Advantage Queens Park after Redbacks slip

Northern Redbacks have been toppled from the summit of the Bankwest Women’s State Premier League after a 1-1 draw against Beckenham Angels at Ashfield Reserve.

Queens Park climbed to the top with a 2-0 win away to Melville City at Len Shearer Reserve.

Redbacks fell behind against Beckenham when Lindsey Jobling found the net in the 39th minute but rallied to equalise through Larissa Walsh 20 minutes into the second half.

Northern Redbacks coach Tim Hodgson joined in the mind games with Queens Park, claiming they were now under pressure in the closing stages of the season.

“A few weeks ago Queens said that the pressure was on us,” he said. “We can now pass that back and say that the pressure is all on them. We’ll see how they go.

“We’re now in a position that we didn’t want to be in. It’s out of our hands but we’ll keep performing and we’ll keep going.”

Hodgson rued his team’s first half display.

“They were all over us in the first half and they deserved their one-goal advantage,” he said. “We knew the game was going to be tough and Beckenham showed their class in the first 45.

“We came out in the second half and showed what we were really cable of. The win was what we needed but we got the draw and that’s what we deserved.”

Beckenham were the better side in the first half and had chances from the off.

Good link up play between Jobling, Andrea Preiato and Jessica Lindquist led to a 12th-minute chance for Jamie-Lee Gale whose side-footed effort skimmed the cross bar.

The Angels continued their pursuit of a goal and came close in the 22nd minute. A 35m strike from Preiato looked destined for the top corner but keeper Kathleen Waycott did well to keep her composure and gather at the second attempt.

Controversy arose when the Redbacks had the ball in the back of the net in 26th minute but after discussions between referee Sam Musca and his assistant the goal was ruled out for offside.

The opening goal came from a Beckenham corner when Lindsey Kenyon’s outswinger was powerfully headed home by Jobling.

Beckenham had a chance to extend their lead just before half-time. Preiato put a superb ball over the top for Danielle Calautti, who outpaced the Redbacks defence. Her one-on-one effort was well saved by an outstretched Waycott to deny the Angels their second goal of the game.

Redbacks started the second half looking to improve on a lacklustre first-half performance. Two corners in the early exchanges of the half saw them go close to grabbing an equaliser. A header from Chloe Alaga went just over the bar and an effort from Ellis Glanfield forced the Beckenham keeper into making a save.

With the Redbacks pushing for an equaliser, Beckenham looked dangerous on the break. An impeccably timed through ball from Gale played in Calautti, who was again one on one with the keeper. She fired her shot straight at Waycott, who parried to safety in the 55th minute.

The home side continued their search for an equaliser and came close to drawing level in the 64th minute. Renee Leota and Larissa Walsh combined well to set up a chance for the latter, whose shot dragged agonisingly wide.

The pair linked up again in the 65th minute and this time Walsh levelled the score with a composed strike into the bottom left hand corner.

With the score level at 1-1 both teams had chances to win the game. The home side’s best chance to take all three points came in the 83rd minute. Glanfield’s powerful run into the box was followed by a thunderous strike, which was tipped behind by the keeper.

In the 88th minute Beckenham went close to snatching victory when Caitlyn Broomhead crossed from the right to Jobling, whose quick turn and strike was just wide of the upright.

Beckenham coach Jason Washington-King was pleased with his team’s display.

“I’m really pleased with the result. I think we’ve lost the last 8 on the bounce to them, so to get a draw here today was a good result for us,” he said.

“We played really well today and we stuck to the game plan and that paid off. Overall we’ve had an inconsistent season but today’s performance shows how disciplined and focused the girls are.”

Beckenham are third on the table, 13 points clear of fourth place.

Northern Redbacks 1 (L WALSH 65′)
Beckenham Angels 1 (L JOBLING 39′)
Sunday 14th September 2014
Ashfield Reserve, Ashfield
Kick-off: 2.30pm
Referee: Sam Musca

Northern Redbacks: 1. Kathleen WAYCOTT (GK), 2. Emily DUNN, 3. Larissa WALSH, 4. Nicola WILLIAMS, 5. Amy KNIGHTS, 6. Rita MANKOWSKA, 7. Lauren RILEY, 8. Hope SHEPHERD, 10. Rebecca DAVIES, 11. Ellis GLANFIELD, 12. Melanie DOEGLAS, 14. Renee LEOTA, 15. Chloe ALAGA, 16. Georgia HARRIS, 17. Georgia BRITTAN
Yellows cards: WALSH 84′
Red cards: Nil

Beckenham Angels: 1. Kirsty TESCHINSKY (GK), 3. Kirby LARSEN, 4. Lindsey JOBLING, 5. Jessica FERGUSON, 7. Annique KEISLER, 8. Jamie-Lee GALE, 9. Danielle CALAUTTI, 10. Kathryn CONROY, 11. Antonia JUKIC, 12. Stephanie CAIN, 13. Lindsey KENYON, 14. Caitlyn BROOMHEAD, 15. Andrea PREIATO, 16. Jessica LINDQUIST
Yellow cards: Nil
Red cards: Nil