Match Report: Royals run rampant at Glen Waverley
The table-topping VPLW Essendon Royals went on a rampage at Glen Waverley, slamming 11 past the hapless hosts on a wet afternoon at Capital Reserve.
Missing Canadian centre-back Talia White and Japanese import Ayano Koizumi through a concussion sustained against Brunswick, the Royals fringe players had the chance to impress with the remaining regulars and they didn’t disappoint.
The rout started early, with ex-A-Leaguer Enza Tasevski slotting home first time after a neat cutback from Filomena Delic on eight minutes.
It took just two more minutes for the Royals to make it 2-0, Delic this time on the end of a Rachel Alonso through ball that the keeper misjudged, Delic sliding home into an empty net.
The hosts had their best period over the next 10 minutes, Christina Cardaci getting on the ball to pose the Royals some issues, the strong period culminating in a fantastic double save from Beth Mason-Jones to keep the score at 2-0.
On 31 minutes, Delic extended the lead, rising high to head home an Alonso corner. Just three minutes later, Alonso got on the scoresheet a lovely taken goal bending it around the keeper after a sliding ball from Tasevski.
Just a minute later, Alonso was involved again, this time with a perfect through ball for Marie Rampal, who found herself on the edge of the box, and drilled it home to make it 5-0, three goals in 5 minutes already putting the match beyond the reach of the hosts.
One minute before half time Delic rounded off a sharp first-half hat-trick after latching onto a pass from Yuria Sasaki. 6-0 at the break and the Royals at their clinical best.
With Glen Waverley out of gas, the Royals took only 10 mins into the second half to make it 7-0, left back Mary Hubeek storming into the box and taken out by the keeper, Alonso burying the penalty. Sasaki got herself on the scoresheet on the hour with a great finish after superb work on the right saw Rampal whip a ball into the far post, only for Alonso to lay back to Sasaki, who drilled it home the first time.
The same three players combined just 8 minutes later, except this time it was Alonso who completed her hat-trick. And Alonso sent the scoreline into double figures and got her fourth, with a deft chip over the oncoming keeper after a neat sliding ball from Sasaki sent her clean through.
But the Royals weren’t done yet, Delic rounding off the scoring in the 79th minute by converting a Rebecca Davies corner. A solid day at the office with an 11-0 trouncing of second-bottom Glen Waverley.