Defending champions Brisbane Roar have confirmed their status as the pacesetters of the Westfield W-League with a clinical 6-0 disposal of third-placed Perth Glory at Ballymore Stadium on Saturday.
The hosts came out with a point to prove after being held to a 1-1 draw with Sydney FC last weekend and took little time in getting their championship defence back on track, slotting three goals in the space of 13 minutes early in the first half.
Lana Harch started the rout in the eighth minute, before Courtney Beutel and Ellen Beaumont ensured the match would be as good as over halfway through the first stanza.
The Roar’s stranglehold on the contest continued after halftime, with Harch slotting her second goal for the day before Beaumont grabbed a brace of her own in the 80th minute.
Substitute Sasha McDonnell’s wonder-strike then added the icing in injury time.
Harch tested the woodwork in the opening stages before breaking the deadlock when she tiptoed around Perth defender Collette McCallum and delivered a powerful strike that Glory keeper Emma Wirkus could do little about.
An unfortunate fumble from Wirkus then saw the home side double their lead.
Kate McShea sent in a looping cross from a free-kick and Wirkus failed to claim the ball cleanly.
With all of the Perth defenders out of position, Beutel was quick to pounce on the spillage.
Another scrimmage in the box ensued two minutes later, with Beutel attempting to grab her second goal before the ball fell to Beaumont, who fired sharply and brought the crowd of 579 to their feet.
The dominant victory saw the Roar extend their lead at the top of the ladder.
The women in orange now sit four points clear of the Central Coast, however the inform Mariners have a chance to narrow that gap when they host Canberra late on Saturday.
The Roar started the game in sizzling fashion, earning a bevy of corners and creating a plethora of chances as Harch, Beutel and Beaumont started to assert their authority.
The chances came regularly for the Roar either side of the break, with captain Clare Polkinghorne’s long-range dead-ball attempt in the 30th minute easily the most impressive.
Polkinghorne curled her shot to perfection, but Wirkus was able to make a miraculous fingertip save.
Brisbane may have been missing Matildas midfielder Tameka Butt due to a hamstring complaint, but they lacked nothing in the engine room and the one-sided nature of the contest was remarkable.
Roar keeper Casey Dumont saw very little action, however she was beaten on one occasion by Perth’s US import Alex Singer in the 77th minute, but Pam Bignold was able to make the goal-saving clearance.
It would be the visitors’ only genuine chance for the game, while the Roar dominated possession for the duration, allowing Beaumont and McDonnell to score some genuine showstoppers late in the piece.
W-League Round 5
Brisbane Roar 6 (Harch 8 & 54, Beaumont 21 & 80, Beutel 20, McDonnell 90+1)
Perth Glory 0
