The Central Coast Mariners have broken a three-game losing streak and kept their finals hopes alive with a crushing 6-0 victory over Adelaide United in their Westfield W-League game at Hindmarsh Stadium on Saturday.
The Mariners dominated the first half and there was no surprise when the visitors broke the deadlock through a Trudy Camilleri header in the 34th minute.
The floodgates opened after the break when they scored five goals, including four in 12 minutes, to stun the home side.
Camilleri, Jenna Kingsley and Kyah Simon all finished the game with two goals each.
Central Coast can finish this round as high as fifth and importantly has improved its goal difference column by almost doubling its season tally. Adelaide slips to seventh and will need to produce something special in its last three games to reach the finals.
Mariners coach Stephen Roche said the team had been building towards a strong performance despite what past results suggest.
“The last three weeks we’ve lost 5-0, 2-0, 4-2 but we’ve played a good brand of football,” Roche said.
“We’ve kept the ball, we’ve been patient, we get in behind, we make chances, the ball just hasn’t dropped our way but today that second half was pretty clinical.”
Reds coach Mike Barnett said the performance highlighted his team’s lack of consistency at the top level of women’s football.
“I think they had five shots in half an hour and all five went in and just a lack of pressure on the player with the ball. But you also have to give credit to Central Coast, they did play a very good game today,” Barnett said.
From the opening whistle it was all Central Coast. In the first half they had 13 attempts at goal, compared to Adelaide United’s two, and were more systematic in attack.
Kingsley was particularly dangerous and when given some space to run proved a handful for the Reds’ defenders.
Camilleri was also busy and made the most of the Mariners’ first corner by nodding the ball home from close range.
Adelaide’s game wasn’t as convincing at it was forced to bomb into its attacking third. A Sharon Black corner during injury time produced some nervous moments for the visitors but apart from that set play the home side wasn’t threatening.
Central Coast doubled their advantage five minutes after the break when some agile play in the box saw Kingsley beat Reds goalkeeper Emma Wirkus.
A brilliant strike by Camilleri at the 58th minute from well outside the box extended the lead to three and number four came a few minutes later when Kingsley swooped on the crumbs of a set piece from Lyndsay Glohe.
Simon then joined in the celebration with goals in the 62nd and 74th minutes. A hard running effort down the right side and a well executed strike got her on the scoreboard and then a team-mate’s cross gifted her a second.
Match Details
Adelaide United 0
Central Coast Mariners 6 (Trudy CAMILLERI 35-/58-, Jenna KINGSLEY 50-/60-, Kyah SIMON 62-/83-)
Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
=Saturday 6 December 2008
Referee: Kate Jacewicz
Assistant Referees: Trent Fleskens, Tim Mihevc
Fourth Official: David Costello
Adelaide United line-up: 1.Emma WIRKUS (gk), 2.Renee HARRISON, 3.Sarah AMORIM, 4.Dianne ALAGICH (c), 6.Kristyn SWAFFER, 8.Sandra SCALZI, 10.Victoria BALOMENOS, 11.Sharon BLACK (12.Tanya HARRISON 64-), 14.Donna COCKAYNE (9.Stephanie TOKICH 71-), 15.Lauren CHILVERS (7.Racheal QUIGLEY 45-),17.April MANN.
Substitutes not used: 30.Kristi HARVEY(gk).
Yellow cards: Sarah AMORIM 22-, Tanya HARRISON 67-.
Red Cards: Nil
Central Coast Mariners line-up: 1.Emma-Kate DEWHURST (gk), 2.Caitlin COOPER (c) (16.Kathryn PRYER 75-), 3.Lyndsay GLOHE, 4.Rachael DOYLE, 5.Jodie BAIN, 6.Karina ROWETH, 7.Teresa POLIAS, 8.Renee ROLLASON (12.Gill FOSTER 52-), 10.Kyah SIMON (25.Brooke STARRETT 89-),13.Trudy CAMILLERI, 23.Jenna KINGSLEY
Substitutes not used: 20.Lisa HARTLEY (gk)
Yellow cards: Jenna KINGSLEY 85-, Teresa POLIAS 91-
Red Cards: Nil
