UNDER 14 GIRLS | SOUTH COAST FLAME 1 – 2 BLACKTOWN CITY
31 JULY 2022 | BLACKTOWN SPORTS CENTRE

Round 24 saw Flame travel to Blacktown Sports Centre to take on Blacktown City.

The game started at a high tempo with both sides finding opportunities in the opening stages. Despite making some early saves, Flame’s stand-in keeper was powerless to stop the opening goal as the Blacktown winger cut the ball back for a tap in.

The game began to slow down with chances becoming a bit of a rarity. This made Flame’s concession of a second right on the brink of half time a big psychological blow.

Emerging from the sheds 2-0 down, Flame came out with a shape change and began sending players forward in search of a goal. This was obvious in the flow of the game as the South Coast girls had much more success in possession. This resulted in Caelin Rodgers continuing her hot streak in front of goal to make it 2-1.

Unfortunately, despite a dominant second half, that was how the game would end.

Player of the Week: Grace Manzau

Due to a late withdrawal, Grace captured the respect of her peers by throwing the gloves on and was stoic but persistent in her approach. She spent 30 minutes in goals before support arrived and, in that time, managed four saves and was key when playing out from the back.
This also translated when she returned to her normal position in the back line. She was the most consistent player on the field, in and out of possession.

UNDER 15 GIRLS | SOUTH COAST FLAME 1 – 0 BLACKTOWN CITY
31 JULY 2022 | BLACKTOWN SPORTS CENTRE

For their second double-header in as many weeks, Flame’s 15 girls squad travelled up to Blacktown for an early morning contest.

In their earlier fixture, Flame prevailed 1-0.

Flame started well and had territorial dominance throughout the first half. A few chances in front of goal went begging and frustration began to grow for our players. Nevertheless, the team regrouped at half time to find out how the game could be won.

Flame’s dominance was rewarded in the second half as U/14’s midfielder Mischa Lawson stepped up and scored her first goal for the U/15’s. A rebound from the Blacktown defence found Lawson on the edge of the box who put the ball into the back of the net emphatically.

Flame went into defence mode for the last 20 minutes of the contest and defended their hearts out. In the end, they earned a well-deserved three points.

Player of the week: Matilda Armitt

Matilda is growing in confidence week by week and showed her quality on Sunday morning. Matilda had her first genuine run up in the left wing position and very nearly had a goal for her efforts.

UNDER 16 GIRLS | SOUTH COAST FLAME 0 – 0 BLACKTOWN CITY
31 JULY 2022 | BLACKTOWN SPORTS CENTRE

The word of the day for the Flame was ‘frustration’ as they dominated right from the very first minute. Early chances fell to Sam Shallcross and Alivia Beath but the deadlock could not be broken. This was a trend that continued as the game progressed. The first half alone saw the away side rack up 11 shots on target including 8 from inside the penalty area.

The second half saw more of the same as Flame flooded players forward in search of a go-ahead goal. A gilt-edged chance fell the way of Maddison Day as she found herself 1-on-1 with the opposition keeper but the chance was sprayed just wide. The girls continued to push and in the last 20 seconds, Shallcross found herself in behind, but the shot also scraped the outside paint of the post. The score finished 0-0.

Player of the week: Ciara Wade

Ciara continued her impressive season in between the sticks. She added to her already clean sheet record with a dominant performance in which the opposition never looked like scoring. Her command of area when defending from set pieces has been of specific note.

UNDER 20 GIRLS | SOUTH COAST FLAME 5 – 1 BLACKTOWN CITY
31 JULY 2022 | BLACKTOWN SPORTS CENTRE

South Coast Flame travelled to face a struggling Blacktown City side with Flame hoping to continue with their confident displays of recent weeks.

The game didn’t start as planned for the away side as Flame were caught on the counter after trying to play out from the back. The City striker placing her shot past the oncoming Tahlia Sharrock which crossed the line before the retreating Brooke Love could clear it from the goal.

The goal ignited the Flame and what followed was probably South Coast’s most complete half of football since the turn of the round. Crisp passing and creative play saw Ava Parry in space with the goalkeeper to beat. Parry unselfishly squaring the ball up for Mia Riza to score on the back post to level the scores.

Flame were in total control of the game as their newly implemented formation had Blacktown scratching their heads on how to handle the away sides movement.
On 30 minutes, a quick switch of play from a throw-in found Sienna Humphrey in the half-space. Her killer pass for Emily Kostovski put the Flame captain in on goal who then cut back for Ava Parry to score a tap-in on the near post. An outstanding Flame goal. 2-1 at the interval.

After the break, South Coast went back to work as they picked up where they left off in the first half and were playing some attractive possession-based football. It wasn’t long before Flame added another to the score line, this time a play that was built up for over 20 passes. Mia Riza received the ball in the final third who took on three defenders before poking the ball to Hazel Atkins. Atkins shooting first time and looping the ball over the goalkeeper into the net to give South Coast a 3-1 lead.

Minutes later it was deja vu as Riza cut-in off the wing, beat two defenders and squared her pass for Atkins again. This time, Atkins laid the ball off to Emily Kostovski who was unmarked on the back post for a tap in and Flame’s fourth of the match.

As time ticked down, South Coast were still pushing for more goals, not willing to settle or let up the pressure. The pressure paid off as a tidy combination between Atkins and Isabella Coppola found Kostovski in behind the Blacktown defence. Kostovski’s cutback finding the run of Coppola who smashed home from 6 yards to give South Coast their fifth goal of the match and a well deserved 3 points.

South Coast Flame putting in their most convincing performance in recent memory, gaining some much-needed momentum heading into a tough run of fixtures in the coming months.

Player of the week: Mia Riza

Mia put in her best performance of the season, scoring one goal and setting up two others in her sides 5-1 win. Mia put into practice skills learnt at training this week to great effect. Her confidence in 1v1 situations was outstanding and her willingness to work in BPO and do the ‘dirty work’ rounded out a very complete performance.

WOMENS FIRST GRADE | SOUTH COAST FLAME 2 – 1 BLACKTOWN CITY
31 JULY 2022 | BLACKTOWN SPORTS CENTRE

Back-to-back wins for South Coast Flame as they visited Blacktown City FC in their 2-1 win on Sunday afternoon at Blacktown City Sports Centre.

South Coast Flame found the back of the net through Rachelle Wang after a Jessica Cruickshank through ball found the wingback in space in the penalty area. Her first-time shot was too hot to handle for the talented City goalkeeper as it found the side netting.

Flame remained in control of the possession and were creating good chances in the final third, however, the Blacktown City goalkeeper was in fine form making three world class saves to keep her side in the game.

With three minutes until the half, Blacktown City FC equalised through Nicola Ciocca as she rose the highest from a corner to head home from 6 yards.

Scores level at the break.

Flame came out the second half a bit flat and Blacktown took advantage, creating chances on the counterattack and off the mistakes South Coast were making in the middle third. Charlotte Palmisano made a great save on 60 minutes to keep the scores level.

Minutes later, Caley Talon-Henniker picked up possession inside the City half, dribbled around three City defenders before cutting the ball back for Jessica Cruickshank. Cruickshank calmly converting the chance from 6 yards out to give Flame a 2-1 lead with 15 minutes remaining.

City pushed for an equaliser and were testing the Flame resilience. A City free kick beat Palmisano in the Flame goal, however, the ever-reliable Caitlin Russell was on the goal line to clear the ball away with her head to safety.

There was a nervy last few minutes as Blacktown committed players forward, but it was South Coast Flame who took home the 3 points in a huge win away from home.

Player of the Week: Caitlin Russell

Caitlin was a monster in defence against Blacktown City. Whether it was goal line clearances, last ditch challenges or her relentless pressure, Caitlin has proven to be one of the most reliable and determined defenders in the league.