Melbourne Victory have thumped Adelaide United 5-0 and equalled their biggest ever winning margin in a one-sided Westfield W-League contest at Burton Park on Saturday.
Melbourne took the lead in the eighth minute through Laura Spiranovic who was making her first start for the Victory in the W-League.
Towering striker Jessica McDonald scored a brace as half-time approached to extend her side’s lead to 3-0.
Winger Enza Barilla put the game to bed with a stunning goal four minutes after the break before Victory skipper Steph Catley capped off the thrashing with a neat finish to propel the Victory temporarily back into the top four while ensuring Adelaide remain cemented in last place.
Lady Reds coach Dave Edmondson was forced to watch the remaining 10 minutes of the crushing loss from the stands after he was ejected for reacting to midfielder Jessica Waterhouse’s yellow card.
Melbourne fired an early warning shot in the fourth minute when Jessica Fishlock crept in behind the Adelaide back four.
The Welsh midfielder delivered a pinpoint cross to the head of McDonald who found the back of the net, only for the linesman to call back play for offside.
Boosted by their early taste for goal, the Victory took the lead just four minutes later when Spiranovic scored her third goal in four appearances to open the visitors’ account.
Catley raced down the right side of Adelaide’s area before cutting back to the penalty spot where Spiranovic made no mistake.
Looking unsettled and panicky on the ball, Adelaide finally threatened in the final third on 37 minutes with a composed piece of play from winger Holly Patterson.
Before the ball could trickle out, Patterson managed to keep it in and power her way past Melbourne defender Rebekah Stott into the box before cutting back to fellow New Zealand international Sarah McLaughlin.
However the midfielder could only hit a tame shot straight at Victory goalkeeper Brianna Davey.
The missed opportunity came back to haunt the home side instantly as the visitors raced up the other end to double their lead courtesy of McDonald in the 38th minute when she tapped in Spiranovic’s cross from six yards.
McDonald doubled her tally on 42 minutes when she headed past Lady Reds custodian Kristi Harvey.
Melbourne made sure the game was well beyond Adelaide’s reach immediately after half-time when Barilla struck.
The 21-year-old hit a rasping shot from near the by-line that managed to drill into the top corner of Harvey’s net to stun the Burton crowd.
The hosts’ frustration boiled over 10 minutes from time when Waterhouse was booked, followed by Edmondson being sent to the stands.
Edmondson was left to helplessly watch on as Catley capped off a memorable week for herself which included being named FFA Women’s Young Player of the Year and scoring her maiden Matildas goal, with a left-footed strike that she buried into the bottom corner of the net.
Adelaide United 0
Melbourne Victory 5 (Spiranovic 8, McDonald 38, 42, Barilla 49, Catley 90)
Adelaide United: 1. Kristi Harvey (gk), 3. Alex Natoli, 5. Abby Erceg (c), 8. Sarah McLaughlin, 10. Jenna McCormick (9. Marijana Rajcic 72), 13. Ann Mayo, 14. Lorena Maggio (2. Ruth Wallace 51), 15. Emma Checker, 16. Jessica Waterhouse, 17. Laura Johns (18. Georgia Macri 58), 19. Holly Patterson
Melbourne Victory: 1. Brianna Davey (gk), 2. Danielle Johnson, 3. Maika Ruyter-Hooley (17. Gulcan Koca 70), 4. Rebekah Stott, 5. Laura Spiranovic (19. Rachel Alonso 83), 6. Petra Larsson, 7. Stephanie Catley (c), 10. Jessica McDonald, 14. Enza Barilla, 15. Amy Jackson (12. Jacqueline Vogt 62), 22. Jessica Fishlock
