No derby hangover for Wanderers as another club record falls

Western Sydney Wanderers coach Dean Heffernan said he ‘could not be prouder’ of his side’s professionalism in Thursday’s resounding 4-0 win against Canberra United.

The Wanderers entered the clash with Canberra on the back of their record 5-0 win over Sydney FC last time out but there was to be no derby hangover for the Red and Black in the nation’s capital.

In fact, the Wanderers’ boss and many others might even consider this performance and result to be even more valuable in the context of their Premiership assault on a night where the team leapfrogged Melbourne City into pole position on the Westfield W-League ladder.

Heffernan’s side were at their clinical best, breaking the deadlock via Kyra Cooney-Cross and adding second half goals through Denise O’Sullivan, Kristen Hamilton and Lynn Williams.

It was Western Sydney’s first ever away clean sheet in their history, and also the first time the club has preserved back to back shut-outs.

“We knew it was going to be tough coming down here at this time of the year, after the derby and playing at Bankwest last week,” Heffernan told FOX Sports after the game.

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“The message this week was that it was all about our mindset and mentality coming into the game.

“You could see how up for it we were, how professional we were in our performance and the players got what they deserved.

“I could not be prouder with how they went about their business during the week.”

Following their demolitions of Sydney and Canberra, the Wanderers have tallied 16 goals in seven matches this season.

They have already surpassed their goal tallies for the last five campaigns, and it is only a matter of time before they break the season record of 19 set in their inaugural 2012/13 campaign.

As Hamilton duly noted to FOX Sports, “anybody can score at the moment.”

“We have players on the field that are playing with so much confidence in themselves and in each other,” Heffernan continued.

“This team competes for everything. We’re in a really good space but we have to keep going.”

Western Sydney have the bye next round before resuming their Premiership tilt at home to Brisbane Roar on January 12, 2020.