Melbourne Victory have recorded their first win of the season in the Westfield Women’s League after thrashing Adelaide United 4-0 at Hindmarsh Stadium in a comprehensive performance.
Victory striker Jodie Taylor grabbed a second-half double to lift Melbourne four points clear of the Reds who are languishing on the bottom on the table without a point after four games and finding the back of the net only once.
Adelaide started the better of the two sides threatening to get on the score sheet early.
The Lady Reds found plenty of space out wide but their delivery into the box let them down with Victory keeper Brianna Davey cutting out numerous crosses.
The hosts went close midway through the half when a delightful ball from former Victory striker Selin Kuralay searched out winger Donna Cockayne.
The Reds speedster was unable to reach the cross and 15 year-old keeper Davey cut out the deadly through ball inside the area.
On the half hour Melbourne almost broke the deadlock when they had a header cleared off the line.
Towering stopper Maika Ruyter-Hooley was left all alone at the back post and looped a header goal bound before it was cleared to safety.
Two minutes later and the Victory did open the scoring after a wonder strike from Kendall Fletcher.
Fletcher was teed up by Ella Mastrantonio and the Melbourne no. 11 let fly first time to put it into the top corner past Reds keeper Kristi Harvey.
Melbourne doubled their lead a minute after the break after a neat finish from Caitlin Friend.
A slick exchange of passes cut through Adelaide’s defence and Ursula Hughson was strong in fending off a challenge with her back to goal, before laying it off for her team-mate.
Friend buried her shot from the edge of the box tucking it away in the bottom corner.
United nearly pulled one back on 50 minutes when hard-nosed midfielder Katrina Gorry tearing through the Melbourne back half.
Gorry carried the ball into the box and shot with the outside of her right boot beating Harvey in the Victory goal but not the post.
The visitors collected the ball in defence broke away with a quick counter to go down the other end and score their third.
Taylor raced onto a long through ball, outpacing the United defence and was bearing down on keeper Harvey.
The Victory striker picked her spot and coolly slotted past the Reds shot stopper from 10 metres to nail her first for the day.
She continued to threaten in the dying stages and eventually bagged her brace in injury time after chasing down another long through ball.
Reds stopper Stacey Day attempted to clear the hopeful pass behind the back four but Taylor skipped in ahead of the United defender and raced towards goal, before rounding Harvey for an easy tap in.
