Two goals from new recruit Michelle Heyman and another from Jennifer Bisset saw Canberra United continue their pre-season preparations with a convincing 3-0 win over Illawarra Stingrays at Hawker Football Centre on Saturday afternoon.
Two goals from new recruit Michelle Heyman and another from Jennifer Bisset saw Canberra United continue their pre-season preparations with a convincing 3-0 win over Illawarra Stingrays at Hawker Football Centre on Saturday afternoon.
United dominated the behind closed doors friendly against a strong Stingrays side that has seen action against Westfield W-League opposition in the shape of Sydney FC (twice), Newcastle Jets and Adelaide United in recent weeks. However, the Stingrays were no match for a Canberra side that could have won by an even wider margin.
With Matildas- trio Sally Shipard, Caitlin Munoz and Lydia Williams overseas at the Peace Queen Cup and Ellyse Perry unavailable, United Coach Ray Junna opted for a 4-3-3 formation with young Kahlia Hogg at full-back, a position in which she adapted well and was a constant menace for the Stingrays defence.
In the early stages Grace Gill, playing in the central midfield pivot, tested Illawarra ‘keeper Trudy Burke with a long-range effort that the stopper was a match for as the game settled into a pattern of United possession.
Despite dominating field position and ball retention United coughed up the first chance when Ellie Brush misjudged a long-ball that freed Stingrays striker Ash Connor clear on goal where only an alert Jocelyn Mara denied the visitors the lead, Mara advancing to block with her legs.
But in truth that was as close as the Illawarra team was to get as Canberra turned the screw. The first goal arrived approximately fifteen minutes into the match when Hogg showed tremendous tenacity and pace to burst down the right flank and swing over a cross into the penalty area. The ball eluded Heyman but fell nicely for Bisset who controlled before lashing a fierce drive over the head of Burke and into the roof of the net.
Buoyed by the goal United stormed forward and increased their lead ten minutes later. Cian Maciejewski collected a pass from Emily Van Egmond, on for the injured Ashleigh Sykes who received a knock to the ankle, before freeing Heyman who showed the coolness that saw her net eleven Westfield W-League goals last season, clipping the ball past the advancing ‘keeper.
Heyman proved a superb target for Canberra-s forward raids and the striker struck again before the half-time break. Van Egmond fed Tseng Shu-O who skipped past her marker on the left wing to send a deep cross into the area where Heyman, arriving unmarked, flashed a bullet header into the top corner to make it 3-0 at the interval.
The second half was played in almost consistent drizzle which turned the match into a midfield battle as Junna rang the changes handing opportunities to train-on players Sally Rojahn and Grace Field, from the local Woden Valley club, to show their talents.
United could have had a fourth before the end after Tseng cut inside and drilled a shot goalwards that was brilliantly turned onto the bar, only to fall for Heyman who volleyed towards goal where Ellie Brush turned it over the line from close range. The goal however was disallowed for offside.
Van Egmond went close before the final whistle but United couldn-t add to their tally as referee Allyson Flynn blew for full-time on a good work-out for the squad prior to the first match of the season in Perth on 6th November.
MATCH STATISTICS
Canberra United 3 (Michelle Heyman (2), Jennifer Bisset) Illawarra Stingrays 0
Canberra United: 20. Jocelyn Mara, 2. Caitlin Cooper, 3. Lyndsay Glohe, 4. Michelle Heyman, 5. Kahlia Hogg (6. Grace Field), 7. Ellie Brush, 8. Tseng Shu-O (15. Sophie Kochinos), 9. Grace Gill, 11. Cian Maciejewski (17. Sally Rojahn), 14. Ashleigh Sykes (10. Emily Van Egmond), 19. Jennifer Bisset
Illawarra Stingrays squad: 1. Trudy Burke, 2. Courtney Danyi, 3. Talitha Kramer, 4. Caitlin Danyi, 5. Jess Cooper, 6. Mel Cox, 7. Hayley Kerrigan, 8. Ann Mayo, 9. Ash Connor, 10. Michelle Carney, 11, Cayla Constable, 12. Sam Spackman, 13. Erika Holloway, 14. Kim Bonilla, 15. Blaze Kendris, 16. Faith Atkin
Match Officials: Allyson Flynn (referee), Sam Ockerby, Greg Taylor
Match action will appear in the picture gallery.
