Melbourne Victory thumped Newcastle Jets 6-0 at Kingston Heath thanks to a Caitlin Friend hat trick, but the long awaited return of Ashley Brown ended disastrously.
Gulcan Koca netted in the first half, while Enza Barilla scored a brace to round out the result, but it was Brown’s injury in stoppage time that soured a day that had been going swimmingly.
Coming on just after the hour mark, the winger looked sharp around the park, and could have scored a goal on her return but for better finishing.
However, as she contested a ball in midfield at the end of the game, her knee appeared to give way and she collapsed to the ground with a loud shriek.
It was a cruel blow for the starlet, who looks to have another long period of rehabilitation ahead of her.
For all intents and purposes, the football match itself was filled with action.
Newcastle actually started the better side, and with just seconds on the clock almost got off to the perfect start when Cassie Dimovski failed to hold on to a Gema Simon free kick.
Ashley Spina was there for the rebound but there were too many navy blue shirts in the way and her shot was blocked.
As the game began to settle, Victory started to gain the upper hand in the contest.
Lisa De Vanna and Jessica Samuelsson were looking particularly dangerous, with the former firing Victory’s first shot in anger on 16 minutes.
The two combined again a couple of minutes later, as the Swede bombed forward on the right and floated a cross for De Vanna, but she was unable to get over the ball and could only head it wide.
Samuelsson’s forward runs from her fullback position were proving very effective, and she was the architect of the first goal on the half hour.
After bursting past the defence into the box, she tried to square the ball for Friend, but it was intercepted by Hannah Brewer.
Unfortunately for the Jets defender, her clearance rebounded off Friend’s back, and went into the goal off the crossbar.
It was the stroke of luck that Victory needed to kick into gear, and they scored again four minutes later.
De Vanna managed to get into the box on the left wing, and cut the ball back to an on-rushing Gulcan Koca who simply powered in a shot from the edge of the box into the back of the net.
Koca almost scored again shortly from a corner, but her shot was cleared by Brewer just before it crossed the line.
Friend did manage to make it three before the break though, as she followed up her own shot which was squeezed under Eliza Campbell, and rolled the ball into the back of the net.
She almost completed her hat trick on the stroke of half time, as she made her way into space with the ball and her long shot was deflected just wide.
Victory didn’t have to wait long for their fourth goal, which came in the 52nd minute.
It was a lovely move that begun from a cross field ball by Fishlock, which found a forward running Stephanie Catley.
She swung the cross in for Friend, who played it on to Enza Barilla for a simple tap in.
Jets keeper Eliza Campbell was struggling after the goal, and had to be replaced by Ainsley Buchanan.
Then came Brown’s introduction to the contest around the hour, and a few minutes later, De Vanna spotted her ghosting in on the far post, but Brown’s finish was weak and easily saved by substitute keeper Buchanan.
Friend did finally make it a hat trick on 68 minutes, getting on the end of another cross from the left side of the pitch to tap it past substitute the Jets goalkeeper.
It may not have been the best hat trick ever scored, but it did mean Friend became the all-time highest goalscorer for the club.
Victory’s sixth goal came courtesy of Barilla, who tapped in a cross from Catley who had got forward yet again.
They had chances to make it seven, firstly when Samuelsson embarked on another marauding run forward, playing a one two with Laura Spiranovic before firing a shot well over the bar.
A minute later, Brown found plenty of space on the edge of the area, but could only fire her shot wide.
The game however ended on a sour note for the home side, with Brown collapsing to the ground clutching her knee in what looked to be a potentially serious injury.
It was a dominant performance from the home side, who will take the confidence out of this ahead of their trip to Sydney next week.
Team Lineups:
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Substitutes:
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Substitutions:
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Scorers:
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