Grace Gill's hat-trick gifted Canberra Croatia FC their first win over Canberra United Academy this season, as pressure mounts on the side to reclaim their spot on top of the ladder.
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The 4-0 scoreline was the first time this season Croatia have beaten United, after drawing 2-2 in the first round and losing 3-1 in May.
The captain opened the scoring in the 20th minute. The goal built off a cross from the right-hand side, finding Olivia Fogarty, before Krista Hagen found an open Gill, who sent it bottom left to go 1-0.
Gill's second received a helping hand from a United defender five minutes later. The attacker ran the ball into the edge of the box, with minimal pressure, and fired off a shot which Chloe Lincoln saved but pushed into a defender to go over the line.
The 32-year-old's third before half-time came after she found herself at the end of an Alice Churchill cross from the left. The former W-League player found herself unmarked at the back post and volleyed it home first time.
Gill said after their last result against the Academy they pinpointed areas they had to work on and brought those to the match.
"CUA is a really technical side, so we spoke about pressure early on in the game to try and rattle them and I think for the opening minutes that really helped and ... then we were able to settle in and get our foot on the ball and knock it around really well," she said.
"Goals aside I think I was actually really good football on the park and I think that showed."
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United kept the home side scoreless for 37 minutes of the second half, before they made it 4-0. Chantel Jones got on the end of a corner with her head, before the second phase saw a backward volley from Hagen beat the defence and Lincoln at the near post.
Academy's Sofia Christopherson said her side were disappointed in the result but proud of their performance and would continue to work on their smartness of play.
"We've got to keep our head up, it's our first loss against CCFC so we're pretty happy with that effort, and our second half performance definitely showed that we were in the fight," she said.
"They have such experienced players in the CCFC team, and we're younger so we need to think, our movement needs to be better, or we need to help out other players, so support around the ball, so little technical things, I think as a team and as a unit, we need to keep working on and hopefully that'll bring us up to have more opportunities in front of goal."
Belconnen United FC have claimed the NPLW ladder's top spot, after defeating Wagga City Wanderers FC 12-0 on Saturday.
Their impressive win saw them overtake Croatia on goal difference (54 to 52), however, the Deakin side have a game in hand after their postponed fixture against Gungahlin United FC last week.
NPLW round 15 results
- Gungahlin United FC def Tuggeranong United FC 8-0
- Canberra Olympic FC def West Canberra Wanderers 2-1
- Belconnen United FC def Wagga City Wanderers FC 12-0
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