PERTH SC 2-1 UWA-NEDLANDS
By Ben Gilby
Perth overcame tough conditions, and a battling UWA-Nedlands side who had goalkeeper Francesca Carr in superb form, to claim victory at Dorrien Gardens this afternoon.
Goals from Maja Archibald and Georgia Cassidy, either side of Taylor Reid’s strike for the visitors sealed the home side’s 13th win from 16 league games in 2025.
The Azzurri made four changes to their starting line-up from last weekend’s 6-0 win over Murdoch University Melville. Epril Nossent, Kim McCartney, Daisy McAllister, and Jess Flannery came in for Alanna Ottobrino, Violet Longmore, Georgia Cassidy, and Ella Lincoln.
The game kicked off in very wet conditions, with standing water in areas of the pitch on the grandstand side of the field. Perth looked to maximise possession, but for the first 20 minutes neither goalkeeper was called into action with any regularity.
The first real chance came with 23 minutes played when visiting goalkeeper Carr stood up well to deny a one on one.
Just prior to the half hour mark, the Azzurri came closer still. Sam Mathers’ corner came in high from the left and Matilda Boehm’s shot at the back post went narrowly wide.
With nine minutes remaining on the half, Perth’s industrious approach was rewarded when Maja Archibald was played in from the left and the young midfielder let fly with a low shot from around 20 yards that beat Carr.
However, the lead would only last two minutes. Dayle Schroeder’s touch from Epril Nossent’s pass back was stronger than she would have liked, and it allowed Reid to benefit and turn the ball home. It was tough on Schroeder, who is having a superb season and has conceded far fewer goals than any other keeper in the league.
Perth hit back powerfully and ended the half on the ascendency once more. Archibald found the net again with two minutes of regulation time remaining, but she was adjudged to have been in an offside possession when receiving Nossent’s cross from the right. There was also time for Mathers to hit an effort from the edge of the box that Carr held.
The Azzurri dominated the second half, but a combination of battling defence and superb goalkeeping served to make it hard for the hosts to make it count on the scoreboard.
Seven minutes into the half, Archibald looked up and cracked a powerful shot that flew just wide of the right hand post. Shortly afterwards, from Mathers’ corner on the left, Carr was called into action to block a shot from close range.
Either side of the hour mark, the UWA-Nedlands shot stopper earned her corn once more as Cassidy bent a low ball into the box which Carr held just as Ruby Marshall was waiting to pounce. Then, Ella Lincoln turned brilliantly on the edge of the box and hit a powerful first time shot that the keeper saved.
Then, with 67 minutes on the clock, Lincoln was brought down by Alyssa Kinkaid on the left flank. Up stepped Cassidy to curl a superb free kick straight into to the far corner of the net.
Perth had two opportunities to extend the winning margin, but Carr denied them on both occasions. First, she held a pacy low cross from Lincoln that came in from the left with runners looking to come in to finish. Then, Lincoln executed another superb turn and shot that the visiting shot stopper saved.
At this stage of the season, it’s all about getting the three points, and this latest haul extends the Azzurri’s winning run to five on the bounce ahead of next Sunday’s trip to Subiaco.
Teams: PERTH SC: Schroeder, Nossent, McCartney, Boehm, McAllister, Collins, Archibald, Mathers, Flannery, Tana, Marshall. Substitutes: Ottobrino, Lincoln, Ingrey, Cassidy, Warburton, Longmore.
Scorers: Archibald 36’, Cassidy 67’.
UWA-NEDLANDS: Carr, Gibson, Hartley, Dadswell, Preiato, Rodrigo, Dinsdale, Riches, Franklin, Reid, Kinkaid. Substitutes: Muller, C.Gaspar, E.Gaspar, Dewar, Short, Klomp, Visic.
Scorer: Reid 38’.