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Five minutes of brilliant finishing from Tameka Butt on a scorcher of a day at AAMI park in Melbourne, set us up for one of our better performances this season. With two goals in 5 minutes “Meeks” settled bundles of nerves and gave us confidence as a team that we can play decent football and score goals. From that moment on we controlled possession and dictated play. Aside from a lapse of concentration in the second half which led to Melbourne’s only goal, we looked like a side in control. And then on came Lisa De Vanna. This week it took Lisa all of 10 minutes to have an impact on the game, with a goal to extend our lead to 3-1.
Another girl to get her name on the scoresheet was Emily Gielnik. Young Emily, 18 years old, took 5 minutes to score her first W-League goal in her debut season for the Roar Women. It was a cracking shot from outside the 18-yard box, which flew into the top right hand corner. I was so excited for Emily, who produces shots like that at training everyday. She was also ecstatic with her goal but all she wanted to talk about was her first touch that put her in position to shoot. She said, “It was my only decent first touch of the game.”
4-1 is a great result for an away game in Melbourne but to be honest we could have had at least two or three more. Meeks hasn’t lived it down that she missed 3 or 4 ‘easy’ chances to bring up her hat-trick, but we are not sure which of them were in fact the easiest. Coming away from that game we are happy with the way in which we are improving as a team. Every individual is doing their job for the team, whether they are in the starting 11 or coming off the bench.
This week we take on Adelaide on Friday night at Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide as a curtain raiser to the Adelaide and North Queensland A-League clash. As the saying goes, “beware the wounded warrior’. Adelaide are a team that are desperate for a win and that is going to be dangerous for any team coming up against them, especially as the season goes on. In season 2 of the Westfield’s W-League the roar could only manage to come away with a draw against Adelaide in Brisbane and we are looking to improve on that result this season. Every game from here on in is important and will be difficult to get 3 points, however our main focus will be to play well and win as many of the remaining games as we can.
This week at training we have focused once again on keeping possession of the ball and switching the point of attack. Against Melbourne we did well in not trying to force the final ball when it wasn’t on to play and thus we were able to keep the ball and build some pressure. We will be looking to do the same against Adelaide, keep the ball and mount some pressure on their defence. This week I think Aivi Luik will have a big game in the heart of our midfield and who can go past Elise Kellond-Knight out on our left flank, who is in stellar form. A goal from either of these players will be well deserved.
Enjoy the week of Football.
Clare is a girl with a strong passion for football and the womens game in particular. Captain of W-League side Brisbane Roar, Clare is also a current Matilda. Catch the W-League every week at your local ground, or if you cant make the game live on ABC1. To read Clare's other columns for The Football Sack, click here!