By Jonty Ralphsmith
Casey has secured a 2-1 victory over Monash in what coach Andrew Harris described as “basically a midseason finals game.”
The two teams are fighting for the last finals spot in the Women’s Vic League 1 competition, with Pakenham entering the clash a win behind Monash Uni, but with a mildly easier draw on the run home.
The result means the Cannons will be in control of their destiny in the last month as they look to make it back-to-back finals campaigns at the level.
Casey scored the first two goals of the game to take a commanding lead into halftime, with strikers Mikayla McDonald and Emma Harris linking up for the first from the field, and McDonald capitalising from a short corner for the second.
“There was a level of intensity from the start that was mentally above all the other games we have played so far – the girls understood the importance of it,” coach Andrew Harris said.
“We dominated the first half, scoring goals in the first and second quarter to go ahead.
“We found ourselves behind in a lot of games this year so to get an early buffer was good.”
Monash University was then able to dictate terms for much of the second half, putting a goal away midway through the third quarter to heap pressure on Casey.
At one stage late in the third quarter, Casey was reduced to just eight players on the field due to a yellow card and pair of green cards, with their grit throughout the day underlined in that period.
“Monash pressed defensively in the second half and we started to get sloppy,” Harris revealed.
“They scored halfway through the third quarter then we were under siege for the last ten minutes of the quarter.”
Goal keeper Sarah Sutton-McLellan made several crucial short corner saves early in the fourth, before Casey was able to wrench back control late and hold on for a significant victory.
“The girls adapted really well to the pressure of the game,” Harris said.
“To put the first two goals on the scoreboard took pressure off for the rest of the game but then to show the resilience when we led by only a goal was enormous.”
While a positive result, the Cannons are still yet to take the scalp of a team in the top five, so will be keen to prove to themselves across the next month that they are capable of winning a final.
Meanwhile, the men had a big 7-0 win over Frankston, and while the result was an expected one, the goal difference gained from the result could prove instrumental on a tight ladder.
Craig Moore, Dave Noney and Tristan Chaffey all scored doubles.
Casey has maintained its second placing on the Vic League 2 table, a point clear of the chasing pack – and crucially, with the second best goal difference in the competition, behind only Yarra, well clear atop the table.
