Amy Jackson marauds into the box to complete her hat-trick for Boroondara Eagles against WPL newcomers Caulfield United Cobras at a typically cold and windy Knox Regional Football Centre, where she’s cheered on by a handful of supporters.
The surroundings are vastly different from the more sunny and picturesque Lakeside Stadium, adorned by grandstands and media cameras, the scene of her previous hat-trick against Adelaide United in the W-League.
On paper it may be a low-key WPL fixture, but Jackson isn’t taking the occasion – or her opponent – for granted, treating the clash like any other and taking the win in her stride.
“It was an interesting game, definitely a game of two halves. Credit to Caulfield, I think they did really well coming up from State League One,” Jackson says.
“They challenged us, and for me it was more of a challenge than playing against Ashburton. It was a challenge of a different kind and mentally my team struggled a bit today.
“In the second half we bounced back and we were fortunate to come away with the win.”
Despite scaling the heights of Australian youth representative football – including being a Matildas train-on under Tom Sermanni – along with American College football and regular Melbourne Victory W-League selection, the former South Melbourne midfielder believes she is most at home at Boroondara, attributing the club’s assistance to her throughout testing times that influenced her decision to come back for the 2015 WPL season.
“We’ve got a great bunch of girls, team cohesion is great, we all get along,” she says.
“We’ve had a couple of new girls come in this season – myself included – and I’m really happy with where I am, the people around the club are incredible and I’m in a very good place.
“I got injured a couple of years ago and it was Boroondara that actually helped me with my recovery. I’m very loyal to them and they were the only club that lent a hand out to me and got me back on track to play W-league and that was the season that we made the Grand Final, so in terms of loyalty I’m very loyal to Boroondara.”
After playing in a losing W-League Grand Final in 2013 and missing Melbourne Victory’s championship winning campaign a year later whilst plying her trade overseas, Jackson returned in 2014 under Joe Montemurro, where the side was knocked out in the semi-finals after registering their best ever regular season finish (2nd).
The 27-year-old believes the wisdom she has gained from her time at Victory and abroad will hold her in good stead for the season ahead.
“That was a challenge, to come back [to Victory] was interesting, I enjoyed the challenge and yet again it was a challenge of a different kind,” she says.
“My teammates were incredible and pushed me, but the structure was a challenge to balance work and life.
“The football was good and I was up against some good teams.
“Playing as a team and as a unit is what’s going to win a championship, and at Boroondara we have that, so we’ll be a force to reckon with throughout the season.
“I’m constantly being challenged and it’s going to keep improving me as a player and as a person.
Jackson’s next test will be at Olympic Village against Heidelberg United, where she will again look to control play from the middle of the park and propel her Eagles to victory.