NPLW Watch: Ayres maiden City start yields goal, clean sheet for Maizels

Women's Football

by Mark Gojszyk November 14, 2016 6:55 pm0

Melina Ayres provided the headlines for the NPLW Victoria contingent in the W-League this week as a goal in her maiden Melbourne City start helped the reigning champions see off Canberra United 2-1, while Alamein FC teammate Melissa Maizels did her bit in keeping a clean sheet as her Perth Glory drew 0-0 with Brisbane Roar.

But it was a much more difficult encounter for the Melbourne Victory players who succumbed to a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Newcastle Jets on Sunday, though the likes of promising youngsters Annabel Martin and MelindaJ Barbieri saw their first appearances for the season.

In Canberra, Matildas defender Laura Alleway got the ball rolling with a powerful header after just 18 minutes from Lauren Barnes’ delivery.

While Canberra created numerous chances, they couldn’t bypass Lydia Williams from open play who came back to haunt her old side with a host of top saves, before Ayres doubled the advantage 10 minutes to play.

Former Box Hill United player Ellie Brush scored what ultimately proved to be a consolation from the spot in extra time after Steph Catley felled Jasmyne Spencer inside the area.

Ayres’ 80th minute goal came after beating the keeper to a long through ball provided by none other than Jess Fishlock, with the 17-year-old poking home a finish representative of her goalscoring nous.

Tyla-Jay Vlajnic meanwhile was a late substitute, marking her second consecutive cameo for City.

At Lakeside, after last week’s promising 3-3 season opener against Adelaide United, Melbourne Victory saw shades of last season’s struggles under Dave Edmondson.

The Jets led 3-0 after 23 minutes after Americans Megan Oyster scored with a powerful free kick and Arin Gilliland with a corner from a free kick, while Sydney recruit Emma Stanbury pounced on an errant backpass and one-time Matilda Jenna Kingsley made it 4-0 in extra time.

Last week’s standout Kariah White had to sit out with a hamstring injury and her attacking contributions from round one were missed as Victory worryingly handed the contest to the Jets after Natasha Dowie’s one-on-one chance was saved in the opening stages of the game.

Wingers Rachel Alonso and Lia Privitelli struggled to make an impact in the first half, but grew into the game in the second as Newcastle slowly took their foot off the pedal.

Privitelli was lively in the second, working hard to hassle her defenders for the ball. Her best chance came when played in on goal in the 60th minute, but her left-footed effort cannoned off the crossbar to deny her first W-League goal.

Adriana Taranto started and played the full 90. She would have notched up an assist had Natasha Dowie successfully finished after controlling the midfielder’s diagonal ball to the edge of the area later in the contest, however the striker just missed wide. Taranto was joined in midfield by FFV gold medallist MelindaJ Barbieri, who was substituted on for Ayesha Norrie before half time.

Annabel Martin made her first start of the season but the Victory’s reigning player of the year had it tough despite not directly being culpable for any of the goals conceded.

Alex Natoli started in central defence alongside Samantha Johnson, with Gulcan Koca starting on bench – however she was brought on at half-time for the injured Johnson. Alex Cheal featured once more but it was her back pass which led to the third goal.

At Dorrien Gardens, Maizels had her goal breached twice, but both times the goals were ruled offside. She did have to stay on her toes throughout the 90, and pulled off a late save to deny Katrina Gorry a winner at the death for Brisbane Roar.

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