By Peter Stephenson
‘Twas a cold, rainy Friday night at the Kennel as Barkerettes (2nd ) hosted Chisholm United (6th ) hoping to put the defeat at FC Melbourne Srbija behind them. A win would put Barkers temporarily on top, pending Sunday results.
On 10 minutes, Anita Caro Salve delivered a couple of probing corners from the right, from the first of which a point-blank shot was deflected over. Seven minutes later, United’s first chance came when a shot was blocked. Having had most of the game, Barkers then made their supremacy count. Kaity Farrance cleared to Amy D’Ortenzio at halfway. She headed the ball perfectly into the path of the oncoming Alizah Jones, who outpaced her markers and stuck the ball calmly into the bottom corner of the net for her first of the season and 1-0 Barkers.
Four minutes later, United had a dangerous chance when an Angelina Valiakas shot from the right was allowed to flash across the Barkers goal, but this was a rare threat from the visitors. Just after the half-hour, Emily Stokes, with whom few defences can cope and with whom even I have trouble keeping up, raced down the right and crossed for Jones, who volleyed over. Half-time: Barkers 1-0 Chisholm, with the hosts being value for double that.
Not to worry. Barely a minute had passed in the second half when Barkers doubled their lead. Gracie Touliatos overlapped down the right but was forced into conceding a goal kick. The kick was intercepted and chipped back towards the keeper. She somehow failed to gather an easy ball, and Stokes was on hand to put the ball into an empty net – a great opportunist goal and 2-0 Barkers.
Just before the hour, Hannah Lee ran half the length of the pitch down the left before having a shot blocked. Twenty minutes later she did it again but won only a throw-in. Barkers really should have put the game beyond doubt by now, but they didn’t and were almost made to pay.
With 13 minutes to go, Chisholm won a corner on the right. It was headed clear, but the ball was crossed back in, headed on, and the Barkers’ defence was statuesque as Chisholm was allowed to almost walk the ball into the net for 2-1 – their first attempt on target of the night.
Barkers, though, are almost impossible to beat at the Kennel. Two minutes later, they forced Chisholm into giving the ball away, and Kelly Butera crossed from the right to the far post. The shot came in, and the keeper almost fumbled as it hit the post and a grateful keeper gathered. This game, though, was too close for comfort. So who ya gonna call? Well, newly-discovered scoring sensation Butera of course.
Four minutes from time, Barkers had a corner on the right. Caro Salve delivered to the near post, but it was allowed to bounce and run to the far post, where Butera, after an almighty scramble which left the keeper on the deck and Chisholm aggrieved that there was no foul, eventually forced the ball over the line to make it 3-1, which it remained at the end.
This was a fairly routine win in the end. Barkers were more or less full strength for a change and were too good for Chisholm. Next up is a Sunday lunchtime trip to Alphington.
