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07Jan24
Wellington Denied Point By Dreadful DOGSO Non-Decision
by Jeremy Ruane
Wellington Phoenix were denied a share of the spoils in their Liberty A-League clash with Brisbane Roar at Perry Park on January 7 by a dreadful refereeing decision, Caitlin Williams failing to award both a penalty and a red card after local defender Leah Scarpelli's goal-line save denied Isabel Cox an 87th minute equaliser.
Her non-decision instead confirmed a come-from-behind 2-1 victory for Brisbane, a result they deserved after Wellington failed to convert the numerous chances they created either side of opening the scoring in the twentieth minute.
Brisbane began the match in fine fettle, dominating the early stages of the contest, and going close to scoring just two minutes after play commenced. Kijah Stephenson sent Deborah-Anne De La Harpe hurtling through the inside right channel, from where she delivered a low angled cross to the near post. Mia Corbin, arriving on cue and on the shoulder of Rebecca Lake, stabbed her shot past said upright.
Wellington weathered the storm and started to impose their game plan on proceedings around the tenth minute. Michaela Foster, employed in the defensive central midfield role usually occupied by the injured Kate Taylor, spread play wide to Hailey Davidson, who brought Cox into play. Her teasing cross deceived Jordan Silkowitz, but no one in black was on hand to exploit the shortcomings of Brisbane's goalkeeper.
Delightful patient build-up play by Wellington soon followed, Lake, Zoe McMeeken, Hope Breslin, Foster and Annalie Longo all contributing to the move before Macey Fraser pulled the trigger.
Silkowitz was equal to her twenty-five yarder, while at the other end of the park, Rylee Foster was right behind a Hollie Palmer drive after De La Harpe and Stephenson combined once more, the latter nutmegging Fraser to set up Palmer's shooting opportunity on the quarter hour.
Cue a couple of rising drives from Wellington players, with both Longo and Fraser forcing Silkowitz to tip their efforts over the bar, the latter's opportunity materialising after another super move which featured Davidson, Longo, Cox and Mariana Speckmaier, who must surely wear the shortest shorts possible in the entire competition!!
On this occasion, Fraser's shot bore fruit via a corner. Michaela Foster's delivery arced into the goalmouth, where Cox stooped to conquer, heading home her first goal for the club from close range on the occasion of her first start in Wellington's colours - 1-0 after twenty minutes.
It's an advantage Wellington should have added to. Cox and Speckmaier combined to present Fraser with another shooting chance in the 27th minute, but Silkowitz saved both this and a shot from the Venezuelan soon after, before grabbing a twenty-five yarder from Longo on the half-hour.
Back came Brisbane, Sharn Freier breaking down the left before Palmer's curling effort was grabbed by Rylee Foster, who was guilty of a goalkeeping howler in the 34th minute which gifted Brisbane the equaliser.
Mackenzie Barry's pass-back to her goalkeeper was far from her greatest contribution to the game, but Foster's resulting clearance was decidedly worse, one made under pressure from Corbin. The custodian directed the ball straight to Tameka Yallop, and there was only ever going to be one outcome once the Matilda took possession - a twenty-five yard lob duly levelled the scores.
Wellington were all at sea thereafter, and could have gone to the dressing room at half-time trailing on the scoreboard, which would have been a travesty given their creativity prior to the equaliser.
But a storming run from halfway by Stephenson saw her power past three opponents before her twenty yarder was directed past the post, while right on half-time, De La Harpe and Ayesha Norrie worked a one-two on the right, the former racing to the by-line before seeing her low cross dealt to by Lake.
Wellington were still in the dressing room when the second half started, and paid the price after just 21 seconds. Yallop picked out De La Harpe, who scooted past Davidson before fizzing in a low cross which Stephenson, whose well-timed run allowed her to get goal-side of her marker, McMeeken, rammed home from close range - 2-1 to the home team.
The visitors responded to going behind through Fraser, who went for goal when Cox was far better placed to exploit the 52nd minute opportunity to level the scores. Silkowitz once again denied the midfielder, whose option-taking in this contest … the report card reads "could do better; has done
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previously"!
Brisbane came close to increasing their lead twice before the hour mark. Freier once again led Davidson a merry dance en route to the penalty area, where she more than met her match in the formidable figure of Barry - an exquisitely timed tackle stopped the winger in her tracks.
Palmer then denied another effort at Rylee Foster, who found herself beaten all ends up twenty minutes from time, only for the post to come to her rescue as Norrie's dipping twenty-five yarder gave the Wellington 'keeper plenty to contemplate.
In between times, the visitors had again threatened an equaliser, Speckmaier and Fraser working a one-two in the 65th minute before the striker invited Longo to unleash a rising drive which cleared the crossbar from twenty yards … how I wish players would concentrate on their technique in this situation, and on utilising tools which will help them to achieve same. Knee over the ball, target the "postage stamps". Goals will result, of that be in no doubt.
Freier again had the run of the left flank in the 71st minute, this time picking out Corbin. Her header was blocked by Rylee Foster, while Lake blocked Yallop's attempt to belt home the rebound before Stephenson fired a shot past the post.
Ten minutes from time, Norrie picked out Freier, who got past two opponents before setting up substitute Tamar Levin. Under pressure from Lake, her rising drive had the beating of Rylee Foster but not the crossbar - a bad miss from eight yards.
Still the home team pressed, Corbin holding off the challenge of new Wellington recruit Tiana Jaber, who forced the striker to the by-line. Corbin could have gone to ground and earned a soft penalty, but was focused on scoring, and still managed to get in a shot which Foster saved at her near post.
Wellington counter-attacked immediately, the fresh legs of Alyssa Whinham - an exquisite through ball - and Michaela Robertson combining. The diminutive dynamo found herself one-on-one with Silkowitz, and duly fired past her but past the far post as well - a great chance to equalise spurned seven minutes from time.
Four minutes later came the incident about which referee Williams and her colleagues should be deeply ashamed re their contributions towards it. Silkowitz failed to deal with a corner from Fraser, and Cox was on the spot to ram the ball goalwards.
Scarpelli instinctively stretched out her left arm to block the goalbound shot, prompting any number of penalty claims from Wellington players. But the officials froze, and allowed play to continue …
Unlike its male equivalent, the Liberty A-League has been spared the overall embarrassment to football which is the Video Assistant Referee, but in instances like this, the VAR would serve its intended purpose, and afford referee Williams the chance to right a glaringly obvious wrong.
The concept was introduced late in the 2016-17 season in what is now the Isuzu Ute A-League, in a fixture between Melbourne City and Adelaide United. In what is an extremely competitive league, in which the battle for the six play-off spots is intensity personified, it would be in the Liberty A-League's best interests for Football Australia to do the same nearly seven years on, i.e. introduce VAR mid-season.
If that means relocating fixtures to VAR-friendly venues, so be it - it needs to happen, and can't and shouldn't be used as an excuse. For if this non-decision ends up costing Wellington a play-offs place at the end of the season, or if this win earns Brisbane a play-offs place at another club's expense … you can see from this the implications of referee Williams' inaction, and, at the same time, the need for match officials to get their decisions right, every time.
In the time remaining, Wellington forced one other chance to level the scores, with Jaber and Robertson combining for Cox's benefit. Holly McQueen was on hand to clear the danger and confirm Brisbane's come-from-behind 2-1 victory over a Wellington team which, while they'll be seething at the injustice served them late in the contest, should have scored more than the solitary goal they amassed from the chances they created.
Brisbane: Silkowitz; McQueen, McCormick, Scarpelli; De La Harpe (Kirkup, 88), Stephenson (Levin, 79), Palmer, Norrie, Freier; Yallop, Corbin
Wellington: R. Foster; Davidson (Jaber, 67), Barry, Lake, McMeeken; Longo, M. Foster (Whinham, 78), Fraser; Cox, Speckmaier (Robertson, 78), Breslin (Brown, 78)
Referee: Caitlin Williams
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