In what could only be described as perfect football weather conditions in a magnificent arena, WPL stalwarts Tiffany Eliadis and Brittany Dudley-Smith stamped their presence in South Melbourne’s 4-1 win over Bulleen Lions, both taking home a brace from Lakeside Stadium on Saturday.
Indicative of his tactical prowess, South Melbourne coach Socrates Nicolaidis positioned three of his fastest players on the left wing huddling and awaiting the kick off.
They looked like they were lining up for a 100 metre sprint with the pitch surrounded by the light blue running track.
Immediately as the whistle sounded, they sprinted forward attempting to trap and apply pressure on the Bulleen defensive line.
This set the tone for South Melbourne as they seemed to want the ball more than Bulleen right from the start of the game, and their intentions were clear.
The first half was a wonderful display of attacking football by both teams and mirrored a game of ping pong as either side attacked each other’s defenses to try and open up the goal mouth.
It was thrilling to watch, as both teams threw everything at each other early to gain the ascendancy.
At the 8 minute mark, Dudley-Smith streaked away and ran into an open box striking an absolute missile that smashed into the woodwork, ricocheting back to the 18 yard mark where the resultant second strike again hit the woodwork, leaving South with nothing to show for their early effort.
In the next 10 minutes of play, Bulleen responded by pressing forward on three separate occasions with some deft passing through midfield.
Caitlin Friend, Cindy Lay and Beattie Goad all had successive strikes on goal that were all deflected and denied by the South Melbourne keeper Lauren Farrugia.
Both sets of defenders were under enormous pressure as the game was being squeezed into one third of the pitch – from defensive line to defensive line.
The forwards were trying to make their impressions on the game for both teams, and the big guns were lurking.
Carol Howes and Natalie Martineau were proving a handful in the midfield and Dudley-Smith was like a champagne cork waiting to pop.
With so much on offer for both teams, the half somehow ended with a nil-all scoreline.
At the resumption of play, Bulleen replaced the injured Cindy lay with Tayla Mure.
The game seesawed once again and it took until the 62 minute mark for Dudley-Smith to tackle and harass the Bulleen backline, eventually winning the ball and slotting home the first major of the match into the left corner past Cass Dimovski.
The superb solo effort showed that persistence pays off.
With their tails up, South Melbourne pushed forward again and a superb through ball from Martineau opened up a pathway for Dudley-Smith to again run rampant into the box and slot her second goal, opening up the game for South, who led 2-nil at the 68 minute mark.
Bulleen looked spent with their big guns unable to fire, but Beattie Goad was determined to take the responsibility on her own shoulders.
She streamed up the right wing, evading two defenders and singlehandedly creating a one-on-one with the ‘keeper Farrugia.
Goad simply side stepped around the ‘keeper with her trusty left foot and poked the shot into the net to breathe some life and hope back into Bulleen.
McGuinness looked to inject some fresh legs into the game, replacing Gudelj with Coppock on the wing as Bulleen pushed to claw back the lead from South Melbourne, but nothing seemed to register for Bulleen up front.
South played the ball up the right wing and a pinpoint cross cut a swathe through the box to an unmarked Eliadis, who leaped into the air like a high jumper and heeled the ball into the left hand corner of the net, icing the game for South at the 81 minute mark.
Always wanting to stamp her final touches to the oil painting, Eliadis was felled in a suspect tackle in the box, providing her with the opportunity to complete her brace before the final whistle.
She did so in emphatic style, as South Melbourne ran away with the game 4 goals to 1.
***
South Melbourne Women’s FC 4 (Dudley-Smith 62’ 68’, Eliadis 81’, 90’) defeated FC Bulleen Lions 1 (Goad 70′) at Lakeside Stadium
South Melbourne Womens FC: 1. Lauren Farrugia (GK), 2. Brittany Dudley-Smith, 3. Jade Feakes, 5.Natalie Martineau, 6. Alex Cheal, 7. Rhea Schreuder, 8. Carol Howes, 9. Sarah Sumner, 10. Tiffany Eliadis,13. Marianna Anthony, 17. Alison Baker.
Substitutes: 31. Jasminc Arezzola, 37. Coco Majstorgvic, 32. Emily Heijdeon, 18. Caitlin Greiser
Yellow Card(s): Nil
Red Card(s): Nil
FC Bulleen Women: 1. Cassie Dimovski (GK), 2. Tessa Sernio (C), 3. Isabella Scott, 5. Maddy Stockdale, 6.Caitlin Friend, 8. Cindy Lay, 16. Beattie Goad, 19. Daniela Gudelj, 20. Alex Natoli, 21. Rachel Quigley, 22.Emily Dolzan.
Substitutes: 4. Giulia Sepe, 7. Ashleigh Beagley, 10. Emily Coppock, 11. Tayla Mure, 17. Charlee West.
Yellow Card(s): Nil
Red Card(s): Nil