Jemma House produced her eighth hat-trick of the season as Newcastle Olympic effectively secured the minor premiership with a 4-0 win over Broadmeadow on Sunday while Warners Bay sealed their finals berth by beating Merewether 4-3.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
All of the goals at Magic Park came in the second half in an Olympic performance that issued a clear warning to the other top-four sides ahead of finals.
The two teams went into the penultimate round of Herald Women's Premier League with 28 points. Olympic improved to 31 with the victory and, with a goal differential of 25 more than Magic, look to have the minor premiership firmly in their hands.
House, who has now scored 27 goals in 13 matches, had the two best chances of the first half but could not convert. She broke the deadlock in the 50th with a close-range volley after an Olympic free kick.
Laura Hall took the free kick and found Georgia Amess in space on the right. Amess whipped a well-timed cross into the box for House to finish.
Maddie Dean had a chance to equalise for Magic one minute later but put her shot wide of the left post.
House struck on the counter-attack in the 59th and 83rd and Amess scored in the 64th.
Olympic coach Harmonie Attwill credited "discipline and patience" for the result.
"We didn't want to concede and knew we couldn't afford to give a goal away because we didn't want to battle like we did last time," Attwill said post-match.
"We were really focusing defensively today and it really paid off. We did a good job at not letting them have opportunities.
"We changed things to adapt to them. We knew they were strong on their left-hand side, so we changed people around and that worked. We really wanted to shut down their midfield, which I think we did, and we really wanted to shut down that delivery to the left-hand side."
Jen Hoy scored a hat-trick in Warners Bay's win over third-placed Merewether (27) at Arthur Edden Oval. The win moved the Panthers to 24 points and consolidated fourth place as Mid Coast's (19) finals hopes faded in a 4-1 loss to Adamstown (16) at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility.
New Lambton (7) defeated Thornton (0) 4-2 at Thornton Park.
Round 13 results:
Newcastle Olympic 4 (Jemma House 3, Georgia Amess) beat Broadmeadow at Magic Park. Half-time: 0-0.
Warners Bay 4 (Jen Hoy 3, Elodie Dagg) defeated Merewether 3 (Lori Depczynski 2, Rhali Dobson) at Arthur Edden Oval. Half-time: Warners Bay led 2-1.
Adamstown 4 (Emma Bates 2, Kimmie Trappett, Belle Hewitt) beat Mid Coast 1 (Courtney Anderson) at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility. Half-time: Rosebud led 3-1).
New Lambton 4 (Adriana Jones 2, Tahlia Gossner, Kate Heap) defeated Thornton 2 (Jasmyn Hughes, Taleah Mountford) at Thornton Park. Half-time: 1-1.
Pointscore:
Newcastle Olympic 31, Broadmeadow 28, Merewether 27, Warners Bay 24, Mid Coast 19, Adamstown 16, New Lambton 7, Thornton 0.