Lion Kathleen Sailor terrorised the Comets defence, including Vanessa Hellar, in the second half to be a major catalyst in her side’s 2-1 triumph. Picture: Marc McGowan.By Marc McGowan
AFTER enjoying its first victory of the season the previous week, Casey Comets Soccer Club suffered an embarrassing 2-1 defeat against the Eastern Lions in round five of the Football Federation Victoria Women’s Premier League at Comets Stadium on Sunday.
The Comets, who are perennial finalists, lost to the Lions for the first time in their history.
It was Eastern’s first success of the year after the team finished third-last in 2006 with just four wins.
Teenage sensations Marcie Algeria and Lisa Cloke started up front for Casey and benefited from the midfield class of Leigh Terek, Rachel Lamb and Alex Gummer.
Lions’ goalkeeper Jeniffer Holmes was forced to quell attack after attack, but the Comets were unable to capitalise.
Algeria had most of the chances, including a close-range shot following a Terek corner that she blasted at goal, but was held out by Holmes shortly before half-time.
Eastern emerged from the break a new side, with the lightning speed of Kathleen Sailor running Casey defender Vanessa Hellar ragged during numerous bursts up the field.
Anna Carmichael, who was making her return from a hamstring injury, replaced Cloke in the 63rd minute and stepped into defence to assist her besieged team-mates.
The match reached boiling point when the Lions were awarded a penalty for a Comets’ handball and Gemma Etherington calmly slotted the kick into the right side of the net despite the best efforts of Casey goalkeeper Emma Bracken.
The strike sparked Eastern further and just five minutes later a surge up the field opened the Comets’ defence and Claire Groom dribbled a ball from the left side of the box into the right corner of the vacant goal.
Midfielder Lamb, who has been one of Casey’s best performers this season, managed to peg one back in the 78th minute to give her side a heartbeat.
As time ticked away, the Comets became desperate for the equaliser and Sarah Fitzgerald just failed to get a foot to a ball inside the box that could have given Casey its second goal.
It proved to be the Comets’ last opportunity and the players were extremely downcast at full-time.
Casey coach Deborah Nichols failed to comprehend her squad’s lacklustre display.
“For the life of me, I don’t know why we came out and played like that,” she said.
“It’s been a problem over a number of years that we waste so many chances and we always said it would come back and bite us one day.”
Nichols made it clear that this was a game her club had no intention of dropping.
“It wasn’t even on our radar as a tough game,” she said.
“We were confident we’d get the three points and build on last week’s performance.”
The Comets now sit firmly in the bottom half of the table and Nichols is feeling the pressure.
“It will be a hard week on the track. It is in the players’ hands now – I can only do so much,” she said.
“But from my point of view the committee and sponsors are asking questions, so I’m not immune from the criticism.”
Casey’s reserves side scored its first goal of the season, but still went down 2-1 to the Lions.
The Comets travel to R.J. Sillitoe Reserve on Saturday to do battle with Sandringham in a do-or-die encounter that will define their season.
The reserves start at 1pm before the seniors aim for redemption at 3pm.
