![Maitland's Tahlia Gossner, pictured in action last season, produced some goalscoring heroics to seal Maitland's semi-final win on Saturday night. Picture by Marina Neil Maitland's Tahlia Gossner, pictured in action last season, produced some goalscoring heroics to seal Maitland's semi-final win on Saturday night. Picture by Marina Neil](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ikLFZZUcNnvgygfqz78ZET/04e21e76-133d-4cfd-a49a-bc3258238b57.jpg/r1960_0_3856_1149_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Centre-back Tahlia Gossner received a rockstar reception as she walked off Cooks Square Park on Saturday night after producing an unlikely match double in Maitland's 4-2 come-from-behind elimination semi-final win over Charlestown Azzurri.
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Gossner, who had not previously scored this NPLW Northern NSW season, ensured the Magpies went to half-time at 2-2 after she stabbed Mercedes McNabb's free kick home from directly in front in the 32nd minute.
It came after Sarah Halvorsen had twice put Azzurri ahead. The multi-sport talent headed home a corner in the second minute only to have Sophie Jones cancel it out 12 minutes later. Halvorsen then got onto the end of a long ball to score again in the 26th.
Gossner, who has had to overcome ankle and hamstring injury setbacks this season, gave the hosts a 3-2 advantage in the 59th minute with a back-post volley after Jones had nodded on Sophie Stapleford's free kick.
She was clearly delighted with her efforts and so were her teammates, who mobbed the defender.
The second goal came after the ground announcer declared Gossner's first goal as "rare".
Stapleford iced the win with a runaway goal on the counter-attack in the 66th minute.
"We've done work on set pieces, not necessarily that Tahlia was going to score them, but I'm just really happy for her," Maitland coach Keelan Hamilton said.
"She's such a diligent person in terms of her training and her preparation and she's so consistent. She's had a bit of a tough run this year with injuries, so to see her do that tonight and get two goals is great. She's a very popular member of the squad."
The win ended fourth-placed Azzurri's season.
Third-placed Maitland, playing in their first NPLW finals series, must now overcome Newcastle Olympic in the preliminary final next weekend to have a shot at championship glory.
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"I was pleased with our composure," Hamilton said.
"I don't think either time of being behind we panicked at all. We kept to the process really well. And, overall, I was happy with our football ... everyone contributed again today, which is important."
Goalkeeper Imogene Tomasone returned from a back injury that had kept her sidelined for three weeks but Magpies defender Madison Gallegos went down in agony with a knee issue in stoppage time and had to be assisted from the field.
It was tough end to the season for Azzurri, who also bowed out in the first weekend of finals last year.
"It was unfortunate to take the lead twice and give it away," Azzurri coach Niko Papaspiropoulos said.
"Just a couple of lapses and unfortunately in finals football that's the difference.
"But to Maitland's credit, in the second half they were the better side and we struggled to get back into it. The girls didn't falter and left it all on the pitch, but we weren't able to turn it around."
The winner of next weekend's preliminary final between Olympic and Maitland will join them.