Stocky's Scribbles: NSW Lightning

During this year’s FFA Futsal National Titles in Canberra, we will be following the fortunes of the Victorian U14 Girls team as they strive to improve on their semi-final finish in the 2011 edition. Day to day Craig Stockdale will keep you updated with a match report and photos from their latest fixture as they represent their state and sport with pride;



Victoria 3 (Dani Gudelj x2, Madeline Stockdale) defeated NSW Lightning 2

Billed as the prelude to the big game against NSW Thunder later today, the Victorians took on the might of NSW Lightning at the Southern Cross Stadium in Canberra this morning.

Nerves were showing as NSW Lightning was quick to score and the Vics found themselves down 1-0 early in the match.

Responding to the pressure, Madeline Stockdale scored the equiliser which spurred the girls on and set the scene for the rest of the match.

The starting four (with Alicia Vakapoulos on board) continued with their positive approach to the game and waited for Lightning to advance before pressuring the player with the ball into mistakes.

This was a very different game to that against South Australia as it seemed to be a much slower and more methodical game style.

Again Lucy Kennedy was a rock in defence in spite of a number of pressured offensive pushes by Lightning. Vakapoulos started strong and imposed herself on the wing with solid tackles and good use of her body while Amy Silver continued to be elusive and dangerous up forward; scaring the opposition with her continued pressure on the ball handler.

With the many rotations that are now critical to the success of maintaining player longevity, Head Coach John Perich was strategically mixing-up first timers and the more experienced to ensure equilibrium in the team structure.

Despite their domination, a lucky goal by Lightning in the latter part of the first half saw the Vics down by two goals to one.

Enter Dani Gudelj - game on! With the support of Heckenberg, Charlotte Bartyl, Sienna Go and Katrina Bellesis the Vics applied the pressure to Lightning and were able to slam two consecutive goals through the boot of guess who??? Gudelj...

Heckenberg provided some amazing through balls to Gudelj and Bellesis up front and took some big shots of her own with a powerful left foot.

Both Bellesis and Bartyl had chances on goal early in the second half and are gaining confidence with every play this tournament.

It must be said that the new timers are finding their way well on the court as it is not always what happens on the ball that is as important as off the ball.

Go was amazing off the ball. Being manhandled by a much larger opponent who was trying to blindside the keeper Elizabeth Sarcevic, Go used her frame to circumvent the shielding of the Lightning player. This off the ball work was instrumental in allowing several important saves by Sarcevic.

With Stockdale and Gudelj up front in the dying minutes of the game, the Vics could have increased the score even further but nevertheless held on for a valuable win that sets the scene for the big match later today.

Read all of Stocky's futsal reports by clicking here.