Glory remain within three points of the Liberty A-League top four despite suffering a 4-0 defeat to Melbourne City at Central Coast Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
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Alex Epakis’ side went into the game looking to extend an unbeaten run of five matches which had propelled them into the thick of the Finals race, but they were unable to get the better of the second-placed Victorians who have lost just twice all season.
At the end of a largely evenly-fought first-half, Rhianna Pollicina stabbed City in front and they added a second just after the hour-mark through Holly McNamara.
McNamara then lobbed Courtney Newbon to claim her second and her side’s third in the 88th minute, before the competition’s leading scorer, Hannah Wilkinson, made it 4-0 in stoppage-time as the Glory defence appealed in vain for an offside flag.
Epakis was magnanimous in defeat and felt Pollicina’s goal was the turning point in the game.
“Credit has to go where it’s due,” he said, “and City were good today.
“I don’t want to take anything away from what they did; they were fresh, they moved the ball well.
“We came in with a very specific gameplan which we could see was working for the first 40 or so minutes, but then the goal we conceded just before half-time meant that we had to go forward a little bit more and go after them a little bit more and that left us a bit open in those transition moments.
“I think 4-0 was an inflated scoreline, but nonetheless, credit has got to go to City and we just weren’t as good today as we can be.”
Clear-cut chances were at a premium for much of the first half, although Hana Lowry was denied an early opener by an alert block from Kaitlyn Torpey and at the other end, Newbon was twice called upon to prevent McNamara from latching on to dangerous through-balls.
Pollicina’s goal in the shadows of half-time, however, changed the whole complex of the game, the former Newcastle forward reacting quickly to Wilkinson’s headed knock-down and rifling the ball into the net.
Deborah-Anne de la Harpe and Sofia Sakalis duly had half-chances for Glory at the start of the second half before a defensive error helped City claim their second, Abbey Green inadvertently heading Melissa Barbieri’s long clearance into the path of McNamara who raced through to beat Newbon.
Three minutes from time, McNamara was played in again, this time by ex-Glory midfielder Leticia McKenna and she calmly chipped home her second of the afternoon.
And Wilkinson added some further gloss to the scoreline for Rado Vidosic’s side when she took her tally for the season to ten with a neat finish right at the death.
Match Details
Perth Glory 0 Melbourne City 4 (Pollicina 45+3′, McNamara 61″, 88′, Wilkinson 90+4′)
Half-time: 0-1
Referee: Lara Lee
Central Coast Stadium
Perth Glory: 20.Courtney NEWBON, (GK), 3.Kim CARROLL, 4.Natasha RIGBY (C), 5.Deborah-Anne DE LA HARPE, 7.Liz ANTON, 8.Hana LOWRY (11.Lisa DE VANNA 67′), 12.Sofia SAKALIS (9.Demi KOULIZAKIS 68′),13.Sarah CAIN (29.Leena KHAMIS 73′), 15.Cyera HINTZEN17.Abbey GREEN, 26.Mie LETH JANS (18. Sadie LAWRENCE 68′)
Substitutes not used: 1.Morgan AQUINO (GK)
Yellow Cards: de la Harpe, Hintzen
Red Cards: None
Melbourne City: 23.Melissa BARBIERI (GK), 5.Tori TURNETH, 7.Winonah HEATLEY, 8.Kaitlyn TORPEY (2.Marissa VAN DE MEER 73′), 9.Holly MACNAMARA, 10.Rhianna POLLICINA (6.Leticia MCKENNA 73′), 13.Rebekah STOTT (16.Meisha WESTLAND 63′), 15.Emma CHECKER (C), 17.Hannah WILKINSON, 18.Leah DAVIDSON, 19.Tyla Jay VLAJNIC (4.Chelsea BLISSETT 84′)
Substitutes not used: 1.Sally JAMES (GK)
Yellow Cards: Vlajnic
Red Cards: None
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