Richmond’s Kevin Bartlett Reserve was the setting for Barkerettes’ first game of the second half of the season. Lying seventh, they travelled to Collingwood City (fourth), who had lost only one game this season, but who also had never beaten Barkers. Ash Fraraccio was back in goal, and Eleanor Ridley was also returning from injury.
Barkers began well and fashioned a couple of half-chances in the first five minutes against an uncertain-looking home defence. Then on the quarter hour, chief tormentor Alizah Jones was tripped by City’s Emma Pickles, and the referee pointed to the spot – penalty for Barkers.
It was Alysha Barrueto who stepped up, and she hit the spot kick down the middle to give Barkers a deserved early lead. As it transpired, it was a lead they never looked like relinquishing.
Barkers were causing City plenty of problems, while the defence was rock solid whenever City went forward. However, the momentum shifted briefly around the half-hour, when City’s standout player, Hannah McLeod, put a shot wide after beating a couple of defenders on her own. Then Fraraccio had to come out and tackle an onrushing forward. The biggest scare came five minutes before the break, when City contrived to miss an open goal by putting the ball wide.
Half-time: Collingwood 0-1 Barkers, with Barkers fair value for the lead.
Barkers regained the initiative at the start of the second half. Charlotte Martin hit a corner from the right out to Amy D’Ortenzio, who half-volleyed over. Then a City attack broke down, Barkers sent the ball out to Jones on the right, and she cut the ball back for Emily Stokes to shoot over. Next, Jones played through for Barrueto, who lifted her shot over – surely the next goal wasn’t far away?
Indeed not. Again a long ball was played for Jones to chase down the right. She crossed into the box for D’Ortenzio, but she and her marker missed the ball and it ran through to the unmarked Martin, who hit the ball wide of keeper Chile Telford to make it 2-0 Barkers.
Barkers now gave away a series of free-kicks as the game became niggly. With 13 minutes left, City’s Holly Templeton hit a free-kick down the middle to Pickles, but she shot wide, and that was City’s best chance gone. With six minutes to go, Jones surged through the middle of the park but was forced wide and her shot was saved.
This was as comprehensive a victory as the Barkerettes have achieved all season. City complained about Barkers’ physicality, but that’s for the referee to deal with (note – no cards), and in any case, City was never in the game today. Barkers dominated all over the pitch, and if they continue this run of form, some of those top sides are in for a shock – indeed, Barkers have beaten second and fourth in the last two games.
