South Melbourne have continued their stellar form of late with another strong performance, outclassing Ashburton United 3-0 to set a Grand Final date with Boroondara Eagles next weekend.
The match – set at the neutral Kingston Heath – saw two goals in its opening half as classy finishes from Tiffany Eliadis and Jamie Pollock saw them to the break.
A second to Pollock beyond the hour mark set up a grandstand finish to South Melbourne’s stint in the Women’s Premier League as a tilt at the title beckons at the Veneto Club in a weeks time.
However, the first half was a tightly fought affair, belying the 2-0 scoreline that read after the first 45 minutes.
Ashburton had chances aplenty to take the lead and nearly did so through Briar Palmer, who struck the crossbar from a free-kick in the eighth minute.
South went one further with their first opportunity on goal as Eliadis burned a stagnant Ashy defence after Lisa Farquhar released the forward down the left wing.
Taking the ball firmly in her stride, she skated past Kristen Stensholt to go one-on-one with Melissa Maizels who was no match for her perfectly placed finish that curled in off the post.
In search of a second, Saphri Lines helped start an attack that she nearly finished herself – first freeing Carol Howes on the right wing before receiving back possession and striking a low shot that was saved by Maizels.
Eliadis narrowly missed another chance from a Brittany Dudley-Smith cross before Farquhar shook the crossbar with a dipping long shot from 20-yards.
Melina Ayres nearly drew level in the dying stages of the half as she pulled off one of the plays of the game, knocking the ball over two defenders in quick succession before eventually getting her shot blocked by South skipper Alex Cheal from a tight angle.
A shallow clearance from Frances Land was then quickly pounced on by Laura Spiranovic who squared up Georgia Cloepfil for a golden opportunity, which she unfortunately bottled with the goalmouth gaping.
Ashburton were then hit with a cruel sucker punch – left their own biggest enemies for not capitalising on their pressure – as Jamie Pollock scored another wonder goal to double her sides’ lead.
Offered time and space to shoot from outside the box, the American struck a thunderbolt with her right foot, which skidded along the turf on its way under the desperate dive of Maizels.
Frances Land was called into action early in the second half to save the blushes of Cheal – who was otherwise fantastic on the afternoon – who didn’t provide an adequate defensive contest for a rampant Cloepfil who picked the ball up inside her attacking area and shot into the covering body of the keeper.
South’s sealing goal in the 66th minute also came about due to some lax defending as a free-kick from Farquhar was allowed to bounce in the 18-yard-area, with Pollock waiting in the wings to tuck the ball into the near post.
Jamie Pollock makes it 3 for @SMWFC with a tap in at the back post. Makes it hard for Ashy to comeback now #AUvSMpic.twitter.com/P7WV2j93ot
— The Corner Flag (@CornerFlagOz) September 19, 2015
Maizels had plenty to deal with aerially as South maintained their flow of pressure, but wasn’t tested too strenuously after conceding the third.
In fact the only chance of note in the final 25 minutes was in Ashburton’s favour as Ayres watched her first time shot dip onto the roof of the net in the 90th minute.
It was sweet revenge in the end for South who fell to Ashy in the Qualifying Final just a fortnight ago, that night losing 3-2 in a tight fought affair.
The prize that awaits them now is a second consecutive Grand Final appearance, although they’ll go into this one without the favourites tag, and with it the expectation of victory.
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Ashburton United 0 defeated by South Melbourne (Eliadis 16′, Pollock 45+1′ 66′) at Kingston Heath Soccer Complex [HT: 0-2]
Ashburton United: 1. MAIZELS Melissa [GK], 2. PATRIKIS Maria (16. JARVIS Rachel 67′), 3. RICHARDSON Holly, 5. STENSHOLT Kristin, 7. KOTSIKAS Jessie (13. ERENLI Azize 71′), 8. PALMER Briar (12. MALANDER Amy 74′), 9. AYRES Melina, 14. PFEIFFER Christine, 18. CLOEPFIL Georgia, 19. EDWARDS Olivia (6. SABER Rebecca 74′), 21. SPIRANOVIC Laura (26. KEAN Bridie 74′)
Unused Substitute(s): Nil
Yellow Card(s): Nil
Red Card(s): Nil
South Melbourne: 1. LAND Frances [GK], 2. DUDLEY-SMITH Brittany, 5. MARTINEAU Natalie, 6. CHEAL Alex, 8. HOWES Carol, 10. ELIADIS Tiffany, 11. LINES Saphri (3. FEAKES Jade 79′), 12. POLLOCK Jamie, 16. FARQUHAR Lisa, 17. BAKER Alison (18. GREISER Caitlin 79′), 4. PRITCHARD Jessie
Unused Substitute(s): 31. AREZZOLO Jasmine, 39. MAJSTOROVIC Coco, 14. BRAJANOVSKI Nat
Yellow Card(s): Baker 60′, Howes 77′
Red Card(s): Nil