OUR LIONS WOMEN MOUNTED A FIERCE ATTEMPT TO FIGHT BACK AT HEATH PARK, BUT WERE FORCED TO ACCEPT ANOTHER 4-3 DEFEAT AGAINST EASTERN SUBURBS
Sometimes, things don’t go as planned. And sometimes, things go terribly wrong.
Going 2-0 down inside three minutes was certainly not part of our game plan, but it happened. A brutal start from the home side saw Eastern Suburbs break the deadlock inside seventy seconds with a close-range header following a freekick.
Before we could even think about reacting, a second ball found the back of the net. A first-time effort guided into the bottom left corner after a deflected touch inside. The Eastern Suburbs press was insane, and our Lions Women were two goals down inside three minutes.
Scarlett Premerl, whose first three touches of the evening had all been from the kickoff, required just one chance to force a goal back for our Lions Women. Quick reactions to pounce on a loose touch, and Scarlett’s left-footed effort gave us a lifeline in the seventh minute!
7′ | 𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐀𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐋!!!
Scarlett Premerl pulls the trigger, and our Lions Women draw back their first goal 🎯🔥
𝐋𝐈𝐎 1 – 2 𝐄𝐀𝐒#HeartPridePassion | #NPLWQLD
— Lions F.C. (@lionsfc1) June 29, 2025
The rest of the first half was an uphill battle, with both sides creating a handful of chances as the early frantic energy of the game was replaced with more patience and composure. After overcoming East’s early onslaught, we put in a strong first-half performance and entered the break trailing 2-1.
Somehow, the start of the second half provided the same frenetic and dramatic chaos as the first. Eastern Suburbs struck in the third minute to double their lead through a close-range header delivered from a corner.
Two minutes later, Meaghan McElligott responded with an outstanding individual effort. A classy touch to beat her defender before unleashing a spectacular long-range effort into the bottom left corner with discipline!
50′ | 𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐀𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐋!!!
Meaghan McElligott rifles the ball into the bottom left corner with lethal precision, and our Lions Women are alive again 🔥🎯
𝐋𝐈𝐎 2 – 3 𝐄𝐀𝐒#HeartPridePassion | #NPLWQLD
— Lions F.C. (@lionsfc1) June 29, 2025
And then, five minutes later, Eastern Suburbs made it 4-2 after a first-time long ball bypassed our defence as left Elli Chapple one-on-one with Tegan Riding.
We gave everything to find an avenue back into the game, with Chelsea Blissett and Amy Gunston combining constantly down the left flank to force chances inside the box. Rachel Dudley came closest in the final ten minutes, arriving at the back post to guide a composed first-time volley inches wide of the bottom right corner.
With two minutes remaining, Chelsea found Meaghan at the back post, and her close-range tap-in gave us life in the final moments. Despite a desperate string of chances under heavy rainfall at Heath Park, the full-time whistle blew and condemned us to another 4-3 defeat against the hosts.
Two brave, but unsuccessful, fight-backs, and we’ll have to wait until August for a third opportunity to defeat the Tigers.
MATCH DETAILS
NPL Women: Round 6
Eastern Suburbs 4 – 3 Lions FC
Heath Park
