Ashburton United took a big step towards securing a top-three finish, and a double chance in the finals with a blockbuster 3-2 win over South Melbourne Women’s FC.
Georgia Cloepfil was the hero on the scoresheet for the home side, notching a clinical hat trick to deem Jamie Pollock and Tiffany Eliadis’ strikes not enough for the visitors.
The high-octane contest kicked off from the first whistle, with both sides matching each other for intensity.
Ashburton thought they had the lead in the first minute when Briar Palmer swung in a corner, but in an optical illusion, the ball didn’t in fact go in, rather swung just over the bar.
Eliadis then had South’s first chance, hitting an effort wide after just five minutes.
With the speed of the game at breakneck pace, mistakes were made at the back and a couple of minutes later Holly Richardson slipped a ball past her own ‘keeper, but to the home side’s relief, Palmer was on hand to mop up the danger.
Melissa Maizels was the busier of the keepers, and produced a great save minutes later, which turned out to be crucial when Cloepfil put the hosts ahead in the 19th minute.
From a long throw, Spiranovic worked her way to the byline, cutting by a couple of defenders before squaring the ball to an un-marked Cloepfil, and the American made no mistake, stroking ball into the bottom corner.
Not to be deterred, South hit back hard, almost equalising through Brittany Dudley-Smith, who brought out a good save from Maizels following a sweeping team move.
The end-to-end action continued, with Cloepfil whizzing a shot centimetres wide before Melina Ayres had a chance smothered by Frances Land who was quick off her line.
Pollock was then played in behind a minute after, but her finish failed to trouble Maizels who easily caught the ball.
Just as it seemed the game was fizzing out towards the break, Ashburton almost doubled their lead when Cloepfil went on a run of her own on the left before setting up Spiranovic.
Unfortunately for the striker, she could only hit the upright, much to South’s relief.
The break did little to stem the flow of the game, and it was Cloepfil who put Ashburton ahead just ten minutes into the second half.
With the hosts pressing high to force a turnover, Fede Frew turned out of a tight space to put the winger through with a delightful through ball, and Cloepfil finished to the far post with aplomb.
Ayres then had another attempt three minutes later, but Land pulled off another save.
South was never out of the game however, and piled on the pressure from the hour mark.
Its persistence paid off in the 70th minute when Jamie Pollock rose high to head in a corner at the back post.
With momentum in South’s favour, Dudley-Smith strode into the box six minutes later only to be brought down and the referee pointed to the spot.
Eliadis dispatched it confidently, leaving Maizels with no chance.
Two minutes later, Dudley-Smith got what she thought was a third for South Melbourne, but the linesman ruled her to be offside, and the hosts breathed a sigh of relief.
South continued its relentless pressure and Maizels got down low to block Pollock’s shot in the 84th minute after the midfielder had skipped past the defence into the six-yard box.
It wasn’t meant to be for South though, who were unlocked by the Frew-Cloepfil combination right at the death.
Frew managed to turn past her defender before slipping a clever ball through to Cloepfil, who rounded Land to steal the three points in stoppage time.
Ashburton now climbs into second place following Bundoora’s loss earlier in the afternoon, while South Melbourne still holds two games in hand in their quest for that top-three finish.
Match Details
Ashburton United 3 (Cloepfil 20′, 55′, 90′) defeated South Melbourne 2 (Pollock 70′, Eliadis 76′ pen.) at Knox Regional Football Centre. [HT: 1-0]
Ashburton United: 1. Melissa Maizels, 2. Maria Patrikis (13. Azize Erenli 85′), 3. Holly Richardson, 5. Kristin Stensholt, 8. Briar Palmer, 14. Christine Pfeiffer, 19. Olivia Edwards, 11. Fede Frew, 9. Melina Ayres, 18. Georgia Cloepfil, 21. Laura Spriranovic (4. Brittany Thomas 74′)
Unused subs: 10. Julia Skowronska, 12. Amy Malander, 26. Bridie Kean
South Melbourne: 1. Frances Land, 8. Carol Howes, 4. Jessie Pritchard, 6. Alex Cheal, 16. Lisa Farquhar, 5. Natalie Martineau, 10. Tiffany Eliadis, 11. Saphri Lines (3. Jade Feakes 74′), 13. Sarah Verdan (7. Rhea Shreuder 88′), 12. Jamie Pollock, 2. Brittany Dudley-Smith
Unused subs: 14. Natalie Brajanovski, 31. Coco Majstorovic