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Ashburton bows out of finals |
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Written by Admin
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Ashburton bows out of finals
Tuesday 2
October 2007
The
two best performed sides
over the home-and-away
season will meet in next
weekend’s WPL Grand Final
after Box Hill Inter
defeated Ashburton 3-1 in
Sunday’s Preliminary Final
at Bob Jane Stadium.
Minor premier Heidelberg
United awaits Box Hill next
week in a replay of last
season’s decider – the
‘Bergers aiming for their
first WPL crown while Inter
will be gunning for an
historic fifth-straight
title.
For Ashburton, it’s the end
of the line at the
Preliminary Final stage for
the second consecutive year
after once again being
amongst the leading
contenders following a solid
regular season campaign.
Kicking towards the Albert
Park Lake end in the opening
period, Ashburton, with the
aid of a stiff breeze, had
the better of the early
going on Sunday.
But it was Box Hill which
almost nicked the opener on
5 minutes when Daniela
Digiammarco was on the end
of a Louisa Bisby flick-on
from a deep Amanda Lawless
corner – the Inter sweeper
unable to keep down her shot
from less than six yards
out.
That early scare aside, the
momentum was with Ashburton,
which was finding space in
midfield through the
industrious Tal Karp, and
whose forwards, Annabelle
Gibney and Seyma Erenli,
were proving a handful for
the Inter defence.
And on 20 minutes it was
Karp who sent her side
ahead, firing home a
blistering free-kick from 35
yards which cannoned into
the underside of the
crossbar before bouncing
over the goalline.
Moments later, the Inter
defence was in disarray
following a well-taken
Ashburton corner but neither
Erenli nor Kristen Stensholt
was able to force the ball
over the line to double
their side’s lead.
Stensholt had another
opportunity shortly
afterwards when Gibney
whipped in an in-swinging
cross from the right, but
her first-time volley went
wide.
And in first-half injury
time, Ashburton heads
dropped when against the run
of play, Box Hill found an
equaliser.
Bisby was the creator,
swinging in a cross which
eluded both goalkeeper
Antoinette Michail and Box
Hill striker Kat Smith, but
which Krystal McCluskey
judged perfectly to head
into the unguarded net.
It was a cruel blow for
Ashburton, which would have
gone in at the break knowing
that in the conditions,
failing to take a lead into
the second half would
present an uphill challenge
against the WPL’s most
seasoned finals outfit.
And so it proved, as an
invigorated Inter emerged
after the interval intent on
putting its opponent to the
sword.
Bisby had two good chances
inside the first 10 minutes
– failing to keep a shot
down after being picked out
by Genia Avram’s cross and
firing over the bar from
just outside the penalty
area.
Smith then crashed a shot
wide of Michail’s upright as
Box Hill set up camp in
Ashburton’s defensive third.
On 68 minutes, Bisby’s
speculative ball to the top
of the penalty area caused
confusion amongst the
Ashburton defence and
substitute Jess Humble, only
moments after entering the
fray, was there to
capitalise as she peeled off
her marker to fire Inter 2-1
up.
And less than a minute
later, Box Hill booked its
place in yet another Grand
Final when Avram’s cross
found an unmarked Bisby at
the back stick – the Inter
midfielder nodding home from
close range to complete the
win.
By George
Egonidis
Courtesy FFV
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