Perth SC 2-1 Fremantle City
By Ben Gilby
Two goals in a seven minute spell either side of the hour mark from Daisy McAllister – the second of which was an outrageous piece of individual skill – saw Perth SC come from behind to beat a talented Fremantle City side in the NPLW WA season opener at Dorrien Gardens.
The early stages of the encounter saw the home side dominate the possession. Ruby Marshall was busy on the right, looking to drill balls into the box.
There was real patience in the build-up with Tom Glavovic’s side out to deny Freo the ball as much as possible whilst looking for the clinical pass to cut through in the box.
The visitors were doing their best to disrupt the Azzurri’s plans by chasing everything and looking to force the fatal error. From one such rapid close down, they grabbed their chance.
With nine minutes played, Freo’s efforts earned turn over ball in the middle of the park which saw Tatem Spencer play a lovely little flick to allow Mikayla Lyons to advance towards the area, draw her former teammate Dayle Schroeder in the Perth goal, and calmly slot home.
The momentum was with the port city side after the goal, but Marshall combined well with McAllister on the quarter hour mark which saw the latter’s shot blocked in the box.
Shortly afterwards, Epril Nossent produced a marauding run along the left to feed McAllister. Her high ball into the box found Marshall brilliantly at the back post, but Megan Phillips in the Freo goal claimed.
The visitors were looking to take hold of the centre midfield which enabled them to create two further half chances just before the half hour. First, the ball was lifted through for Sofie Osborne to run onto, before dispatching a shot that Schroeder held at the second attempt. Then, a cross from the right found Lyons in space at the back post, but her effort went wide.
Freo conjured up one further chance when Sophie Meaden was fouled on the right, 25 yards out. Lyons chipped into the mix for Spencer to head over.
Perth came back into the game in the final 20 minutes of the opening half as they switched their point of attack to the flanks with great success. Marshall had already been probing well along the right, but now this was added to by excellent use of the pace of both Jess Flannery and McAllister on the left.
McAllister advanced along the left with 17 minutes remaining on the first half clock and drove into space before unleashing a powerful shot that Phillips held brilliantly.
Shortly afterwards, Flannery made the most of her skill to escape down the same flank before cutting in to dispatch an effort that flashed just wide of the far post.
Then, just before the break, Nossent advanced to play a high ball towards the left hand post for Flannery to shoot low, but Phillips pushed out for a corner.
The Azzurri were the strongest out of the blocks in the second term and substitute Maja Archibald had an immediate influence on proceedings. Making yards down right, the former NTC teenager played in McAllister inside her on the edge of the box for a low shot to flash wide of the far post.
Perth SC were putting a lot more pace into their passing and there was more zip in the legs as well, which had the desired impact.
Ten minutes into the half, Archibald picked up possession in the centre of the park and drove forward before unleashing a powerful shot that only just went over the top.
Shortly afterwards, a cross came in high from the right to the back post where McAllister gathered, turned her defender and fired in a low shot into the far corner of the net to level the scores.
Just 60 seconds later, the home side came close again, as Kim McCartney sent a trademark long range free-kick narrowly over the top.
On the hour mark, Freo gave a reminder of their own threat when Alex Poad released Lyons to advance into the box and drive a shot against the bar before the Perth defence could clear for a corner. The resulting flag kick came in and just flashed wide of the back post.
Then came the moment of the match with 63 minutes played. Violet Longmore’s throw in around 30 yards inside the Freo half on the left found McAllister who lifted the ball over her defender before hitting a stunning drive that flew across Phillips and into the right hand corner of the net. Pure genius from the Azzurri star.
Fremantle responded by bringing Abbey Green on, and the former Perth Glory A-League player looked to create along the right. The port city side dominated much of the last 10 minutes, but Perth were disciplined and hard working to deny the visitors any real sight of goal.
Indeed, the home side did have two further chances of their own with Flannery seeing a shot from distance fly just wide before Tamsyn Hannan broke through and lifted an effort wide of the right hand post.
This was an important win for Perth SC over an opponent who will be a consistently strong threat all season long. Character, grit, determination and skill were all on display as the Azzurri claimed the three points.
Teams: PERTH SC: Schroeder, Nossent, McCartney, Boehm, Longmore, McAllister, Collins, Mathers, Flannery, Tana, Marshall. Substitutes: Ottobrino, Insch (for Flannery 88’), Hope, Archibald (for Marshall 46’), Cavill, Hannan (for Tana 72’).
Scorers: McAllister 56’, 63.
FREMANTLE CITY: Phillips, Poad, Leek, Osborne, Spencer, Lush, Kiama, Meaden, Siah, Wood, Lyons. Substitutes: Green (for Lyons 69’), Adams, Mayoe, Reynolds (for Poad 79’), Johnson, Healy.
Scorer: Lyons 9’.