Alex Gummer scored the winning goal in the Casey Comets’ shock triumph over top-of-the-table Box Hill last week. 29947 Picture: Stewart Chambers
By Marc McGowan
A NICOLA Prins brace and a second-half strike to Alex Gummer saw the Casey Comets score a stunning 3-2 upset victory over Box Hill at Wembley Park last Friday night.
Box Hill was unbeaten in seven matches before the Women’s Premier League clash and had not lost on its home pitch since 2005.
Prins netted the opening two goals of the match before the hosts fought back to level the game before half-time.
But the Comets’ teenage sensation Gummer put them ahead for good in the 64th minute.
Both clubs had chances in the final half hour, but there were no more scores as Casey maintained its place inside the top four.
Nichols rated the win as one of the best in her coaching career.
“We haven’t lost there for at least five years; we’re normally good for a point there and we have a good record against them at that ground,” she said.
“But if you said to me before the game that we’d take a point, I would have taken it and run – to get the three was massive. It was very noisy in our changerooms afterwards – put it that way. We must have had about 60 supporters down there … I told the players it was a moment they should enjoy because you don’t get many of them.”
Comets speedster Lisa Cloke orchestrated her side’s opening goal in the 13th minute.
Cloke sent a deep chip goalward and Box Hill keeper Stephanie Brewer fumbled the ball and Prins swooped to score from close range.
Prins was at it again five minutes later when she thundered the ball into the top right-hand corner from outside the 18-yard box to give Casey a surprise 2-0 lead.
But Box Hill was always going to mount a comeback and Katrina Smith benefited from a Comets defensive error to set up team-mate Lauren Farrugia to cut the deficit to one.
And substitute Melissa Barbieri, more known for her goalkeeping heroics for Australia and Melbourne Victory, headed home the equaliser in the 42nd minute.
Barbieri and Farrugia had early chances in the second half, but Gummer used her blinding pace to great effect to edge Casey ahead again.
Cloke almost doubled the advantage following one of her trademark runs down the wing, but her shot went wide of the uprights.
Nichols, who replaced April Huijbregsen in goals in the continued injury absence of Emma Bracken, saved Box Hill’s last-ditch effort in the 80th minute and the visitors hung on for a famous win.But the Comets won’t be able to rest on their laurels, with a big clash against fifth-placed Ashburton, which is only a point behind them, at Ashburton Park on Sunday at 3.30pm.
Nichols hopes the Box Hill triumph is the impetus for another strong performance this weekend.
“If they don’t believe in themselves now, they never will,” she said.
