World Footy News

Last weekend for the first time in league history, the Ontario Australian Football League held a Womens AFL match.

Round 12 consisted of a triple header in Ottawa, with the first game of the day pitting the Montréal Angels against the Central Blues women’s football team.

In a cracking first term played in front of a vocal crowd, the girls from Québec had all the early running, continually driving the ball deep inside their attacking zone. The Blues led by veteran Sherelle Kelly-Witt refused to give an inch, choking the Montréal offense and putting the Angels under enormous pressure.

Classy Montréal on-baller Aimee Legault was looking dangerous but inaccurate kicking hampered the Angels' good work and at quarter time Montréal led four behinds to zero.

Some strategic moves by Angels coaching staff Cam Stark and James-Robert Theis worked wonders, as the Angels started the second term at a furious pace. Quick goals to Aimee Legault and Dani Anderson pushed the Angels out to a 3 goal lead, the Blues girls fighting hard but finding it difficult to keep up with the leg speed of the faster Angels.

Blues Holly Martin and Rochelle Allan were playing well, the Toronto team eventually getting on the scoreboard. But as the siren sounded for the half time break, the Blues had slipped to a 35 point deficit trailing the Angels 5.6 (36) to Blues 0.1 (1).

Caretaker Blues coach Andy Han revved up his charges at the main break and demanded they deliver a major in the third. But as the third quarter got under way it seemed it would be more of the same. Standout ruck Lindsay Belzie directed the ball with precision to her running brigade of Elaine Gilmore, Margo Legault and Mirabell Eboka and the Angels extended their lead further.

The Blues refused to go down without a fight, Erika Streich and Renee Tong lifting their work rate, the Blues finally getting some forward momentum and Central Blue star Sherelle Kelly-Wit finally slotting through a much needed major for the Navy Blues. Unfortunately it was all too late for the Blues, the Angels holding a commanding 10 goal lead at three quarter time.

With the game beyond reach of the young Blues outfit, the Montréal Angels dug their heels in and continued their dominance in the final term, piling on another 4 goals and proving far too good on the day. An injury to star defensive player Mel, the only bad news for the Angels who cruised home to an 85 point victory.

The Blues, although suffering a heavy defeat, can take plenty of positives out of the match with stellar performances from Sherelle Kelly-Wit and Holly Martin, while for the Angels the dynamic duo of Aimee Legault and Lindsay Belzie again proved a match winning combination.

Goals: Angels – L.Belzie 4, A.Legault 4, D.Anderson 3, M.Legault 2, E.Gilmore 1. Blues – S.Kelly-Wit 1.