As cliched as it sounds, the Friday night epic between top versus bottom was a game of two halves as five goals fell in the second to gift Bundoora United a 4-1 win over Casey Comets
The game offered plenty of entertainment – enough to rival any other game across the state – and plenty of promise for both sides despite the score line as five different players got their name on the scoresheet.
Casey’s last outing saw them dismantled 5-0 by promoted side South Yarra in the shock result of the season to date. On the flip side, Bundoora have grabbed five successive wins and have done it in style, keeping four clean sheets in the process. Penetrating the raised shield of the Bundy defence was an unenviable task, but the Comets were up for the battle.
The stage was set for a battle of David vs. Goliath proportions (Victory vs. City if you will) and with it all to prove, Casey launched a brave crusade at the full bounty on offer. In the end it proved more of a Greek tragedy rather than a Biblical epic as the match played itself out in two clear acts.
***
Act One
Bundoora lost Jess Pitts pre-game and lined up with an attacking midfield trio of Enza Barilla, Louisa Bisby and Rachel Alonso in the hole. The hosts on the other hand looked a tight knit unit, a far cry from the desperate, grief stricken mob that left Fawkner Park last weekend.
The tempo was high and the energy was unwavering; Ian Williamson made sure of that as he bellowed instructions from the dugout in trademark fashion. But the impact of Jess Au was something that proved harder to control, as the mazy winger showed speed, control and a trick or ten off the right flank.
“That was probably Jess [Au’s] best physical game. Her strength, that’s probably the best we’ve seen all year because [in her start at Bundoora] she struggled with the physicality. But I think tonight against a physical side I think she really impressed and showed it. You saw some of the tricks and the dazzle, that’s what she’s about. She’s getting more and more confident every week and she’s getting better and better. For us, that’s getting more dangerous and hard for us coaches because we’ve got so many good players, Stacey [Papadopoulos] and all them. We need to make sure that she’s constantly performing because she’s got pressure from Stacey, from Enza [Barilla] and from Rachel [Alonso].” -Mark Torcaso, Bundoora co-coach
A volley in the seventh minute found it’s way into the waiting arms of Casey stopper Alyse Brusamarrello, before her next effort provided the sweet nestle of ball grazing net. A chequered sea of yellow and orange on the sidelines put the celebrations on hold as Au was pulled back for an offside, despite the ball appearing to come from a Casey defender.
Tensions rose and Alonso found herself the first casualty of the match as she was withdrawn in the 21st minute after copping a heavy knock; young Claudia Dimasi came into the fray unaware of the impact she was to make on the contest.
Mark Torcaso and Paul Kilpatrick have instilled plenty of confidence into the back four of their side, and co-vice captain Gulcan Koca drove through the middle of the park with plenty of purpose. That set up Barilla for a chance from range that took a bounce on its way wide.
Casey continued to shut down through midfield and offered plenty of bite, especially through Laura Croft who was dominant shielding her defenders. She swept, tackled and won multiple headers, dropping back amply as the third centre-back when needed and provided the pivot in midfield to start attacks. That chance came eventually through Sharnoah Hurley, who broke into the area and scuffed her shot into the side netting.
They fought tooth and nail to maintain the 0-0 score line heading into half-time but nearly gave it all away right at the death, as a loose pass from a goal kick, then a pressured pass from defence saw Elly Curo win out, but with only the keeper to beat, she attempted the pass when the shot was on.
“Casey have always been a team that fights hard and is big on effort but I felt that we played against fourteen in the first half. There was an offside given for a throw-in, there was an offside given for a pass back where we actually scored. Louisa [Bisby] was fouled inside the box from behind which should’ve been a penalty. When you look at it like that, we were up against it. We didn’t play well [in that first half], Casey’s work rate was really good but we certainly weren’t panicking on the bench that’s for sure.” -Paul Kilpatrick, Bundoora United co-coach
***
Act Two
The second half was a different story altogether as an early goal changed the complexion of the whole contest. Drifting up the field was Tyla-Jay Vlajnic who flexed her attacking muscle in the final third. Despite the best efforts of Chelsie Selleck, the marauding left-back’s deflected effort was too much for Brusamarrello to handle, as it floated over the keeper into the net.
With the game now there to chase rather than contain for the Comets, they afforded Bundoora more space, in order to create some of their own. But they came crashing down to earth as the visitors struck three times in 10 minutes to kill off the contest with 30 minutes to play.
Goal number two was all down to the effervescent Dimasi, as her pressure forced a turnover deep in defence. Bisby was on hand to collect and swing a perfect ball into the box, where Barilla was patiently waiting to side foot the ball into the net.
Her jump for joy in celebration was a picturesque description of Bundoora’s form. They were suddenly full of energy and reaching for the stars, and it hadn’t stopped there.
When Croft – the star of the first half – bundled over Dimasi 25-yards out, there was an air of expectancy hanging over the free-kick. With perfect sense of theatre, Bundy’s talisman Louisa Bisby struck a world class set-piece into the cobwebs of the top right corner to continue their charge towards WPL supremacy.
Livewire Dimasi had done everything but score, but with her confidence sky high she tried the audacious. The substitute had the ball just inside the area and launched a sublime chip over the head of the Casey keeper who didn’t stand a chance despite her desperate clamber backwards.
Casey did strike back through Katrina Avila, as she flicked a shot past Beth Mason-Jones following a free-kick from the deep, but there’s little doubt that the half belonged entirely to Bundoora.
***
The key word for Casey would be frustration as they once again showed enough promise to justify that they’re on the right path on the pitch, without getting the desired result to go alongside it. For 45 minutes, they shut out the ladder leaders no less, but were undone in their search for goals themselves. The difference lies in the balance, which they’ll hope to fine tune in the coming weeks.
For Bundoora, this will serve as further proof that WPL’s answer to total football is the way forward for the development of women footballers. They’ve managed to blend their technique of starting attacks from defence with a pragmatic approach when required which has seen their near impenetrable defence breached just once in five games.
The fact that Casey managed to do that should be enough of a confidence booster to take to Box Hill United next weekend.
***
Casey Comets 1 (Avila 72’) defeated by Bundoora United 4 (Vlajnic 51’ Barilla 57’, Bisby 61’, Dimasi 62’) at Comets Stadium
Casey Comets: 1. Alyse BRUSAMARRELLO (GK), 15. Chelsie SELLECK, 12. Harriet CORDNER, 4. Rachel BINNING, 8. Shaunna MURRAY, 3. Laura CROFT, 14. Ahouk MEEREBOER, 7. Sheridan DUDLEY, 10 Amy RADFORD, 16. Katrina AVILA, 6. Sharnoah HURLEY
Substitute(s): 5. Melissa KIRBY, 20. Bailey MARSHAL
Yellow Card(s): Avila 16’
Red Card(s): Nil
Bundoora United: 1. Bethany MASON-JONES , 15. Krystal McCLUSKY, 10 Gulcan KOCA, 13. Claudia FRUSCASZO, 9. Tyla-Jay VLAJNIC, 16. Louisa BISBY, 7. Enza BARILLA, 3. Emma HECKENBERG, 11. Jess AU, 14. Rachel ALONSO, 8. Ellvana CURO
Substitute(s): 18. Hailee MESITI, 22. Dearna FRUSCASZO, 6. Bianca ROSANO, 21. Claudia DIMASI
Yellow Card(s): Nil
Red Card(s): Nil