By Peter Stephenson
A mild Friday night at Esther Park saw the Mooroolbark Barkerettes (fourth) host Clifton Hill (second) in round six of Women’s State 3 East.
Banyule apart, CH had been battering everyone, so Barkers needed to be on their game, especially as they had not yet reached the point where CH couldn’t play their higher-league players. We all know, for instance, what Zoe Markopoulos, the league’s leading scorer, can do. Barkerettes made one change to the side that drew 2-2 at Malvern, with Jordyn Clausen replacing Hannah Lee.
CH began strongly, with Markopoulos weaving her magic as usual. Sure enough, on 14 minutes, Shea Wischusen-Gibbons found the net with a low angled shot from the right – 1-0 Clifton Hill, probably merited.
However, Barkerettes have shown that they don’t lie down easily, especially after last week’s heroics when they came from 0-2 down to draw at Malvern. On 25 minutes, an incisive through ball from Amy D’Ortenzio ran into the path of Lisa Walsh. For some reason, she just doesn’t miss against CH, and she duly hit a low shot past the keeper (they changed keepers twice) for 1-1.
Talking of goalkeepers, I want some of whatever Barkers keeper Ashleigh Fraraccio had for breakfast. Shortly after this, CH attacked yet again and had a point-blank shot. Somehow, Fraraccio dived to her right, got a hand to the ball and tipped it onto the post, then saved the follow-up. Save of the season? It wasn’t just me who thought so, as a quick poll of the fans within earshot revealed.
It got better eight minutes before the break as Barkers won a corner on the left. A lovely inswinger came in to the near post, and it was arch-predator D’Ortenzio who bundled the ball into the net to give Barkers the lead. Half-time: Mooroolbark 2-1 Clifton Hill.
The second half was much better from Barkers, and just before the hour, their relentless pressing came off. Aria Dhariwal hit an instinctive ball towards D’Ortenzio, who lobbed the Ch Keeper to make it 3-1. This was Amy’s 199th senior Barker goal – could she get a hat-trick and make it a double century?
No. In fact Barkers had to absorb a lot of pressure from Clifton Hill as they threw everything at Barkers to try to get back into the game, but to no avail as Barkers ran out 3-1 winners.
Not for the first time, Barkerettes saved their best performance for a quality opposition in Clifton Hill. Clifton Hill have some good players and knock the ball around well. Markopoulos is lightning fast and hard to dispossess, but then she is really a State 1 player. Next for Barkers is another tricky assignment – away to Manningham next Sunday.
