A tough battle for the last finals spot | (Credit: Paul Kane) A tough battle for the last finals spot | (Credit: Paul Kane)

Perth Glory and Melbourne Victory played out an entertaining 1-1 draw at 6PR Stadium in Inglewood in the penultimate game of the W-League regular season.

Both sides went into the game hoping to secure a finals berth but the result leaves everything still in the balance going into the final round of games next week.

It was a warm evening in Perth and the home side were hot out of the blocks with Collette McCallum hitting the outside of the post from a free kick after Kate Gill had been fouled at the corner of the penalty area.

Samantha Kerr, sister of AFL star Daniel, was lively up front for the hosts and fired in a low drag that forced Melissa Barbieri into a save. Both Barbieri and her opposite number Tine Cederkvist displayed excellent handling throughout the game and commanded their respective penalty areas.

Victory’s first chance of note came when Ashley Brown broke down the right wing and pulled a cross back from the byline to the penalty spot. Striker Jodie Taylor snatched at her shot though and it was blocked and cleared.

The hosts thought they had broken the deadlock on 35 minutes when Gill pounced on an awful goal kick by Barbieri before playing in Kerr but her low effort came back off the inside of the post and into the arms of a grateful goalkeeper.

Glory’s persistence finally paid off five minutes before the interval when a great ball over the top released Ella D’Ovido and she calmly lobbed the ball over the onrushing Barbieri. Gill almost doubled the lead in injury time but her fierce drive flew just wide of the left hand post.

Victory came out for the second half fired up and were level within a minute of the restart. More great work from Brown resulted in a dangerous ball into the penalty area and when the Glory defence failed to clear, Stephanie Catley pounced to finish into the top left corner.

Despite conceding, the home side didn’t let their heads drop and created a number of chances to restore their lead. Kerr blazed over from inside the area after good work from McCallum before Gill headed over when she could have done better. D’Ovido was then denied her second of the game when her twenty yard drive was spectacularly tipped over the bar by Barbieri.

In the final ten minutes, the home supporters were incensed when McCallum went down in the area under a heavy challenge but play was waved on. Glory had one last chance to win the game through Gill but her header from McCallum’s inswinging cross was inches wide.

With the spoils shared, Glory remain a point ahead of Victory in fourth spot on the ladder. However, Melbourne are expected to comfortably beat Adelaide United next week, meaning Perth will need to defeat Canberra to seal their playoff spot.

Neil Sherwin writes is the Co-editor of BackPageFootball and a contributor for InBedWithMaradona and The Football Sack . You can also follow Neil on Twitter @neilshewin

Perth Glory 1 (Elisa D’OVIDIO 39’)

Melbourne Victory 1 (Stephanie CATLEY 47’)

Sunday, 23 January 2011

6PR Stadium, Perth

Referee: Kirralee Gardener

Assistant referees: Matthew Southern & Stuart Muldoon

Fourth official: Tim Mihevc

Perth Glory: 1. Tine CEDERKVIST (gk), 3. Carys HAWKINS, 4. Samantha KERR, 5. Shannon MAY (9. Monnique KOFOED 90’), 6. Alexandra SINGER, 7. Alexandra NILSSON, 8. Tanya OXTOBY (c), 12. Kate GILL, 13. Elisa D’OVIDIO (2. Stacey LEARMONT 90’), 14. Collette McCALLUM, 15. Jaymee GIBBONS (17. Marianna TABAIN 74’)

Substitutes not used: 20. Kathleen WAYCOTT (gk)

Yellow cards: Elisa D’OVIDIO 89’

Red cards: Nil

Melbourne Victory: 1. Melissa BARBIERI (GK), 3. Marlies OOSTDAM, 5. Louisa BISBY, 6. Maika RUYTER-HOOLEY, 8. Ella MASTRANTONIO, 9. Stephanie CATLEY, 10. Jodie TAYLOR (17. Caitlin FRIEND 78’), 11. Kendall FLETCHER, 12. Amy JACKSON, 13. Ashley BROWN (19. Enza BARILLA 84’), 18. Ursula HUGHSON

Substitutes not used: 7. Snez VELJANOVSKA, 20. Brianna DAVEY (GK)

Yellow cards: Nil

Red cards: Nil