The 15 girls NSW Country side, featuring four Shoalhaven’s Tara Bailey, Jasmine Tan, Casey Johnson and Bronte Wright, as well as Southern Branch’s Luella Boulton, took on Tasmania on Thursday, expecting nothing but a win.

Tara Bailey was called upon to release the pressure the Tasmanian forwards were applying, being called upon to make some handy saves and turn defence into attacking options.

Once the early stages of the game subsided, the Country side camped in the Tasmanian half attacking the goal and only stoic defence enable the score to remain a respectable 2-nil at half-time.

Jasmine Tan and Luella Bolton attacked at every opportunity – both girls setting up some fine opportunities for the forwards.

Bronte Wright and Casey Johnson brought some creativity and enthusiasm into the team at half-time with the Tasmanian keeper keeping NSW at bay again in the second half repelling the NSW attacking raids on goals – with the final score being 3-nil.

The team then backed in up on Friday, finishing off their five-day tournament with a resounding 3-1 victory against South Australia.

These NSW Country girls finished the week with four wins, including the cross over pool game, and only the one loss – a narrow 1-nil loss to eventual winners  NSW Metro White.

This was a great result and improvement from 2017 competition the girls were a credit to coach Mick Godbier and assistant coach Sam Grey.

All five of the South Coast products stood in a strong NSW team, doing their state proud

Goalkeeper Tara Bailey, along with defensive duo Casey Johnson and Jasmine Tan set a strong defensive base all week, impressing with their strength and ability to get forward with the ball.

While Luella Bolton and Bronte Wright worked overtime creating attacking raids and controlling the midfield.

The 14s girls NSW Country team, which includes South Coast products Millicent Eyland, Abby Crapp and Chloe Hain, Charlotte Hampshire and Ella Hewson and Poppy Tay, proved just as successful in Thursday’s first game against Tasmania.

The Country girls were on fire from the first whistle, with fast movement of the ball and players getting into attacking space the order of the day.

Captain Millicent Eyland and Chloe Hain set the standard from the back with strong tackles and swift ball movement, creating attacking raid after attacking raid.

Ella Hewson was up to her creative best scoring a first half hat-trick, with some deft touches and clinical shots on goal.

Not to be out done, Poppy Tay scored another second half hat trick securing three goals with Abby Crapp converting her first nationals goal for 2018.

A great all-round effort by the Country NSW team, running away winners 10-nil.

Unfortunately, they couldn’t keep the goal-scoring form going in their final pool game against Western Australia – a team that had been improving all week.

The undefeated Country girls were full of confidence, starting this match with a flurry of shots, that were either brilliantly saved or were denied by the woodwork.

Ella Hewson and Poppy Hay were a constant threat while Charlotte Hampshire was tireless in her work in the midfield – consistently providing quality balls forward and assisting in defence.

Unfortunately, the strong Western Australia girls rode their luck and withstood this onslaught and turn the tables on NSW creating and converting three chances and also assisted by an own goal to go to the break 4-nil.

Chloe Hain and Abbey Crapp brought some much need spark to the Country girls second half and with two goals were back in the match – Poppy Tay scoring her 10^th goal for the week.

Abbey Crapp was unlucky not to score on several occasions while Chloe Hain was industrious in organising the defensive line, alongside captain Millicent Eyland, who turned away a continued onslaught of Western Australia attacking raids.

The NSW Country side finished strong and can feel proud of their efforts, this loss (5-2) being the only one of the week.

Despite playing with plenty of courage in their final game of the week on Friday, the 14 girls end their week with a 2-1 loss to South Australia.

Despite the result, the Country Girls were dominant in all aspects of play except the one that counted the most – goals.

The NSW Country girls hit the post the upright and the South Australian goalkeeper was called upon to make some amazing saves, from shots from Poppy Tay, Abbey Crapp and Ella Hewson.

Charlotte Hampshire was continued her busy week and controlled the midfield preventing movement from the South Australian team and directing play from her midfield position.

Chloe Hain and captain Millicent Eyland were kept busy by the physical attacking style of the South Australian forwards.

A great week of football by the NSW Country girls – with the South Coast girls helping the side end up as a top two defensive side, while scoring 15 of the team’s 22 goals.