Woonona Sharks continued their title pursuit, smashing Albion Park White Eagles 8-2 on Sunday afternoon at Ocean Park.
A brace to Jessica Beale and one for Tess Stephens had Woonona three goals up within half an hour. Brittany Ring pulled a goal back not long after for Albion Park.
The Sharks kept up their scoring ways in the second period as Beale secured her hat-trick, with Stephens scoring her second as well.
Woonona substitutes Phoebe Green and Dharmini Chauhan also got in on the act before Sophie Zirogiannis netted a consolation late on for the away side.
The hosts could not have dreamed of a better start, flying into the lead within two minutes.
An Albion Park goal kick fell to Beale, who got the ball out of her feet and took on a swerving long shot that dipped into the top left corner.
Beale lined up her second three minutes later when she fired a shot from the left edge of the box, but White Eagles goalkeeper Megan Blanch saved well.
The hosts maintained their pressure and went close again 14 minutes in. Stephens drove in from the left and hit a shot that Blanch caught.
Woonona’s second goal came two minutes later when Stephens latched onto a ball in behind the left channel. Racing in one-on-one with Blanch, Stephens slotted a composed finish into the goal.
Albion Park were dealt another blow straight after the goal as goalkeeper Blanch went off with an injury. Emilia Mason came on to replace her.
The Sharks probed once more 25 minutes as a ball in the box bobbled around before Beale lashed a strike that provoked a top save from Mason.
However, five minutes later, Beale finally made it a brace. She broke through the middle of the pitch and steered a finish into the bottom left corner.
The White Eagles pulled a goal back 33 minutes in when Brittany Ring got on the end of a ball aimed towards the right of the box and placed a shot inside the right post.
Albion Park’s goal settled the intensity of the match, but Woonona remained a threat.
Two minutes before halftime, Kelsey Clements rattled the crossbar with a header from a corner for the home side.
Woonona’s blistering first-half performance saw them go into the sheds with a commanding 4-1 lead over their opponents.
The home side carried on their assault on Albion Park’s goal two minutes after halftime.
Stephen sprinted down the left and entered the box, striking goalwards, but Mason pulled off a save.
Beale secured her hat-trick seven minutes later, picking out the bottom left corner from the side of the box.
The home side streamed forward again moments later, with Laura Green getting in behind down the right, with Mason called into action with another solid stop.
In the 57th minute, Woonona found the net once more. The side exploited space behind the White Eagles backline to find Stephens, who made no mistake from close range.
The side scored another 66 minutes when Stephen’s right-sided cross took a looping deflection off Albion Park defender Meg Jones’ head and nestled in the goal.
Albion Park nearly had their second three minutes later as Dajana Popovic opened up the Sharks’ defence through the middle of the pitch. She poked a shot from the edge of the box narrowly wide of the right post.
The Sharks’ scored their seventh in the 72nd minute. Phoebe Green drilled in a right-sided cross that made its way into the goal.
Woonona had more joy seven minutes later when Bailey got a cross in from the right that came through to Dharmini Chauhan, who bundled the ball in.
The White Eagles pulled another goal back with four minutes to play as Zirogiannis picked off a Woonona pass at the back and directed a shot into the right of the goal.
Woonona’s comprehensive win puts them in a strong position to take out the Women’s Premier League title next weekend against Bulli.
Albion Park will seek to get their form back on track against second-placed Shellharbour next time ahead of the finals series.
Report by Tim Gibson
File Photo
