Eglinton almost responded straight away when Cosgrove clearing ball put Montana Walker into space.
As Walker approached the box the CSU defence was able to scramble back and prevent a shot.
CSU were able to keep a resurgent Eglinton at bay for the remainder of the contest.
Panorama FC and Macquarie United complete a tightly-packed top four in the women’s competition.