A goal from Ellyse Perry eight minutes from time rescued a point for Canberra United in an even contest at McKellar Park in Round Two of the Westfield W-League against Brisbane Roar.
A goal from Ellyse Perry eight minutes from time rescued a point for Canberra United in an even contest at McKellar Park in Round Two of the Westfield W-League against Brisbane Roar.
Perry slammed home a slide-rule right foot finish after impressive approach work from Michelle Heyman to give United a share of the spoils in an even encounter on a warm, muggy evening in the ACT.
The first half failed to hit the heights as neither side was able to string together any meaningful passages of play in order to create threatening goalscoring opportunities. Brisbane had the better of the opening half an hour with livewire striker Lana Harch causing problems with her movement and pace off the ball.
The Roar striker was first to test home goalkeeper Lydia Williams with a low drive that the United goalkeeper did well to push around the post after previously being denied by a superb challenge from Ellie Brush when in a dangerous position.
United-s response was to send a slick attacking move down the right flank that ended with Perry shipping over a cross that veered onto the roof of the net with Heyman and Caitlin Munoz well placed. However, apart from a scuffed Emily Van Egmond effort Canberra failed to give Roar goalkeeper Casey Dumont much to do as the majority of the match was played in midfield.
The match needed a goal and it got one just before the interval. A chipped pass forward released midfielder Tameka Butt into space to launch an inch-perfect lob over the stranded Williams- and into the back of the net. And, while there may have been a hint of offside to the goal, the finish was deserving of breaking the deadlock.
Chasing the match in the second half United upped the ante without resorting to desperate long-ball tactics. Keeping possession for large patches Canberra finally gave Dumont a save to make when Emily Van Egmond tried her luck from distance with a brace of long-range efforts that the Roar stopper had to be alert to.
Ray Junna signalled his intent in getting something from the match by sending on Kahlia Hogg and Grace Gill with fifteen minutes remaining as United monopolised possession with the Roar content to play with a lone striker.
A large attendance of 794 thought Canberra had equalised when Munoz stabbed home at the far post after Heyman had flicked on a Perry cross, only for the goal to be chalked off with the assistant referee signalling for offside.
Just as the home support began to wonder whether they would be going home disappointed Canberra struck the equaliser.
A neat pass from substitute Munoz found Heyman whose pivot and turn created space just outside the area. Advancing on goal the prolific striker cut inside before playing an inch-perfect pass into the path of the onrushing Perry. The dual international didn-t break stride as she lashed a controlled inside of the foot effort past the despairing Dumont to bring the scores level.
After the goal some sloppy interplay in the middle of the park meant neither side was able to go on and create what could have been the match winning chance with the match petering out into a draw that both teams seemed happy to accept.
Saturday 13th November 2011
McKellar Park, Belconnen, ACT
CANBERRA UNITED 1 (Ellyse Perry 82-) BRISBANE ROAR 1 (Tameka Butt 45-)
Half-time: 0-1
Canberra United: 1. Lydia Williams (gk), 2. Caitlin Cooper, 3. Lyndsay Glohe, 4. Michelle Heyman, Caitlin Munoz, 7. Ellie Brush, 8. Tseng Shu-O (Ashleigh Sykes 54-), 10. Emily Van Egmond (Kahlia Hogg 76-), 11. Cian Maciejewski (Grace Gill 76-), 15. Sally Shipard, 16. Ellyse Perry
Substitutes not used: 20. Jocelyn Mara (gk)
Brisbane Roar: 1. Casey Dumont (gk), 2. Laura Alleway, 3. Karla Reuter, 4. Clare Polkinghorne, 5. Brooke Spence, 6. Joanne Burgess (Alisha Foote 77-), 7. Kim Carroll, 8. Elise Kellond-Knight, 10. Lana Harch (Emily Gielnik 71-), 13. Tameka Butt, 14. Amy Chapman
Substitutes not used: 12. Rebekah Stott, 20. Emma Stewart (gk)
Discipline: YELLOW CARDS: 8. Tseng Shu-O (Canberra United), 8. Elise Kellond-Knight (Brisbane Roar)
