Heidelberg United progressed to the Quarter Finals of the 2014 Women’s State Knockout Cup after beating Box Hill United 3-0 on a fine afternoon at the State Football Centre.
A brace to Kendra Jones in the first half and one to Annabel Hosking proved to be enough for the Bergers, who were the more dominant side on the day.
Both sides entered the contest depleted due to different circumstances which included work commitments and injury, but the intensity didn’t suffer and it was Heidelberg who took control of the match early on.
Space was hard to come by, but Eleni Fakos gave Box Hill a scare early on when she managed to get in behind their defence and rounded United’s ‘keeper Madeleine Nobbs.
Unfortunately her touch was slightly too heavy and it took her too wide to apply a finish.
Demi Kallianis did have the first shot in anger in the 16th minute when she tried a speculative effort from 20 yards, however the ball drifted agonisingly wide of the far post as the outstretched Nobbs was beaten.
The Bergers eventually made the most of their control in the game in the 20th minute, when Jones looped a first time shot over Nobbs from outside the box.
Box Hill were finding the going tough, and struggled to link all phases of their play whenever in possession of the football.
It took them until the 41st minute to really give Heidelberg something to think about, when Sivian Zohar was slipped in behind the Bergers back line by a smart Jasmina Pedic through ball.
But Heidelberg’s new American goalkeeper Kelsey Quinn was quick to see the danger and pounced on the through ball just as Zohar was about to pull the trigger.
Just as Box Hill were looking good heading into half time, an unfortunate error from Lillie Walker was swooped on by Jones and the winger drove towards the box before unleashing an unstoppable effort to double the Berger’s lead just before the break.
After being kept quiet in the first half, Ellie Brush was given a new role and Box Hill were looking better early in the second half as a result.
Unfortunately for the star midfielder, her afternoon was cut short by an ankle injury ten minutes into the half and Heidelberg wrestled back control of the contest.
Nobbs was kept busy, and made a crucial one on one stop against Kallianis to keep the deficit at two goals.
However, Heidelberg eventually made it three on the hour when Hosking found herself in the right place at the right time to tap the ball in after a few missed clearances by the Box Hill defence.
Fakos then had a wonderful chance in the 71st minute to make it forum after Jones had left two defenders for dead to set up the young attacking midfielder, but she couldn’t curl the ball into the top corner.
Box Hill were unable to conjure up any miracles but did almost grab a late consolation when Ellvana Curo found herself in a promising position.
Yet her shot only flashed wide of the post and the match ended 3-0 in favour Heidelberg, who will await to see who they draw in the Quarter Finals.
Teams (in number order due to interchange in effect):
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Scorers:
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