South United and Flames entered their Round 15 clash on Sunday as joint competition leaders, and by the end of the 70 minutes nothing had changed after they played out a 3-all draw.
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Souths led 2-nil early, and then 3-2 only for Flames to twice fight back and level as the two shared the points.
Stand-in Souths coach Denby Budden said they started the better, moving the ball confidently, a “typical incisive Amber Witney run from the midfield” resulting in them taking the lead.
Witney, Lily Neilson and regular goalie Chelsea Thornton - enjoying a run in the field – were causing the Flames defence headaches, he said, and from a tomahawk, Neilson doubled Souths advantage.
Sparked into action, an intercept from deep in defence with around five minutes remaining in the first half saw Flames captain Jess Fleury breakaway before sending a 40/50m cross to find Ashley Allen on the lead. She finished brilliantly to make it 2-1 at half-time.
Flames coach Barrie Pritchard said Souths had them under the pump for probably the first 10 minutes of the second half, but they managed to repel them and draw level through Fleury.
Neilson restored the lead for Souths but it was short-lived with Claudia Rodda tapping-in a cross from Annelise Frear after a good break from Kate Ferguson.
Both sides had chances to break the deadlock and snatch the points in the closing minutes with Souths scrambling one off the line and having a couple of penalty corner chances of their own before full-time.
Budden was disappointed not to get the two points after missing a number of chances, but was pleased that they played good hockey to create those chances.
He said Meg Lye and Neilson worked tirelessly and moved the ball well while Allison Billinghurst’s distribution from the back was very good.
Both sides were missing a number of key players.
Flames had seven regular graders out.
“We were pleased with 3-all given the circumstances,” Pritchard said, the unusually wet conditions making things difficult.
They took a while to get themselves into the game, and were guilty of a few turnovers which Souths punished them for.
It wasn’t until probably around 10 to go in the first half that he thought they “started getting going”.
The second half was a similar story, Pritchard feeling like they got a bit on top of them again late in the half.
Ferguson was a “powerhouse” as usual, he said while Sarah Overeem was “a good controlling influence at the back.”
Janika Armano also had a great game at left half.
Pritchard was also impressed with the young forwards – Frear, Rodda, Ruby Spark and Marley Pitt.
“They all played really well,” he said.
FLAMES 3 (Jess Fleury, Ashley Allen, Claudia Rodda gls) drew with SOUTH UNITED 3 (Ambey Witney, Lucy Frame, Lily Neilson gls).
