WaiBOP’s hopes of winning the ASB Women’s League remain alive after an impressive 3-2 win against Football South in Dunedin.
Goals from Tessa Leong (2) and Kylie Jens gave the WaiBOP side a 3-0 lead and the final margin flattered the South Islanders as they picked up two goals in added time.
Football South pushed their defence high throughout the game, catching WaiBOP offside 15 times, but they were outfoxed in the 12th minute when Leong beat the offside trap, running on to an Emma Cawte pass to beat goalkeeper Tessa Nicol.
Just after the hour, Jens and substitute Eileish Hayes passed their way through the middle of the southerners’ defence, for Jens to finish.
Jens then pushed forward in the 67th minute, setting up Leong for her second.
As the game entered added time, Football South put together their best move of the game, allowing substitute Madison Clarke to rattle home a shot from the edge of the area.
Then in the fourth minute of added time, the home side were awarded a disputed penalty when Jens fell on the ball. It was smashed in by Sam Muirhead but the points still went home with the travelling WaiBOP team.
With four of the league’s seven rounds played, WaiBOP sit in the sixth spot on the table but still capable of securing a top three spot, and a place in the semi finals, as long as they win their remaining games.
“Every game’s a cup final from here on,” said coach Simon Mead. “We just have to play to our potential in every game and not worry about how other teams’ results are going.”
WaiBOP play Mainland South at Rotorua International Stadium (11am kick off) next Sunday, a curtain raiser to WaiBOP United’s opening game against Canterbury United in the ASB Premiership.
