Sunshine Coast Fire FC pushed late but it was too little too late as Western Pride FC held on for their first win of the season at Briggs Road on Saturday afternoon.
Buoyed by the news mid-week, Pride came out strong in this encounter with MacKenzie McAvoy opening the scoring after just four minutes of play.
Sophie Weatherby doubled the advantage for the Pride shortly after the break as they found themselves in somewhat unchartered territory leading into the game’s latter stages.
Fire threatened to hurt the Pride late when Tegan Buhmann made it 2-1, but the Pride defence held on for a well-deserved win.
Pride will be hoping they can keep their form going as they look to build towards what looks like a very promising 2018 season.
Key Moments
4’ GOAL FOR PRIDE – MacKenzie McAvoy muscles through two defenders and places the ball neatly past Shannon Buhmann.
35’ CHANCE FOR FIRE – Teyana Bielby gets behind the Pride defence, and tries a curling shot but Veeren grabs the ball.
44’ CHANCE FOR FIRE – Bielby again gets behind the Pride defence to shoot from an acute angle but Veeren gets low to block.
47’ CHANCE FOR PRIDE – McAvoy gets onto Stephanie White’s cross but sees her shot flash just wide.
49’ GOAL FOR PRIDE – Fire’s defence fails to clear a Nakoya McLennan free-kick allowing Sophie Weatherby to power home from close-range.
59’ CHANCE FOR PRIDE – Natasha Ridley scores a crowd goal as her vicious shot ruffles the wrong side of the top night.
70’ CHANCE FOR FIRE – Bielby beats Graham to a through-ball but her shot is pushed clear by a diving Veeren.
71’ GOAL FOR FIRE – A low cross evades everyone allowing Tegan Buhmann the space to run onto the ball and push it past Veeren.
82’ CHANCE FOR PRIDE – Weather pounces on a ball in the box but Shannon Buhmann makes a point-blank diving save.
85’ CHANCE FOR FIRE – Guy gets the better of Graham and angles as shot towards the far corner but Veeren dives to tip the ball away.
Match Details
PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues Womens Queensland – Round 16
Saturday, 29 July
Briggs Road Sporting Complex
Western Pride FC Women 2 (MacKenzie McAVOY 4′, Sophie WEATHERBY 49′)
Sunshine Coast FC Women 1 (Tegan BUHMANN 71′)
Article originally appeared on www.nplqld.com.au