Adelaide United have moved up into second spot on the Ninja A-League table after extending their club-record unbeaten run to nine games in a 1-1 draw with Canberra United on Saturday afternoon.
The Reds dominated the first half but trailed at the break after Darcey Malone’s opening goal against the run of play on the stroke of half-time. But the injection of Fiona Worts off the bench in the second half made a difference for Adelaide, as the star striker set up Chelsie Dawber for the equalising goal.
Dawber’s seventh goal of the season, and sixth in her last six games, ensured Adelaide kept their unbeaten run alive and sent the Reds up to second on the Ninja A-League table – one point above Melbourne Victory who play Central Coast Mariners on Sunday afternoon.
Adelaide quickly got on top at Coopers Stadium and threatened through a series of corners, with the best of the home side’s early chances coming through Zoe Tolland whose header flashed just wide of the top-left corner.
American import Erin Healy came into Round 16 in exceptional form and continued to prove a handful for rival defenders as she attacked the right side of Canberra’s defence.
Then came a chaotic sequence in Canberra’s box in which Matilda McNamara, Lucia Leon and Healy all had opportunities on goal thwarted by desperate Canberra defenders putting their bodies on the line to block.
Healy continued to pursue her third goal in two games and opened up space to shoot after a driving run through midfield and into the box but a committed challenge from Holly Murray ensured the visitors could clear the danger.
The Reds continued to have the best of the first-half chances and the best of the lot fell to Leon who skied her unchallenged shot high over the bar from a dangerous position in the box.
Despite Adelaide’s dominance, Canberra keeper Sally James wasn’t particularly busy throughout the first half but was called into action when an over-hit Tolland cross threatened to find the top-left corner. James tracked backwards to make a diving save and keep her sheet clean.
But for all Adelaide’s dominance and attacking pressure, the first half ended with Canberra on top as Malone capitalised on an error from Reds keeper Claudia Jenkins to give the visitors an unlikely lead.
Chasing an equaliser in the second half, Adelaide head coach Adrian Stenta brought star striker Fiona Worts off the bench and her combination with in-form teammate Dawber led to the equalising goal.
Played down the right wing by Healy, Worts gathered possession on the turn to pick out Dawber on the edge of the box who found the back of the net with a first-time finish. Dawber’s seventh goal of the season brought her level with Worts on the Golden Boot leaderboard, and just one goal shy of Kahli Johnson who leads the league on eight.
As Adelaide pushed aggressively to take the lead at Coopers Stadium, Canberra remained a threat down the other end and with less than 10 minutes to play, should have retaken the lead – but the Reds had other ideas.
A dangerous cross off the left wing fell invitingly for Aideen Keane whose close-range effort was smothered by Jenkins. The Reds keeper got up quickly to make another brilliant save to stop Bethany Gordon from finding the back of the net and the loose ball fell to Sofia Christopherson who did manage to beat Jenkins but Ella Tonkin got back on the line to make a last-gasp block.
