Week 2 is usually one of consolidation. Teams have to backup their big opening day results with more of the same while others scramble to make a belated impression on the standings.
But while we saw South Melbourne and Bundoora press home the advantage, the same couldn’t be said of reigning champions Box Hill who were held to a gritty draw with EAP under miserable wet conditions.
Here we give you the best performers from the weekend that was.
Starting Eleven
Football is a funny sport. Sometimes the best player in any given game can be on the losing team, and sometimes the best goalkeeper is the one that let in four goals. It might look a little crazy on paper but anyone who was there on Monday night will swear blind that Alexandra Bogdanovski deserves the honour for her heroics against Sandringham. The Preston custodian pulled off some stunning saves as she kept the massed attackers at bay, proving nearly unbeatable to earn a second half clean sheet.
Also impressing in a losing effort was central defender Salma Tawfic. The Bulleen centre back seemed to have an innate understanding of where the Casey attackers were going all game, intercepting passes through the middle and throwing her body on the line at times. While Bulleen would have struggled with a significant size disadvantage compared to the Comets, Tawfic did not shirk her duties and dutifully stood up to be counted.
Over at Olympic Village, Heidelberg were having a unique problem of their own. After scoring three quick first half goals, the Bergers were finding it tougher against a reenergised Altona outfit in the second period. Michelle Duffy’s goal reduced arrears as the underdogs swarmed the Heidelberg defence and attempted to batter the door down. Strong and composed on the ball, Renee Zairis‘ role as stopper was vital at this point as the hosts survived being reduced to nine players in the last ten minutes and held out for the win.
Versatility is a huge plus in the modern game and Alex Cheal showed she was more than capable of filling two roles on Saturday for South Melbourne. The young defender started in the middle of defence alongside Sarah Sumner, before being shifted to right back to accomodate substitute Alison Baker in the second half. With excellent technical skills and an ability to time her tackles to perfection, the defender was unruffled all afternoon against Ashburton as her team closed out the game as a contest.
Box Hill’s Tina Grkinjic is vital to her team not only for her defensive nous, but also for her impact going forward. The full back with the impossible to pronounce last name popped up with a vital offensive contribution on Sunday as she lobbed the defending champions into the lead against a spunky EAP team. Spotting goalkeeper Bethany Mason-Jones fractionally off the line, Grkinjic had the presence of mind to launch an oh so perfectly weighted shot over the back-pedalling custodian and into the goal. That the shot was taken from almost near the centre line was testament to the skill and the nerve required to conceive such a goal.
One team that’s flying high at the moment is Bundoora United, as last season’s dual finalists turn on the style after only two rounds. While the attacking players take most of the plaudits, it’s Gulcan Koca who dictates the play for most of the game. The elder stateswoman of this young Bundoora side is allies an eerie calmness in possession with silky ball skills, playing the correct passes out of defence and into attack in the blink of an eye. A late injury time goal was the perfect reward for her endeavour against Cairnlea.
To complement Koca in midfield this week we have the more attack-minded Natalie Martineau. The Canadian import comes to Melbourne with a lofty reputation, having represented her country at Under-20 level and also played college soccer in the USA. The tiny South Melbourne midfielder darts in and out of heavy traffic in the middle of the park, playing and receiving the ball in turn as she weaves her pixie magic all over the field. Against Ashburton, the opposition midfielders were at a loss how to handle her, as she ran rings around them repeatedly.
Goals are a good indication of how good an attacking player is, as are assists. Scorers and creators are equally important, but what about the players that initiate the moves in the first place? What happens to the person who make the penultimate pass before a goal? While Stephanie Tanti, Emma Runnalls and Nicola Prins were wreaking havoc against Preston, their Sandringham teammate Sienna Fogarty was doing all the legwork for them. The playmaker was to be found bulldozing her way through the middle, setting up the plays for her more illustrious mates all night long.
Another player who’s hard work was more apparent on the ground than on a statistics sheet was Bulleen captain Ashleigh Beagley. Having caught the eye with some smart running and attacking instincts in Round 1, Beagley found the going much tougher against Casey as chances were few and far between. Instead of waiting aimlessly up front for service that never came, the striker tracked back into defence to help her team in an ultimately losing cause. Her tireless running and unflagging spirit gains her a well-deserved place in this round’s Team of the Week.
Laura Spiranovic once again gets the chance to lead the frontline this week as she got over the disappointment of having one of her goals chalked off after her previous outing. Despite going one-on-one with the goalkeeper and scoring with willing witnesses in her teammates and coach as well as match reporter, the referee for the game against Altona refused to admit his mistake and the Golden Boot was robbed of a goal. No matter though, as Spiranovic put her head down and grabbed yet another brace as Ashburton took the brunt of her fury. Explosive finishing from the powerhouse striker once again and very little that the opposition could do to stop her.
Rounding out the team of the week is Spiranovic’s Melbourne Victory team mate Caitlin Friend. The Bundoora sharp shooter bagged two goals of her own against a hapless Cairnlea, despite missing a chance to seal a hattrick of goals from the penalty spot in between. A lesser striker would have seen their confidence crumble after such a miss but it is to Friend’s credit that she was unfazed and continued to terrorise the Cairnlea defenders throughout the game.
Substitutes
Ingrid Philippe: With the substitute goalkeeper unavailable, Ashburton custodian Philippe took to the field with an injured quad strapped up tight. She could not prevent her team going down 4-0 to South Melbourne, but her brave display won her plaudits, especially in the second half as the home attack stuttered.
Sacha Philippou: The other half of the young Heidelberg central defence, Philippou stood resolutely as the Altona forward threatened to launch a comeback, making timely challenges and clearing the ball as far as she could every time it came near her.
Paige Conder: The defending champions have just taken a halftime lead with a stunning goal against your team. What do you do? In Conder’s case, you take a devastating outside-the-box free kick that gives their goalkeeper no chance of saving it at all. Kudos to the EAP youngster, who seems to have taken a leaf out of coach Kat Smith’s set-piece book.
Aliesha Newman: The Altona left winger always posts a threat on her day, and this time was no different as she led the charge while her team threatened a comeback in the second half against Heidelberg.
Brittany Dudley-Smith: Casey banished their Round 1 demons with a good 3-1 win over the Bulleen Lions. Dudley-Smith was instrumental, scoring the opening two goals to send the Comets well on their way.
