Brittany Dudley-Smith produced a goal and an assist to help South Melbourne overcome Bundoora United 2-1 at Henry Scott Oval on Saturday.
In what was otherwise a frustrating game for both sides on a small pitch, Dudley-Smith broke into the box to set up Jamie Pollock for a tap in to open the scoring.
Jess Pitts equalised for Bundoora with a cross that floated in at the back post, before Dudley-Smith put the hosts back in front with a neat lob.
Both sides struggled to get in behind each others’ defences given the lack of width, wasting much of the build-up play.
Most of the opportunities came from errors or attempts out of nothing, such as Louisa Bisby’s snapshot volley in the fifth minute, that just went over the bar.
Sara Alberici had the next best effort in the 18th minute.
Bethany Mason-Jones’ misplaced pass went straight to the South midfielder, but her attempted lob didn’t get the desired height, and the ‘keeper gratefully claimed the catch.
Bundoora had a similar effort in the 35th minute, when Frances Land’s kick went straight to Rachel Alonso.
The striker couldn’t take the chance though, prodding the ball straight back to the ‘keeper.
Mason-Jones was called upon a minute later when Pollock won the ball high in attack and went in on goal, with the ‘keeper getting down smartly to save at the feet.
With the clock ticking towards the break, Alberici almost put South in front directly from a corner kick that bounced off the top of the crossbar.
Yet it would be Bundoora who ended the half with the last chance; Stacey Papadopoulos heading wide at the back post after ghosting onto a mis-cleared free-kick.
With the frontline not working out for South, head coach Socrates Nicolaidis brought on Tiffany Eliadis and Dudley-Smith for youngsters Rhea Shreuder and Caitlin Greiser.
The move got its desired effect within three minutes, as Dudley-Smith got past the Bundoora defence, drove to the byline to lay a ball into the six-yard box for Pollock.
The midfielder made no mistake with the simplest of tap-ins.
Pollock went close to making it two just eight minutes later, firing a shot from just outside the box onto the crossbar.
Bundoora weren’t getting much joy going forward, but managed to equalise on the hour mark when Pitts aimed a cross towards Bisby at the far post.
The cross deceived Land however and ghosted in at the far post to make it 1-1.
South only had to wait just a little under ten minutes to get back in front as Dudley-Smith got on the end of a ball from deep, outmuscled centre-back Gulcan Koca and unleashed a lob over the stranded Mason-Jones.
She nearly got another just a minute later with a speculative long-ranged effort, but this time Mason-Jones caught the ball on the fly.
Bundoora continued to struggle to find an avenue to goal, and Bisby had their last real chance in the 78th minute, seeing her effort inside the box saved by Land.
The loss sees Bundoora lose second spot on the ladder, while South Melbourne has made a step closer to securing a finals berth.
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South Melbourne 2 (Pollock 47′, Dudley-Smith 69′) defeated Bundoora United 1 (Pitts 60′) at Henry Scott Oval #13. [HT: 0-0]
South Melbourne: 1. Frances LAND (GK), 3. Jade FEAKES (14. Natalie BRAJANOVSKI 85′), 6. Alex CHEAL, 17. Jessica PRITCHARD, 16. Lisa FARQUHAR, 5. Natalie MARTINEAU, 8. Carol HOWES, 12. Jamie POLLOCK, 11. Sara ALBERICI (31. Jasmine AREZZOLO 67′), 7. Rhea SHREUDER (2. Brittany DUDLEY-SMITH 46′), 18. Caitlin GREISER (10. Tiffany ELIADIS 46′)
Unused Substitute(s): 37. Coco MAJSTOROVIC
Yellow Card(s): Alberici 65′
Red Card(s): Nil
Bundoora United: 1. Bethany MASON-JONES (GK), 22. Dearna FRUSCALZO (4. Giulia SEPE 55′), 10. Gulcan KOCA, 3. Emma HECKENBERG, 9. Tyla-Jay VLAJNIC, 16. Louisa BISBY, 23. Jessica PITTS, 14. Rachel ALONSO, 7. Enza BARILLA, 17. Stacey PAPADOPOULOS, 21. Claudia DIMASI (11. Jessica AU 55′)
Unused Substitute(s): 24. Mia KILLICK, 33. Padiki DADE, 15. Krystal McCLUSKEY
Yellow Card(s): Nil
Red Card(s): Nil