Teenage whizkid Marcie Algeria scored the best of the Casey Comets’ five goals against Gippsland at Latrobe City Sports Club on Saturday. 19982 Picture: Luke Plummer.By Marc McGowan
NO Leigh Terek. No Lisa Cloke. No worries.
The Casey Comets inflicted a 5-1 defeat on Gippsland at Latrobe City Sports Club on Saturday, to provide a rare highlight in a frustrating Women’s Premier League season.
The match hung in the balance at half-time, with the Comets leading 2-1, but they took their game to another level in the final 45 minutes to record a comfortable triumph.
The goal tally was Casey’s best effort since it blasted six past lowly Geelong in June last year.
Linda Restrepo put the Comets on the board in the third minute, before Gippsland’s Taryn Browne scored the equaliser barely 10 minutes later.
Gabrielle Lee’s debut senior goal gave Casey the edge at the break.
The Comets desperately needed a spark, and teenager Marcie Algeria delivered.
The pint-sized dynamo took possession and smashed a shot into the top right-hand corner of the net from beyond 20 metres.
Casey coach Deborah Nichols was suitably impressed.
“It was an absolute ripsnorter – no goalkeeper would have stopped that,” she said.
Algeria’s score deflated Gippsland and the Comets dominated play before Vanessa Hellar and Jeni Black added goals in the final 15 minutes.
Without Terek (work commitments) and Cloke (ankle), there were concerns about where the goals were going to come from, but Nichols was thrilled with her players’ response.
“They seem to play better when there are a few on the bench pushing them,” she said.
“Certainly Rachel Lamb and Mel Atherton took on the responsibility well and Vanessa (Hellar), JB (Jeni Black) and Katrina Carmody were great in defence.”
Nichols, who was able to go back to the bench with the return of goalkeeper Emma Bracken, also praised hard-working midfielder Amanda Aldridge.
Football Federation Victoria officials have still not revealed how many teams will be relegated at the end of the season, but Nichols believes her side is safe after the weekend.
“I didn’t soften it. I built the game up as a significant one for us, and didn’t hide the pressure from them,” she said.
“This week they obviously prepared themselves a lot better than they did for Bendigo (in their last match).
“We feel we’re safe now and if we can get another point (from the final two rounds) we’ll definitely be safe.”
Casey maintained a clean sheet against Gippsland in the reserves contest, while scoring three times.
The Comets’ attention now turns to their clash with bitter rivals the Preston Lions.
“There is always a bit of feeling in that game and they’re desperate to make the finals, so it will be an interesting game and I’m curious to see how we’ll go with the pressure (of relegation) off,” Nichols said.
Casey and Preston lock horns at Comets Stadium on Sunday, with the reserves first-up at 11am and the seniors taking the field at 1pm.
