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 Lionesses suffer
first loss in season in round six of WPL
Sunday 27
April
2008
The Preston Lions Womens team lost their first game of the
season against last years champions Heidelberg on
Saturday.
Facing the
2007 champions at their home ground was never going to be
an easy task and it was made all the more difficult with
the strong winds and very bouncy surface at the Olympic
Village.
Nevertheless it was Preston who had the first chance in
the game from a Peta Lipec shot but the Heidelberg
goalkeeper was well positioned to save it easily.
Heidelberg then attacked down the left wing and managed to
get behind the Preston defence but Nabby Saliba made an
excellent save. Preston came back with Paula Massouh
working her way through the opposition defence and her
pass to Peta set her up nicely, but once again her shot
was well collected.
Paula had the best chance of the half with a brilliant
volley, which beat the Heidelberg goalkeeper but was
cleared off the line. Sarah Sumner took a free kick
outside of the penalty area soon after but it went just
over the bar. Those two let offs allowed Heidelberg to
slowly control the game and they dominated in the
midfield, but Kate Christoff was able to stop most of the
attacks. When Heidelberg did manage to get through Nabby
Saliba was excellent in the Preston goal, making another
outstanding save.
Despite controlling most of the game Heidelberg were
frustrated by the strong Preston defence. Preston were
playing into a heavy wind, which forced the ball back but
to their credit the Lionesses held firm and at half time
it was 0-0.
The second half started with Heidleberg playing the more
determined of the two sides. Some nice touches by their
forwards almost resulted in a goal but the danger was
cleared by the Preston defence. Preston went on the attack
and a low cross was missed by the Preston forwards. The
misses would come back to haunt Preston later in the
second half. A half hearted shot from Heidelberg was
sailing clearly over when the wind blew it back and it
fell onto the Preston crossbar and back into play.
Eventually the pressure applied by Heidelberg paid off.
Some clever passing enabled the forwards to get through
the Preston defence and shoot freely at goal. Nabby Saliba
made an incredible world class save but the ball fell to
an unmarked Heidelberg player who calmly slotted the ball
into the empty goal. It was 0-1.
With a goal down Preston decided to go all out for an
equaliser. Pushing more players forward Preston tried to
break through the Heidelberg defence but they played a
clever offside game, catching the Preston forwards many
times. As Preston pushed forward Heidleberg managed to
score on the counterattack. It was 0-2 and though Preston
did manage to hit the post minutes later the game belonged
to last years champions.
In the Reserves game Preston drew 0-0 but could have won
it with some excellent chances that were just not grabbed.
Next week Preston travel to Sandringham
in round six of the WPL on Saturday
3rd May 2008 at 1.00pm for
reserves and 3.00pm
for seniors at Kingston Heath Soccer Complex.
Sandringham another
unbeaten team and one of the form teams this season. There
is no doubt that the Lionesses will give it their all and
try get the three points.
Photo by
Pece
Siljanovski
Seniors:
Heidelberg United 2 –
Preston Lions WFC 0
Reserves: Heidelberg United
0 – Preston Lions WFC
0
Olympic Village
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