Central Coast Mariners star Kyah Simon scored the first goal of her Liberty A-League comeback season to inspire her side to a come-from-behind 3-1 win over Perth Glory at Macedonia Park on Sunday night.
Simon, starting for the first time this season in another major milestone on her road back from an ACL injury, found the equaliser for the Mariners after Millie Farrow put Perth one goal ahead in the first half.
Bianca Galic struck from range to make it 2-1 to the Mariners in the second half before Annalise Rasmussen put the icing on the cake for Emily Husband’s side with an 83rd-minute sealer.
PREMIERSHIP RACE: New leaders emerge after ‘Olimpico’ and 11th-placed revenge
The Mariners came close to opening the scoring in the 17th minute when Annabel Martin hit the woodwork from outside the box, whipping the ball just wide of the top-right corner.
But it was the hosts who struck first, when Millie Farrow controlled a scooped delivery into the box to bury the opening goal past Mariners keeper Sarah Langman.
Farrow’s first-half goal was the Glory spearhead’s first in seven games.
But the Mariners hit back on the cusp of half-time – and it was Matildas star Simon with her first goal since returning to the Liberty A-League this season.
Simon was in the Mariners starting line-up for the first time this season as she wore the armband against Perth and produced a captain’s goal in first-half stoppage time, burying a header into the bottom-right corner to bring the Mariners back on level terms.
The visitors came out for the second half and were well on top at HBF Park, but Glory keeper Morgan Aquino produced save after save to keep them at bay – highlighted by a brilliant block to deny Wurigumula in a one-on-one in the 73rd minute and a fingertip stop soon after, pushing Paige Hayward’s long-range attempt over the crossbar.
But with 15 minutes to play, the dam wall broke as Bianca Galic muscled her way through Glory bodies to bury a shot from the edge of the area past Aquino and into the back of the net to give the Mariners a 2-1 lead.
Central Coast had the upper hand and all the momentum and it wasn’t long before Rasmussen doubled the advantage.
Collecting the ball outside the box, Rasmussen drove into the box and aimed low to Aquino’s left; the Glory keeper put a glove on the ball but could only watch as it trickled over the line.
