Brisbane Roar Women have completed an impressive 4-0 win over Melbourne Victory Women to keep their Westfield W-League finals hopes alive.
The Roar Women dominated a majority of the match, stretching the Victory defence and utilising their speed to break through the Victory line with ease.
The home side opened the scoring in the 17th minute after Ruth Blackburn headed back across from the far post, giving an easy tap in for Brisbane captain Clare Polkinghorne.
Katrina Gorry doubled the Brisbane lead five minutes after stealing possession on halfway and penetrating open space in front of her before finishing low and hard off the right upright.
The Roar Women made it three just before the half-hour when after the ball pin-balled around the area before landing at the feet of Kirsty Yallop who fired into the top of the net.
Victory looked more threatening after half-time and looked to use the run of Annabel Martin on the right wing who provided a number of dangerous crosses into the area.
Likewise, the Roar regularly attempted to release Emily Gielnik on the right.
The winger who has been recalled the Westfield Matildas training squad midweek, had an outstanding first 45 before being contained by Alexandra Nartoli in the second period.
Both sides traded possession and territory in the second period and failed to create many meaningful chances.
Martin came closest to scoring for the Victory, hitting the upright in the 85th minute.
Angela Beard scored the Roar’s fourth in second-half stoppage time after her cross wasn’t cleared by Victory goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri and found its way into the net.
Match Stats
Westfield W-League Round 13, Sunday 10 January at Broadbeach
Brisbane Roar 4 (Polkinghorne 17′ Gorry 22′ Yallop 29′ Beard 90+3′)
Melbourne Victory 0
Half-time: 3-0
Crowd: 1148
Brisbane Roar Women: 1.Haley KOPMEYER (gk), 3.Amy CHAPMAN (19.Sofie PERSSON 84’), 4.Clare POLKINGHORNE (c), 6.Angela BEARD, 7.Gabrielle MARZANO (12.Alisha FOOTE 65’), 10.Katrina GORRY, 11.Kirsty YALLOP, 13.Tameka BUTT (8.Ayesha NORRIE 76’), 14.Summer O’BRIEN, 15.Ruth BLACKBURN, 17.Emily GIELNIK
Unused substitutes: 20.Carrie SIMPSON (gk)
Yellow cards: Tameka BUTT 75’; Red cards: Nil
Melbourne Victory Women: 2.Alexandra NATOLI, 4.Melissa TARANTO (8.Jamie POLLOCK 80’), 6.Annabel MARTIN, 7.Enza BARILLA (15.Adriana TARANTO 74’), 10.Christine NAIRN, 11.Melinda BARBIERI (12.Whitney KNIGHT 80’), 13.Thea SLATYER, 16.Hayley RASO, 17.Gulcan KOCA, 20.Melissa BARBIERI (gk) (c), 27.Natasha DOWIE
Unused substitutes: 1.Cassandra DIMOVSKI (gk)
Yellow cards: Nil; Red cards: Nil
Referee: Casey Reibelt; Assistant Referee 1: Renae Coghill; Assistant Referee 2: Sarah Pratt; Fourth Official: Rachel Mitchenson
