An Ava Byrom brace guided Thirroul to a 3-2 win over Shellharbour in the Women’s Illawarra Premier League Youth Grade Grand Final on Sunday at WIN Stadium.
The side opened the scoring within 10 minutes through Ava Byrom before Matilda Pearson equalised 39 minutes in. A superb goal from Zoe Hart put Thirroul back in front before halftime.
Shellharbour made the most of a good start to the second half, scoring through Pearson, but only a few minutes later, Byrom scored the winner for Thirroul.
Thirroul made a bright start to the game, utilising the left flank well inside the first 10 minutes.
In the 7th minute, Alessia Disibio whipped in a left-sided cross that dropped to Ava Byrom in the box. The striker got control of the ball before picking out the left side of the goal with her right foot.
Shellharbour almost immediately responded through Bella Fogarty, who jinked past her defender in the box but fired her shot straight at Thirroul goalkeeper Halle Bone.
Byrom went close to a second midway through the half. A right-sided corner was swung in towards the near post, where Byrom nodded narrowly wide.
Shellharbour began to claw back some territory after this latest chance with Mia Fleming looking to cause problems down the right.
Twenty-nine minutes in, Sofia Mieli lined up a long shot for the side that dropped wide of the goal.
Four minutes later, the Thunderbirds moved the ball well down the left, with Leah Taylor finding space. She put in a cross to Byrom, who did well in bringing the ball down and taking on a strike that Shellharbour goalkeeper Piper Robertson saved.
Shellharbour restored parity six minutes before the break. A clever curling pass from Scarlett Thurgar down the right found Pearson in behind. The forward took the ball around goalkeeper Bone and composed herself before slotting her shot inside the right post.
However, Thirroul restored their lead in the final minute of regular time. Zoe Hart found a pocket of space outside the box and picked out the top left corner.
Zoe Hart’s sensational strike gave the league champions a halftime advantage in a competitive battle at WIN Stadium.
Shellharbour made a spirited start to the second half, pressing hard for another equaliser.
In the 51st minute, Naomi Hart made room for a shot in the right of the box that went wide.
Two minutes later, the winger raced through on goal one-on-one with Bone, with the goalkeeper pulling off an excellent low save.
Shellharbour’s pressure paid off in the 55th minute as they put the scores level again. Pearson executed a powerful strike that nestled high in the goal.
The scores were not level for long though as Thirroul scored their third less than five minutes later. Byrom escaped into the left of the box and arced the ball inside the right post to put the Thunderbirds back in front.
As the time ticked away, Shellharbour started to press up the field more and more, but Thirroul remained resolute at the back.
The Thunderbirds managed to hold their opponents at bay for what remained to lift the trophy.
Player of the Match: Ava Byrom
Report by Tim Gibson
Photos courtesy of Gragrapix
