Rovers avoid Chapman Athletic scare as Selina Kiddle returns from injury with seven goals

Chapman Athletic put in their best performance of the season against the top-of-the-table Rovers but it was still not enough to get them their first points in the Mid West Soccer Association this season.

The two teams could not be further apart on the ladder but there was little to separate them on the pitch on Saturday as Rovers left it late in a 2-1 win.

Athletic were crushed 6-0 the last time these sides met and it looked like it was going to be one-way traffic one again when Milaan Kousari put the Rovers one goal up in the 17th minute.

But the Rovers would not find another opening in the first half as Athletic grew into the match and began to look more settled in defence.

Matthew Eastough put the game back on an even keel with his second goal for the season to leave Athletic just 20 minutes away from their first point this year.

However, Wesley Fleiser landed a sucker punch just seven minutes later to take the wind out of Athletic’s sails and hold on to the win and stay on top of the ladder.

Olympic had a far easier time in their 3-0 win over Abrolhos with Paul Johnson scoring in the first minute to put the Vikings on the back foot from the outside.

Daniel Lennard and Kalan De Luca both picked up early yellow cards but David Newton doubled their advantage after 26 minutes.

Lennard had the finishing touch after 55 minutes with the only sour note for Olympic being the fact five players picked up yellow cards inside 70 minutes but all managed to avoid a send-off.

There was joy for Chapman Athletic in the women’s league as Selina Kiddle returned from injury to score seven goals in a 15-1 trouncing of Geraldton Rovers.

Kiddle had not played since June 26, when she scored a hat-trick, after breaking her hand which kept her out of action for a month.

But Kiddle was in the mood to make up for lost time as she continued on her rip-roaring run across the league this season, with her seven goals taking her up to 30 for the season from just eight games.

Monica Sullivan also scored a hat-trick to take Athletic to their equal biggest win of the season matching the 14-0 margin against Marconi in round one

Kiddle now leads the goalkicking table by eight goals after Olivia Bidwell failed to add to her tally as the Reds scrapped their way to a 1-0 win over Abrolhos thanks to a second-half strike from Rhiannon Smith.

Marconi were blown away by a Thea Volkerts blitz who scored a hat-trick inside 35 minutes and added a fourth in the second half in Olympic’s 7-1 win.

In the reserves, the Rovers picked up their third win of the season with a 3-0 victory over Chapman while Abrolhos made it four-straight wins with a 2-0 defeat of Olympic.