Diamonds Secure W-League Title

DIAMONDS SECURE W-LEAGUE TITLE

Wellington United Diamonds achieved the first of their seasons goals when they secured a second consecutive W-League title with comfortable 6-0 win over Western Suburbs in atrocious conditions that saw the game called off with 10 or so minutes left to play.

Charlotte Wilford Carroll celebrated the news that she has ben called up to the New Zealand U20s team with a brace, Kelsey Wilkinson got one while Jemma Robertson continued her quest for the leagues golden boot taking her total to 14 and she just now has to wait and see if Waterside Karori's Kaley Ward can score two or more against Seatoun on Tuesday night.

The conditions were best summed up by a tweet from supporter "The World Cup baby" who commented that coach Guille Schiltenwolf had made the correct decision in subbing off 4"2 Mickey Robertson before she drowned! The match was called off with around 10 minutes to go, under Capital Football rules the result stands as more than 60 minutes of the game had been played and with United 6-0 up there was no argument from Wests as player safety came first.

A poor start to the season by Diamonds standards, saw them lose two games in the first round, this was coupled with Schiltenwolf introducing the players to a new three at the back system. It's a credit to the players and the coach that they stuck with it and trusted it as it came right and they went through the second round of the season unbeaten dropping only two points in a 3-3 draw with Waterside Karori. The extending of the W-League has made the league more competitive especially with the addition of Waterside Karori who managed to take a point of Wellington United, but also more importantly from United's point of view they took three points of Palmerston North Marist at a crucial point of the season. Diamonds hadn't reached the top of the table until the last two weeks of the season.

Due to several external events such as the NZ Secondary Schools trip to the Dallas Cup (in which 6 Diamonds were involved), Futsal tournaments, the U16 team that went to the Gothia Cup in Sweden, players leaving for university in USA or to move overseas and the Pacific games in Samoa, Schiltenwolf used an incredible 35 different players during the season and the fact the team won the league again is testament to both his and their abilities and seems strange that he has been overlooked for higher roles.

The season isn't over and as far as the Diamonds and Schiltenwolf are concerned the job is only half done. They are in the semi final of the Kate Sheppard Cup where they will be facing a strong Coastal Spirit side. After last years semi final loss to eventual winners Dunedin Technical they are very keen to go a least one better this season

The Kate Sheppard Cup game is on Saturday at Newtown Park, kick off 1pm

ENDS

Match Details
Saturday 17 August, Newtown Park, Wellington
W-League
Wellington United (3) 6 (Jemma Robertson 3, Charlotte Wilford Carroll 2, Kelsey Wilkinson)
Western Suburbs (0) 0

Next Match - Kate Sheppard Cup Semi Final
v Coastal Spirit
Saturday 24 August, Newtown Park, 1pm

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