Adelaide have strengthened their grip on an AFLW double probability and terminated Geelong’s top-four goals after holding on for a gripping two-point win over the Cats at Unley Oval.
Key factors:
Danielle Ponter starred with two thrilling targets because the Crows beat the Cats by two factorsThe Crows held on to a slender margin througout a tense closing time periodGold Coast stored their finals hopes alive with a 27-point win over Carlton
With out injured captain Chelsea Randall, the Crows bounced again from final week’s disappointing loss to Brisbane and moved to 7-2 with their tense 4.6 (30) to 4.4 (28) victory on Friday.
The neck-and-neck battle was within the steadiness nearly till the final 12 seconds when Nina Morrison’s handball trickled out of bounds.
Ebony Marinoff and Anne Hatchard’s midfield battle with Amy McDonald and Georgie Prespakis completed honours even nevertheless it was Danielle Ponter who actually had the group on their ft.
The joy machine kicked two first-half majors, together with a contender for objective of the season, to present Adelaide the early edge.
Ponter picked off an ill-advised hall kick from Gunjaca meant for Friswell, and turned on the afterburners.
Beginning fractionally behind the centre circle, Ponter took 4 bounces as she ran via the center and goaled from round 20 metres, Cats captain Meg McDonald forlornly giving chase.
In reply, tall Kate Darby snared a robust mark towards Chelsea Biddell and transformed Geelong’s first to cut back Adelaide’s quarter-time result in one level.
Ponter sharked Darby’s faucet and snapped really for her second six-pointer halfway via the second time period, which Julia Crocket-Grills equalised because of some marvellous grunt work from Morrison.
The Crows continued to win the territory battle however they misplaced their lead simply after half-time when Shelley Scott was rewarded for her wonderful ahead stress.
The lead modified palms 5 instances in a gripping third quarter, on the finish of which the Crows led by some extent.
The fourth time period was an actual arm-wrestle, Caitlyn Gould’s shanked behind the one rating.
The house facet regarded virtually house when Rachel Kearns conceded a free kick for her leaping, excessive sort out on performing Crows captain Sarah Allen with simply over a minute left however the resolution was reversed when Eloise Jones got here in to remonstrate with Kearns.
Moments later, Hatchard launched an extended clearance out of defence into the palms of Ponter, who went on one other future, this time Amy McDonald the unlucky Cat giving chase.
Ponter misplaced management on her fourth bounce with 30 seconds to go, however was reprieved when Morrison’s handball within the dying moments simply missed its goal.
Suns beat Blues to maintain finals hopes alive
Gold Coast have overcome a goalless first half to maintain themselves within the AFLW finals hunt with a hard-fought 27-point win over Carlton.
The Suns struggled in an early arm wrestle however took management after the primary break to put up a 6.6 (42) to 2.3 (15) victory at Metricon Stadium on Friday night time.
Charlie Rowbottom (26 disposals), Alison Drennan (24), Kalinda Howarth (18, one objective) and Courtney Jones (two targets) had been all influential for the house facet.
The end result put Gold Coast degree on factors with North Melbourne (seventh) and the Western Bulldogs (eighth), who each have a sport in hand.
To play finals, the Suns should beat GWS in spherical 10 and hope different outcomes fall their approach.
They are going to be assured of holding up their finish of the discount after recovering from a gradual begin to overpower Carlton.
It was a slog in slippery circumstances as much as half-time and a solitary objective from Blues ahead Poppy Schaap was all that separated the edges on the fundamental break.
However the second half belonged to the house facet.
Howarth kicked the primary objective of the third quarter inside 25 seconds of the restart, scooping up a floor ball and snapping on the flip to degree the scores.
Jones put the Suns in entrance towards her previous facet and Kaylee Kimber added a 3rd main for the quarter to present them respiration area.
Jones had eight disposals and 4 inside-50s within the third time period as a key driver in Gold Coast’s surge.
Tara Bohanna and Tahlia Meyer kicked targets early within the final quarter to make it 5 in a row for the Suns as they cruised to victory.
Lucy McEvoy (24 disposals), Mimi Hill (23) and captain Kerryn Peterson (18) all fought onerous in a shedding trigger for the Blues, who’re out of finals competition.
Gold Coast journey to tackle GWS within the final spherical of the home-and-away marketing campaign, whereas Carlton might do them a favour by knocking off the Bulldogs at Pirnces Park.
AAP
