By Peter Stephenson
Barkerettes (second) made the short trip to Keith Hume Fraser Reserve to face Lilydale Montrose United (ninth), knowing they had to keep winning to stay alongside Collingwood, who were top on goal difference. Ah yes, goal difference…It’s sad to see a club struggle to field a full side, and LMU began with 10 players, but this was no time for sentiment.
In the first minute, LMU keeper Melanie Closter’s goal kick was hit straight back at her in an ominous sign of what was to come. Three minutes later, Alizah Jones hit the bar, then Amy D’Ortenzio hit the post. The breakthrough came on eight minutes when Jones hit a low shot from the edge of the box to open the scoring – 1-0.
On the quarter hour, LMU shot wide, but this was a brief interlude as the black Barkers tide swarmed over the hosts. On 23 minutes, a nice through ball found Emily Stokes, who beat the defence, and with only Closter to beat, stuck the ball in off the post for 2-0. Then on the half hour, Barkers went crazy.
LMU conceded a free kick for handball. The ball was played into the penalty area, and D’Ortenzio nipped behind the defence to hit a sweet volley home for 3-0 – a gorgeous goal. Within 60 seconds D’Ortenzio and Stokes broke from halfway with no defender in the same postcode. It was Stokes who scored – 4-0.
Two minutes later, D’Ortenzio bulldozed her way through the LMU defence to make it 5-0, then just before the break, Stokes timed another run from halfway to perfection to grab her hat-trick. Half-time: LMU 0-6 Barkers.
As the second half began, I couldn’t help noticing that LMU were another player short – it was now 11 v 9. Within 10 seconds of the restart Stokes was in on goal, but Closter bravely blocked. Within seconds, Barkers had won a throw in on the right. The ball found D’Ortenzio on a tight angle from goal, but she hit a belter into the corner of the net for her hat-trick – 7-0.
Four minutes later, the ball was crossed from the right for D’Ortenzio. She turned and hit a precise shot inside the far post for her fourth of the game – 8-0. Then came a surprise. LMU pushed forward and a clumsy tackle gave them a penalty.
Up stepped Gabriella Grande. Well it was more like Ariana Grande as the ball rolled tamely into Barkers keeper Emily McCullough’s arms as she saved. Grande wasn’t done yet though. Seconds later, a wayward Barkers pass across the park cannoned into Grande, deflected towards goal, and inside the far post to make it 8-1,
On 55 minutes, Jones chipped over, but we didn’t have to wait long for the next goal. Just before the hour, Gracie Touliatos crossed from the right, the ball ran across the box to the far side, and Eleanor Ridley shot home to make it 9-1.
Grande almost grabbed a second for the hosts, but in the next five minutes, D’Ortenzio contrived to miss no fewer than four chances – three went wide and one was a concern for passing aircraft. Then Jones showed her how it’s done. Oh no she didn’t – she missed as well.
If last week Barkers were all over Malvern like a rash, this week resembled a bout of the measles as Barkers pinned a heroic LMU side in their own final third. With less than 20 minutes left, Closter defied a number of Barkers attempts before sheer force of will saw D’Ortenzio bully her way to her fifth of the night – final score LMU 1-10 Barkers.
That’s about it really. Commiserations to LMU and let’s hope they can recruit some teammates to the cause – you certainly can’t fault those who turned up. Nine exhausted women playing against a fast side with a full bench – it’s not fair but Barkers needed those goals to catch the Pies.
