Four goals in each half lifted reigning champions Sydney FC to a stunning 8-2 win over Perth to maintain their unbeaten run in the Westfield W-League.
Four goals in each half lifted reigning champions Sydney FC to a stunning 8-2 win over Perth to maintain their unbeaten run in the Westfield W-League.
The Sky Blues started in dominant fashion and created a host of first-half chances to lead 4-1 at the break.
The injury-hit Glory, to their credit, staged a brief recovery at the start of the second period only to be overrun by a sparkling Sydney in the latter stages.
Caitlin Foord bagged her maiden W-League hat-trick and duly opened the scoring inside the quarter-hour mark after exchanging passes with Jodie Taylor on the edge of the penalty area.
Perth equalised against the run of play with a well-worked counterattack that was finished smartly by Kate Gill, with an assist from Sarah Carroll.
Sydney restored their lead within a matter of minutes in a near carbon copy of the opener. This time it was Leena Khamis, playing in an unfamiliar attacking midfield role, who netted after a neat interchange of passes with Taylor.
Player-of-the-match Taylor deservedly got herself on the scoresheet three minutes before the break after profiting from a combination of slack defending and raw determination to score with ease past an exposed Chantel Jones.
There was still time for Marianna Tabain to strike the crossbar after she was permitted too much latitude by a Sky Blues defence perhaps distracted by the sheer volume of chances at the other end.
Sure enough Sydney went even further ahead as Emma Kete turned home unchallenged from close range despite protestations for offside.
The Glory needed something special and Tabain duly delivered in magnificent fashion almost immediately after the restart. The wide midfielder added to her growing collection of spectacular goals by finding the net directly from a corner.
It provided Perth with the boost they needed and they briefly threatened to stage an unlikely comeback.
However, Foord netted a stunning goal midway through the second stanza to break the Glory’s spirit.
Sydney’s teenage star, making the most of an opportunity to play in the forward line, used her rare dribbling skills to outrun the Glory defence and net a classy goal.
The Sky Blues looked likely to extend the margin on numerous occasions against the weary-looking Glory and they did so in emphatic fashion in the latter stages.
Nicola Bolger duly extended the victory margin five minutes from full time with a close-range finish as Sydney once again passed their way through the heart of the Glory defence.
Substitute Chloe Logarzo got her name on the scoresheet, while Foord completed her hat-trick barely 60 seconds later.
