Hi team,
Feels like it’s been ages since we were home so I’ll do a bit of a highlights package.
Vs PNM 1-2
Vs Stop Out 4-1
Vs Vic Uni 1-0 (Knockout Cup)
Vs Seatoun 1-0
Vs Wairarapa 7-0
Round 2 of the W League didn’t quite start as we’d planned, with a home fixture against 2nd Place Palmerston North Marist. The score was a reversal of round 1, with both teams competing physically and mentally for the entire 90 mins, PNM scoring a late penalty to win 2-1. Sarah Gregorious the goal scorer.
The following weekend we were looking to step up against our local rivals Stop Out. The conditions weren’t ideal with the cold southerly and rain blowing end to end, and we took a very long time to get into the rhythm of the game and went into the half 1-0 up. Stop Out were determined, and never gave up, managing to capitalise on one of our mistakes to score, but we eventually took the win 4-1 with goals to Ellen Fibbes and Carolyn O’Reilly our two Centre Backs, and Lena de Ronde & Bex Jefferies, two centre midfielders.
The Knockout Cup draw saw us take on Premier League leaders Vic Uni at Boyd Wilson turf. Despite the clear gap in capability, shape and structure, we found this game tough going, with Vic putting out a very defensive side and effectively ‘parking the bus’. Grego finally managed to unlock the defence and put us 1-0 up, and while it definitely wasn’t our best performance, that was the way it stayed.
Away again for Round 8 against Seatoun at Seatoun Park. These games are always competitive as both sides like to play a similar brand of football. We were without Grego whom was out of the country on behalf of NZ Football, and so it was Becky Stewart whom took it upon herself to create something out of nothing and put an all-important winner in the back of the net. This game saw Caelin Patterson play her first 90mins for the W League in an impressive debut. 1-0 was enough to see the game out.
Round 9 was a night game against Wairarapa in Masterton, the 5:30pm kickoff making it feel like a training night. We definitely knew it was winter as it was 4 degrees at kickoff! Wairarapa are structurally a strong side, and despite us having the most of the ball, our finishing wasn’t quite up to par, and we went into the half confident, but only 1-0 up. The second half was a different story, we hit the underside of the crossbar inside a minute, and then a further minute later Grego scored her second of the game. From here it was all Upper Hutt, with Grego netting a further 3 goals for a total of 5, Kennedy Bryant adding to her season tally, and Ellen Fibbes scoring a screamer from just inside the box. Zoe Barrott and Sydnie Williams came off the bench to make their W League debuts in this match, both proving they are up to the challenge.
Today we host Wairarapa for the 3rd time this season, this time in the Knockout Cup. We welcome Kim, the team and their supporters to Upper Hutt and hope to provide the same level of hospitality extended to us on our recent trip.
#bleedorange
Gibby
W-League POD
Vs PNM – Carolyn O’Reilly
Vs Stop Out – Becky Stewart
Vs Vic Uni – Carolyn O’Reilly
Vs Seatoun – Ellen Fibbes
Vs Wairarapa – Ellen Fibbes