Adelaide United bounced back to winning form in the A-League Women, grinding their way to a 1-0 win over the battling Western Sydney Wanderers.
A week after the Reds were shocked by two stoppage-time goals from Western United, Chelsie Dawber’s early penalty proved the difference in hot conditions at Wanderers Football Park on Sunday.
Adelaide now have three wins from their opening four matches while the Wanderers have tasted three defeats and are goalless in two games.
The result gave the Reds a third straight win over the Wanderers for the first time in their history.
For Adelaide head coach Adrian Stenta, he hailed his team’s character after they bounced back from a heart-breaking loss to ALW newcomers Western in Round 3.
“It’s vitally important. If you look back at this team over the last few years, we haven’t lost two games in a row all that often,” Stenta said.
“It’s something I’m really proud of, to be a coach of a group of players that when they do drop some points, they’re able to respond immediately the next weekend.”
Following a third defeat of the season, Wanderers head coach Kat Smith added: “If one or two of those goes in, we’ve got a different result at the end of the day.
“But what we’ve been working on and what we’ve been able to establish on the training pitch, we’ve been able to transfer into our games.
“It’s just a matter of time before that little bit of luck falls our way and we’re capitalising on those chances.
“It’s going to come. They’ve got to be able to look back at their performances and the chances that we’re creating, the football that we’re playing.”
Western Sydney were left to rue several wasted good set piece chances while Adelaide’s Paige Hayward and gun forward Fiona Worts went close to scoring on several occasions.
It took just seven minutes for Adelaide to draw first blood via the penalty spot.
Wanderers skipper Clare Hunt collided with an advancing Dawber and was quickly pulled up.
Dawber coolly drilled the penalty into the bottom right corner.
In the 17th minute, Western Sydney’s Bethany Gordon had a great opportunity to equalise when she met Amy Harrison’s well-placed free-kick, but put her header over the bar.
In the 39th minute, Dawber and Worts combined and Emilia Murray just dragged her shot wide
Two minutes later, Western Sydney’s Holly Caspers headed over the bar.
Early in the second half, Dawber’s ball into the box skidded past all comers to Hayward, who blasted off target, while Worts dragged another shot wide in the 56th minute.
Adelaide had a case for a handball penalty against Hunt in the 61st minute but didn’t receive a spot-kick.
Wanderers midfielder Olivia Price required treatment in the 68th after copping a shoulder charge challenge from Jenna McCormick, with the Adelaide centre-back receiving a yellow card while Price had to be substituted.
There was late drama when Wanderers substitute Sheridan Gallagher and Dawber tangled for the ball, before Gallagher flung the Adelaide striker to the ground.
Gallagher earned a yellow card but the Reds couldn’t add to their tally with the late free-kick.
