Canberra Croatia NPLW take winning momentum into finals next week with 5-1 result over Gungahlin United

As both of the club's women's and men's NPL sides secured their respective minor premierships before the final round of play.

NPLW captain Grace Gill has been around the traps at Deakin since their three-year reign began and reflected on the club's big year.

"It is special," she said.

"The men have such a decorated history at this club and the women's side of the program has just been getting better and better these last few years.

"For us, three consecutive wins in a row and in a year that the boys have done it as well, obviously everyone at the club is so excited."

The icing on the cake for Zoran Glavinic's side came on Saturday via a 5-1 win against Gungahlin United to lead them into finals.

But whilst it was a big day for Croatia, it was a bittersweet result for the visitors.

Gungahlin were without key striker Michelle Heyman, as she is interstate, or the De Marco sisters Natalie and Stella, as they are overseas for futsal, and another three senior players.

They also only needed a point from the match to book themselves a spot in finals next week.

Gungahlin coach Andrew Woodman said it was the first time this year the squad had been stretched for numbers, but there was a silver lining.

"It was a good opportunity for some younger players," he said. "We had four from our under 17s today, and four from reserve grade.

"So even though we would have loved to sneak into that last semi-final spot, all things considered, I couldn't be more proud with how the girls have applied themselves."

Croatia's Krista Hagen set up the first goal on Saturday. The midfielder sent a ball through for Jamie Berkeley to run onto and chip into the back of the net.

The next came via a Hagen free-kick. She found Berkeley on the edge of the six-yard, who crossed it for Bella Barac to head home to double Croatia's lead to 2-0.

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Berkeley's corner five minutes into the second half set up Deakin's third, allowing Rhiannon Fensom to find the back of the net with her head.

Another corner gave Croatia their fourth. Fensom fired off a shot but Gungahlin goalkeeper Kailey Tonini blocked it, before Sienna Birnie made sure of it with the second effort.

Their fifth came via a goal of the year contender from Shania Settin. Barac got the ball on the box, and dropped it back for the No. 18 to rocket into the top lefthand corner.

The visitors clawed one back just before fulltime. Kayla Wright crossed it into the box to her unmarked teammate Breaa Waters, and all it took was one touch to make it 5-1.

Gill said it was a really important win to take momentum into finals next week, especially after their draw against Tuggeranong and loss to Belconnen in recent weeks.

"It was probably really important for our mentality, because it meant that we had to figure out how to come back from how awful that felt, pick ourselves back up and show a bit of resilience," she said.

"So I think we had that at a difficult but also really important time in the season. So then to come back from that in a really emphatic way, both against West Canberra and then Gungahlin today, means a lot to us."

NPLW - Canberra Croatia 5 bt Gungahlin 1, Belconnen United 6 bt West Canberra Wanderers 0.

NPLM - O'Connor Knights 3 bt Belconnen United 1.

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