Perth Glory Women’s side were again left to lament a late defensive lapse as league leading Queensland roared home to take three points from their clash at Members Equity Stadium.
Perth Glory Women-s side were again left to lament a late defensive lapse as league leading Queensland roared home to take three points from their clash at Members Equity Stadium.
Perth had the best of the encounter for the opening half with three quality goals cancelling out the visitors- second minute opener. Midfielder Samantha Kerr, striker Lisa De Vanna and winger Marianna Tabain all struck to lift Perth into a commanding position at the break.
However the Roar turned the tables in the second half as they found their range to level the scores and then steal the points with goals in the 89th and 93rd minutes.
Queensland secured the win with skipper Kate McShea sent for an early shower after receiving her second yellow with eight minutes to play.
Glory looked set for a tough day when Roar midfielder Lauren Colthorpe gave the visitors the lead after just two minutes. Queensland defender Claire Polkinghorne pushed forward to deliver a low cross that Perth ‘keeper Luisa Marzotto could only parry into the path of the lurking Colthorpe.
The home side though put that disappointment behind them and went on the offensive with Kerr showcasing her undeniable talent as she flicked the ball over an advancing defence and accelerated onto her own pass to fire home an angled drive.
The Glory back four, ably led by Stacey Learmont, blunted the Roar-s advances while the visitors defence struggled to contain Perth-s attacking quartet of Kerr, De Vanna, Elisa D’Ovidio and Tabain.
D’Ovidio sliced a shot wide from a good position after 20 minutes, while Kerr fired in another shot from the right a short time later although this one was straight at the ‘keeper.
Five minutes before the break De Vanna cleverly gave Perth the lead. The Matildas striker spotted Roar stopper Dumont coming off her line and she expertly chipped the ball over the defence and into an empty net.
The Roar produced a dangerous attack in the final moments of the half minute when Marzotto was forced to bravely grab a corner but it only got better for the Glory deep into first-half injury time when Tabain extended the advantage, bundling the ball over after a cutback from Kerr.
It was an amazing attacking run for Perth who inflicted more goals on Queensland in a half than they had conceded for the entire season.
No doubt a stern word or two was spoken in the Roar change rooms at the break and they came out with renewed vigour in the second half.
Four minutes after the restart Lana Harch produced a spectacular long-range curler that flew above Marzotto’s hands and into the net.
A long range free kick from Glory midfielder Collette McCallum was the best of Glory-s chances in the second half.
Queensland levelled the scores when Elise Kellond-Knight ran onto a sensational through ball to drill it into the top right-hand corner.
With the match poised on a knife-s edge an intense period of end-to-end football ensued with Perth handed the advantage when Roar were reduced to 10 women after McShea received a second yellow for a crude tackle on D’Ovidio.
However the extra space seemed to help the Roar regain the momentum and second-half substitute Latham handed the Queenslanders the lead in the 89th minute.
Another goal in injury-time saw the visitors extended their lead while the Glory was left to digest another late let down and points lost at home.
Westfield W-League Rd 7
Perth Glory 3 (Sam KERR 7-, Lisa DE VANNA 40-, Marianna TABAIN 45+-)
Queensland Roar 5 (Lauren COLTHORPE 2-, Lana HARCH 49-, Elise KELLOND-KNIGHT 57-, Stephanie LATHAM 89-, Courtney BEUTEL 93-)
Sunday 7 December 2008 at Members Equity Stadium
Referee: Casey Reibelt
Assistant Referees: Trent Fleskens, Tim Mihevc
Fourth Official: David Costello
Perth Glory line-up: 30.Luisa MARZOTTO (gk), 2.Stacey LEARMONT, 3.Carys HAWKINS (6.Katarina JUKIC 87-), 4.Sam KERR, 7.Ciara CONWAY, 8.Tanya OXTOBY (c), 11.Lisa DE VANNA, 12.Dani CALAUTTI, 13.Elisa D-OVIDIO, 14.Collette McCALLUM, 17.Marianna TABAIN
Substitutes not used: 5.Shannon MAY, 9.Katy COGHLAN, 20.Maya DIEDERICHSEN (gk)
Yellow cards: Sam KERR 27-, Lisa DE VANNA 31-
Red Cards: Nil
Queensland Roar line-up: 1.Casey DUMONT(gk), 2.Kate McSHEA, 3.Karla REUTER, 4.Clare POLKINGHORNE, 5.Brooke SPENCE, 8.Elise KELLOND-KNIGHT (19.Ellen BEAUTMONT 74-) 9.Alicia FERGUSON, 10.Lana HARCH, 13.Tameka BUTT (15.Stephanie LATHAM 87-), 16.Lauren COLTHORPE, 18.Courtney BEUTEL
Substitutes not used: 17. Tashina ROMA, 20.Lara BOON (gk)
Yellow cards: Kate McSHEA 38-/82-, Alicia FERGUSON 55-
Red Cards: Kate McSHEA 82-
