Bundoora and Box Hill have played out a cagey first round encounter, settling for a 1-1 draw to open the season at Broadmeadows Valley Park.
In a contest that yielded few clear-cut chances, substitute Enza Barilla opened the scoring in the 63rd minute, before Ellie Brush netted a late equaliser in the 86th.
Box Hill didn’t aide their own cause early, with Brush’s goalbound shot from a corner ricocheting against Dimitra Kallianis and away to safety.
Bundoora’s closest effort came via a corner which was aimed at Albanian international Elly Curo, with the ball taking a deflection and sailing just high of the crossbar.
Box Hill also had an effort at goal also just miss the bar via Richardson, whose thumping effort from distance wasn’t too far amiss.
Rachel Alonso then registered the game’s first effort on target after Box Hill failed to play the ball out properly from defence, but her shot was easily held by Melissa Barbieri.
Richardson had another long distance effort that wow the crowd after the half-time break, but the deflected effort only won a corner which was subsequently cleared.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 63rd minute when a defensive mistake from Box Hill allowed Enza Barilla through on goal – who just minutes later looked to have gone down with an injury after challenging for the ball – with the substitute noticing the ‘keeper off her line and striking a low drive from distance into the bottom left corner of the net.
Down the other end, another substitute, Annie Remman came close to an equaliser after being released on the wing, but her attempt to cross past an onrushing Beth Mason-Jones drifted wide.
While Box Hill may have felt their efforts throughout the contest deserved some cheer, their reward came late in the contest through Ellie Brush, who received a ball in the box and finished calmly into the bottom right corner.
Jess Au had one last chance to clinch the winner for Bundoora, but her shot missed just wide, with the diminutive winger copping a knock in the process.
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Box Hill United 1 (Brush 86′) drew with Bundoora United 1 (Barilla 63′) at Broadmeadows Valley Park
Box Hill United: 11. Melissa Barbieri (GK), 2. Penny Bakopoulos, 6. Renee Zairis, 14. Georgia Koutrouvelis, 4. Madelaine Richardson, 21. Cristina Cardaci, 13. Elyse Kyrgios, 8. Ellie Brush, 16. Dimitra Kallianis, 15. Natalie Exon, 9. Letizia Sammut
Substitutes: 18. Annie Remman, 25 Anouk Meerboer, 13 Kate Leder, 17. Katherine Fotopoulos, 23. Alexandra Amore
Yellow Card(s): Koutrouvelis 28′, Barbieri 72′
Red Card(s): Nil
Bundoora United: 1. Beth Mason Jones (GK), 15. Crystal McClusky, 13. Claudia Fruscalzo, 10. Gulcan Koca, 3. Emma Heckenberg, 16. Louisa Bisby, 21. Claudia Dimasi, 14. Rachel Alonso, 8. Elly Curo, 17. Stacey Papadopoulos, 11. Jess Au
Substitute: 7. Enza Barilla, 12. Daniella Galuccio, 22. Deanna Fruscalzo, 25. Sarah Domzalski, 19. Taylah Metaxas
Yellow Card(s): Nil
Red Card(s): Nil