Ashburton United coach Sinisa Cohadzic has labeled precocious young star Melina Ayres a “super talent” after the teenager’s four-goal haul on the weekend against South Yarra.
The mammoth figure was her second bag of four so far this season, with her other coming against the NTC in Round Six.
That game ended in an 8-1 victory, but this week’s was far more important, as her goals separated the two sides in a 4-0 contest against a spirited South Yarra side.
The 16-year-old got the ball rolling with the goal in the first half, before netting three more in the second period, including a 25-yard half-volley that completed her hat-trick.
Cohadzic was left short of superlatives to describe how talented his winger-turned-striker was.
“She’s a super talent. I mean, what can we say about her?” he said.
“She’s 16 and she has a bright future in front of her. The thing is she knows how to score a goal, which is the most important [thing] for someone in her position.
“She’s just something we look forward to watching in future.”
Ayres could have doubled her goals tally with the number of chances that she spurred on the weekend, but she now has 14 goals to her name from 13 matches, putting her equal top of the WPL goal scorers chart.
The United coach believes that the addition of new and experienced heads at the clubs, including the likes of Matilda Emma Checker and former Melbourne Victory players in shot-stopper Melissa Maizels and Laura Spiranovic, has helped her developed.
“Yes of course!” he said when questioned about it.
“That was the whole deal with her staying at this club – having good players all around her. That’s how I made her stay here because it was a tough task.
“Having good players helps her improve and will help her in her career.”
Regarding his team’s victory of South Yarra, Cohadzic admits it was the respond the team needed after two consecutive losses in a row, including a 5-1 loss to title challengers Boroondara Eagles.
“Listen, we had to respond in some way here today.
“Against Sandringham, which shouldn’t have lost. But against Eagles, we got beaten by the better team on the night.
“Today we needed to respond in every way – we had 30 shots on goal and it should have been more.
“But at the end of the day we’re back on track and we go against Bundoora with confidence to try and get something out of that.”