Right: Casey Comets midfielder Amanda Aldridge had the chance to score the equaliser against Ashburton late in the second half, but was unable to grasp her opportunity.By Marc McGowan
TIRED legs eventually told on Sunday as the Casey Comets conceded three goals in the last 15 minutes to lose to the unbeaten Ashburton at Comets Stadium.
The teams had already fought out a tense 1-0 game in the Women’s Premier League season opener in March, when Ashburton also prevailed, and found themselves in yet another tight struggle on the weekend.
The Comets had the better of the early going, with creative midfielder Leigh Terek having two outstanding chances to put her side ahead only to be held out on both.
Gradually, Ashburton grabbed control in the first half, but still little separated the two outfits.
The game continued to be played at a hectic pace after the half-time break, with much of the action taking place in the middle of the ground as the teams tested one another out.
Casey centre backs Rachel Lamb and Anna Carmichael shone as Ashburton launched attack after attack.
Finally, Gulcan Koca broke the deadlock when she finished off a cross that the Comets failed to defend, despite having numerous opportunities to clear the ball.
The goal was exactly what Ashburton needed and the visitors’ play went to another level, but Casey was not done.
New South Wales off-season recruit Amanda Aldridge found herself in a one-on-one duel near goal, but, as with Terek earlier on, could not capitalise.
That was the last time the Comets were in the contest as scores to Cindy Dussoye and Christine Pfeiffer in the final 10 minutes sealed the result.
The in-form Melissa Atherton joined Lamb and Carmichael as strong contributors for seventh-placed Casey.
Comets coach Deborah Nichols, who assumed goalkeeping duties once again in Emma Bracken’s absence, blamed weariness on the loss.
“We haven’t beaten them at our ground in a long time and we were in the game at half-time – there’s no doubt about that,” she said.
“We were in the game until the second goal and then that killed the game off. We just ran out of legs.
“We’ve had a number of players not making the two sessions a week … and when a game is played at quite a good pace, you get caught out if you’re not looking after yourself.”
Fellow finals contenders Eltham North and Heidelberg also tasted defeat on Sunday, leaving Casey three points adrift of the top five.
The Comets’ reserves felt the full wrath of Ashburton’s depth in a 7-2 annihilation in the curtain raiser.
Casey faces a tough five-day turnaround for its match-up with unbeaten ladder leader Box Hill at Wembley Park, Box Hill, on Friday night.
The reserves are on at 6.30pm before the seniors take to the field at 8.30pm.
The Comets will carry plenty of confidence into the senior outing, having not been beaten for three years at Wembley Park.
