Canberra United has recorded its biggest ever victory in the Westfield W-League with a 4-0 victory over Perth Glory at McKellar Park.
Canberra United has recorded its biggest ever victory in the Westfield W-League with a 4-0 victory over Perth Glory at McKellar Park.
The four goal haul, the largest in the club-s short history sees the Canberra side move into fifth ahead of Perth and within touching distance of the top four with three rounds remaining.
Immediately from kick off the home side was on the attack and the first chance of the match went Ashleigh Sykes when she found the ball at her feet on the doorstep of Perth-s goal.
With her back to goal, Sykes turned and shot but custodian Emma Wirkus was quick to react to produce a great save with her legs from point blank range.
The two sides exchanged possession in search from the opening goal of the match and it was the individual brilliance of Tseng Shu O that nearly put Canberra into the lead after 17 minutes.
The diminutive striker danced her way down the left wing to the end line and whipped in a great cross before Cian Maciejewski blazed her first time effort over the bar after Perth failed to clear the ball.
Minutes later, Sykes was on the attack again as she showed the Perth defence a clear pair of heels down the left wing but her attempt on goal was no trouble for Wirkus from an acute angle.
In very warm conditions Canberra-s pace was proving very difficult for the Perth backline to handle with the bulk of possession played in the visitors half.
The hosts had a fright in the 32nd minute when Perth striker Lisa De Vanna-s shot on target slipped through Lydia William-s hands and narrowly trickled past the right hand upright.
Canberra-s dominance was eventually rewarded on the scoreboard when Ashleigh Sykes continued her amazing ability to score against the Glory with her third goal against Perth in as many games.
A well weighted ball over the top of the Perth backline put Sykes through on goal who calmly slotted past Wirkus, who had raced off her goal line, to put Canberra in front only minutes before half time.
The slender lead could have been extended further just before the break with a dangerous ball across the face of goal narrowly missing Sykes racing in before Jen Bisset couldn-t hit the target from directly in front on the stroke of half time.
With a 1-0 lead at the break, Canberra-s advantage was doubled shortly after when co-captain Ellie Brush headed home in trademark fashion from an Ellyse Perry corner.
Wirkus could do little as Brush drifted in at the back post and rose above the pack to put Canberra United further ahead in the 61st minute with a powerful header.
Possession continued to favour the home side in the second half as Canberra pushed forward unhappy with just a two goal lead to the delight of the 684 in attendance.
Canberra United substitute Ellie Raymond had an immediate impact coming off the bench in the 61st minute for Tseng when the striker put her side 3-0 ahead.
Goal scorer Ashleigh Sykes turned provider when she played a through ball to Raymond who did well to hold off the defender and put her chance past Wirkus in the 77th minute.
Friendly fire in injury time rounded out the scoring when another set piece had Perth on the back foot as Maciejewski-s header towards goal but took a large deflection off substitute Jaymee Gibbons in front of goal.
Canberra United recorded its second win of the season and second clean sheet at home this year however head coach Ray Junna believes there-s still better to come but was happy with the three points.
“It finally went in the net, I think we have played better but we got the four goals so what do you take, we’ll take the win,” Junna said after the match.
“The more people you can have chipping in for goals, they can’t focus on stopping just one player, as a team if everyone can score then everyone can get amongst it, that’s great.”
With the top four campaign back on track, Junna believes that Canberra United deserve to be contesting this year-s finals series after that performance.
“Hopefully this will give us a bit of momentum,” Junna said.
“I think we’ve warranted enough football throughout the year to be in [the top four], we’ve played all the teams currently in the top four so far.
“We’re not afraid of anyone, we’ve matched everyone, it’s just on the day we haven’t won the game, finals I think we are well positioned and I think we deserve to be there.”
Match Details:
Canberra United 4 (A. Sykes 41-, Brush 52-, Raymond 77-, OwnGoal 90-+2)
Perth Glory 0
Canberra United squad: 1. Lydia WILLIAMS, 3. Bronwyn STUDMAN, 5. Kahlia HOGG, 7. Ellie BRUSH (c), 9. Grace GILL (12. Snez VELJANOVSKA 56-), 10. TSENG Shu O (6. Ellie RAYMOND 61-), 11. Cian MACIEJEWSKI, 14. Ashleigh SYKES, 15. Nicole SYKES, 16. Ellyse PERRY, 19. Jennifer BISSET (2. Rebecca KITING 79-)
Subs not used: 20. Jocelyn MARA
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
Perth Glory squad: 1. Emma WIRKUS (gk), 3. Carys HAWKINS, 5. Shannon MAY, 6. Ella MASTRANTONIO, 8. Tanya OXTOBY (c), 9. Dani CALAUTTI (21. Jaymee GIBBONS 87-), 11. Lisa DE VANNA (19. Katarina JUKIC 76-), 13. Elisa D-OVIDIO, 15. Alex SINGER, 16. Sadie LAWRENCE (18. Ellis GLANFIELD 54-), 17. Marianna TABAIN,
Subs not used: 20. Zoe PALANDRI,
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
