W-League: No revenge for Perth as Melbourne cruise

Melbourne Victory have recorded their second win of the season with a convincing 3-1 win over Perth Glory at nib Stadium in Round Three of the Westfield W-League.

First half goals to returning import Jess Fishlock and Caitlin Friend sent Victory on their way early with Lisa De Vanna securing the three points for the visitors against her former club in the 82nd minute.

Striker Christian Julien scored late for Perth to set up a tense finish to the game but it proved to be little more than a consolation goal for the Glory as Victory held on to take the three points.

Perth had the first chance on three minutes as an errant clearance from Cassandra Dimovski in goals fell invitingly to Rosie Sutton who could only guide the shot to a grateful Dimovski.

Despite the early scare it was the visitors who struck first in this match to send them on their way.


It was the returning Fishlock who put away an amazing goal on 24 minutes to open the scoring. The Welsh captain in her first game back for Victory dispatched a wonderful shot that flew past Chantal Jones in the Perth goal. The number 10 just needed one touch to fire off the shot and send the ball to the back of the net.

Perth had a great chance to level the game in the 27th minute through a corner but just couldn’t get the ball in the net. Perth enjoyed three corners in the space of two minutes with each effort almost resulting in a goal.

After Perth had their chances to square the game Melbourne stamped their authority on the contest with Caitlin Friend making it 2-0 on 32 minutes. The goal was made possible with a brilliant back heel pass from Enza Barila that sent Friend on her way as she raced past the Perth defence to place the ball in the goals.

Friend continued to give the Perth defence nothing but trouble though she couldn’t add to her tally when she volleyed a crossover the bar in front of goal. Friend could have had a hat trick in the first half as she skied a great effort again with the goal in her sights.

The Victory women were not done with in the first have just yet as Barilla almost getting on the scoresheet herself if not for an inspired save from the Perth ‘keeper Jones.

It was more of the same for the Victory in the second half as De Vanna found herself in front of goal but could not get the shot past Jones who saved well with her feet only three minutes into the second period.

Victory looked sharp in attack throughout the second half as they looked put the result out of reach for Perth. De Vanna as always looked dangerous throughout the match terrorising the Perth defence on the left flank with her sheer pace on more than one occasion.

Rosie Sutton almost got Perth back into game close to the hour mark as she forced a great save out of Dimovski. The resulting corner almost ended with a goal with a desperate Victory defence getting the ball out of danger after a goal mouth scramble that just wouldn’t cross the line for the Glory.

It was another chance from a corner that just would not go in for Perth as Cecille Sandvej came close to converting from Collette McCallum’s swinging effort.

De Vanna finally got the reward with the goal as the Perth native put the result in no doubt making it 3-0 in the 81st minute before Julien bagged a goal to give the Glory a glimmer of hope in the 84th minute.

For Victory it was their second win in a row after their disappointing home opening day defeat to Sydney FC while for Perth it was their second defeat in a row as they are still winless at home.

Line Ups

Perth Glory
1. Chantel Jones (GK), 3. Cecilie Sandvej, 4. Bronwyn Studman, 5. Shannon May, 6. Sasha Andrews, 8. Ella Mastrantonio, 9. Rosie Sutton, 13. Elisa D’Ovidio, 14. Collette McCallum, 17. Marianna Tabain, 21. Christina Julien.

Subs
20. Kathleen Waycott (GK), 16. Thia Eastman, 19. Shawn Billam, 2. Sarah Carroll

Melbourne Victory
20. Cassandra Dimovski (GK), 3. Jessica Humble, 4. Katie Hoyle, 7. Stephanie Catley, 9. Caitlin Friend, 10. Jessica Fishlock, 11. Lisa De Vanna, 12. Jessica Samuelsson, 14. Enza Barilla, 15. Emma Checker, 17. Gulcan Koca,

Subs
30. Melissa Maizels (GK), 19. Alexandra Natoli, 5. Laura Spiranovic, 6. Cindy Lay