Led by hat-tricks from Laura Davis and Kate Bonertz-Benn, the Kingborough Lions saw off a brief challenge to record an emphatic 8-2 win over University at Olinda Grove on Sunday.
Uni recovered from an early three-goal deficit, scoring twice just before half time to keep the contest alive. That resurgence was short-lived, though, as the Lions pulled away after the break to remove any doubt about the result. Davis and Bonertz-Benn were the stars, and a goal-of-the-year contender from Isabelle de Smit was the icing on the cake for Simon Edwards' side as they put some distance between themselves and the foot of the WSL table.
There were no signs of the goal-fest that was to come in the opening exchanges, as both sides defended resolutely while settling into the contest. A pair of Kingborough corners provided the only real action, but that changed very quickly almost 20 minutes in as Davis scored twice in two minutes. The first was a trademark display of strength and pace as she chased down a long ball and finished, and the second came when she pounced on a fumble from University goalkeeper Rhiannon Steele and tapped it home into an open net. When Bonertz-Benn snagged her first with a header on the half-hour mark, it looked like the scoreline might get very ugly, very quickly.
The hosts did create some chances of their own, though, as they attacked on the counter and looked to find Lillian Shegog in the final third. She rewarded those efforts with less than ten minutes to play in the half, with a rocket of a shot from the right of the penalty area beating Olivia Gardner at the near post. If that goal kept the door unlocked for the hosts, then they blew it wide open just five minutes from half time when Michelle Tadros crossed set up a close-range finish that Sophie Young gladly took. Going into the break suddenly just one goal behind and with all the momentum, Uni suddenly seemed just as likely to finish the game stronger.
Alas, that wasn't to be the case as Kingborough regained their three-goal buffer less than ten minutes after the restart. Davis completed her hat-trick after rounding the 'keeper and finishing into an open goal, and minutes later Kate Bonertz-Benn had her second with a brilliant long-range effort that drifted over the head of Steele and in.
That seemed to deflate the University players, as the Lions ran riot for most of the second half and created the bulk of the scoring chances. They continued to press deep into their forward third, with Uni often left scrambling to clear the ball under pressure. That paid off for the Lions and earned Kate Bonertz-Benn a hat-trick of her own, as a forced turnover gave her an easy finish and made it 6-2 with 20 minutes left on the clock.
The hosts did manage to move forward on occasion, with a promising stretch seeing Shegog, Young and Nadia Dandolo all with space to shoot but missing the target. Just as quickly as that promise appeared, though, it was snuffed out by the brilliance of de Smit as she added Kingborough's seventh. From almost as close to the halfway line as to the penalty spot, the Lions defender lined up a shot that whistled across the goal and into the far top corner. That was the pick of the day's goals but there was still time for one more, as a Dadswell cross in the dying minutes set up Holly Bonertz-Benn for a simple finish at close range.
To add insult to injury for University, a stoppage-time incident saw Shegog shown a straight red card that will likely see her suspended for at least one game. It was unclear what exactly happened, but the central referee showed no hesitation in making the decision.
With a much-needed win in the books, the Lions will now look ahead to a big clash with South Hobart next week. For University, things won't get any easier as they will host the surging Olympia Warriors.