Feature Image: Rachel Bach
Heidelberg United turned on the style in the second half at Olympic Village, storming home with four goals to complete a stunning 4-3 come from behind victory over Bayside United.
The visitors took a two-nil lead into half time, courtesy of goals to Sienna Fogarty and Emily Harbis, while Bergers captain Rita Mankowska was an early casualty in the tie.
However it was two moments of brilliance from Cortnee Vine and further strikes to Ally Ladas and Grace Abbey which helped complete a memorable turnaround.
It was a tame effort from Fogarty to open the tie on 27 minutes, as she snuck an effort past Matilda Comley from an Emma Runnalls cross.
Steph Parton was able to feed Harbis through for the second, as the young forward beat the offside trap, to then apply a low finish across the face of goals.
Ladas struck in the opening stages of the second stanza for Heidelberg with a near post finish from a corner, while Vine nabbed her first with the pick of the goals, displaying an elite burst of pace to explode quite literally from box-to-box before finishing with aplomb.
Maja Markovski was then brought down on the right side of the area to send the Bergers to the penalty spot for the lead; Grace Abbey obliging with a booming finish.
Vine showed off her W-League pedigree once more to extend the hosts lead, with a classy chest and volley from inside the area.
A late tap in from Bayside skipper Kirstie Shearing made things interesting with 10 minutes to play, but the Bergers were able to hang on for a crucial victory, ironically their first since toppling the same opponent all the way back in Round Three.
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A thoroughly entertaining affair at Lakeside Stadium saw Lisa De Vanna net a last-ditch winner to help South Melbourne down Calder United 2-1.
Chances were abundant in an open game, with Tiffany Eliadis enjoying the first real chance, with her deflected shot forcing Bethany Mason-Jones into action early.
The former Melbourne Victory utility was able to get her own back soon after with a low, one-on-one finish from inside the box on 12th minute.
Rachel Alonso was denied a clear-cut opportunity to pull Calder back into the tie after breaking past goalkeeper Molly-May Ramsay towards an open net, only for a sweeping Alex Cheal to save the day with a last ditch interception.
A shallow goal kick from Ramsay was the catalyst for Calder’s eventual equaliser as midfielder Emma Robers was able to intercept the clearing ball and dish off to Alonso, who hit an audacious chip over the South number one from just outside the area.
Mason-Jones bailed out her side with a number of quality saves late in the second half, including two smothering shut-outs to deny Natalie Martineau, then Melina Ayres in quick succession.
With the score precariously placed at 1-1, more saves from the keepers at either end ensured the contest would remain tight.
Ramsay was called upon to deny a long range effort from Enza Barilla, while Mason-Jones held efforts from Julia Nicolaci and then De Vanna.
Stacey Papadopoulos came incredibly close to putting Calder into the lead, hitting the upright with a long shot, while Cindy Lay, then Ayres missed golden opportunities for their respective sides.
De Vanna combined well with forward compatriot Caitlin Greiser to set up a golden opportunity on 80 minutes, only for the latter to be denied once more by the reflexes of Calder’s in-form keeper.
Just seven minutes later and the game finally saw a winner, with De Vanna poking home amongst a sea of bodies, however the goal was not without controversy, with the Calder defence vehemently claiming a foul for a shove in the build-up.
South Melbourne are now undefeated in six and boast a double against Calder for the season, with a final match up at Lakeside to come in Round 21.
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A Candela Ferreyra Bas led Southern were clinical at Comets Stadium, claiming a 4-2 win over Box Hill United.
The hosts were 3-0 up by the break, and despite some late resistance from their opponents, the game remained in their grasps for the majority of the tie.
There was an element of luck for the game’s opener as a booming Mikhaila Bowden free-kick from inside her own area was deflected for an own goal into the Box Hill net.
It was two-nil soon after, with Southern’s American midfielder Courtney Hueston pickpocketing the ball in midfield, before firing into the top bins from 25 yards.
Ferreyra Bas smoked the Pythagoras defence to grab her first on the half-hour mark, matching a strong run down the left flank with an even better finish, curling away into to the right post.
Hueston was denied a second goal early in the second half by a good stop from Alyssa Dall’oste, before Box Hill got their reprieve at the other end with their first goal of the afternoon.
With Southern goalkeeper Christina Fonua slow to recover from a knock just 10 seconds prior, Box Hill’s Maddie Richardson spotted space to shoot and fired home to reduce the deficit.
Southern kicked away again, with Ferreyra Bas completing her brace with a tap in, following a parried save from Dall’oste off a driven Bowden free-kick.
Melanie Camilleri headed home in stoppage time, but it was purely cosmetic as Box Hill fell to their fourth defeat in five fixtures.
The result for Southern pushes them clear in fourth place after Alamein’s draw with Galaxy United.
Their chase for a finals berth was bolstered by the signing of winger Jess Au from Calder United, who made her debut in the win on the weekend.
Au links up with former mentor Bill Mihaloudis, whom she worked with for two seasons at South Melbourne in the early stages of her young career.
The 21-year-old spent one season with the Melbourne Victory, whilst making the switch at state level to Bundoora United, then Calder.
“Southern United FC is very pleased to welcome Jess Au to its senior playing group,” said club president Theresa Deas.
“The move will allow Jess to train and play locally due to uni commitments in the Latrobe Valley and will provide further depth to the playing group.”
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Galaxy United and Alamein FC earned a share of the spoils in a tense affair at Banyul Warri Reserve.
Chances were restricted mainly to efforts from long range, with neither side managing to break through across the span of the contest.
Leigh Gray came closest when she struck the post in the first half, while a string of acrobatic saves from Emily Kenshole was required to deny Mari Pastor and Caitlin Doeglas a go-ahead goal.
Melissa Maizels was also a required figure, with the Alamein shot-stopper making a solid late save to help her side retain a point.
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The Senior NTC leapfrogged Bulleen Lions on the NPLW ladder with a comeback 2-1 win at the Veneto Club.
Two of the brightest prospects in the state were once again in form as Frannie Iermano and Kyra Cooney-Cross led from the front to spark a rallying second half fight back.
Alexandra Amore grabbed the first of the night with the Bulleen winger applying a tidy finish from the tight angle past Teresa Morrissey.
Defenders Alex Natoli and Salma Tawfic both came close to doubling Bulleen’s advantage with the former having her shot blocked, while the latter struck the crossbar with a first time strike from 25 yards.
Emily Shields was to thank for Bulleen retaining their lead heading into half time, with the goalkeeper making a triple save to deny the NTC as the ball pinballed across the face of the Lions defence.
Nia Stamatopoulos was on hand with her first senior goal to square the ledger in the second half, as Kyra Cooney-Cross kept her composure to feed through a quality assist in heavy traffic.
Cooney-Cross continued to work her way into the contest and fired no less than four warning shots, which Bulleen were unable to heed.
A brilliant team effort saw Cooney-Cross eventually break through for the winner, courtesy of a great return ball from Iermano, with the forward applying a placed finish into the bottom right corner.