Following last weekend’s 2-1 win over Pittwater RSL at Kitchener Park, Brookvale women’s Premier League coach Michael Cimino said he’d been stressing to his players not to get over-confident.
Brookvale’s challenge this week comes in the form of Manly Vale on Sunday at Grahams Reserve. Against a Manly Vale team that beat them twice last year, you’d assume that would not be hard.
“Pittwater had a few players out and we did get the win but Manly Vale is a great side and we have to stay composed,” Cimino said.
Brookvale’s new captain Michelle Sym “has been great with the girls and is really improving week in and week out, on and off the field,” according to Cimino.
“She’s a great leader and the team respects her. But we don’t really have any standout players, we are more like a unit. And we just want to play for each other.”
“Last year they beat us twice and beat us well,” Cimino said. “They are pretty good all around the park and have some quality strikers. I guess in this competition it’s all about how well you contain the other team’s attackers. So we definitely will be working on defence. I think it will be a cracker of a game and we will try to make it as difficult as possible for them.”
Manly Vale coach Tony Bruzzano agreed. “It will be a tough match, no doubt about that. Brookvale are a young squad and last year was the first in WPL top grade for most of their players. We know they will have improved from last season, especially after they racked up a win last weekend.
“From our first round match against them last year to the second round, they showed a massive improvement in their game. Our girls respect the fact Brookvale’s young squad will be out to show how competitive they are, and how much they have further developed,” Bruzzano said.
Bruzzano said his team would be focused on attack.
“Six games into the season we are hoping to continue building key combinations amongst the playing group. We hope to have all players available. Training has been good with our focus on attacking plays,” Bruzzano said.
In Sunday’s other WPL game, Mosman takes on Belrose-Terrey Hills Raiders at Allan Border Oval. Kick-off is at 3pm. On Wednesday night at 7pm Beacon Hill plays Manly Allambie at Beacon Hill Reserve and Seaforth host Wakehurst at Seaforth Oval.
By Matt Cleary
