2017 was Albion Park’s year
Albion Park reasserted their dominance in women’s football on Sunday with an emphatic 4–0 win over the Miranda Magpies in the NSW Champion of Champions Grand Final. The victory was set up by a first-half brace from midfield powerhouse Rylee Mcgartland before Tenaya Davis and Linda Hillard found the back of the net in the second period.
The Champion of Champions victory means Albion Park has completed a perfect season with 27 wins from 27 matches. This remarkable record led them to four pieces of silverware including the League Championship, Grand Final, State Cup and the aforementioned Champion of Champions. It is a feat that hasn’t been achieved since the great University of Wollongong Hippos side of 2010. That year, University was crowned the FFA Amateur Team of the Year — a title which would be fitting of this imperious Albion Park side.
In the past five seasons, Albion Park has claimed the Women’s Division 1 crown on no less than four occasions, only being pipped at the post by arch-rivals Tarrawanna in 2016. This season was their most resounding yet, with Richard “Macca” Davis side winning all 16 matches on their way to wrapping up the Championship by eleven points.
Albion Park play a swashbuckling brand of football which has swept opponents by the wayside. In total, they have scored 96 league goals, averaging out to six a match. They have also managed to keep things tight at the back with 11 clean sheets.
In their major semi-final, they meet Tarrawanna and won 3–1 and they would face the Blueys a fortnight later in the big dance. On that occasion, scores were locked at nil-all at the interval with Tarrawanna perhaps the better of the two sides, but a three-goal second half including a wonder strike from taliswoman Brittany Ring saw Albion Park claim the trophy.
Ring’s goal record speaks for itself, the striker scored 27 goals in the local competition this year which saw her claim the Golden Boot ahead of Tarrawanna’s Jasmin Pearce. Ring has the talent to play anywhere in the front third, including the ability to shift into space and knock the ball in from distance. Combine her skills with the likes of Mcgartland, Kristina Glisic and Shakiah Tungai and it’s little wonder Albion Park has such a domineering record.
The success in the Illawarra was achieved while also competing in the State Cup. Albion Park secured five wins to take out the title, beating Northbridge FC 8–0 in the July decider.
In an interview with Football South Coast in August, Richard Davis indicated his side’s ability to stay grounded as the key to their hunger for success, “It’s about being humble, don’t think you’re better than anyone else even if you are champions. Don’t let it get to your head.”
Albion Park is undoubtedly the best side to grace a non-representative football pitch since the University side which won five State Cups and three Champion of Champions (imagine a clash between these two sides in their prime). University was named the Team of the Year seven years ago, I see no reason why 2017 shouldn’t be Albion Park’s year.
