Billed as the battle of the round, an experienced Bundoora United FC (4) managed to hold off a fast finishing FC Bulleen Lions (3) to clinch a valuable three points at Hillsview Reserve in South Morang.
Singles from Alonso, Curo, Papadopoulos and Vlajnic was enough to circumvent the spirited comeback from Goad, Lay and Tay in the dying minutes of the game.
As both teams lined up on the pitch, it was hard not to be excited by what this contest could deliver.
The talent on both sides was undeniable with names like Alonso, Goad, Dimovski, Au, Papadopoulos, Sernio, Koca, Friend, Bisby, Lay and Barilla on the team sheets. ‘Crikey, there is a Victory line up right there if you know your women’s football’.
Sure enough it was enthralling to the last whistle. Under blustery conditions with the mercury hitting 30 degrees celcius, Bundy chose to kick with the wind to gain the early ascendancy and it took only three minutes into the contest for them to strike.
A sharp passage of play up the left wing saw a wonderful cross back to the top of the box by Papadopoulos where Rachel Alonso was lurking to bury the first major of the match past a hapless Dimovski from 10 meters out. Bundy first blood – one nil.
Like watching a pinball machine in action, incredibly FC Bulleen struck back inside thirty seconds. Without Bundoora touching the ball, FC Bulleen skillfully moved the ball from the middle of the pitch to the feet of Beattie Goad.
Goad weaved her magic past the defensive line cutting back inside for a one-on-one with Beth Mason-Jones and piercing the net with her trusty left foot to draw the score line to 1-1.
What a response and what a start to a game – the sidelines were stunned! Four minutes in and one goal a piece. If this is the caliber of football the Women’s Premier League throws up in 2015, you don’t want to miss a game.
The game continued in a flurry of shots on goal at both ends. Veteran Louisa Bisby was all over the park, tackling and clearing from defense one minute and then striking shots on goal up the other end. But would she and Bundoora run out of gas?
FC Bulleen defended valiantly with Iaconis and Stockdale kept very busy against continual pressure from the experienced Bundoora forwards who were peppering the goals from corners and free kicks.
In transition, Gudelj and Fakos were also pounding the Bundoora box looking for a conversion at the other end. It was electrifying to watch both teams attack the goals.
With the game in the balance to half-time, Cindy Lay and Caitlin Friend were looking dangerous as always and through a series of touches and spinoffs, Lay took a measured shot from outside the box targeting the right hand corner only to see keeper Beth Mason-Jones soar through the air like Super Woman and tap the ball over the net.
Late into the first half in somewhat controversial circumstances, Ellvano Curo seemed to slip behind the FC Bulleen defensive line, in what looked like a potential offside, to create a one-on-one with Cassie Dimovski and register Bundoora’s second of the day.
This was the breathing space Bundoora was looking for heading into the break as both teams were gasping for air from the furious pace of the game and the rising heat.
And as the sidelines looked to catch their breath, the second half was no different to the first – only on steroids.
FC Bulleen was keen to arrest the lead back as quickly as possible with the help of the wind. Fakos and Gudelj again teamed up with some sublime skills to create several one-on-one challenges for FC Bulleen with keeper Mason-Jones.
Firstly Fakos had an opportunity then Goad, but neither could penetrate the advancing arms and body of Mason-Jones who was stoic in defense.
A soft free-kick was awarded to Bundoora outside the box at the 57 minute mark which Louisa Bisby floated across the face of goal into the path of an unmarked and acrobatic Stacey Papadopoulos who headed the ball into the netting to register the third for Bundoora.
A good set play that yielded the result Paul Kilpatrick and Mark Torcaso were hoping for and needed as the game wore on.
Undeterred, FC Bulleen pushed on, looking to bridge the gap with Cindy Lay once again taking a very measured and calculated long shot from outside the box.
The ball floated with the breeze searching for the right hand top corner until Mason-Jones appeared yet again, diving to her right and tapping the shot over the cross-bar to deny yet another certain Bulleen goal.
Minutes later, transitional play from Bundoora saw the midfield link-up and create an opportunity for winger Tyla-Jay Vlajnic to run onto a pass and smash a right footer past a crowded box and register goal number four.
Now the task at hand for FC Bulleen looked all the more complicated, but they weren’t done yet and Bundoora knew it.
McGuinness drilled this young team in the off-season, instilling character and purpose that the leadership group needed to draw-on under these circumstances.
Desperate to pull the deficit back, Lay again advanced forward, this time with a cracking shot on goal that hit the cross bar rebounding to safety for Bundoora.
McGuinness looked to the bench and Em Coppock to narrow the gap and she nearly obliged minutes later only for the lunging save by Bundoora’s indefatigable keeper Mason-Jones.
Bulleen kept pressing and a clearance from defence through Tayla Mure brought the midfield back into contention with Friend nonchalantly slipping a back heel to Lay who drove home the shot for FC Bulleen’s second goal at the 78’ mark. The gap had narrowed.
Goad and Coppock were now creating havoc but once again, Mason-Jones was steadfast in defense and literally impenetrable. How much longer could Bundoora handle this pressure and deny FC Bulleen’s advances?
Jessica Tay was lurking in midfield off the bench and roamed into the box only to be spoon fed by a Goad cross and all of a sudden, the score line narrowed – four goals to three with Bundy fading fast.
FC Bulleen kept coming like a bullet train. The last 10 minutes of the game made for riveting viewing. Mure and Coppock had chances that sailed over the cross bar by inches and with minutes left in the game, a free kick to FC Bulleen just outside the box was their last chance to square up the match. Surely Bundoora would hold on.
With the clock ticking, FC Bulleen architected a set-play that in the end was unable to deliver the final result that Bulleen craved.
It was a finale fit for a grand final game as Bundoora held on by a solitary goal in what could be an early contender for game of the season.
One half of the Bundoora coaching staff Mark Torcaso had plenty to say on the riveting contest.
“We dug deep in the middle of both halves of the match and that was pleasing. And I think Beth Mason-Jones our keeper made some incredible saves at crucial times to restrict FC Bulleens advances.
“We got the advantages at the right time of the game and in the end the three points.”
***
FC Bulleen Lions 3 (Goad 4′, Lay 78’, Tay 84’) were defeated by Bundoora United FC 4 (Alonso 3’, Curo 38’, Papadopoulos 57’, Vlajnic 71’) at HillsView Reserve in South Morang
FC Bulleen Women: 1. Cassie Dimovski (GK), 2. Tessa Sernio (c), 3. Isabella Scott, 6. Caitlin Friend, 8. Cindy Lay, 12. Liana Iaconis, 16. Beattie Goad, 19. Daniela Gudelj, 21. Maddy Stockdale, 22. Emily Dolzan, 23. Eleni Fakos,
Substitutes: 4. Giulia Sepe, 10. Emily Coppock, 11. Tayla Mure, 14. Jessica Tay, 17. Charlee West.
Yellow Card(s): Nil
Red Card(s): Nil
Bundoora United FC: 1. Beth Mason-Jones (GK), 3. Emma Heckenberg, 7. Enza Barilla, 8. Elly Curo, 9. Tyla-Jay Vlajnic, 10. Gulcan Koca (C), 11. Jessica Au, 13. Claudia Fruscalzo, 14. Rachel Alonso, 16. Louisa Bisby, 17. Stacey Papadopoulos.
Substitutes: 2. Monique Ianella, 6. Bianca Rosano, 15. Kebal McClusky, 18. Hailie Mesin, 21. Claudia Dimasi
Yellow Card(s): Nil
Red Card(s): Nil