By Peter Stephenson
A chilly night at Berwick’s Jack Thomas Reserve saw Barkerettes cross swords with old rivals Berwick for the first time in 7 years. Berwick had won 16 of the 19 previous meetings, but after a solid 1-1 draw with Collingwood, and Berwick’s 0-4 loss at Melbourne Uni, there was reason to believe that Barkerettes could turn the tide. The Barkers were unchanged except for the absence of Miranda Jackson.
The first 10 minutes saw Barkers have most of the territory. There was a half-chance in the first minute, a close range shot straight at Berwick keeper Katrina Carmody. Then on 11 minutes Berwick’s first threat came when Hayley Malgioglio turned and shot narrowly wide. Within a minute, Barkers had the best chance so far, when a strong shot from Charlotte Martin forced Carmody to parry the ball round the post. Barkers finally drew blood on 20 minutes. The ball was put through to Emily Stokes , who hit a low ball from the right and it was Martin who tucked the ball home for her third of the season and 1-0 Barkers.
Within a minute, though, a long ball put Berwick’s Nadine Jambo in the clear, and she steered the ball wide of keeper Ash Fraraccio for the equaliser at 1-1. Three minutes later, a through ball to Stokes saw her put the ball in the net, but she was offside.
It got worse for Barkers on the half hour. Jambo was in a dangerous spot in the penalty area, but she was fouled and won a penalty, before being stretchered off. After a lengthy delay, Nargis Naderi took the spot kick and hit low to Fraraccio’s left. The keeper got a hand to the ball, but as time seemed to stand still, Naderi got to the rebound first and put the ball in for 2-1 Berwick. Barkers continued to attack, and on 37 minutes Alizah Jones left the defence for dead, but with only the keeper to beat, shot wide. Then she skinned the left back and crossed, the keeper couldn’t hold on to the ball, and Eleanor Ridley hit the rebound wide. Half-time Berwick 2-1 Barkers, but Barkers could have put the game to bed by now. The start of the second half was relatively quiet. Then on the hour, Barkers won a corner on the right. Martin hit the ball into the goal area, and Kelly Butera rose like a salmon to head home to make it 2-2. Surely now Barkers would go on and win? No. On 72 minutes. Amy D’Ortenzio played a nice through ball from midfield for Stokes to run on to. She crossed for Charlotte McCullough, whose stuck a leg out and put the ball wide. Then 6 minutes later, Butera tried her luck from distance, but the ball went over. A goalmouth scramble saw a Barkers shot blocked just before the end, but the score remained at 2-2. Barkers will view this as 2 points dropped, as they certainly had enough chances in the first half to win the game. As the second half wore on, Barkers still looked the more likely to score, but the Berwick defence held out. Next up is what should be an entertaining encounter at home to Endeavour United, kick-off 8pm on Friday at Esther Park. The women’s State 4 side lost 1-2 at home to Eastern Lions, with the goal being scored by Charlotte Jacobs. Next, they play away to Doncaster Rovers, kick-off 7.30pm on Friday at Anderson Park.
An unseasonably warm Saturday afternoon at the Kennel saw Barkers have their first home game for over a month. Fourth-placed Barkers hosted Bentleigh United Cobras (9 th ), making one change to the side which beat Doncaster 5-2, with Sean Perrin replacing Sean Baeko. Barkers had never beaten Cobras in 4 attempts – would they finally do so in the Year of the Snake? As events transpired, it was more like the Day of the Ross. Barkers began brightly, and on 4 minutes, Marcus Watson ran down the right and crossed for Danny Aye, but the angle was too tight to threaten Sam Dabinett in the Cobras goal. Then Aye released Watson, who made space for himself to shoot, but it was blocked. Watson then combined with Aye again, but Aye couldn’t wriggle free of his marker.
Just for a change, Barkers capitalised on this early possession. A loose ball out of the Cobras defence fell to Ross Clark. He drove through the centre and played the ball out to Watson on the right. Watson put a low ball in to the far post, where Clark had continued his run and tucked the ball home for 1-0 Barkers.
Five minutes later came Cobras’ first threat. Ethan Emmons curled a free kick towards goal, and Miguel Anderson flicked a header which caused keeper Vladi Velikin to dive spectacularly to push the ball round the post. The ensuing corner from the right was cleared, and when the ball was driven back in, it struck Ryan Smith’s hand, and Cobras had a free-kick in shooting range. The free- kick was tipped onto the bar by Velikin, but Ross Day followed up to score from close range to make it 1-1. On 17 minutes, Ray Markley won a loose ball and played out to Christian Porcaro on the left. He flew down the wing and crossed for Watson, whose first-time effort was blocked by Dabinett. Then Tristan Walker robbed his opponent and played Watson in, but his flick-on was deflected wide Just before the half-hour, a Cobras corner on the right from Colby Parton was cleared. Parton got the ball back and squared to Charlie Khan, whose first-time shot fizzed past the near post. This was an end-to-end game, and next up it was James Barber trying his luck with a long ball from the right which almost fooled Dabinett, who punched the ball over the bar. Walker took the corner on the left and an inswinger was cleared off the line.
The last few minutes before the break belonged to Cobras. First, a Parton free-kick was cleared out to Marcus Fernandez, who sent the ball into somebody’s garden in Esther Crescent. Then a long clearance from Dabinett saw Emmons turn and hit a screamer against the post. Half-time 1-1 with both sides providing an entertaining contest.
Cobras almost took the lead within 40 seconds of the restart. They spread the ball from left to right and found Anderson, whose shot flashed across goal and narrowly wide of the far post. In a rousing start, Markley put the ball through for Clark. He took the ball too far and played back to Walker, but the defence blocked his progress. Then Clark played a one-two with Walker which sliced open the Cobras defence, but Walker’s return ball was overhit.
On the hour, Barkers fell for a sucker punch. Cobras won a corner on the left and it was sent in by Daniel Maiorana. Nobody picked up Day, who strolled in to poke the ball home to make it 2-1 Cobras. For the next 10 minutes, the game looked to be slipping away from Barkers, but they then produced the best move of the match.
With less than 20 minutes to go, Perrin began a sweeping move down the left, finding Aye. Aye played on to Porcaro, who in turn played an inviting ball to Clark. Clark was calmness itself as he stroked the ball into the opposite corner of the net for 2-2 – this goal was so composed that it looked like a training drill. Both sides pressed hard for the win. Watson and Chris Potter had chances late on, and Clark went on a long run and almost nabbed his hat-trick. In stoppage time, another dangerous corner from Maiorana was punched clear from Velikin, and that was that.
In the end, a draw was a fair result between two well-matched sides. Indeed, the whole league is tightening up. Every other result went Barkers’ way, but they could not capitalise. Only 3 points separate the top 7, and that will stretch to a top 8 if Berwick beat North Caulfield. Next up for Barkers is a home game against Noble Park United, kick-off 3pm on Saturday at Esther Park. The reserves took the lead through Chris Barber, before going down 1-2, and host Noble Park United next Saturday at 1pm.
