South delivers a blow to Knights

June 24 2008

Shepparton News

Numurkah's finals hopes in women's North Eastern Soccer League suffered a body blow on Sunday as the Knights went down 2-1 to seventh-placed Shepparton South.

The defeat has Numurkah reeling in sixth position on the ladder with 13 points, five off the pace of fourth-placed Shepparton.

Shepparton South now has 10 points this season, but failed to move up from seventh on the ladder.

Two goals from Maddy McGuffie gave South the points on Sunday, opening the scoring on the half-hour before Stacey Tomasino grabbed an equaliser for Numurkah on the stroke of half-time.

McGuffie's second goal after two minutes of the second half gave South a lead it would hold until the end.

``We had most of the territory and just couldn't get another goal to open up the game,'' South coach Sam Campi said.

``We had injuries and people away on holiday and it left us short of players in a game we felt we could win,'' Numurkah coach John Vanderzwaan said.

``We had to play 25 minutes with 10 on the field.''

Shepparton United continued to extend its lead at the top of the ladder as it defeated Shepparton 2-0 at Mercury Dve.

A double from Jess Theobald with a goal either side of half-time proved the difference, while United defenders Sarah Theobald and Vanessa Loverso kept Shepparton's strikers quiet.

``Shepparton tested Sheridan Fairless in our goal,'' Loverso said.

``But she came out to collect corners and deny them their chances.

``We used the whole field and held our positions well.''

Shepparton fell to fourth with the defeat on 18 points, one point behind third-placed Tatura and two behind Cobram, while United has 11 wins from 11 and has a 13-point lead at the top of the table.