Sam Kerr’s 64th and 65th W-League goals underlined a solid performance by Perth Glory as they dispatched the Western Sydney Wanderers 5-1 at Marconi Stadium.
Kerr’s brace was accompanied with strikes from Alexia Moreno, Katie Naughton and Rachel Hill with Leena Khamis’ equaliser meaning little at the full-time whistle.
The result fires the Glory to the top of the Westfield W-League ladder, reigniting hopes of nabbing the Westfield W-League 2018/19 Premiers Plate.
Starting her first W-League match, 17-year-old Moreno delivered the opening goal inside 10 minutes with a thumping finish off the right post after she was teed up in the box by Kerr.
With the Glory’s engine room churning out through-balls for Kerr and Hill to chase on the flanks, the visitors made Marconi their home in the first 25 minutes.
The attacking pair scuppered multiple opportunities one-on-one with keeper Simonsen as Western Sydney flailed, and when referee Katie Patterson pointed to the spot after Talitha Kramer knocked down Hill, it looked as if the Wanderers’ woes would worsen.
Nicole Simonsen had other ideas, diving right to parry away Kerr’s powerful driven attempt.
Four minutes later the Wanderers had their equaliser, Khamis standing tallest to send a powerful header into Eliza Campbell’s net.
Elizabeth Addo continued her role as Western Sydney’s livewire, sending an acrobatic effort high and wide before putting Kim Carroll in a spell with a slaloming run, forcing a fine save from Campbell.
However the Glory would have their lead back before the break, Katie Naughton capitalising on a lethargic Wanderers defence to bundle home from a goalmouth scramble.
Tempers flared in the second half when a heavy challenge on a through-on-goal Kerr yielded no call from the referee. Replays suggested Uzunlar had wrestled down the Westfield Matildas star illegally, and the Wanderers nearly took full advantage when Khamis sizzled a shot just wide of the top-right corner from 20 yards.
End-to-end play from the two sides ensued, but an historic Westfield W-League moment on the 70th minute eased the visiting side’s nerves.
Rachel Hill was present yet again to put the ball on a platter for Kerr, her 11th goal of the season surpassing Michelle Heyman for the all-time W-League record for goals scored.
From there the floodgates opened. Kerr doubled her tally on the night, heading a pinpoint Alyssa Mautz cross home unmarked to seal the result.
Her partner-in-crime finally got her deserved goal shortly afterward. Two spectacular saves from Simonsen could not prevent Hill firing home on her third attempt, the keeper’s cause not helped by a Wanderers defence at sea.
