Melbourne Victory Women’s have kick started their campaign with a free flowing 5-3 win over Western Sydney Wanderers at Broadmeadows Valley Park.
The result marks the first win under the reign of Joe Montemurro, who witnessed his side go 1-0 down against the Jets last weekend.
The goal fest – a stark contrast from last week’s result – was in large part due to undoubted player of the match Christine Nairn who played a part in all five goals on her full debut.
She was amply supported by former Lady Red Racheal Quigley who netted a brace in her first home match in blue and white.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing however as Wanderers forward Keelin Winters rifled home an exquisite free-kick in the 12th minute which had Bri Davey clawing at thin air.
The goal out of nowhere prompted a resurgent Victory to bite back, and they’d earned their equaliser through midfielder Amy Jackson.
A floating corner from Nairn was clinically nodded home by Jackson who headed in the club’s first goal of the year.
In quick-time they had the lead, as Nairn sliced open the defence to play through Quigley, who in turn sumptuously chipped an onrushing Trudy Burke to give the home side a deserved lead.
Davey was called into the action to retain the brittle one-goal advantage when she scuppered Hannah Beard’s strike from 10-yards in the dying embers of the half.
The game had barely resumed when Quigley nabbed her second.
Just over a minute had elapsed in the half before the forward tapped home Nairn’s cut back to double their advantage.
The points looked safe five minutes later when star Lisa De Vanna opened her 2014 account with a neat cross-goal finish.
No surprises for who set it up as the architect Nairn again made Swiss cheese of the Wanderers’ defence.
A frantic first 20 minutes of the half was capped off by Winters’ second of the afternoon to cut the deficit back to two.
She profited from some smart wing play from Beard who broke the line and cut back to perfection to leave her with a simple finish.
De Vanna then had the crowd on their feet with her silky run on the left, leaving the Wanderers defence for dead.
One silky nutmeg and a bullocking charge later and the ball had found itself at the feet of Gema Simon, who only managed to hit the post from the angle.
It didn’t matter too much as substitute Gulcan Koca helped the Victory retain their three-goal cushion after she dispatched through keeper and defender from inside the area.
With the result cruising towards a comfortable looking 5-2 score line, Michelle Carney struck with the last kick of the game, profiting from some loose defending from Emma Checker and Bri Davey.
Checker’s looping volley back to her keeper was poorly controlled and the pressure of Carney was enough for the number 10 to finish easily.
FT: Melbourne Victory 5 (Jackson 20′, Quigley 24′ 47′, De Vanna 52′, Koca 74′) defeated Western Sydney Wanderers (Winters 12′ 56′, Carney 90+3) at Broadmeadows Valley Park [HT: 2-1]
Melbourne Victory: 1. Brianna DAVEY (GK), 2. Hannah BREWER, 7. Stephanie CATLEY, 8. Amy Jackson, 9. Racheal QUIGLEY (17. Gulcan KOCA 69′), 10. Christine NAIRN, 11. Lisa DE VANNA (14. Tiffany ELIADIS 76′), 12. Ella MASTRANTONIO, 15. Emma CHECKER, 16. Beatrice GOAD (6. Gema SIMON 59′), 19. Maika RUYTER-HOOLEY.
Unused Substitutes: 20. Cassandra DIMOVSKI (GK).
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
Western Sydney Wanderers: 1. Trudy BURKE (GK), 2. Caitlin COOPER, 3. Jessica SEAMAN, 5. Helen PITINOS (13. Jordan BAKER 83′), 6. Rachael SOUTAR, 8. Grace HENRY, 9. Keelin WINTERS, 10. Michelle CARNEY, 12. Hannah BEARD (15. Rhianna POLLICINA 76′), 14. Demi KOULIZAKIS 19. Chloe O’BRIEN.
Unused Substitutes: 20. Shamiran KHAMIS (GK), 18. Tia GAVIN.
Yellow Cards: Petinos 71’
Red Cards: Nil