PERTH SC 3-0 FOOTBALL WEST ACADEMY
By Ben Gilby
The Azzurri ran out comfortable winners in today’s battle of the only two unbeaten teams in the NPLW WA, scoring three outstanding goals along the way against the Football West Academy at Dorrien Gardens.
An early strike from Daisy McAllister, plus second half efforts from Louise Tana and Jess Flannery sealed the points.
Perth head coach Tom Glavovic made one change to his starting line-up from the side’s previous game a fortnight ago. Ruby Marshall came in with Violet Longmore dropping down to the bench.
The Azzurri were on the front foot from the start, and earned their first corner with just three minutes played. It would take just a further two minutes for them to take the lead – and they did it in some style.
Epril Nossent played a teasing through ball from the right flank for Daisy McAllister to chase between FWA defenders Daniella Santich and Marley Barlow. McAllister showed great pace and skill to beat the pair and lift a stunning shot from just outside the box into the right-hand corner of the net.
Jess Flannery and Sam Mathers were building an excellent partnership along the right as the home side continued to build. Maja Archibald was putting in another impressive shift as well, buzzing around and linking up play accurately.
It was this forward momentum allied with the Azzurri’s crisper passing and work ethic to ensure that the visitors had minimal time when on the ball which ensured that they remained on top.
As the game hit the 20 minute mark, Flannery’s excellent footwork beat a defender on the left and led to a high delivery into the box for Louise Tana, but the header wasn’t quite on target.
Shortly afterwards, a long range effort from Kim McCartney nestled in the arms of FWA keeper Daisy McGreadie Cole.
Perth were working hard to keep the visitors’ key attacking weapons of Klaudia Houlis and Xuri Dalton at arm’s length. Indeed, Houlis had just the one opportunity during the opening 45.
It came just before the half hour mark, when she used her pace to beat Hannah Collins on the left hand edge of the box and fired a shot just over the top from an acute angle.
There was one further chance before the break when Azzurri keeper Dayle Schroeder looked to play the ball out, but Dalton was in the way for the FWA and the ball fell for Lacey Heys who was denied by an excellent diving save by the Perth shot stopper.
Whilst the visitors mounted the first chance of the second half – when Dalton fed Sakura Leong who saw her effort go just over the top – it didn’t take long for Perth to reassert their control, as they forced three successive corners.
From the first, which came in high from Mathers from the left, Matilda Boehm saw her header at the back post pushed away by McGreadie Cole. Flannery curled the resulting flag kick from the right which saw Mathers’ effort from close range repelled by the visiting keeper for the third attempt that came to nothing.
Then, just before the hour mark, the Azzurri doubled their advantage with another outstanding move.
Archibald took possession inside her own half and fed McAllister to the right of centre. Her sublime touch with the outside of her foot was measured to perfection for Tana to run onto to lift a shot into the net from outside of the box. It was fantastic football from start to finish.
Whilst the FWA had a glimmer with 20 minutes remaining when Dalton’s free-kick from 30 yards out was pushed out by Schroeder at the right hand post, they still couldn’t get any sort of foothold in the match.
Perth punished them again in the 79th minute – again in some style. A perfectly weighted ball from Mathers released Flannery who raced to the edge of the box and let fly with a stunning effort which flew into the left hand corner of the net.
The visitors had a greater percentage of the possession in the closing period, but they could only really muster a handful of half chances which saw Schroeder comfortably repel efforts from Houlis and Nelli Johnson.
This was a superb victory for the Azzurri after having a week off following the postponement of their game at Balcatta Etna. They are now they only unbeaten team in the league, and you can’t help but feel there is far more to come from this Perth SC outfit.
PERTH SC: Schroeder, Nossent, McCartney, Boehm, Marshall, McAllister, Collins, Archibald, Flannery, Tana, Mathers. Substitutes: Ottobrino (for Tana 78’), Ingrey, Warburton, McCready, Rennie, Longmore.
Scorers: McAllister 5’, Tana 57’, Flannery 79’.
FOOTBALL WEST ACADEMY: McGreadie Cole, Johnson, Barlow, Leong, Santich, Houlis, Kuzamba, Heys, Brady, Dalton, McAuliffe. Substitutes: Dumont (for Barlow 73’), Williams-Jones (for Brady 13’), Santos (for Dalton 81’), Garnett (for McAuliffe 81’), Collinson (for Kuzamba 83’), Speakes, Borg.
Referee: Stephen Knight.