Women’s Match Report: Royals Mark 30 Years with Memorable Win over South Melbourne

Essendon Royals celebrated 30 years of women’s football in style with a commanding 3-0 victory over rivals South Melbourne at Cross Keys Reserve on Saturday afternoon.

On a day dedicated to honouring the trailblazers and legends who have built the Royals women’s programme, Vince Battiato’s side delivered one of their finest performances of the season, dominating the previously unbeaten South Melbourne to take home the inaugural Coveny Curcija Plate.

The Royals started brightly, with early pressure seeing Cobi Wilbert and Emma Langley testing South Melbourne’s goalkeeper Ayana Aoyagi.

Despite several good stops from Aoyagi, Wilbert eventually broke the deadlock just before halftime, pouncing on a loose ball after successive shots from Langley and Fujiwara Airi were saved.

Leading 1-0 at the break, the Royals didn’t relent in the second half.

Essendon’s attacking prowess was evident again midway through the second half. Fujiwara’s shot struck the post in the 67th minute, but Sasha Coorey reacted fastest to slot home the rebound, doubling the Royals’ advantage.

With just under ten minutes remaining, Fujiwara finally got her deserved goal, calmly controlling the ball inside the area and smashing home to secure a comprehensive 3-0 victory.

South Melbourne showed intent, but Royals keeper Zara Board was resolute, crucially denying Olivia Bomford and Meisha Westland with a stunning late double-save to preserve the clean sheet.

The performance was fitting for such a significant occasion. The Royals honoured past players, coaches, and the broader community who have contributed to the club’s thirty-year history of women’s football. The celebration was capped off perfectly on the pitch.

The day was marked by the presentation of the inaugural Coveny-Curcija plate, a mark of respect to Vaughan Coveny and Michael Curcija, legends of both clubs, which the Royals took home.

The Royals now sit fifth, riding a wave of momentum as they prepare for a massive test next weekend against league leaders Heidelberg United. With confidence high after this result, Battiato’s side will back themselves to cause another upset.

Kick-off next weekend is set to be another blockbuster clash as the Royals look to continue their climb against top-quality opposition in the form of Heildelberg United.