THUNDERBIRDS SOAR TO VICTORY AT THOMAS GIBSON PARK
Thirroul picked up an impressive 3-0 victory against Woonona at Thomas Gibson Park on Sunday afternoon. Kaitlin Mott opened the scoring for the hosts half an hour in and just before the break, the Thunderbirds doubled their advantage through Ambrosia Wilmans. Thirroul added one more midway through the second half courtesy of Kirsten Ward.
It was a fast-paced start to the game with both sides looking up for it from the start. Ten minutes in, a nice passage of play from Thirroul outside the box involving Hannah Bowen and Claytyn Gehrke saw an incisive ball into the feet of Gehrke inside the box who fired wide. Three minutes later, Woonona came forwards down the left-hand side through Lindsey McLead who drove into the box and fired a shot wide of the near post. The Thunderbirds began to assert their dominance in the fixture over the rest of the half creating multiple chances with the first of these coming in the 17th minute. The hosts utilised the left-hand side with Ambrosia Wilmans finding herself free in the box who produced a shot which almost braised the post. Three minutes later, Thirroul forward Kaitlin Mott was played through face-to-face with Sharks’ custodian Riahnnon Simpson who provided an important save to deny Mott from opening the scoring.
However, ten minutes later, on the half-hour mark, Mott had her goal. A cross in from the left-hand side caused havoc inside the Woonona box with the ball dropping to Mott who made no mistake from close range. Thirroul’s pressure continued and six minutes later, the side created another opening. A ball this time in from the right-hand side was dropped by Simpson but the ball was scooped over the bar by the Sharks. Thirroul’s assault on the Woonona goal continued and just before the break, the Thunderbirds added a second to the scoreline. Some good build-up from the side saw Wilmans pick up the ball with her back to goal. Turning well, she took aim and fired a powerful shot with her right foot into the net.
A dominant half of football from hosts saw them take a two-goal advantage into the sheds leaving the visitors with everything to do in the second period.
It was a slower start to the second half in comparison to the opening period with neither side threatening to score until the 57th minute when Sharks’ forward Sinead Bailey took aim seeing her shot ricochet to Georgia Lang who with the goalkeeper away from the goal, attempted to halve the deficit for the visitors but saw her shot cleared by a defender before reaching the goal. Despite this opportunity for Woonona, it was Thirroul who got the next goal courtesy of Kirsten Ward. A cross in from the left-hand side found Mott free in the box who showed great composure to square the ball to Ward who tapped the ball into the empty net.
The Sharks responded two minutes later through Georgia Lang who tried her luck from inside the box on the left-hand side seeing her effort deflected over the bar. Eight minutes later, Thirroul began their search for a fourth goal as Chloe Hocking had a shot from the top of the box on the right-hand side with her effort being saved smartly at the near post by Simpson. With ten minutes to play, the visitors nearly had a consolation as Kyah Humphrey was denied from close range thanks to a last-ditch block from Mahalia Royter. With four minutes to play, the Sharks produced another chance with a Hayley Walkinshaw freekick forcing a save from Thunderbirds custodian Ashleigh Orvad. Despite Woonona’s best efforts, Thirroul secured a 3-0 victory.
Thirroul coach John Dark was satisfied with the style of football played by the side and was pleased with the development shown by forward Kaitlin Mott.
“We’ve really worked on the girls passing game this year,” Dark said.
“It’s really encouraging to get a result like that.
“She’s just developing like nothing else.
“There’s so much further that she can go.
“She just rises to the challenge.”
Thirroul Thunder 3 (Kaitlin Mott 30’, Ambrosia Wilmans 44’, Kristen Ward 64’)
Woonona Sharks 0
Thirroul Thunder: 1. ORVAD Ashleigh (GK), 2. MAR Keely, 3. RYAN Jamie, 4. BLACKETT Danielle, 5. HOCKING Chloe, 6. BOWEN Hannah, 7. WARD Kirsten, 8. BAKER Cara, 9. MOTT Kaitlin, 10. GEHRKE Claytyn, 11. VAUGHAN Grace, 12. ROYTER Mahalia, 13. WILMANS Ambrosia, 14. ROSE Jenna, 15. SYLVESTER Rachel
Woonona Sharks: 1. SIMPSON Riahnnon (GK), 2. LANG Georgia, 3. MOORE Kate, 4. GUSS Tasha, 5. BAILEY Sinead, 7. WHEATLEY Jordan, 8. HAWES Ainsley, 10. HUMPHREY Kyah, 11. ROOD Tilly, 12. WALKINSHAW Hayley, 13. BENNETT Kasey, 14. VAN DE VOORDE Jordan, 15. RING Kinne, 16. MCLEAD Lindsey
Date: 2 August 2020
Venue: Thomas Gibson Park
Referee: Joel Nees
Assistant Referees: Tom Walker and Helmet Lux
Report by Timothy Gibson, on Twitter @Timg123_
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