A great 5-1 win on Sunday for the Women’s Reserves, together with other results going our way, means that the girls climbed into second place at the end of the season.
Hosting Eltham Redbacks at Lakeside Stadium, the girls had a positive start in the first half, establishing a 2-1 lead thanks to Cleo Taliadoros scoring both goals.
After the break, it only took five minutes before the Lakeside scoreboard was ticking over yet again, when Giulia Mazzeo fired it low to beat the keeper. The game entered a more stable period of play with neither team able to capitalise. The theme was broken when Ciara Singleton launched a rocket from outside the area. The strike went low and curled around the outstretched arm of the Eltham keeper to roll into the bottom corner of the net.
Just a few minutes later the scoreboard was ticking over again. Hannah Delorenzis stormed into the area and sent the ball flying into the right hand upright. It rebounded straight to the feet of Taliadoros, who had no problem in putting the ball in the back of the net.
Time would count down with a few more chances on goal and the score not changing. A 5-1 result at Lakeside is a great way for our Women’s Reserves team to finish the 2016 season.
Around the grounds, top-placed Melbourne University defeated second-placed South Yarra 0-1. This meant the 5-1 win by our girls was sufficient to climb into second place, equal on points with South Yarra but with an eleven-goal better goal difference.
Speaking to smfc.com.au after the match, goal scorer Delorenzis said “we started off today really shakily, a little nervous and obviously not as prepared as we would have hoped. However after we scored our first goal and settled, we were excellent and our work rate was insane.”
Reflecting on the return to Lakeside, Delorenzis added that “it’s good to be back here and at home with some great support. Christina, Cleo and Emmie played well, in fact, everyone played well today.”
The dynamic duo of Taliadoros and Alexia Karatzikos played earlier in the day in the Under 16s. Happy with a hat-trick on the pitch, Taliadoros was just as happy off the pitch. “It was really tough, with warm conditions and we only had one sub. We stuck together as a team as we wanted to pull out a win today, especially being the last game and playing at Lakeside.”
Congratulations to our girls for an excellent 2016 season.