Comets hold firm

Natalie Mitchell and her Casey Comets team-mates moved one step closer to a finals’ berth with a 2-1 away victory against Bendigo on Sunday. 33646 Picture: Luke Plummer

By Marc McGowan
TWO early goals were enough for the Casey Comets to hang on for their ninth Women’s Premier League victory of the year in Huntly on Sunday.
The 2-1 result over the Bendigo Vipers also moved the Comets four points clear of Ashburton and Sandringham in the race for fourth spot.
A win over Heidelberg United this weekend will be enough for Casey to end its two-year finals’ drought.
Strikers Lisa Cloke and Nicola Prins were the Comets’ heroes after netting goals in the eighth and 11th minutes respectively.
Usual forward Talia Silivestros switched into the central midfield role in the absence of veteran Jeni Black and her perfect cross released Cloke for Casey’s first score.
Silivestros formed a good partnership with fellow midfielder Melissa Atherton throughout the afternoon – particularly in the opening half.
Cloke was back in the line-up after missing several games due to a hamstring injury and state selection.
Viper Michelle Duffy cut the margin to one in the 30th minute following a controversial off-side reversal that saw the referee over-rule the linesman.
Bendigo’s stroke of luck seemed to spark it further into action, but the Vipers were unable to score the equaliser before half-time.
Cloke and Prins had three good chances between them in the first 10 minutes of the second half, but were unable to capitalise on Alex Gummer’s good work.
But the Comets managed to hold the Vipers out to win at the venue for the first time in four seasons.
Coach Debbie Nichols was pleased to return home with the victory.
“It was tighter than we hoped because we were really comfortable at 2-0 up … but the nerves kicked in a little bit and we made hard work of the game,” she said.
“We had some really good chances to finish the game off and if it’d gone 3-1 it could have been a cricket score.
“The benefit out of the game is we had to play a good 60 minutes under duress.”
Casey faces third-placed Heidelberg at the latter’s Olympic Village fortress on Sunday from 1pm.
Meanwhile, the Comets’ reserves team suffered a heart-breaking 1-0 defeat when Bendigo scored an 89th-minute winner.