Perth SC 5-3 Perth RedStar
By Ben Gilby
Perth produced a sizzling first half performance which ensured they clinched a hugely important win over defending champions Perth RedStar at Dorrien Gardens this afternoon.
Two goals each from Jess Flannery and Daisy McAllister, plus a second half strike from Sam Mathers ensured the outcome.
The win came as the consequence of real character shown to hit back from going behind early combined with tactical nous and taking chances when they came, always so vital against RedStar, to ensure that Tom Glavovic’s side ended their opponents’ seven match winning run, and earned the Azzurri their second consecutive win over the visitors in the NPLW WA.
The game exploded into action from the very beginning as RedStar broke through with Quyen Doan seeing a shot coming back off the post.
The defending champions were continuing on the front foot in the earliest of exchanges and, with five minutes played, took the lead. Caitlin Doeglas’ corner came in high from the left, the initial Azzurri clearing header fell for Sarah Carroll on the edge of the box to crash home a volley in some style from a central position.
However, Perth responded with some major offensive power of their own as they hit three goals in a stunning six minute spell.
Indeed, less than a minute after Carroll’s goal, they were level. Tijan McKenna saw a long range shot come back off the post, and with visiting keeper Gabby Dal Busco beaten, the rebound fell perfectly for Jess Flannery to side foot home.
With eight minutes played, some exceptional vision and passing from Hannah Collins saw a perfectly weighted ball threaded through the RedStar box for Daisy McAllister on the left to hit a shot across Dal Busco and into the far corner of the net.
Three minutes later, McAllister was at it again. The midfielder made a superb run into acres of space on the left of the RedStar box and was found by Flannery who played the perfect pass across to an unmarked McAllister to dispatch a low shot into the goal.
Two of the major reasons for this dramatic shift of momentum were the influence of McKenna and McAllister, plus the ball playing ability of the Azzurri midfield and attackers.
McKenna’s deployment in this game was hugely intelligent and had devastating impact at both ends of the park. It made the most of her excellent defensive capabilities and her vision to link he play from midfield. It meant that the Perth defence were switched on to provide cover for her to push forward at times, with Violet Longmore particularly key to this aspect of the tactical play.
With 25 minutes played, RedStar lost possession from a throw-in inside their own half and Hannah Collins looked up on the right to see Flannery in a large amount of space on the left. Yet another perfectly weighted pass found the Kalgoorlie kid in a position that she was never going to miss from, and Flannery punished the visiting defence to roll the ball home.
In trying to stem the Perth tide, Carla Bennett was excellent for the visitors. The midfielder played some hugely intelligent balls through to her team mates, but RedStar were never able to benefit from Bennett’s vision as the Azzurri defence swept up comfortably.
There was one further half chance before the break when Epril Nossent’s cross in from the right was pushed up by Dal Busco. McAllister, coming in at the back post saw her effort go over the top.
The second half began with what could have been a major blow to the hosts when McKenna, so influential in that opening 45, was led from the pitch with a bloodied nose, to be replaced by Maja Archibald.
RedStar began to up the ante and shortly after Jay Coleman headed narrowly wide from a Sarah Carroll free-kick, they grabbed a lifeline when Leota laid the ball back to Bennett who spotted Doeglas on her own, and fired across an excellent pass for the attacker to slot home.
Just after the hour mark, the visitors momentarily thought they had reduced the deficit further when Carroll played Doeglas through to sweep the ball into the net, but the assistant referee’s flag went up to rule it out for offside.
Buoyed by this decision, the Azzurri pushed forward again. McAllister was fouled on the edge of the box to the left of centre. Up stepped Kim McCartney to lift the free-kick in, Dal Busco spilled the ball at the feet of Mathers to tap home from close range and restore Perth’s three goal advantage.
The remaining 20 minutes or so of the game were largely broken up with a succession of yellow cards, but the visitors did force two further opportunities.
First, Leota fed Doeglas, who saw a shot come crashing back off the bar, and then in stoppage time, Ridley was denied first by an excellent stop by Dayle Schroeder, and from the rebound Ridley saw an effort cleared off the line by Georgia Cassidy before referee David Avison pointed to the spot for a foul on Laura Continibali. Carroll dispatched the penalty.
This was an extremely impressive performance and victory by the Azzurri against the side who were top of the ladder going into the game. Perth SC now travel to the Sam Kerr Football Centre next weekend to face the Football West Academy in an intriguing first against second clash.
Teams: PERTH SC: Schroeder, Nossent, McCartney, McKenna, Longmore, McAllister, Cassidy, Collins, Lincoln, Flannery, Mathers. Substitutes: Ottobrino, Ingrey, Insch, Tana, Archibald, Rennie.
Scorers: Flannery 6’, 25’. McAllister 8’, 11’. Mathers 67’.
PERTH REDSTAR: Dal Busco, Woolley, Dunn, Monteiro, Doan, Bennett, Coleman, Carroll, Leota, Doeglas, Ridley. Substitutes: Bellanca, Continibali, Lornie, Mogridge, Finnegan, Devitt
Scorer: Carroll 5’, (pen) 90+3. Doeglas 57’.
Referee: David Avison.