Comets coach Deborah Nichols described teenage defender Anna Carmichael’s performance against the By Marc McGowan
RACHEL Lamb’s 23rd-minute penalty was the catalyst for the Casey Comets’ 3-1 success over the University of Melbourne after the visitors began well at Comets Stadium on Sunday.
The goal broke a three-week goal-scoring drought for the Comets and set them on the path to their sixth success of the Women’s Premier League season.
It also halted talk of possible relegation for Casey, which coach Deborah Nichols had warned her players about after a lacklustre display against Bendigo the previous round.
University stacked its backline and the Comets took time to adjust to the unusual formation.
But with teenager Anna Carmichael blunting the influence of star University forward Keryn Walters, who has found the back of the net nine times in 2007, Casey soon grabbed control.
Belinda Powell earned the penalty for the Comets and Lamb took the spot kick and slammed home her fifth score of the year.
That took the rivals to the main break, but Casey was eager for more on resumption and it did not take long for the margin to grow to two.
The Comets received a corner in the 53rd minute and Lamb centred the ball perfectly for Irena Taseski, who headed it home.
The home team looked primed to demolish University, but a cheap goal to Adrienne Heslop slashed the deficit back to one six minutes later.
There was suddenly a danger of Casey letting slip another three points, but Taseski, who played a deeper midfield role on the weekend, put paid to that in the 66th minute.
Lamb curled a good ball into the box and both Powell and striker Lisa Cloke had touches before Taseski swept in late and volleyed the ball in from about 10 yards for the match-winning score.
Nichols rejoiced in the goal spree and reasserted her aim to finish in sixth position.
“It’s been a while, so it feels very nice to get the three points,” she said.
“How they applied themselves against Melbourne University was how they should have the week before (against Bendigo).
“Obviously this weekend we’ll be looking to get the win and then we are against Geelong the week after, so if we could go into the final round in sixth spot it would certainly be an achievement.”
Nichols also applauded the outputs of Carmichael and Taseski.
“Irena maybe scored one last year, but this is the first time she’s scored a goal in a serious encounter – we won’t hear the end of it,” she joked.
“Carmichael blitzed their top goal scorer Walters. That was her best game by a mile since coming back into the senior side five weeks ago.”
To top off the weekend for the Comets, the reserves finally saluted for the second time, and did so in style with a stunning 8-0 thrashing of the University of Melbourne.
Casey goes on the road this Sunday to take on seventh-placed Preston at B.T. Connor in Reservoir.
The reserves start proceedings at 11am before the seniors battle it out at 1pm.
University of Melbourne on Sunday as her best since returning to the senior side five weeks ago.
Picture: Luke Plummer.
