THE New Norfolk Women’s Panthers hit the road to Risdon Vale on Sunday, July 5, to take on Nelson Suburbs FC, arriving with the usual mix of energy, humour and that unmistakable Panthers spirit. Before the warm‐up had finished, Coach Andrew Nichols was out on the pitch patching potholes – a perfect snapshot of the club’s hands‐on, all‐in attitude.
Once the whistle blew, the Panthers settled quickly into a strong rhythm. Crisp passing, organised defending and excellent teamwork kept the first half tight, disciplined, and locked at 0-0. Every player worked for each other, showing the grit and unity that define this squad. Half-time brought a special moment as the Panthers celebrated
Nadia Iusupova’s 50th game. Streamers flew, teammates cheered, and the milestone highlighted her commitment, consistency and the spark she brings to the Panthers.
In the second half, the Panthers continued to push with determination. Passing stayed sharp, pressure lifted and the effort across the park never dipped. Goalkeeper Sara Maryniak reminded everyone why she’s on the big money, pulling off a series of outstanding saves that kept Nelson frustrated and fighting for every chance. With 50 minutes of game time done, the Panthers held strong in defence but Nelson finally got the break they needed. They managed to sneak one past the goalie, but only after she had denied them time and again.
In the dying minutes, Nelson scored their second goal, ending with a 2-0 victory. The scoreboard may not have
gone the Panthers’ way, but the performance was full of passion, resilience and hard work. Every Panther
played their part, showed pride in the jersey and demonstrated why this club’s spirit is stronger than any result.
TRUE GRIT
WHAT a cracker of a Sunday it was at Tynwald Park on July 12, where the Panthers produced one of their grittiest and most determined performances of the season against South East. The Panthers stormed back onto their home ground with fire in their bellies, fresh legs on the bench, and assistant coach Erin Turner running the rotations with precision in brutal conditions.
From the opening whistle, New Norfolk made it clear this was a different team to the one South East dismantled earlier in the year. The Panthers pressed, chased, tackled and refused to give South East the space or comfort they enjoyed last time. Every player stepped up, every line held strong and every challenge was met head‐on. The defensive unit of Adele Johnson, Rebecca Lynd, Caitlin Roughsedge and Claire Glover was nothing short of outstanding.
Structured, disciplined and relentless, they shut down run after run, forcing South-East wide and denying clean shots. Behind them, goalkeeper Maryniak was her usual powerhouse self, sliding, smothering and throwing herself at every ball that came near the net. On the wings, Tegan Turner and Sarah Barnett ran themselves ragged, turning defence into attack with pace and persistence. Through the middle, Renee Birchall and Jess Strombergworked tirelessly, absorbing pressure and pushing the Panthers forward at every opportunity.
Up front, Samantha Tassell looked confident and composed, while Anita Vagg, earning her first run in the
forward line, showed real promise, fighting for every ball and driving hard toward goal.
Despite the pressure, the Panthers held South East scoreless through the first half, heading into the break at 0–0 and proving just how far they’ve come since their last meeting. As the teams returned from the break, the heavens opened. Rain hammered down, the field turned slick and muddy and the ball refused to bounce cleanly, but the Panthers didn’t flinch. Mel Collins stepped in for Tegan Turner, injecting fresh legs and keeping South-East guessing. Asia Dare replaced Anita Vagg up front and immediately made an impact with powerful kicks and a near‐miss that had the crowd holding its breath.
In defence, Nadia Iusupova and Angela Banks slotted seamlessly into their familiar roles, clearing danger with confidence and adding even more stability to an already rock‐solid back line. The Panthers held strong until the
63rd minute, when South East finally found the lucky bounce they’d been chasing. A slippery ball skidded past
Maryniak, giving South the narrowest of leads at 1-0.
The Panthers didn’t drop their heads. They kept fighting, running and kept believing. Every tackle mattered, every clearance counted and every player left everything on that muddy field. Even though the scoreboard showed a loss, the Panthers delivered one of their most impressive showcases of the season. Their structure, resilience and
determination proved they are far fiercer, stronger and more united than their previous result against South-East ever suggested.
Round 14 wasn’t just a match, it was a message. The Panthers are building, improving and refusing to be underestimated, and on a wet and wild Sunday at Tynwald, they showed exactly what they’re made of.
JUNIORS – LAST WEEKEND
Under 5: no report.
Under 6 Red: The team worked incredibly hard, playing without any substitutes against a strong team with many fresh players available. The players defended courageously, blocked lots of goals, ran hard and created plenty of attacking shots themselves. A fantastic team effort.
Under 6 Black: This was another fantastic effort from the Panthers. One of our focuses at training has been defending and it was wonderful to see the team putting those skills into practice during the game. A special mention to Amarli, Ruby and Riley who all worked really hard on their footwork in defence and showed great determination throughout the match. As always, Xavier was everywhere on the field, helping out in both attack and defence. He gave 100% from start to finish and came close to scoring. Frances was outstanding in defence, showing great natural instincts to protect the ball and make some excellent defensive plays. Most importantly, everyone had lots of fun, showed great teamwork and continued to improve.
Under 7: Another Saturday, another Panthers defensive masterclass. Missing two of their players, those at the ground may have thought it would’ve impacted them, but right from the get go, they were running above the ground. All players running in support of each other not only offensively but pushing back defensively to cease any attempt of attack on their goal by DOSA. DOSA fought hard but was unable to break through and score against The Panthers and their impeccable team defence first approach. Fletcher had a day out, cooking up a storm and scoring at will. Harvey patrolled the defensive half and set up numerous plays, Logan was zooming around causing headaches, Ellie’s foot skills and defensive acts were sublime, Jack weaved in and out of traffic setting up numerous chances for his teammates, and Harry (captain for the week) played his heart out with some great plays setting up teammates and getting back defensively to help. Great job team!
Under 8 Red: What a fantastic morning at Brighton! Firstly, we thank Luca and Archie who kindly joined our team to help complete the squad. Both boys did a fantastic job and settled in brilliantly. It was a fun match played in beautiful winter sunshine at the unusual time of midday. Lewis started the match in goal and continues to grow in confidence and composure in this position. In the second half, Isabelle stepped into goal with great enthusiasm and did a wonderful job. They were joined by James, Mathias, Jonah, Luca and Archie, and the team continues to demonstrate greater teamwork, courage, commitment and respect each week. Austin was this week’s captain and he led the team with pride, setting a wonderful example for his teammates through his attitude and leadership. His commitment throughout the match earned him the well-deserved player of the match (MVP) award. Despite missing four regular players due to illness, the team played with great enthusiasm, commitment and respect for their opponents. We hope all our unwell players make a speedy recovery. You were missed, and we can’t wait to have you back after the break.
Under 8 Black: no report.
Under 9 Red: What a beautiful day for soccer at Brighton, with the sun shining and perfect conditions for our team to take the field. Although our team was hit hard by sickness, everyone who was able to play showed great determination, resilience and team spirit. The effort from every player was outstanding, and it’s something the whole team should be proud of. A huge thank you to Sid for filling in and giving such a great effort. We really appreciate you helping the team out and it made a big difference. Congratulations to this week’s MVP, Mason, whose hard work, commitment and never-give-up attitude were fantastic to watch. He earned this award with a great all-round performance. Well done to all the players for another great day of soccer. Keep working hard, supporting each other, and most importantly, having fun.
Under 9 Black: no report.
Under 10 Red: A great game with all working so well as a team, holding positions well and many great passes between players. Defence was strong this week, in particular Lucy and Reuben, great confidence and determination shown by Amy, Jasper and Harriet this week. A special shout out to the players from our team who played for the other team who were short, Mia, Lucy, Amy, Lincoln and Jasper. Great sportsmanship shown by all.
Under 10 Black: We travelled to Brighton and despite having a few players out sick or away, the team pulled together brilliantly with some fill‑ins stepping up. The ball work was sharp, the teamwork even stronger, and it’s clear how far this group has come playing together. Jude stood strong in goals, supported by an impressive defensive unit as Zac, Vinnie and Theo held their line, clearing anything that came near. Up forward, Harry, Addie and Eliza worked tirelessly, pushing through St Paul’s defence with smart passes, cut‑backs and constant pressure. In the middle, Theodore kept the team moving, working hard to maintain possession and feed the ball forward. Even with coach Rowan away, the Panthers kept their consistency, energy, and focus. Their effort never dropped, and their teamwork shone from start to finish. A fantastic display – Panthers pride all the way.
Under 11 Red: The team travelled to Cambridge to play South East Stingrays. It was a tough game against a strong and skillful side. After a slow start in the first half, the kids hit their straps in the second half, with excellent teamwork and skills and their never-give-up attitude they played the game out to the end. Matilda, Chloe and Lucas filled in and played terrific games. The MVP went to Dayson who played his usual strong game.
Under 11 Black: The team travelled to Cambridge to take on Montagu Bay. With some last-minute roster changes they played with eight and then 10 players, adjusting to new positions and new team mates on a frosty and muddy pitch. MVP honors went to Boston Gordon who held the back line together as center back and had some beautiful runs up the pitch with the ball. Shoutouts go to Meadow Ryan who played a strong game taking on the role of center-mid for the first time, and to Leo Sweeney-Williams and Chayse Francis who joined us from the Under 11 Red team to help fill out the roster and kick some goals.
Under 12 Red: The team travelled to Brighton to take on the other New Norfolk Under 12 side in the Sally/Iain Cup. The two teams know each other well and have built great friendships through training together most weeks, making it a highly anticipated match. We arrived early to a spectacular sight: the pitch was completely white with frost! The kids loved playing in the frost finding frozen leaves and patches of ice while warming up. Once the game got under way, both teams put on a fantastic display of football as they battled for the cup. Red played with confidence and showed tremendous improvement across the park. Their determination, teamwork and skill were on full display from the first whistle to the last. Zac and Deegan both found the back of the net with outstanding goals, while Bryce made several brilliant saves in goal to keep us in the contest. Player of the Match was awarded to Callum for his outstanding performance and impressive passing throughout the game. Although we didn’t come home with the Sally/Iain Cup this time, it was a closely contested match and the team should be incredibly proud of their effort. They played with great determination, worked hard for their team mates and showcased how much they have developed as a team.
Under 12 Black: no report.
