The weather finally held off and allowed all games in the Grace Marton Trophy and Bill Brackenbury Cup to go ahead for the first time this season.
Please read below to find out what happened in our region's top divisions of football.
Grace Martin Trophy
This week is one that will live long in the memory of Concord supporters as both teams defeated Leichhardt Saints and launched the club’s teams into first and second on the Grace Martin Trophy ladder.
It’s quite a start to the season for Concord B, who a week before the season started were not even in the league, but now sit in second place – behind only their fellow clubmates.
Leichhardt Saints A 1-2 Concord A
It was good conditions on Sunday evening as the sun set and it became cooler on the excellent Major’s Bay Reserve playing surface.
Directly from the kick-off it was a battle of the midfield with possession changing hands regularly in the middle of the park. With both teams focussed on victory, Leichhardt had the better of Concord but neither team really tested the keepers.
With 0-0 at half time the wrestle continued with good intensity for 20 minutes until Saints opened the scoring.
Following a strong Leichhardt cross, a Concord defender miscued her clearance with the ball deflecting past the keeper and into goal. It was an unfortunate result for the otherwise very solid defence of Concord.
The lead did not last long as essentially straight from the restart Alyssa Wedd broke into the Saints penalty box and was fouled by a defender. The referee pointed to the spot and Wedd finally scored after Cassandra Nader made a brilliant save diving to the right, but Wedd was first to the rebound to equalise.
The game lifted a notch and there were chances at both ends and it took a superb individual effort from Wedd to earn the victory. Receiving the ball in her own penalty box, Wedd ran the length of the field before crossing to Chelsey Johnson who scored the winner!
Saints hit the post in the final minutes but Concord held on to claim a famous three points.
Balmain A 2-1 Russell Lea
Balmain A got their first victory of the season over Russell Lea in an entertaining match played between two very well-matched teams.
Balmain had the better of a tight first half and scored twice from outside the area through attacking midfielder Issy Bogatai as her two shots were spilled by the unfortunate Russell Lea keeper who otherwise had an outstanding game.
Balmain led 2-0 at half time but Russell Lea came out with a game plan in the second stanza and pulled a goal back with 25 minutes to go with an outstanding goal from their Bridget Harrington and it was game on.
Both teams then had further opportunities to score goals but a mix of great defending and brave goalkeeping by both keepers kept the score at 2-1.
Leichhardt Saints B 2-7 Concord B
The score-line does not tell the whole story for this match with the game being quite even for most of the game, with the difference being Concord starting and finishing strong.
Leichardt Saints went into the match already behind the eight-ball: missing key payers due to injury and illness but still putting up a good fight.
Concord started strong, controlling the ball and possession for the first 10 minutes with a few shots that were on goal but mostly straight at the keeper.
Saints capitalised on the poor finishing with a swift counter-attack which saw Phaedra Carroll score against the run of play.
It did not take Concord long to equalise with a cross from Amy Falson that found Michaela Bourbous near the far post with an easy tap in. Concord continued to pressure the Leichhardt defence with good ball movement, which let to Ellen Wlodarczyk placing the ball into the top right corner to take a 2-1 lead.
This goal was soon after followed by another goal for Concord, this time by Charlotte Trapnell.
At 3-1 down, Leichhardt switched gears and created chances, and after a powerful shot saved by Concord’s goalie Olivia Femia, the loose ball was slotted in by Leichhardt’s Zoe Lindhout to make it 3-2.
Just as Saints were getting themselves back into the match, a lapse of concentration cost them as Concord extended their lead moments before half time as Trapnell ran onto a through ball to score her second goal of the match.
Leichhardt came out firing in the second half and they dominated the game for the first 20 minutes with at least four clear chances but not finding the back of the net. Conversely, Concord did not need any second chances with Bourbous netting her second after a frantic goal mouth scramble.
Wlodarczyk scored the goal of the game when Bourbous laid a pass back to Wlodarczyk just outside the 18-yard box for her to connect sweetly and drive the ball just below the cross bar to make it 6-2.
With five minutes remaining, a nice move along the left wing where Trapnell cleverly gave Arzu Tasdemir an inside pass that gave her enough time to place the ball into the top right corner from about 20 yards.
Canterbury Juniors 2-3 Strathfield
It was a day of depleted teams as players from both teams dropped like flies during the match, culminating in an incredible comeback.
Before all that happened though, Canterbury started the match in perfect fashion: catching Strathfield napping in the first 15 minutes and punishing them with two quick goals thanks to strikes from April-Rose Moniaci and Jessica Kanaan.
Suddenly, the Strathfield women realised it was game on and that Canterbury had come to show them a trick or two. Some frayed tempers, yellow cards, and missed chances from Strathfield got the team at odds and ends with each other.
Strathfield were 2-0 down at half time but cool heads emerged from the half time chat and they quickly got back into the game with a cracking goal from restart by Angelica Georgopoulos.
Not long after, a second yellow card to Jess Smith meant Strathfield were down to ten players (and no subs) but the disadvantage was not as bad as it could have been with Canterbury down to the bare 11 following injuries.
Despite being a player down, the game was still there for the taking, and Strathfield needed no further invitation: equalising through Daniella Dani Fierro.
The match quickly turned into an end-to-end spectacle with both sides creating opportunities to score but it was Strathfield who sealed the fairy-tale comeback with Beren Gungor snatching a stunning winner with a clinical finish from outside the box.
Hurlstone Park 1-3 Cooks River Titans
A beautiful Autumn day welcomed Hurlstone Park Wanderers and Cooks River Titans as both sides looked to get their first win of the season.
The match started with good midfield play from both teams which set the tone for what ended-up being a very even contest for the duration of the match, but on the 20 minute mark, a crazy four minute period turned the match on its head.
Belinda Seers opened the scoring through a long-range free kick before Seers made it 2-0 less than a minute later when she placed the ball in the corner of the net for her second.
This Hurlstone Park outfit are a newly formed team and the quick two goals left them unsettled and disorganised as they conceded a third goal just two minutes late through Megan Baiocchi.
Hurlstone Park soon woke-up, though perhaps too late – but they were given a glimmer of hope when Maree Paradisis made it 3-1 a minute before half time.
There were no more goals in the second half with both teams getting into their groove and playing well.
Enfield 2-3 Balmain B
Enfield suffered their first loss of the season, going down 3-2 to Balmain team bouncing back from a heavy defeat last week.
Despite the score line, it was a dominant performance by Enfield who had a lot of the ball and the majority of chances: they just couldn’t capitalise.
Balmain on the other hand were very efficient: making the most of their limited opportunities to score three goals and take the victory.
Goal scoreres for Enfield were Elizabeth Salvagio and Jasmine Maxwell.
Upcoming Games
Enfield v Hurlstone Park: 7pm Wednesday 27 April at Ewen Park
Leichhardt Saints B v Hurlstone Park: 1:15pm Sunday 1 May at Balmain Road Sporting Ground
Russell Lea v Leichhardt Saints A: 1:25pm Sunday 1 May at Queen Elizabeth Park
Concord A v Canterbury Juniors: 2:20pm Sunday 1 May at Edwards Park
Concord B v Balmain A: 2:55pm Sunday 1 May at Edwards Park
Balmain A v Cooks Rivr Titans: 3:30pm Sunday 1 May at Waterfront Drive
Strathfield v Enfield: 4:20pm Sunday 1 May at Strathfield Park
Bill Brackenbury Cup
The Bill Brackenbury Cup continued on the weekend with four games being played.
LFC Sports 8-2 Cooks River Titans
LFC Sports won their first match of the season, defeating Cooks River Titans. Neither club was able to supply match information in time for publication.
Inter Lions 5-1 Balmain DFC
Both teams went into this match confident of getting a result having come off wins in their opening round matches.
Inter started the best of the two teams, quickly firing themselves into a 2-0 lead in the opening ten minutes with goals from Callum Sinclair and Domenico Di Mento.
Balmain were able to peg on goal back but a second goal to Sinclair and a striker just before half time from Adam D’Apuzzo gave Inter a 4-1 lead at the break.
Stefan De Jesus sealed the victory in the second half.
Hurlstone Park 2-0 Marrickville
Hurlstone Park kept up their 100% record this season, defeating Marrickville. Neither club was able to supply match information in time for publication.
Burwood 1-1 APIA Leichardt
Burwood and APIA came into this match desperate to claim a win with both teams suffering nothing but losses so far this season.
The first half was evenly matched with little chances of note before the deadlock was finally broken mid-way through the second half when a terrific through ball from Alexander Scott put Ryan Henderson one-on-one with APIA’s goalkeeper.
Henderson made no mistake, giving Burwood the lead with his left foot.
APIA earned themselves a point with 15 minutes left in the match when Julian Rinaldo equalised.
Upcoming Games
Burwood FC v LFC Sports: 7:05pm Tuesday 26 April at Blair Park Field
Cooks River Titans v APIA Leichhardt: 7:55pm Friday 29 April at Tempe Reserve
Marrickville v LFC Sports: 8:15pm 29 April at Tempe Reserve
Hurlstone Park v Balmain DFC: 3pm Saturday 30 April at Ewen Park
Enfield v Inter Lions: 3pm Saturday 30 April at Henley Park
Feature image credit: Photographed with Love
