Melbourne City remain firmly in the hunt for the Liberty A-League premiers plate and have struck a blow to Perth’s finals hopes with a comfortable 4-0 win over the Glory in Gosford.
Rhianna Pollicina’s half-volley on the stroke of halftime gave City the upper hand before Holly McNamara scored a second-half brace, while Hannah Wilkinson added a 94th-minute dagger to seal three points.
It ended fifth-placed Perth’s five-game unbeaten run and ensured second-placed City remain within touching distance of leaders Sydney FC, ahead of two games without New Zealand internationals Wilkinson and Rebekah Stott.
Perth got off to a bright start with Sofia Sakalis and Hana Lowry testing Melissa Barbieri in the second and third minutes, while Kaitlyn Torpey threw her body in the way of Lowry’s goal-bound shot in the eighth.
But after the Glory failed to make their early dominance count, City settled.
Pollicina pushed through a knee injury suffered on the half-hour mark and three minutes into stoppage time, Wilkinson headed a long ball into the path of the playmaker, who chested the ball down then coolly half-volleyed home.
Perth were unable to bundle in a goalmouth scramble in the 61st minute and immediately after, City got on the counterattack.
Barbieri hoofed the ball long and Abbey Green fluffed her attempted clearing header straight into the path of Matildas young gun McNamara, who broke forward and coolly finished past Courtney Newbon.
Perth turned to veteran goalscorers Lisa De Vanna and Leena Khamis off the bench but neither was unable to inspire a comeback.
The Glory looked fatigued off the back of a tight turnaround from their win over Adelaide and in the 88th minute, City substitute Leticia McKenna slipped a lovely through ball to McNamara, who brilliantly chipped Newbon to seal her brace.
Six minutes later, Wilkinson got away on the break, beat Newbon and coolly snared City’s fourth, with Perth’s appeals for offside dismissed.
