There were 28 goals scored over the weekend, more than a third of which came from Bundoora’s 10-0 thumping of Preston on Saturday. South Melbourne and Casey chipped in with five each against Altona and Cairnlea. Heidelberg and Box Hill fought out an intriguing 1-1 draw while there was no clear winner after a 2-2 draw between EAP and Bulleen.
But it was the central midfielders who took centre stage this week, as a clutch of performances around the Women’s Premier League gave us a real selection headache for this edition of the Team of the Week. We’ve given it our best shot though, so it’s up to all you readers to decide if we got it right this time round.
Without further ado, we give you the best performers from the weekend that was.
Goalkeepers
There was lots of praise from both sides at Clifton Park on Saturday as Christine Fonua once again donned the gloves for Altona against South Melbourne. Though the end result was a decisive 5-0 win for the undefeated league leaders, Fonua did her best impression of superwoman between the sticks and kept the marauding South Melbourne attackers out as best as she could. “Tin killed it!” a teammate gushed after the game. It was pretty much a universal opinion even as South Melbourne picked up another three points to extend their lead over the chasing pack.
It was also a testing time for EAP custodian Beth Mason-Jones at DISC as wild tackles became the order of the day. Four cracking goals, two on either side, meant that the match ended with a stalemate but you could not fault the effort from both sides on the day. Mason-Jones was strong in the air for most of the contest, plucking crosses out of the sky and playing out the back reasonably well despite getting crunched by opposition striker Lia Privitelli on one occasion. She’ll have the bruises to show this week, but a confidence boost to go along with it.
Sandringham are on a bit of a strong run at the moment, beating Bundoora and drawing with South Melbourne in previous weeks. Ashburton were very much the opposite coming into their Monday night game, but didn’t exactly embarrass themselves with a narrow 2-0 loss. Part of it had to do with goalkeeper Ingrid Philippe, who made several important saves despite being on the losing side. They might have lost this encounter, but if Philippe can keep up her form, Ashburton might manage to get back to winning ways again sooner or later.
Verdict – Fonua
Defenders
If there was one moment that stood out in the first half of Bundoora’s game against Preston, it was when forward Olivia Edwards leapt for a high ball out of defence and promptly crashed into team mate Claudia Fruscalzo who’d been going for the same ball. It’s not something you see too often, when a full back is more advanced then the striker during a game. Fruscalzo was everywhere at once on Saturday, scampering up the right flank and getting into good positions all afternoon. A peach of a cross from the right back delivered a goal on a plate for Edwards five minutes before the break, but it was a second half free kick effort, when Fruscalzo got the ball up and over the wall before arrowing sweetly into the top corner that made her a certainty for our Team of the Week.
And if “Frisky” is to take up position on the right, why not the precocious young talent that is Olivia Ellis on the left? Someone was heard to remark that the young gun’s getting “better and better” every week. And while it would not do to give her a big head ahead of time, Ellis does seem to be one of those providing the goods week after week for a struggling Bulleen side whether she’s at left back or up front. Apart from the first goal, nothing got past her on her flank on Sunday. And even if they did, she recovered to stop them anyway. Watch this space.
Much promise was to be had at Comets Stadium too, as Rachel Binning put in the type of performance that had her coach singing her praises after the match against Cairnlea. The youngster excelled in central defence as Casey kept a pleasing clean sheet on the day. ‘Rock solid’ was how the match reporter put it, and an early goal the cherry on top of another fine all round display.
Alison Baker has been on fire in recent weeks and it doesn’t seem to matter where you put her. Employed as a right winger against Box Hill, Baker popped up in central defence while Sarah Sumner was shifted to left back to cover for the injured Lauren Farrugia. Sumner was tidy playing out of position, handily making up for Farrugia’s absence but it was “Ali” who drew the plaudits with a dominating outing. The central defender struck up a wonderful partnership with Alex Cheal as they proceeded to repel all boarders. It was a supreme shutdown performance and Altona could find no way past no matter what they tried.
Verdict – Fruscalzo, Baker, Binning, Ellis
Midfielders
Where do we start with the midfielders this week? Perhaps with Adelyn Ayton who’s shrugged off a long injury layoff from last season to star in the middle of the park for Bundoora. The Tasmanian native has bags of ability and it was all on show on Saturday as she powered through the Preston midfield as if they weren’t there. The action was end to end for 20 minutes and then Ayton stepped up with one decisive swing of her boot. Bang! A goal from 30 yards and Bundoora would not look back again as they went on to plunder more goals. Quite an eye on this midfielder, brilliant technique and capable of imposing herself on any game if she chooses to. We’ll be expecting more in the future no doubt.
But while Ayton started the rout, it was her captain Enza Barilla who pressed home the advantage after the half. The life and soul of this South Morang outfit, Barilla showed absolutely no mercy as she scored a fifteen hattrick and then added two assists for good measure. Anyone who’s been following this league for some time knows all about the tiny girl with a ready smile and a big heart. Opposition defences might get suckered into a false sense of security, before Barilla blasts them to bits. On the field, she’s an absolute terror who gives no quarter.
Altona have a gem at the heart of their midfield too and Michelle Duffy‘s it. Arguably the most stylish player at Kim Reserve these days, Duffy gave it her all against the mighty South Melbourne and came away with merit despite the result. Her coach must be wishing he had ten of her, but the midfielder played as though she had clones alongside her on the day with an all-action display. “She was everywhere, she was constantly shutting down players,” marvelled a team mate after it was all done and dusted. An impressive performance, especially when you consider she was up against South Melbourne’s premier midfield pairing of Natalie Martineau and Morany Chek.
It should come as no surprise nowadays when Alexandra Gummer makes an appearance in these parts after yet another football masterpiece. And so it was on Sunday at Comets Stadium as Gummer proved unplayable once again. Two cracking goals and an assist was her contribution to the stat sheet but the untold contribution was the way she dominated and controlled proceedings for her team all afternoon. She’s having one hell of a season and we’re barely past halfway at the moment. How do you stop her when she’s on song? That is something that will keep opposition midfielders awake most nights.
She hasn’t played as much as she’s wanted to this season but Kate Fotopoulos showed everyone what they were missing at DISC on Sunday. The talking point after the game would have been her wonder goal, a cracker from long range that might just have broken the sound barrier as EAP made sure they came away with a share of the spoils but it was her influence in midfield that would have most pleased the coaching staff. Fotopoulos was everywhere in midfield for EAP, as she kept play ticking along under cloudy skies.
Alyssia Blewonski seems to have found a new lease of life too since returning to Bulleen after a stint at EAP. Seeking more game time, the flame haired midfielder was a revelation upon entering the field and scored a well-taken goal as Bulleen regained their lead. Blewonski burst through the middle, muscling aside a defender before finishing neatly past Beth Mason-Jones.
There’s also a nomination for hardworking Hannah Stuart. The Sandringham midfielder might not be the flashiest of players, but her work in the engine room doesn’t go unappreciated by her teammates every week. Stuart “held her team’s midfield together on Monday night and her pressure made it difficult for Ashburton to keep possession” according to FFV match reporter Thomas Baldock.
Verdict – Gummer, Barilla, Ayton
Forwards
It’s always good to see a fine player return to the field after a long injury layoff. It’s even better when they remind you of what they’re capable of as was the case with Caitlin Friend against Preston. The Melbourne Victory striker had an encouraging return from knee surgery, coming on at halftime to grab a brace that could well have been four goals instead. It was as if she hadn’t been away, as Friend stuck two balls into the net before taking on three defenders and skipping past all of them to lay on a goal for her captain. If this is a sign of things to come, Bundoora’s personnel problems up front look to have been solved.
But while Friend stole all the headlines, it was also a good day in the office for Stephanie Galea. The Bundoora winger started off on the flanks for her team, before moving into central midfield in the second half. It didn’t seem to trouble her much though as she continued working hard and making runs on and off the ball. The desire to keep going at it earned her a goal on the hour mark as she got two bites at the cherry, allowed all the time and space to head home after her first header had struck the crossbar.
Defending champions Box Hill ran into another road block on the road to the finals series on Saturday, as Heidelberg proved more difficult to bypass then they’d originally expected. The corresponding fixture had been a feisty affair, as opening day match ups between these two teams usually are, but that was before Heidelberg went on an epic losing run that had many wondering if their season was over and done with. It’s a very different team now, bolstered by three American imports but it was a local who shone on the day as Tahlia Tisocco lifted spirits with a second half equaliser. “Her persistence and composure saw her step up and net the much sought after goal, which was ever so crucial,” said FFV match reporter Shaun Moran. He definitely knows what he’s talking about.
One player who’s hit the ground running is none other than South Melbourne’s Daniela Gudelj. Moving from EAP in midseason was a tricky move but it seems to be paying dividends at the moment as Gudelj revels in the freedom afforded her in the title-chasing side. The forward might have been a bit profligate with her shooting, but still did well to get in all the right positions and scored a brace of goals. “She was basically the spark for South Melbourne, and she looked dangerous all game,” said FFV match reporter Tomasz Ng.
And then there’s Casey’s Brittany Dudley-Smith. A striker so terrifying that she’s known in some parts by the most fearsome of acronyms. “BDS’ can destroy any defence on her day and those days have been quite common this season as she’s cultivated partnerships with several of her teammates including the aforementioned Alexandra Gummer. Cairnlea wilted in the face of her attacking runs on the weekend, and although it brought about but a solitary goal, her influence could not be underestimated.
Verdict – Friend, Gudelj, Tisocco
Team of the Week XI: Fonua (Altona); Fruscalzo (Bundoora), Baker (South Melbourne), Binning (Casey), Ellis (Bulleen); Gummer (Casey), Barilla (Bundoora), Ayton (Bundoora); Friend (Bundoora), Gudelj (South Melbourne), Tisocco (Heidelberg)
Substitutes: Mason-Jones (EAP), Duffy (Altona), Galea (Bundoora), Fotopoulos (EAP), Dudley-Smith (Casey)
Many thanks to all those who contributed to this week’s edition of the Team of the Week, including reporters Tomasz Ng, Shaun Moran, Sean Ellicott and Thomas Baldock as well as numerous match and club officials and players.