Match slips away from Central
Another frustrating loss against Southern has summed up the Central women’s national league campaign.
Southern won 3-2 in a seesawing game at Massey University, Palmerston North, on Sunday, leaving Central last on the table, with five losses and a draw. They were awarded one win after Auckland was deemed to have fielded an ineligible player.
Too often this season Central were in a position to win or draw a game, but let the game get away from them.
Sunday’s match was also marred by youngster Georgie Furnell breaking her leg in the first half and the match was held up for about 10 minutes while she received treatment.
Furnell had her foot planted on the ground and collided with the goalkeeper. She broke her fibia and tibia, and had surgery on Monday.
Coach Barry Scullion said the team did well this season.
‘‘For such a young team it’s such amassive step up for them. They got some points on the board.
‘‘The competition is getting
harder every year. For us, we’re more of a development team at the moment.’’
He said it was pleasing the team were more competitive, including in the game against Southern.
There were fewer blowouts this year, with big losses to Northern, Auckland and Canterbury, but otherwise it has been close against the other the teams.
After what looked like it would be a goalless first half in Sunday’s game, Southern and Central scored right on half-time to go into the break at 1-all.
Central took the lead in the second half, but 90 seconds later let Southern score a goal to make it 2-all. They scored the winner 10 minutes later.
Scullion said conceding a goal right after they had scored one made it hard.
It was similar to their 2-all draw with Waikato-bay of Plenty earlier this season, when Central scored and then let a goal in straight after.
Scullion said they had two good scoring opportunities in the second half to level the scores, but couldn’t finish.
Aniela Jensen had another good game, scoring a goal, and she was the team’s standout this year. She was named in the competition’s team of the month for November.
She is heading to the United States in the second half of next year and won’t be available for the national league.
Scullion is standing down from the role due to family commitments, but will coach the Palmerston North Marist women’s team in the W-league again next year.