Bulleen Lions have bounced back from recent mixed form, convincingly defeating South Yarra 7-0 at Fawkner Park Reserve.
With five individual goal scorers on the day, a brace to both Beattie Goad and substitute Emily Coppock was underpinned by singles from Cindy Lay, Caitlin Friend and a penalty kick by Tessa Sernio.
With pristine conditions for football on the day, South Yarra was primed to thwart Bulleen’s scoring capabilities as they did in Round 1.
They certainly provided early frustration for the Lions, who through dangerous wingers Beattie Goad and Daniella Gudelj were firing shots at will on goal from all angles of the pitch to no avail.
Bulleen’s defenders were tested early when South Yarra’s forward Marcela Marques had an opportunity to score but the resultant chip over keeper Cassie Dimovski was just too long and safely cleared the crossbar.
This was one of the only clear cut opportunities for South Yarra in the first half as Bulleen looked to press the ascendancy up forward in transition.
Centre-backs Emily Dolzan and Maddy Stockdale were providing well weighted clearances from defence that allowed the forwards space to run onto the ball and fire shots on goal, but South Yarra’s defensive line were up to the task.
Hayley Walkinshaw, Madeline Jona and Eliza Mealin played with great determination early to repel the many advances on goal by Bulleen and clear the ball time after time.
It took until the 15 minute mark for young Melbourne Victory winger Goad to stand up and weave her magic running around two defenders, cutting back past the keeper for a left foot tap in to register the first score of the game.
The barrage continued and Gudelj again had an opportunity when she received a clever pass from Lay that allowed her to run past the keeper, but the resultant shot on goal was saved by South Yarra’s defender Sarah Dash right on the goal line.
Some conjecture followed regarding if the ball had actually crossed the line, but the referee allowed play to continue.
Bulleen’s attacking drive continued, with corner after corner being circumvented by the South Yarra defensive group.
Caitlin Friend hit the crossbar from a sharp shot inside the box, while Gudelj missed to the right of the ‘keeper.
Bulleen had to wait until the 39 minute mark for their second goal when Charlee West set up an opportunity for Cindy Lay to take a long range shot that cannoned into the left hand corner of the net and handed Bulleen a 2-0 lead heading into the break.
The second half was very much a replica of the first, only this time Bulleen managed to break down the South Yarra defensive line and convert on goal.
In a dominant 23 minute period, the visitors kicked five goals that included a brace from substitute Emily Coppock and an absolute left foot cracker from Goad.
The onslaught started with a great solo run by Cindy Lay that saw her taken down in the box by a South Yarra defender
The resultant spot kick was buried by the cool, calm captain – Tessa Sernio.
The Bulleen defensive line of Emily Dolzan, Maddy Stockdale and fullbacks Alex Natoli and Bella Scott then turned providers, with the majority of the offensive drive in the second half allowing Charlee West and Caitlin Friend to provide clever distribution up forward to Goad, Lay, Beagley and Coppock.
Charlee West was in everything in the second half and intelligently laid off a pass to the indefatigable Goad, who from 10 metres outside the box turned onto her trusty left foot and bent the ball “like Beckham” over the ‘keeper’s head, perfectly weighted to drop into the top left hand corner of the net.
It was a superb strike that capped off another double for the talented winger.
Not be outshone, Caitlin Friend decided to step up and show what she can produce, pouncing on a rebounded header from a defensive clearance by South Yarra to volley a shot into the right hand corner like an arrow from a crossbow.
The icing on the cake for the Lions came from Emily Coppock via a brace in the 80th and 88th minutes to close proceedings out.
Fresh on the pitch, Coppock displayed her talent with the first shot beating the defensive line and the final goal nutmegging the ‘keeper after a desperate South Yarra lunge saw the ball trickle into goal.
Bulleen Lions host one of the league leaders in Bundoora United at the Veneto Club next Monday night, while South Yarra travel away to Ashburton on Sunday, who are coming off the back of two straight defeats.
South Yarra 0 defeated by FC Bulleen Lions 7 (Beattie Goad 15’, 76’; Emily Coppock 80’, 88’; Cindy Lay 39’; Tessa Sernio 65’; Caitlin Friend 78’) at Fawkner Park. [HT: 2-0]
South Yarra SC: 1. Ashleigh Bellman (GK), 2. Hayley Wilkinshaw, 3. Sarah Dash, 4. Madeline Jona, 5. Samantha Tighe, 6. Hannah Charman, 7. Aoife Murph, 8. Eliza Mealin, 9. Marcela Marques, 10. Katherine Foster, 11. Sara Alberici.
Substitutes: 12. Jennifer Westhagen, 13. Priscilla Ribas, 14. Ashley Ledoux, 15. Gretel Templeton, 16. Lindsay Dore.
Yellow Card(s): Nil
Red Card(s): Nil
FC Bulleen Lions: 1. Cass Dimovski (GK), 2. Tessa Sernio (C), 3. Isabella Scott, 20. Alex Natoli, 5. Maddy Stockdale, 6. Caitlin Friend, 8. Cindy Lay, 17. Charlee West, 16. Beattie Goad, 22. Emily Dolzan, 19. Dani Gudelj.
Substitutes: 7. Ash Beagley, 10. Emily Coppock, 43. Tori Snelleksz, 12. Liana Iaconis, 11. Tayla Mure.
Yellow Card(s): Nil
Red Card(s): Nil