A REVISED league format for women’s football in the South West has revitalised the competition into a more balanced outlook.
The South West Association has combined the previous two leagues into an all-encompassing one division of 17 clubs with each club playing the opposition only once.
The top eight will then qualify for the first division to determine the Premier League champions while the rest will compete for the second division title.
For clubs like the Dunsborough Towners the new format comes as a relief having struggled out of their depth in the Premier League.
The imbalance has always haunted the top tier of the women’s game in the South West with Hay Park, Bunbury Dynamo, Busselton, Australind and sometimes Eaton/Dardanup far too strong for the rest.
In fact the strength of Dynamo has encouraged the club to join a women’s Metropolitan League in Perth this year.
However they will still field a strong outfit in the South West competition while Australind, Eaton/Dardanup and Hay Park will field two teams in the new league.
The new format has already had positive results for the Towners with a 5-1 victory over Capel on Sunday following a 2-0 win over Geographe Bay last week.
However, Dunsborough will have to play four additional midweek matches to catch up and even out the competition.
The victory over Capel on Sunday provided a big boost to the confidence of the team following heavy defeats to Bunbury Dynamo and Eaton/Dardanup at the start of the season.
“The girls are gradually combining and starting to put into operation what we practise at training,” said coach Anthony Livanos.
Early in the first half the game was locked in a 1-1 draw and Capel looked capable of holding the Towners, but by half time Dunsborough held a strong advantage with a 3-1 lead
Once again Sofia Peajevic produced an outstanding goalkeeping display while defender Belle Armstrong, the Dunsborough Dry Cleaners player of the match, proved the steadying anchor to a dominate team performance including a long run from defence to score the goal of the match.
In midfield youngsters Safyr Iriks and Sabrina McConville were in control with Iriks scoring twice and McConville once with Jennie Lee adding to the imposing scoreline.
The Men’s Premier League and Reserve team had byes last Sunday and will meet Margaret River at Margaret River this Sunday while the Reserves clash with Geographe Bay at the Stewart Bovell Oval in Busselton.
Currently Dalyellup sit on top of the Men’s Premier League ladder with Bunbury United and Busselton not far behind.
