Former Comets striker Brittany Dudley-Smith piled on the pain at the expense of her former side with a stunning four-goal haul in South Melbourne’s 7-1 win over Casey on Friday night.
Tiff Eliadis also starred with three assists and a goal, Alison Baker and Rhea Schreuder added singles while Melissa Kirby grabbed the consolation goal for Casey.
In a performance that’d make Johan Cruyff re-assess the meaning of total football, South were simply sublime, as their movement in transition, link-up in midfield and fluency in attacking positions mean they were in control of the contest for the full 90 minutes.
The Comets for their part weren’t as bad as the score line suggested, but were no match for an outfit in rare form on the football field.
Former Monbulk keeper Marika Kamoda passed her first few tests as Dudley-Smith and Eliadis fired warning shots into the arms of the stopper, but on 25 minutes, they were torn apart by the brilliance of the latter.
Victory W-League squad member Eliadis showed poise and balance in equal measure to take the ball past two defenders on the left wing, before squaring up to Baker who side-footed low into the bottom corner to kick-start the rout.
Dudley-Smith had her first of the night on 35 minutes as Eliadis floated a cross from the by-line over the head of Kamoda, perfectly onto her boot for the easiest of finishes.
She had a brace by half-time with Eliadis once again played the role of provider; playing the ball into an acre of space for Dudley-Smith to run into, before smashing home a third.
@wplvictoria @SMWFC Wow! Well done Brittany. Rapt for SMWFC but disappointed for Marika. Know she’s better than that. #CCvSMW
— Bill Smith (@bill_smith5) March 13, 2015
Her hat-trick was complete five minutes into the second half as midfielder Carol Howes embarked on a bullocking run on the left flank, cutting in and shooting, only to see her shot saved, come off the post, before finally being spilled by Kamoda into the path of Dudley-Smith.
Casey did give themselves a brief glimmer of hope, as Kirby scrambled to grab one back for the hosts on 67 minutes, but within moments, that chance was once again gone.
Eliadis grabbed her second of the season with a clinical finish, to match her direct run through the guts of the field.
Substitute Schreuder got in on the act with a tap in from Baker’s first-class delivery from the right before Dudley-Smith added a late fourth with a fortuitous strike to the near post.
It was a master class of epic proportion which prompted some powerful words from South Melbourne boss Socrates Nicolaidis post-game.
“Like I told the girls, if I were to never coach another game, I’d go happy knowing that was my last,” Nicolaidis said in the wake of the stunning victory.
“We’ve been focusing and working on ball movement, on and off the ball. A lot of passing, a lot of possession at training and to see what I saw today [was pleasing].”
Casey Comets 1 (Kirby 67’) defeated by South Melbourne 7 (Baker 25’, Dudley-Smith 35’ 42’ 50’ 83’, Eliadis 71’, Schreuder 82’)
Casey Comets: 1. Marika KAMODA (GK), 8. Chelsie SELLECK, 12. Harriet CORDNER, 5. Rachel BINNING, 15. Shaunna MURRAY, 2. Antonia NITEROS, 3. Laura CROFT (c), 11. Natasha MACHADO, 7. Sharnoah HURLEY, 9. Elsie HIBBERT, 16. Melissa KIRBY
Unused Substitute(s): 6. Sheridan DUDLEY, 14. Amy RADFORD
Yellow Card(s): Nil
Red Card(s): Nil
South Melbourne: 1. Lauren FARRUGIA (GK), 6. Alex CHEAL (c), 3. Nat MARTINEAU, 17. Alison BAKER, 2. Brittany DUDLEY-SMITH (18. Caitlin GREISER 89’), 10. Tiff ELIADIS, 8. Carol HOWES, 5. Jade FEAKES (7. Rhea Schreuder 72’), 11. Saphri LINES, 12. Marianna ANTHONY (9. Sarah SUMNER 76’), 14. Nat BRAJANOVSKI
Unused Substitute(s): 50. Coco MAISTORVIC
Yellow Card(s): Nil
Red Card(s): Nil