A pair of perfectly placed lob shots launched Boroondara Eagles back to the top of the Women’s Premier League with a 3-1 win against Box Hill United on Friday night.
The Eagles will finish the round top (25 points) while Box Hill (eighth, 11) is at risk of dropping further off top-five pace.
Aleisha Newman and Olivia Ellis both scored from long distance, with Ellis’ stunning late strike sealing the game.
Boroondara opened the scoring on 15 minutes after a flat opening devoid of chances. Amy Jackson pounced on a spill to volley in when Box Hill goalkeeper Emily Southwell failed to hold Aleisha Newman’s cross.
Southwell stepped up with two one-on-one saves in as many minutes as Newman twice ripped through the Box Hill defence.
Jackson then hit the bar with a free kick in the 23rd minute as Box Hill’s goal led a charmed life.
But it took until the 59th minute for Boroondara to double their lead, when Newman connected with a cross-field pass that eliminated the Box Hill backline, and lobbed an oncoming Southwell.
Box Hill’s best spell of the game followed though, with Annie Remman grabbing a lifeline for the home team.
Remman shot through traffic to find the bottom left corner in the 68th minute, just moments after entering the game.
Boroondara would re-take control of play though, with Box Hill’s only half-chance for an equaliser coming through Melanie Camilleri, who flashed a cross from the left through the penalty area in the 84th minute.
Ellis then sealed the win in the 88th minute with her booming long shot.
The left-back had been working forward all game and was afforded the time to wind up and shoot from about a third of the way up the pitch.
Ellis said the influence of team leaders like Amy Jackson and Ash Callaghan was helping her lift her game. A bit of on-field instruction from Jackson led to the super strike.
“I had AJ calling ‘go for it,’ and I guess I had a clearing to shoot,” Ellis said on her wonder strike.
“The leaders really help lift you, I play much better with the older girls.
“Shaun (Ontong, coach) has been encouraging me to get forward.
“We weren’t hitting feet as well as we should have been but things came to us better in the second half.”
Box Hill coach John Kyrgios was measured when discussing the soft goals his side conceded, but gave his backing to young Emily Southwell who has enjoyed a spell in the first team due to Melissa Barbieri’s absence for the Women’s World Cup.
“She’s learning, she’s been thrown in the deep end so you can’t be too harsh on young keepers,” Kyrgios said.
“But we’re playing at the highest level and when you make simple mistakes you pay for it.
“After the first 15 minutes we did well and were in the game.
“It’s unfortunate when you let in some very soft goals. When you work hard and concede silly goals it’s a hard situation to get out of.”
***
Box Hill United 1 (Remman 68′) Boroondara Eagles 3 (Jackson 15′, Newman 59′, Ellis 88′) at Wembley Park [HT: 0-1]
Box Hill United: 11. SOUTHWELL Emily, 2. ZAIRIS Renee, 4. RICHARDSON Madelaine, 5. WALSH Sarah (3. KYRGIOS Elise 61′), 7. HULBERT Emily, 8. CAMILLERI Melanie, 9. SAMMUT Letizia, 12. RASSIAS Angie (18. REMMAN Annie 62′) 14. KOUTROUVELIS Georgia, 23. AMORE Alexandra (15. GUERTS Haley 86′), 32. BAKOPOULOS Penny
Unused Substitute(s): 17. FOTOPOULOS Katherine, 21. CARDACI Cristina
Yellow Card(s): Rassias 19′, Richardson 71′ Kyrgios 89′
Red Card(s): Nil
Boroondara Eagles: 1. LANNING Anna, 2. JACOBS Sarah, 5. JENSEN Sky, 6. CALLAGHAN Ash, 8. TURNER Ellen (16. HUBBARD Emma 57′) 9. GUMMER Alex, 10. NEWMAN Aleisha (35. CAVANETTA Rani 66′), 12. BOUDREAU Taryne, 14. LITTLEWOOD Emma (4. GAYFER Ally 45′), 15. JACKSON Amy, 24. ELLIS Olivia
Unused Substitute(s): 34. GROSS Emma
Yellow Card(s): Nil
Red Card(s): Nil