A mild evening at the Kennel saw Barkerettes (8th) take on Seaford (2nd). Barkers were still looking for their first win, and Amy D’Ortenzio became the first-ever female player to reach 250 games. Laelah Gundry and Gracie Touliatos were unavailable, and Ash Fraraccio was back in goal.
With only 58 seconds on the clock, Seaford captain Kallista Tzelios showed why she is the league’s top scorer. The ball came in from the right, and she turned swiftly and hit a fierce shot which Fraraccio blocked at her near post. Seaford then won a series of corners from the right, before Tzelios strolled through the home defence unchallenged before shooting wide. Barkers were the source of their own undoing on the quarter hour as they lost the ball from their own goal-kick. A desperate tackle to retrieve possession saw Seaford awarded a penalty, which Laura Carroll hit low to Fraraccio’s right to open the scoring – 1-0 Seaford.
Seaford then won some more corners, this time from the left, from the last of which the ball was headed over the bar at the far post. Now though, Mother Nature intervened – the mist rolled in across the pitch. It wasn’t too bad at first, but linesman’s decisions could be made with confidence only if they were almost right in front of you.
Seaford played another ball through which was put over. Then just before the break, Barkers finally fashioned a couple of chances. First a throw-in from the right was worked inside for D’Ortenzio, who hit a snap shot over. Then a good through ball put her in again, but once more the shot went over. Half-time: Barkers 0-1 Seaford, with the visitors deserving their lead.
The second half began with Seaford applying more pressure, but they got frustrated when Tate Ascott tripped Barker Alysha Barrueto and was yellow-carded. This eventually led to a Barkers shot hit narrowly wide.
On the hour, Seaford got a bit lucky. A corner from the left from Lorelei Tildesley was played to the near post, but deflected off the keeper into the net for 2-0 Seaford. Five minutes later Charlotte Jansons made it 3-0, but spectators have absolutely no idea how (due to the fog), other than the ball came in from the right and there were cheers from the Seaford bench.
The rest of the match was farcical as the fog grew thicker. Linesman and writer Peter Stephenson called the ref over and asked if he could see both linesmen from the centre circle. Without checking, he said yes. Peter could not see the far end my touchline and could certainly not work out who was the second-last defender if play was on the far side. You’d follow one player, then another would emerge from the mist and you’d realise you were following the wrong one. Peter had no doubt that the other linesman was similarly limited. Comedy moment of the night was when the Seaford coach told his left winger to watch the offside. Well if you’re the left winger you can do what you like – the linesman can’t see you. Perhaps he was being ironic. Full time: Barkers 0- 3 Seaford.
So Barkers still have only 3 points from 5 games, and next visit Brunswick Zebras (Sumner Park, Sunday 1pm). In Women’s State 4, Barkers came from behind to win 2-1 at Croydon City, the goals coming from Charlotte Jacobs and Tilly Steele. Next is a home game against Boroondara Eagles (Esther Park, Saturday 6.30pm).
Conditions were mild and blustery as Barkers (6th ) hosted Comets (5th ) – a team they had never beaten. Barkers made one change to the side which drew 0-0 at Skye, with Anthony Di Crea coming in for Ryan Smith.
Comets had an early free kick, which was headed over by Blake Bauer. Then the visitors forced a low block from keeper Vladi Velikin at his near post. After these half-chances for Comets, Barkers got creative. On 8 minutes, a low cross from the left found Marcus Watson, whose first-time shot was blocked, as was his follow-up. Then Sean Perrin launched a long throw-in from the right, Chris Potter flicked on at the near post, and Watson tried his weekly scissor kick. This rebounded out to Potter, who hit over. Soon after, Tristan Walker was released in space, but instead of shooting, he chose to square to Watson, who was closed down by a defender.
Now the momentum shifted to Comets. On 21 minutes, a throw-in from the right was headed towards goal by Bauer, but Ray Markley cleared. Then Comets broke down the right and crossed for the unmarked Gonzalo Piccone, who swept the ball into the net from close range to make it 1-0 Casey. Nine minutes later, Barkers lost possession in defence on the left wing, Piccone picked up the ball and shot. Velikin parried, but the ball fell to Bauer, who had the simple task of finding the net, and suddenly Barkers were 0-2 down.
Just before the break, Comets threatened again. A throw-in from the left found Piccone in space. He lobbed the ball towards goal, causing Velikin to palm the ball over. Then a forward ran through the Barkers defence before being stopped by a saving tackle from Markley. Half-time: Barkers 0-2 Comets, a half of wasted chances and errors for the hosts.
The second half was only 22 seconds old when Danny Aye sent Di Crea down the left. DI Crea put a great ball in for Ross Clark, whose first-time shot was just wide. Four minutes later, Comets thought they had a third goal, when a free kick to the far post was headed back across goal and put into the net but were judged offside.
Barkers replied when Christian Porcaro’s cross was cleared out to Aye, whose angled shot was blocked. Comets’ defence was looking shaky as Barkers upped the work-rate to try and find a way back into the game.
The second half was mostly (but not all) Barkers. On 54 minutes, Comets’ Nick Swan hit a corner from the right out to Toshimitsu Semii. He hit a low shot through a crowd of players, but Velikin got down low to hold.
Then Barkers made the pressure count. On the hour, a Perrin throw-in from the left saw a scramble in the Comets penalty area. The ball fell to Walker, and although he had almost no time or space to work with, dug the ball from under his feet to manufacture a clever chip to goal. The defence seemed to have cleared off the line and the ref waved play on, but his linesmen wanted a word. Eventually the goal was given and Barkers were back in in at 1-2.
The last 15 minutes were mostly Barkers throwing everything at Comets. On 77 minutes Markley was brought down. Porcaro took the free-kick short to Aye, whose curling shot went over. Then Barkers worked the ball from the right to Aye, but the shot didn’t have the power to trouble keeper Kile Kennedy. In stoppage time, Watson and Clark had half-chances, but Comets held on for the win. Barkers missed a good opportunity to climb the ladder and are now winless in 4 games. They maybe should have been only 1 down at the break, and have only themselves to blame for the second Comets goal. They did work very hard after half-time, but couldn’t unlock the Comets defence even when they went down to 10 men.
The reserves drew 1-1 after taking the lead with a penalty from Harry Rushton. Next for the Barkers men is a home game against Chisholm United (Esther Park, Saturday 1pm / 3pm).
