By Peter Stephenson
On Friday night, Esther Park was chilly and drizzly as Barkerettes (third) took on Swinburne (eighth).
This was an auspicious occasion, as Amy D’Ortenzio became just the second Barkerette to play 200 games.
It was noticeable that Swinburne were lacking their main threat, Helen Paton, but these two sides seemed well-matched on paper.
However, any notion of a close game was dissolved immediately. Straight from kick-off, D’Ortenzio put the ball through for Lisa Walsh, who hit an accurate shot that crept beyond Charmaine Harris and inside the far post – with only 23 seconds on the clock it was 1-0 Barkers. Barely a minute later, D’Ortenzio lobbed the uncertain Harris to make it 2-0 after 96 seconds in a lightning start.
Swinburne then attacked on three minutes – a dangerous cross from the right saw Ashleigh Fraraccio save with her foot.
After that, though, it was one-way traffic in Barkers’ favour.
Kirsten Murray rifled a free-kick towards goal, which was spilled by Harris, but she saved the rebound from point-blank range. Then on 11 minutes, Hannah Lee put the ball through for Walsh. She seemed to overhit the ball intended for D’Ortenzio, but the supreme predator not only beat the defender to the ball, but slipped the ball past the keeper from an acute angle to make it 3-0.
Six minutes later came the best goal of the lot. Walsh nutmegged her opponent before finding Gracie Touliatos in space. The youngster needed no invitation to execute a beautiful shot which arced perfectly into the corner of the net to make it 4-0 with less than 20 minutes gone.
Ten minutes before the break, D’Ortenzio again shot wide from an acute angle, before a sweeping move from right to left found Touliatos, who hit a long shot narrowly wide. Half-time: Mooroolbark 4-0 Swinburne with Barkerettes totally dominating.
Swinburne came out for the second half looking more purposeful and, importantly for them, more determined to protect their inexperienced keeper. Just before the hour, a brilliant long ball from captain Kaity Farrance was sent down the left wing for Anjali Lobo to chase. The cross, when it finally came, was cleared out to Touliatos, who shot wide. Then on 65 minutes Barkers’ hearts were in their mouths as defender Jordyn Clausen took a ball seemingly full in the face and was prostrate for a while. Thankfully, she recovered to continue.
Finally, with two minutes left, Wash played a ball through the centre for D’Ortenzio to chase, and she rounded off her milestone game with her third goal to make the final score a convincing 5-0.
This victory set a new Barkerettes record of 10 home wins in a row, and was just the tonic they needed after the mauling at Banyule, but they cannot afford any slip-ups if they are to catch Clifton Hill. Next is a Sunday away day at bottom side Yarra Jets.
