Hayley Raso starred as Brisbane Roar ran riot with four goals in 20 second-half minutes to hammer Western Sydney Wanderers 4-0 on the road.
Allira Toby hit a double either side of Raso’s third goal of the season and teenage substitute Leah Davidson netted her first Westfield W-League goal as the Queenslanders halted the Red and Black’s club record six-match unbeaten run in spectacular style.
Returning from their bye week, Western Sydney struggled to cope with Jake Goodship’s side’s high press in the first half at Marconi Stadium, as Raso and Clare Polkinghorne were both denied at close range by in-form Wanderers keeper Abby Smith in a goalless first half.
Dean Heffernan’s charges came out swinging after the break but Brisbane responded with a barrage of blows, scoring four goals in quick succession, and Raso could have grabbed four or five to herself were it not goalkeeper Smith’s superb reflexes and some wayward finishing.
Western Sydney were missing star forward Lynn Williams, who was away with the United States national team, although two-goal hero Toby took her chance while standing in for the absent Tameka Yallop, while Mackenzie Arnold pulled off a string of saves to shut out the competition’s top scorers and record the Roar’s biggest ever win against Wanderers.
Elise Kellond-Knight got through 61 minutes on her second start after returning from injury as Brisbane made it eight-matches undefeated against Western Sydney to climb into the top four. Roar are three points behind second-placed Wanderers, who are six points off Melbourne City at the top.
