A cup final win that marked a historic women’s division one three-peat was the “cherry on top” of a spectacular undefeated season, according to Denmark captain Heather Carter. The league champions conceded just nine goals across their 22 matches in both competitions and edged out Caledonians with a clutch 1-0 victory on Friday night to clinch a memorable cup three-peat. A goal from Sally Bishop in the 16th minute was all that would separate the two sides in the tense Great Southern Soccer Association division one cup final.
Denmark, missing their key midfield duo Uzsani Lacey and Elise Beaubien, had to shift from their usual three-at-the-back formation to a more solid four-defender set-up. Gun striker Abby Carter was thrown back into defence late as Caledonians pushed hard for an equaliser, the move proving pivotal in their cup triumph. “Yeah it definitely is (the cherry on top),” Heather Carter said.
“The girls were amazing this season, they’re a very good team, very talented and have great camaraderie with each other. “It was just a really good season, but (we) just played lots of beautiful football. “We tended to run with only three in the back line for most of the year rather than the usual four you see but we had a pretty strong defence and we’re very strong the whole way through the field.
” Heather Carter said it was a tense game against a spirited Caledonians who pushed them for the full 90 minutes, forcing a change in tactics. “It was a very intense match to watch and play,” she said. “Our defensive mid would usually drop back and help the defenders plus the wingers as well but the back line tended to not need a lot of help.
“But Abby (Carter) was put back in defence to help the defenders just hold for most of the last half because (Caledonians) were a force to be reckoned with. “So we switched to four at the back rather than our usual three just to try and hold them out.” Caledonians’ Milla Trichilo was named player of the final in the losing affair.
Denmark weren’t able to make it a cup double after their second side were downed by Phoenix in a five-goal thriller in the division two final on Friday night. Denmark Rezzies led 2-1 heading into the final half hour, courtesy of goals from Lynette Parker and Julianne Langley. But Maddy Hart equalised in the 61st minute before late heroics from Tahlia Bergsma sealed women’s division two cup glory for Phoenix.
Amaya Dobbe was the other goal-scorer for Phoenix, scoring an equalising goal in the 33rd minute. Stirling Rangers clinched the women’s division three cup glory with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Polonia with Tahnaya Puls’ goal in the 25th minute proving the difference..
