A second-half hat-trick from Amy Jackson has seen Melbourne Victory defeat Adelaide United 4-0 at Lakeside Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Jackson completed her hat-trick in the space of 30 minutes, scoring her first after 60 minutes before finding the back of the twice in the dying stages of regulation time.
The result ensures Melbourne completes Round 5 in third spot on the Westfield W-League ladder, piling more misery on Ross Aloisi’s side, which languishes at the bottom of the table.
American import Christine Nairn opened the scoring in the 29th minute with a stunning strike from range.
Teeing up from 25 yards out, Nairn struck her effort into the top corner, burying her attempt past former Victory ‘keeper Melissa Barbieri with a deflection off the underside of the crossbar.
Matildas legend Lisa De Vanna squandered a great opportunity to double her side’s lead soon after.
Unmarked inside the penalty area, the striker chipped Gema Simon’s precise cross over the bar, with Barbieri coming fast off her line to foil her opponent.
Jackson had no such trouble, poking in Melbourne’s second and her first of the afternoon from close range just before the 59th minute.
Despite a resilient Adelaide United performance, the hosts ran away with the game late in the second half.
It was Jackson who did the damage once again, prodding in Melbourne’s third in a scramble inside the penalty area to complete her hat-trick in the 89th minute.
Melbourne Victory travels north next week in an enticing grand final replay against Brisbane Roar, while Adelaide will be on the road again when it takes on fourth-placed Canberra United.
Melbourne Victory 4 (Nairn 29’, Jackson 59’ 87’ 89’)
Adelaide United 0
at Lakeside Stadium [HT: 1-0]
Melbourne Victory: 1. Brianna DAVEY (GK), 2. Hannah BREWER (16. Beatrice GOAD 75’), 5. Lauren BARNES, 6. Gema SIMON, 7. Stephanie CATLEY (C), 8. Amy JACKSON, 10. Christine NAIRN, 11. Lisa DE VANNA (14. Tiffany ELIADIS 80’), 12. Ella MASTRANTONIO, 15. Emma CHECKER, 18. Elli REED.
Unused substitutes: 20. Cassandra DIMOVSKI (GK), 17. Gulcan KOCA.
Yellow cards: None
Red cards: None
Adelaide United: 1. Melissa BARBIERI (GK), 4. Lauren STEER (10. Alexandra CHIDIAC 65’), 7. Katrine PEDERSEN, 8. Emily CONDON, 9. Lisa-Marie WOODS, 11. Isabel HODGSON (5. Jesse WHAREPOURI 87’), 12. Dalia-Tais BORG, 14. Rachel ALONSO (17. Tiarn POWELL 51’), 15. Jenna MCCORMICK, 16. Katie HOLTHAM, 23. Kristy MOORE (C).
Unused substitutes: 20. Sarah WILLACY (GK)
Yellow cards: None
Red cards: None
