Melbourne Victory eased to a comprehensive 4-0 victory over winless Adelaide in the Westfield W-League at the Veneto Club on Saturday.
Caitlin Friend scored a hat-trick for the home side with three neatly taken finishes while Jodie Taylor was also on the score sheet in an utterly dominant display from the home side.
Friend poached the first goal with a clinical finish 16 minutes in, Taylor’s classy free-kick went in off the bar and Friend made it three with another fine finish, just before the hour mark.
Her hat-trick was complete when she turned a defender to lash past the keeper on 80 minutes to round out a fine individual performance.
Following two consecutive 2-1 defeats against Sydney FC and leaders Canberra, Melbourne would have welcomed the manner of the win as well as a much-needed three points as they looked to keep pace with the top end of the table.
Adelaide were backpedaling for much of the match and were comprehensively outclassed in almost every department as they looked to catch the home side on the break.
Melbourne stroked the ball around nicely early but created little in the way of chances in the opening 15 minutes.
Katrina Gorry, in her second game back, immediately showed her class and was influential with her deft touch and passing in midfield.
When she hit the deck from a robust challenge, the home side were crying foul they weren’t awarded a free-kick.
But the referee’s decision proved a blessing in disguise with Friend nipping in at the near post to tuck home a cross for the opener on 16 minutes.
It was the third-consecutive game Friend had scored against Adelaide.
Gorry’s combination with Taylor was starting to loom as a real headache for Adelaide and soon became too much for the visitors to handle.
Taylor was released and cut inside to shape on her right for the second goal but curled it narrowly wide.
But she more than made up for it when she stepped up to slot home a sublime free-kick a few minutes later off the underside of the bar from 25 yards.
With a 2-0 lead and all the play, things were starting to look ugly for Adelaide who continued to park numbers behind the ball in an attempt to limit the damage.
Taylor found space in behind the defence once more but sent her chip narrowly wide with keeper Sian McLaren stranded.
Marijana Rajcic had Adelaide’s best chance just before half-time on a rare break but blasted over from just inside the box.
After the interval it was more of the same from the home side.
Gorry tried her luck from outside the box on 56 minutes only to see her effort hit the bar.
The rebound fell invitingly to Kendall Fletcher but she fresh-aired what would have been a simple finish.
Friend scored her second just before the hour mark from Rebekah Stott’s delivery to give Victory the lead they deserved.
Friend then found Taylor who was creating plenty of space up front but she couldn’t hit the target from another good chance.
Friend had no such problems and completed the rout with Melbourne’s fourth and her third 10 minutes from time, dispatching her shot from just inside the area.
Melbourne Victory: 4 (Friend 16, 57, 80, Taylor 23)
Adelaide United: 0
Crowd: 556 @ Veneto Club, Bulleen
