Northland FC's Briar Mortensen (right, blue) gets airborne in her attempt to clear the ball out from Northland defensive area at Tikipunga Sports Park on Sunday. Photo / Karen Maisey
Northland FC's Briar Mortensen (right, blue) gets airborne in her attempt to clear the ball out from Northland defensive area at Tikipunga Sports Park on Sunday. Photo / Karen Maisey
shields the ball from a Norwest United defender. Photo / Karen Maisey
A sloppy first half came back to bite the Northland FC women's football team on Sunday as they recorded a 3-2 loss to Norwest United.
The AFF/NFF conference fixture, played at Tikipunga Sports Park, was a great opportunityfor the side to rebound from their narrow 1-0 loss to Eastern Suburbs Yellow two weeks ago, but lapses in concentration cost the home side dearly on Sunday afternoon.
The game started promisingly for the visitors who found multiple avenues of attack down the flanks which threatened Northland FC's defensive structure. The home side kept out Norwest United to begin with, playing on the counter and forging a couple of clear chances in front of goal.
Norwest's assault down the right-hand side proved too much for the local girls who could not deal with a ball crossed into the box and Northland conceded the first goal.
Northland captain and striker Georgia Witt-Green (right) was solid at the top as she shields the ball from a Norwest United defender. Photo / Karen Maisey
Despite a perfectly weighted free kick from Northland FC captain Georgia Witt-Green which levelled the score, two more mistakes from the home side gave Norwest a 3-1 buffer going into halftime.
Thankfully, Northland FC were able to rectify their errors in the second half as the game became more even. A goal from super-sub Bethanee Witt-Green put the home side within one goal of a draw, but Norwest hung on to claim the win.
"We were appalling in the first half, we made far too many mistakes and we were just giving ball away," Northland FC coach Alan Witt said.
"[Norwest] had four or five clear chances in the first half and put away three, all from the same area off the back of our mistakes because we weren't playing to our strengths."
Witt said he knew his players could do better than the performance in the first half after all the training they had done on two-touch football and passing the ball to feet.
"As a coach, it was very frustrating to watch them do everything bar what you do on the training pitch because we were very disconnected."
Northland's Abbey Crene (left) tussles with an opposing player as the pair compete for the ball. Photo / Karen Maisey
Witt said he told his troops at halftime to stay as a unit and play with self-belief, which made an immediate impact.
"We reduced them to one clear-cut chance and we had four or five chances because we were more direct," he said.
"It was a much better second half and, if we had played like that in the first half, we would have won."
Witt commended the efforts of substitutes Bethanee Witt-Green and Kelsey Evans who improved the team's physical presence. With three rounds gone in the competition, Witt said the team showed potential going forward.
"Apart from these three goals, we are not doing too bad and, at the moment, it's about getting fully fit and getting sorted up front.
"We look good for the top half of table and we have potential to be in the top two if we come together and connect as a group."
Northland FC next play Beachlands Maraetai at Te Puru Park on Sunday at 1pm after the Auckland side lost by an incredible 18-1 scoreline to Hibiscus Coast at the weekend.
In Northland's premier women's competition, Kerikeri Fairview beat Bream Bay United 3-0, Madhatters Stonehaven beat Kamo 3-0, Bay Cosmos beat Kaitaia United 3-1, and Central Brown had a bye.
