The Melbourne Victory stronghold held out for 80 minutes against a rampant Perth Glory side but the visitors ultimately ran away with a deserved 3-1 win at Lakeside Stadium
Victory custodian Cassie Dimovski was the undoubted star in her side’s third straight loss, with Perth cutting back an early goal deficit to claim the come from behind win.
The hosts got off to a scintillating start when Nairn found Steph Catley out wide, and her cross was met with a thunderous left foot volley by Quigley into the net.
It seemed like it may just have been Victory’s day, but those thoughts were quickly shut down as Perth nearly responded immediately.
Caitlin Foord found her way into the box and blasted a shot on goal, but Cass Dimovski somehow palmed a save over the net.
Foord was making a real menace of herself, going down in the box a minute later, but the referee waved away penalty shouts.
Dimovski was under real siege but stood tall when called upon, pulling off another world class save, this time to deny Alanna Kennedy.
The pressure dial was cranked right up to maximum in the 15 minutes or so before the half’s conclusion, and it finally proved to be telling, as Kennedy headed home an equalizer in the 40th minute.
Before that however, the hosts were again reliant on the heroics of Dimovski -who’s been immense in Bri Davey’s absence – who came off her line without hesitation to clear a certain goal, before making a number of saves in a bout of ping pong in the box.
A resulting corner saw Kennedy nod home that equaliser, the Matilda rising highest at the near post before getting a deft header into the left corner.
The hosts just about survived until the half-time break, before they shifted from a flat three to a more conventional four at the back in the second term.
The extra numbers in defence helped as they relieved some of the stress on their backline, while also allowing for some more width on the break; Catley doing just that as she marauded down the left flank before delivering to no avail.
Perth reacted to the warning signs and slipped into second gear, forcing Dimovski back into action.
While her first save was a bit more conventional – diving strong to hold at the near post – her second was filed in the ‘world class’ category.
With a floated cross stood up to the far post, expert marksman Kate Gill – who had a fantastic afternoon – thundered a point blank header into the near post, which was somehow pawed off the line, onto the crossbar and out of danger.
Not to be outdone by her keeper, centre-half Lauren Barnes assumed the role of hero as she acrobatically cleared off the line to cover Dimovski who was beaten with the chipped effort.
Steph Catley went one better than that and smashed home what seemed to be her side’s second on the 70th minute, but a dubious offside decision scuppered the wonder strike.
Instead, the Victory were once more forced onto the back foot; Dimovski again proving her worth with another top drawer save which saw her get a fingertip onto Shelina Zadorsky’s cross goal shot.
Eventually the stronghold gave way as Elisa D’Ovidio struck a heart-breaking 81st minute goal with her first touch off the bench.
Despite some suspicions of offside, the substitute broke and struck low from inside the area, sending Dimovski the wrong way.
Caitlin Foord then made the points safe in the 88th minute with a stunning curling effort of her own to close out the 3-1 result
Melbourne Victory 1 (Quigley 4’) defeated by Perth Glory 3 (Kennedy 40’, D’Ovidio 80’, Foord 88’) at Lakeside Stadium
Melbourne Victory Women: 20. Cassandra DIMOVSKI (GK), 2. Hannah BREWER, 5. Lauren BARNES, 6. Gema SIMON, 7. Stephanie CATLEY (c), 8. Amy JACKSON, 9. Racheal QUIGLEY, 10. Christine NAIRN, 12. Ella MASTRANTONIO, 14. Tiffany ELIADIS (17 Gulcan KOCA 70’), 18 Elli REED
Unused Substitutes: 30. Tori SNELLEKSZ (GK), 4 Alexandra NATOLI, 13. Alexandra GUMMER
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
Perth Glory Women: 1. Mackenzie ARNOLD (GK), 2. Sarah CARROLL, 4. Bronwyn STUDMAN, 5. Shannon MAY (3. Carys HAWKINS 90’), 6. Alanna KENNEDY, 7. Gabrielle MARZANO (20. Samantha KERR 60’), 9. Caitlin FOORD, 12. Kathryn GILL, 14. Collette MCCALLUM (c), 15. Shelina ZADORSKY, 17. Marianna TABAIN (13. Elisa D’OVIDIO 80’)
Unused Subs: 29. Kathleen WAYCOTT (GK)
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil