Feature Image: Frank Khamees (SPORTSGRAPHY)
The talk of the town this weekend will be about Rachel Alonso’s acrobatic effort to help Calder United defeat Box Hill United
Her spectacular volley sealed the 2-0 result, which had big implications in the current premiership race.
Elsewhere, neither of Galaxy United, Bulleen Lions, Bayisde United and Alamein FC could find the back of net as all sides took a point from the weekend.
But Southern United and Heidelberg United made up for their lack of goals with a thrilling game that went right down to the wire and ended 4-3 in the Bergers’ favour.
Heidelberg got their breakthrough via Demi Mihaloudis, who got up from left back to strike a low shot past Freya Crocker
Southern hit back from a corner when Tiff Eliadis rose to hit a header that Christine Fonua couldn’t keep out.
The second half saw Heidelberg immediately re-take the lead via a penalty, with Julia Nicolaci sending the keeper the wrong way.
Yet in an incredible turnaround, Southern looked like making a case for their second consecutive win when Eliadis scored her second alongside Jess Beddows’ effort to see the hosts lead 3-2.
But the game took another twist when a burst down the wing from Steph Galea led to a delivery to Leigh Gray to add to her season tally and equalise at 3-3.
Substitute Belinda Pannella then scored a late, dramatic winner with a clinical finish to hand Heidelberg their fifth win of the season.
The Bergers now have the opportunity to overtake Alamein in fourth place if they win in the midweek fixture against Senior NTC.
In Bayside’s 0-0 clash with Alamein, Larissa Crummer was a 27th minute withdrawal after an injury scare, albeit that was revealed to be a precautionary substitution.
Alamein still had a number of opportunities, and if it weren’t for Ingrid Philippe in goals, the match could have seen a different outcome.
It’s been a frustrating fortnight for Sinisa Cohadzic’s side, which has taken only a point against the bottom two sides, highlighting how close the competition has been in recent times.
Meanwhile, Galaxy United’s scoreless draw – their fourth consecutive clean sheet – against Bulleen would have been relieving for coach Vincenzo Ierardo, who went into the clash without first choice keeper Kelsey Quinn and both Spiranovic sisters.
The result between Galaxy and Bulleen allowed Calder to create a bigger lead on the ladder over the former, while closing the gap between themselves and the latter to just one point in the midway point of the season.
Box Hill were up against early it when Maren Heller was a forced substitution in just the seventh minute, continuing her frustrating run this season.
Cindy Lay took full advantage to propel the hosts to a first half lead.
However, her effort was trumped by Alonso’s in the 63rd minute, putting away Tyla-Jay Vlajnic’s cross in remarkable fashion to ensure the three points.