Ashy triumph in goalfest, set date with Eagles

Ashburton United will get first crack at league winner Boroondara Eagles in the Women’s Premier League Finals after a 3-2 win against South Melbourne in the Qualifying Final on Saturday.

Briar Palmer’s stunning long goal sealed victory and put Ashburton through to the Major Semi-Final, while South Melbourne goes to the knock-out Minor Semi-Final against Heidelberg United.

Ashburton would lead three times in the match at HA Smith Reserve, breaking South’s resistance when Palmer scored just moments after Tiffany Eliadis had levelled the game 2-2.

The New Zealander sized up her options from 20m outside the area wide on the left, placing her long shot perfectly into the top right corner in the 69th minute.

“I’ve always been told if you get the chance to take a shot just shoot it,” Palmer said.

“I definitely had the space to shoot it today so I just went for it and took that chance.”

South nearly levelled the game from the resulting kick-off, Ashburton goalkeeper Melissa Maizels saving sharply from Eliadis.

But that instant response would be South’s only decent chance at equalising for a third time, as Ashburton successfully dealt with South throwing numbers forward.

Eliadis had drawn South level 2-2 in the 66th minute when her shot from the right side of the area deflected off Kristin Stensholt to wrong-foot Maizels.Palmer and Georgia Cloepfil shared set pieces, with Palmer causing havoc at times with her corner kicks.

“We’ve been working on set pieces a lot,” Palmer said.

“They should play a pretty big part in what we do and how we score goals.”

Earlier, Ashburton had attacked South Melbourne from the start and capitalised on its flurry of chances in the 10th minute when Melina Ayres netted a cut-back from Laura Spiranovic.

But South hit back through Saphri Lines, also the beneficiary of a deflection that left Maizels stranded in the 14th minute.

South’s best chance to lead came at 1-1 when Maizels shanked a clearance straight to Natalie Martineau, who skied her shot from close range over the bar.