Following a mixed season to date, Bulleen’s lionesses have realised their potential, roaring past a tired Bundoora 7-1 at the Veneto Club on Monday night.
Caity Friend and Beattie Goad were the main destroyers on the scoreboard with three and two goals respectively, Dani Gudelj and Tessa Sernio got in the act as well with a strike each, while Cindy Lay was the chief architect, involved in the build up on multiple occasions.
Bundoora had no escape over the 90 minutes, showing battle scars from three games in nine days, including a taxing midweek victory over fellow heavyweights South Melbourne.
The first goal came after just four minutes, starting with a run and delivery from the back by Emily Dolzan that found Lay, who teed up Goad for a left footed strike that sailed into the top left corner.
The second goal came moments later when Gudelj assisted Friend – via a Gulcan Koca deflection – for her first of the night, scoring with an effort that dipped over Beth Mason-Jones into the net.
Bundoora slowly worked their way into the contest, with Tyla-Jay Vlajnic’s set piece met by Elly Curo, but her header flew safely wide.
However, the visitors found themselves three goals behind after just 18 minutes when Goad played through Lay for a shot that cannoned off the post and into the path of Friend, who applied the finish into an open net.
Bundoora did claw one back via a sublime ball from Rachel Alonso that sliced open the defence to play Enza Barilla in on goal, making no mistake with the finish.
The contest fell into a momentary lull when Alex Natoli and Alonso both copped knocks and required treatment on the pitch, with the former forced off for Liana Iaconis in the 36th minute.
Bulleen resumed proceedings and nearly had a fourth when Friend’s quick free kick just missed over the bar.
Fans barely had time to take their seats after the break before the hosts had another two goals.
The first one came about when the visitors ran themselves into trouble trying to play out from the back, with Tess Sernio running onto Gudelj’s squaring ball on the edge of the area and scoring a deflected goal.
The second saw Lay win the ball in midfield and slip Goad through for her brace, who did well to beat both Monique Ianella and Mason-Jones before scoring from a tight angle.
Much like the blistering start of the first half, the Lions had three goals in little time, adding the sixth via Friend’s penalty after Lay was brought down in the box following Goad’s dangerous delivery.
It was seven when Gudelj applied a neat finish to Friend’s ball inside the area, capping off a clinical victory in just the 61st minute.
The hosts seemed content with taking their foot off the pedal thereafter, with possession and half-chances see-sawing between both teams for the remainder of the contest.
Emma Heckenberg attempted a free kick that was well held by Cassandra Dimovski, Tayla Mure had a pop from distance that missed wide, and Em Coppock scored an effort that was flagged for offside.
In the end, the referee blew the whistle to conclude an encounter that the home side would never have wanted to end.
The result was made even more impressive for Bulleen considering Bundoora had only conceded nine times in 12 games so far this season, with 10 of the 16 goals now scored against United coming at the hands of the Lions.
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FC Bulleen Lions 7 (Goad 4’ 48’, Friend 5’ 18’ 59 [p]’, Sernio 46’, Gudelj 71’) defeated Bundoora United 1 (Barilla 27’) at David Barro Stadium [HT 3-1]
FC Bulleen Lions: 1. Cass DIMOVSKI, 3. Bella SCOTT, 5. Maddie STOCKDALE, 22. Emily DOLZAN, 20. Alex NATOLI (12. Liana IACONIS 35’), 2. Tessa SERNIO (11. Tayla MURE 79’), 6. Caity FRIEND, 17. Charlee WEST, 16. Beattie GOAD, 8. Cindy LAY (10. Emily COPPOCK 76’), 19. Dani GUDELJ
Unused Substitute(s): 7. Ash BEAGLEY, 43. Tori SNELLEKSZ
Yellow Card(s): Nil
Red Card(s): Nil
Bundoora United: 1. Beth MASON-JONES (GK), 2. Monique IANELLA, 13. Claudia FRUSCALZO (12. Danny GARUCCIO 82’), 10. Gulcan KOCA, 9. Tyla-Jay VLAJNIC, 7. Enza BARILLA (c), 21. Claudia DIMASI (15. Krystal MCKLUSKY 23’), 14. Rachel ALONSO, 8. Elly CURO (18. Hailee MESITI 73’), 3. Emma HECKENBERG, 11. Jess AU
Unused Substitute(s): 22. Deanna FRUSCALZO, 4. Giulia SEPE
Yellow Card(s): Nil
Red Card(s): Nil