Women's Division 3
Falcons vs Port Melbourne Sharks
4 - 2
In the industrial wasteland that is Port Melbourne, Darebin Falcons’ Women’s State League 3 West team manufactured its first win of the season on Sunday.
Two goals apiece for player-coach Sheila “The Troot” Carter and Jane “I’ll Play As Many Games In A Day As You Need Me To” Sullivan sealed a convincing 4-2 win. Unfortunately a shock win for Fawkner over Melbourne University stopped the Falcons climbing off the bottom of the ladder but the three points will no doubt be a solid foundation on which to build.
Played in bright sunshine, an even first half edged the visitors’ way when Carter snuck in a long-range effort off the left upright. A fast break and some uncertainty in Darebins’ backline allowed Port to level the scores but when “Tricky” Jo Rooney pulled a rabbit out of her hat (ie laid the ball off), Sullivan’s dangerous cross was deflected past the home keeper to make it 2-1. Buoyed by the halftime lead the Falcons pledged to finish the job but received a setback when the home side bundled home another equaliser midway through the second half. It was unfair on the Falcons defence, which had been superbly marshalled by Staci Timms and Ruth Barton, but the stalemate did not last long as Carter unleashed from fully 40m to give Port’s keeper no chance. This time there was no coming back from the home side and Sullivan kept her cool in the final minutes to ice the win.
Anon
Women's Division 2
Falcons vs Port Melbourne Sharks
0 - 3
Someone recently said to me “…wait, what’s ‘Port Melbourne’?”
It’s a real suburb guys. If you head southwest from the CBD and make it past Crown Casino without getting trampled by tourists or your head caved in by a drunken bogan you will soon find yourself there. And, GET THIS: it has a port, and ALSO GET THIS: it has a soccer club. Port Melbourne is Sharks town (I can only assume that this is what definitely happens when the Sharks meet the Yarra Jets). So did the Sharks stink on the weekend? No, they did not. Unless by stink you mean kick our butts in which case yes, they did. Here’s an interesting shark fact: while many people fear sharks and think of them as one of the world's most aggressive and deadly animals, the chances of dying from a shark attack fall well below the chances of being killed by hornets, wasps, bees or dogs1. However, you are more likely to die from a shark attack than from a coordinated attack of hornets, wasps, bees and dogs all at once. I’m no scientist (any longer) but I think this is why the Falcons lost the game.
There were moments when I thought Carmen was going to break all the way through from the back line to score a goal. There were moments when I thought Niddie would reach the goal with a trail of defenders dragging behind her. There were moments when I thought Birdie was going to fly, really fly! But then there were also moments when I wondered why I didn’t have the basic motor skills to kick a ball. Life is all about moments. Here’s another interesting shark fact: baby sharks are called giblets.
1 Discovery Channel
Pip MacKay
|
Women's Division 2
Darebin Falcons vs. Whittlesea Ranges
0 - 2
 Lucy Parrington getting down with her bad self.
WE WON!!!!! Just kidding. We didn't win but how about everyone stops talking about the USA and how they banned Kinder Surprises for five minutes because folks, we have a shooting problem. Well, we have a scoring problem and there's definitely a partial link to our shooting. Having said that, Nicky was delivering some serious firepower before a carefully timed boot-to-ankle move put the kybosh on that one, and CopacaPana destroyed the crossbar with a killer free kick. I'm not joking. The goal is now on a lean. But despite these feats of daring and grace the Falcons did not finalise the arrangement.
The Ranges were well-matched adversaries, although for the entire game I thought they were called the Rangers. Had I known they were called the Ranges I would have been much less intimidated because I don't find ranges intimidating. Rangers, on the other hand, are the stuff of my nightmares. This aside, I felt the panic in their waters when we started breaking through their defenses. Our defense looked pretty rock solid from where I was standing, taking out the trash as usual. Then Bam! This ball just pops into the goal like we hadn't just been owning the field. I felt somewhat cheated. Pip MacKay
Wednesday, May 15th - A day set to go down in history as one that put female football on the map. Conducted from the Ryder room at the MCG, hundreds of hopeful footballers eagerly awaited what was to be an exciting and emotional first ever AFL Women's Draft.
Womens Division 3
Falcons vs. Gisborne SC
1 - 8 Sunday was a day of firsts as we welcomed four new (three very new) players into the Div 3 side to front the Gisborne girls. A few strong players in the Gisborne team pulled out some unbelievable goals to see them prevail with an 8-1 win, although possession seemed to be reasonably shared between both teams. Despite a lonely score, we still had reason to celebrate a fantastic goal. Sheila pelted a free kick from 30m into the goal which was deflected by the goalie. Then Chloe came from nowhere and with 3 defenders hot on her heels, flew in to pop the loose ball into the net for her first goal of the season.
Sheila became the best of friends with the referee, although it appeared somewhat one-sided as he hoisted the team’s first yellow card amidst her Irish gesticulations - tankfully (sic), he couldn't understand everything she was saying (download this if you also have this problem: https://play.google.com/store/
Jasmine's first game with the side saw a very solid addition to the back line whilst Molly at the other end of the field, spent her first game running every loose ball down, creating opportunities in the forward line. Caren and Angela’s first game also brought some fresh spirit to the team as they went hard into every contest but unfortunately, a late injury to Angela found her hobbling off the field from a forward play which I’m sure was destined to be her first goal. Caren, Angela, Molly and Jasmine proved fantastic additions to our team – welcome girls!
Although we ended up with a convincing loss, the Falcons girls held it together throughout the game with a great team spirit and camaraderie mixed with a fair swag of good 'ol fashioned fun. In the words of the New Kids on the Block, we had “the right stuff” but might just be missing some of those NKOTB moves from our game.
J. Sullivan
Womens Division 2
Falcons vs. North Geelong Warriors SC
0 - 2 So, we didn’t win but you know what? When they said Bring it we brought it all over their faces. It was undeniably a team on team event for the entire first half. No goals, but definitely some electricity in the air (or maybe that’s just what air feels like in Geelong).
The feeling from the sideline at the beginning of the second half was that somebody was about to get crushed and it wasn’t the Falcons. Spoiler alert: it later turned out that it was the Falcons, however crushed was definitely not the word for it. The second half remained a back and forth match but to our little hearts’ collective disappointment only one team was able to seal the deal and that team was the Warriors.
It has often been observed that, being a more mature club on the circuit, the Falcons tend to frustrate younger teams when they can’t break our defences. I’ve seen them sashay onto the field expecting to outrun and outsmart us with their youthful bodies and wayward minds. Then oh! What’s that? There’s no one to pass to because we are everywhere?! Yeah, that’s right! You might also notice that some of our players are WALLS. You'll want to back up because walls are impenetrable (unless there is a door involved or you are a ghost and well, you better be a ghost cos we aint providing no doors). We also have players like Nat, who really likes to get all up in your grill when you have the ball. She will SHUT YOU DOWN. And I’m talkin’ downtown.
Yes, the Falcons are strapping it down and cutting all kinds of shapes out there so you better WATCH THIS SPACE lest you miss the chance to say "I knew those ladies before they made it in the world of unpaid weekend sports." You have been warned.
P. MacKay Season 2013 begins...
|
Falcons Newsletter
Poll
