Premier Women Reserves- 2023 Champions
Our Women Premier Reserves have finished their 2023 season as champions. They did it in some style too.
Winning 11 with 1 draw and 2 losses. Scoring the most goals and conceding the least.
How did they do it? we caught up with Head Coach Alec Flood to hear all about it.
WSAFC- Congratulations on a stella season. Tell us about the squad compared to last season
AF- Thanks, we are very proud of what we achieved this year. The team bonded really well and stuck together all year. We had around 9 returning from last year which helps with the continuity. Our average age was around 18.
WSAFC- Obviously the record shows a consistent season. How did the start go?
AF- Very much with a roar, 9-0, 10-0 and 10-1 wins allowed us to get into our groove very quickly. That was followed with a 2-0 loss to Eastern Surburbs, the only game we didn't score in. In general, we played really good football all season and loved to pass the ball around.
WSAFC- At the halfway mark, was pretty clear then we were in a 3 horse race with Eastern Suburbs and Auckland United.
AF- Yes, we had lost a couple of games but the other two had also drop points so it was pretty tight. It was clear we couldn't afford too many mistakes.
WSAFC- So, no wobbles in the 2nd half of the season
AF- That would've been nice but we lost to Hibiscus Coast which was probably our worst performance of the season. It added pressure to the Eastern Suburbs and Auckland United games, for sure.
WSAFC- How did the team respond to that loss?
AF- As you would expect from a champion team, we won 6 on the bounce including 3-0 wins over both AU and ES. It also included the game down in Hamilton where we won with 80% possession, a real highlight for me.We wrapped up the title with a game to spare.
WSAFC- OK, quick fire round?
Who was your captain?
AF- Annabelle Webster leads by example and a great role model, her leadership was exemplary throughout the season.
Who was the top scorer?
Pallas Baker with 6. The real story of the team is we had 22 different scorers
What was the goal of the season?
There were quite a few to chose from but the one that really stands out is Gemma Kelly v Ellerslie. A lovely passing build up with a switch of play and she hit it, top corner, from outside of the box.
Who was the youngest player?
Cleo Carmichael was our youngest player at 15 years old. She also travelled down from Warkworth for training and games.
Who else deserves a shout out?
They all do really, they are a great group that have grown throughout the season. A special shout out to Emma Atherton and Molly Cavannagh who were available for every game, great commitment. Also Sydney Sparks, Gemma Kelly, Sienna Kirk and Pallas Baker are heading to University next year having been with the club for 13 years.
From everyone at WSAFC, well done, team. A brilliant season.
