Box Hill United triumphed in a contest befitting a Cup final, as the hosts ousted fellow WPL outfit Ashburton United 5-3 in their Team App Cup Round One clash.
On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, two heavyweight outfits strolled out onto Bill Sewarts Athletic Pitch to kick off their cup campaigns. The reality was less picturesque as, like Thunderdome, only one would go on to survive the fight.
In a competition where most WPL sides were offered the luxury of a bye week, the two teams lined up with a rotated squad, although the quality brand of football on offer suggested anything but a weakened line-up from both clubs.
The opening goal came within seven minutes, and it was a stunning 25-yard strike from Melanie Camelleri; her strike passed the outstretched hand of Melissa Maizels, while serving to set the tone for Box Hill’s intent.
The first half continued on as a fairly one-sided affair with Box Hill flinging all it could at the Ashburton defence, in a desperate bid to build on their lead.
Even the goalkeeper was getting in on the act, as Box Hill’s Melissa Barbieri hoofed the ball to her opposite number; Maizels tumbling backwards while almost rolling the ball over the line.
Ashburton in response seemed to lack connection in the midfield, relying heavily on right winger Georgia Cloepfil as their attacking outlet, but Box Hill’s centre-half pairing did well to repel the danger.
On the sidelines, Ashy coach Sinisa Cohadzic was vocal, both verbally and physically, as he voiced his displeasure at the toothless performance of a side sitting three spots above their opponents in the league.
The mentors words must’ve inspired his side as Ashburton seemed a different team in the second half, and they came out firing right from kick-off as a deft chip from Fede Frew beat Barbieri as she followed her effort in.
Within a few minutes, a counter from Box Hill saw Camilleri, restore the lead with her own chip clearing Maizels.
It’d already proved to be an end-to-end affair, but both sides were just warming up, as they completely disregarded the old adage of ‘parking the bus’.
With a slight change to Box Hill’s defensive line, Ashburton charged forward to take advantage, and after a low shot from Emma Checker ricocheted off the post, forward Britt Thomas stepped in to rush it over the line to draw level.
A little lull in the play served as a breather for the mass of action to come, as a 15 minute spell was marred by the concerted efforts of both midfields trying to move past each other.
But in the 74th minute, we had a resumption to action as Box Hill’s Annie Remman lifted a shot above the hands of Maizels to spark the game back to life.
Ashburton responded in swift fashion through star winger Cloepfil, as the American sent a bullet of a shot into the roof of the net to round off the scoring in regulation time.
The two teams ground out the last 14 minutes with little between them, as the ball bounced back and forth like pinball across the pitch, before extra-time was called for.
The sun continued to pound down as the game extended into the full 120 minutes, and the first period of extra-time started quickly, as some heavy contests between Amy Malander of Ashburton and Box Hill’s Maia Heysen upped the intensity of the fight.
With neither side wanting to play out the lottery of penalties, it was the hero Camilleri who once again made an impact, as she made a lung-busting run through midfield, knocking the ball through to substitute Hayley Geurts who pivoted and struck cleanly into the net.
Mellissa Maizels – caught further out than necessary – could only watch on as the seventh goal of the thrilling exchange took Box Hill in front.
Ashburton kept throwing everything forward in their push for an equaliser, but in the 109th minute, Camilleri effectively ended the contest, bagging a hat-trick with a 30-yard beauty to take Box Hill ahead by two.
It was desperation stakes for Ashburton as they made one last surge to get back into the game, but despite their endeavour, they couldn’t regain the momentum they’d previously struck.
As the final whistle blew, it became crystal clear that both sides had worked immensely hard over the 120 minute ordeal, but it was Box Hill who in the end were the stronger side, with solid work from Camilleri enough to clinch a Round Two berth.
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Box Hill United 5 (Camilleri 8’ 50’ 109’, Remman 74’, Geurts 101’) defeated Ashburton United SC 3 (Frew 46’, Thomas 60’, Cloepfil 76’) at Bill Sewarts Athletic Track [HT: 1-0, FT: 3-3, ET HT: 4-3]
Box Hill United SC: 11. Melissa Barbieri (GK), 6. Renee Zairis, 14. Georgia Koutrouvelis, 21. Cristina Cardaci, 3. Melanie Camilleri, 12. Angie Rassias, 17. Katherine Fotopolilos, 8. Alice Corrigan, 10. Elise Kyrgios, 23. Alexandra Amore, 18. Annie Remman
Rotation: 2. Alex Busch, 5. Maia Heysen, 15. Ebru Efe, 9. Hayley Geurts, 1. Emily Southwell
Yellow Card(s): Barbieri 119’
Red Card(s): Nil
Ashburton United SC: 1. Melissa Maizels, 2. Maria Patrikis, 15. Emma Checker, 14. Christine Pfeiffer, 3. Holly Richardson, 20. Alyssia Blewonski, 7. Jesse Kotsikas, 11. Fede Frew, 5. Olivia Edwards, 4. Brittany Thomas, 18. Georgia Cloepfil
Rotation: 16. Rachel Jarvis, 10. Julia Skowronska, 26. Bridie Kean, 12. Amy Malander, 6. Rebecca Saber
Yellow Card(s): Thomas 46’, Patrikis 79’
Red Card(s): Nil
Photos: Adrian Shaw/Ashburton United