By Damien Walsh
Box Hill Inter has recorded their third win in a row in the Women's Premier League, after trouncing Altona City 6-1 in the opening match of Round 13.
Altona City kicked off and put the pressure on Box Hill early, moving the ball around quickly and putting pressure on the Box Hill defenders.
The game settled down to a slower pace after a couple of minutes and Box Hill started to attack. They received a corner in the sixth minute after a cross was blocked behind. Georgia Koutrouvelis whipped the ball in. Altona defenders tried to clear but it went straight to Louisa Bisby at the top of the box. Bisby hit it first time and the ball rocketed into the bottom left corner of the goals for Box Hill’s first goal.
Now with their taste for goals, Box Hill began to take more control of the ball with Bisby and Tal Karp working wonders in the centre of midfield. In the 11th minute Bisby gained control of the ball in the centre circle and played a perfect ball down the right wing for Natalie Exon to get on to. Exon took a couple of touches and put a low cross in to the box, but no Box Hill players were there to finish and the ball was cleared.
Altona’s first chance of the game came through Aneta Komijat on the left wing in the 28th minute. She picked up the ball just past the half way line and took off down the wing, steaming past defenders. She got into a good crossing position and drilled in a low cross where Sophia Iosifidis was at the back post where she hit it first time. She unluckily saw her shot go high and wide.
Possession was fairly equal after this point with both teams working hard to find the crucial second goal of the game.
That goal went to Box Hill in the 40th minute. A long ball was played from the defence through to Bisby who had made a superb run. She got clear of the Altona defenders and set herself to finish past Altona keeper Emma Fonua for the second time in the match.
The referee blew for half time after five more minutes of play. Box Hill looked much more comfortable out on the park and it showed in the two-nil score line.
The second half began and Bisby nearly completed her hat-trick straight away. Exon broke away down the right wing and got just inside the box. She then pulled the ball back for Bisby who hit it first time but this time her shot went just over the bar.
In the 52nd minute Box Hill’s Lauren Farrugia was forced to go off after she picked up an injury. Deanna Niceski was her replacement.
Two minutes later Altona City was on the attack and the ball was chipped in behind Inter’s defence. Alexandra Miller beat the offside trap and chipped Melissa Barbieri on the half volley. Altona were now only down by one goal and their spirits were lifted.
After ten more minutes of play, however, Box Hill scored another. After an attack looked to have died down and Altona defenders had possession of the ball, Belinda Pacella regained control after some good pressure. She squared the ball to Exon who hit it first time on her left foot and finished past Fonua for her first of the night and Box Hill’s third.
Bisby was still working hard to get her third and this time tried her luck from 35 yards out. Her shot looked good off the boot. But Fonua was able to save easily.
Box Hill was now starting to show why they are top of the table. In the 70th minute Karp chipped the ball forward to Koutrouvelis, it was no surprise that she was able to control the ball on her chest and hit the ball on the half volley and in to the back of the net to make it 4 – 1.
Four minutes later Box Hill was there to do it again. This time Koutrouvelis was the supplier. She chipped the ball over Altona’s defence for Exon to run on to. Exon gained control and put it past Fonua easily for her second of the night and put Box Hill up by four goals.
Box Hill had some half chances after this point but was unable to find the final decisive ball. They kept piling on the pressure still looking for another goal.
Their pressure paid off in the 87th minute when Koutrouvelis played a through ball to Niceski. Fonua came out to try and stop her, but Niceski was too quick and was able to poke the ball past her for Box Hill’s sixth goal of the night.
The win makes it three in a row for Box Hill; they will go into next week’s match with plenty of confidence, when they play third placed Sandringham at Kingston Heath. The loss for Altona means they have conceded 12 goals in two games. They will have the chance to regroup next week as they have the bye.
Box Hill Inter: Melissa BARBIERI (GK), Yvette MUSCAT, Georgia OUDEMAN (Teodora BALINT 76’), Lauren FARRUGIA (Deanna NICESKI 52’), Krystal MCKLUSKEY, Natalie EXON (Stephanie HAWKINS 80’), Tal KARP, Louisa BISBY, Georgia KOUTROUVELIS, Aimee BENTON (Jessica TAY 75’), Belinda PACELLA (Aleksandra SINCLAIR 67’)
Goals: Bisby 6’, 40’, Exon 63’, 74’, Koutrouvelis 70’, Niceski 87’.
Altona City: Emma FONUA (GK), Marie AGIUS, Jessica RADIC, Lauren HUMPHREYS, Kathryn FLOROS, Sophia IOSIFIDIS (Yeliz LATIF 74’), Kerri LITTLE, Amy JACKSON, Aneta KOMIJAT, Alexandra MILLER (Christine FONUA 76’), Padiki DADE.
Unused Subs: Bianca RINALDI, Laura ATHANASIOU, Georgia SMITH.
Yellow Card: Miller 5’.
Goal: Miller 57’.
Last updated: Saturday July 17, 2010 2:25PM
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