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| South Melbourne Womens FC Champions 2011 |
In the first ever WPL Grand Final not contested between Box Hill United and Heidelberg, the two teams were very evenly matched. They had met previously three times during the season with South Melbourne Womens FC winning two of those encounters including the Qualifying Final 3-1 only two weeks prior. Sandringham had finished as the Minor Premiers, scooting to a four point lead at the end of the season.
South Melbourne fans thought Spiranovic had given them the lead on 35 minutes as the shot took the side netting.
On a beautiful Melbourne Spring day at the new home of Victorian football Sandringham took an early lead in the 8th minute when Ashley Brown scored after some crisp midfield passing.
Sloppy defending in the 20th minute allowed Marcela Marques to score the first of her two goals for the afternoon after she coolly slipped the ball past Sandringham 'keeper and captain Peta Horman.
The remainder of the first half and indeed the game was a hard fought affair as you would expect in a Grand Final with everything on the line. South Melbourne were superbly led up front by Womens Premier League Golden Boot and Gold Medal winner Laura Spiranovic who was constantly double and triple teamed. But with her burst of pace she was able to brush past the heavy defense on more occasions than not in a display that surely caught the eye of any prospective W-League clubs.
South Melbourne fans thought Spiranovic had given them the lead on 35 minutes as the shot took the side netting.
At the other end Sandringham forward Emma Runnalls (pictured right) was giving everything and more as she tirelessly chased down long balls and provided crunching tackles and looked to be the player most likely to score had she had some help in attack.
South Melbourne came out the better side after half time and again were superbly led up front by Spiranovic - her pace and strength were beginning to totally dominate the Hammers defence.
On 68 minutes Spiranovic bustled her way down the left and put the ball at the feet of Marques whose shot was very soft but managed to get past Horman in a horrific goalkeeping howler.
On 68 minutes Spiranovic bustled her way down the left and put the ball at the feet of Marques whose shot was very soft but managed to get past Horman in a horrific goalkeeping howler.
Sandringham pressured for the last fifteen minutes and looked the most likely to score and bring the game into extra time but it was not to come as Amelia Spiranovic led her troops to another trophy for the successful lakeside club.
A crowd of just over 3000 were on hand to see Sandringham's Michelle Parton receive the medal for the player of the Grand Final.