Melbourne Victory moved into fourth on the Westfield W-League table after a 4-2 win over the Newcastle Jets on Sunday.
Summary
Victory took a 3-0 lead at half-time at Latrobe City Stadium in Morwell thanks to goals from Melina Ayres, Claudia Bunge and Kyra Cooney-Cross.
The Jets fought back as Tara Andrews and Rhianna Pollicina struck, but Ayres sealed Victory’s second straight win.
Victory created the first real chance of the game in the 10th minute.
Catherine Zimmerman forced a low save from Jets goalkeeper Nicole Simonsen after a one-two with Ayres.
Victory opened the scoring three minutes later through Ayres’ second goal of the season.
A clearance fell to Amy Jackson outside the area and the midfielder’s attempt found Ayres, who finished superbly into the corner from inside the box.
Zimmerman fired just wide a minute later as Victory made a strong start, before the forward also put a Cooney-Cross set-piece over the crossbar.
Bunge saw a header from an Angela Beard corner cleared off the line, but Victory would add to its lead before half-time.
New Zealand international Bunge headed in another Beard corner for her first Westfield W-League goal to make it 2-0.
A third quickly followed for Victory, Cooney-Cross finishing clinically after a pass from Zimmerman.
But the Jets pulled a goal back shortly after the interval as Andrews found the bottom corner with a fine finish.
Introduced at half-time, Lisa De Vanna went close in the 62nd minute, denied in a one-on-one by Simonsen after a pass from Ayres.
Newcastle pulled another goal back with 14 minutes remaining as Pollicina lobbed Victory goalkeeper Gaby Garton to make it 3-2.
But Ayres sealed Victory’s win with her second, cutting inside from the right before beating Simonsen.
Result
Westfield W-League 2020/21 Round 7
Melbourne Victory 4 (Melina Ayres 13’/81′, Claudia Bunge 41′, Kyra Cooney-Cross 42′)
Newcastle Jets 2 (Tara Andrews 48′, Rhianna Pollicina 76′)
Next up
Victory is currently scheduled to next face the Jets again with a trip to Newcastle on February 20.
