Victory’s Ellie Wilson ready for chance at redemption in A-League Women’s Grand Final, collision won’t stop Mariners’ keeper
Melbourne Victory and Central Coast Mariners will clash for the A-League Women’s title and two of the combatants each have a unique story to tell about how they got to their first grand finals.
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A grand final is a foreign concept to Melbourne Victory’s English defender Ellie Wilson, but she is all for it if it gives her a chance at redemption after missing the premiership by just two points.
Victory are on an insane 15 game winning streak – their impressive efforts on the pitch overshadowed by their cross town rivals City who clinched the premiership after going all 23-games undefeated.
“We’ve had an unbelievable season,” Wilson said.
“We were really disappointed to fall short (of the premiership) by two points. When we look back across the course of the season obviously two points is not a lot.
“So to have dropped those and have finished so close to City is something that we want to get a bit of revenge on and put things right in the finals series.”
If Wilson was still playing for Sheffield United in the UK there would be no second chance of lifting a trophy. She would have to plot her revenge over the off-season as they don’t play a finals series.
Underdogs Central Coast Mariners spoiled what would have been the perfect revenge story – knocking City out of the semi-finals last weekend.
“It’s very different to what we have in the UK, it’s quite new to me, but I’ve actually enjoyed having it as an additional thing at the end of the season,” Wilson said.
“It adds more hype around the game with something else to play for and the pressure increases towards the end of the season.”
Victory have had one draw and two wins against Mariners this season.
And while before Wilson joined the club this season – it was Mariners who knocked Victory out of last year’s elimination final in a penalty shoot out.
“We’ve played them a couple of times and we know what they are about, we are on a really good run ourselves,” Wilson said.
“We’re trying to focus on ourselves and what we’ve been doing well and hopefully we can pick on some of their weaknesses.
“They’ve obviously got some very good players that we need to watch out for, but if we keep our defensive performances as they have been, we’ve got some quality threats in attack and we’ll be looking to use those.”
Victory has had one of the best defensive set ups in the league this season – conceding 21 goals – the lowest in the competition.
Wilson, a defender, said she had loved playing for a team that had such a strong focus on defence.
It all starts from coach Jeff Hopkins – a former defender himself. Hopkins certainly knows what it takes to be successful in the A-Leagues. This weekend’s grand final will be his seventh.
“Defending is something we all take pride on individually, as a unit and a team,” Wilson said.
“Courtney (Newbon) has had a cracking season (as goalkeeper), so she’s been a massive part of that, too.
“We’ve really taken it in our stride to try to be hard to beat and not concede goals.
“Even if we are winning a game we get caught up in not conceding any, it is just as important to us to keep the ball out of the net.”
Wilson said they were full of confidence going into the final.
“We’re a good team, a confident team, every game towards the end of the season has been a big game for us, so we’re used to playing in big games and used to turning up in moments that count.
“From my point of view this is no different and we are just looking at doing the same again.”
Melbourne Victory will play Central Coast Mariners at AAMI Park at 3.15pm on Sunday.
Collision won’t stop Mariners’ keeper from an A-Leagues’ Grand Final
After patiently waiting through seven A-League seasons for a chance to play in the grand final, Mariners goalkeeper Sarah Langman wasn’t going to let a little thing like a head clash and blood nose stop her.
Just 10 minutes into their must win semi-final against premiers Melbourne City last weekend – Langman had a nasty collision with Holly McNamara – who was forced from the field with concussion.
Langman was left with a blood nose – she had some padding put in and some tape and continued to play – proving crucial in Mariners eventual 1-0 win and securing a spot in the grand final against Melbourne Victory.
“I have sacrificed a lot moving interstate and playing in different A-League teams so (making the grand final) is definitely one of my greatest achievements and I really hope that we play well and get the win,” Langman said.
Getting through to the grand final wasn’t easy.
Mariners first survived an elimination final against Canberra United and were forced into extra time against Melbourne City in the second leg of the semi-final.
Isabel Gomez scored the match winner in the final minute of extra time. Had she not scored it would have gone to penalties.
“I wasn’t really looking at the clock at any point in the game,” Langman said.
“I knew we had scored goals late in games before and we had the majority of possession in that game so I thought we could get a late one and would win the game.
“I didn’t really think about penalties, my mindset was on keeping the clean sheet and hoping the girls could get the goal at the other end.”
The achievement is even more impressive when you consider it is just Mariners’ second season in the A-League Women’s.
“We’ve done well to build the culture at the club and build the team around the culture,” Langman said.
The shot stopper has been one of the best keepers in the ALW this season.
At the end of the 23-game regular season she had six clean sheets and had made 94 saves – the second highest in the league.
Langman conceded just 25 of the 119 shots fired at her and had an average of 4.1 saves a match.
Mariners defender Jessika Nash said Langman had been “crucial for us” all season.
“If I’m honest she has been one of the most consistent performers and I think she is having the season of her life,” Nash said.
“She shows up each weekend whether that be through talking or pulling out amazing saves week in and week out.”
After missing most of last season after injuring her ankle in round one and needing surgery Langman said she is just happy to have gotten through the season in one piece.
“I definitely worked hard in the off season in the gym and on the field, one of my goals this season was to come into the season uninjured and to be as fit as I can,” Langman said.
“I felt like I was probably the fittest I’ve been in quite a few years.”
The shot stopper clocked up her 100th ALW game earlier this season. Langman has played at Adelaide United, Western Sydney Wanderers and Perth before landing at Mariners last season.
She suffered an ankle injury in the opening round – limiting her match appearances to just 10 for the season and didn’t get on the field for their finals appearances last season.
Making this season’s grand final her first in the ALW.
“Obviously getting into a grand final is not something every player does so I am grateful to be there and I’m excited to play the game,” Langman said.
In order to lift the trophy and be called champions, Mariners will have to first beat Melbourne Victory.
A tough task given they are on a 15 game winning streak and have the home field advantage.
The sides have met three times this season with Victory winning twice and the third clash ending in a draw.
Victory have threats all over the park including at the opposite end to Langman – with Courtney Newbon in goals.
The pair were actually teammates for a short stint last season. Newbon was called into the Mariners squad to stand in for the injured Langman. She played four games before signing with Victory.
“Victory are a great team and they’ve played very well this season, going into the Melbourne City game they were undefeated too, so we are literally just focusing on ourselves this week,” Langman said.
“We’ve played them three times this year so we’re very well prepared for this game.”
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