Michelle Heyman is edging closer to securing her 100th A-League Women's goal, after scoring all three of Canberra United's goals to extend her record to 82 in their final game of the season.
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The twice postponed fixture ended in a 3-3 draw against Brisbane Roar, taking United's number of draws out to seven for the 2021-22 season.
It was deja vu for fans on both sides on Friday night, as Roar held a 2-0 lead in the 66th minute before United clawed their way back once again and levelled the score. The only difference from the two teams last meeting back in December was Canberra managed to take the lead 2-3 and Brisbane were forced to respond to level the game again.
United were without US import Chelsee Washington, who had to jet back to Orlando Pride as part of her loan agreement, in the midfield. Head coach Vicki Linton said she was pleased with Margot Robinne stepping into the number 10 role in Washington's absence.
And sung praise for her skipper getting a hat trick to round out the season.
"We're the 3-3 all specialists," Linton laughed.
"We had a really good second half, that's what we talked about. So good to see a reaction from half time and good implementation, we kept fighting and pushing, we created the opportunities, dominated.
"It was great seeing Michelle get three. That's really special. Given she's done so much work ... often without reward on the scoresheet it was important. So for her to get three to finish the season, is just awesome personally, and obviously it was really important for us as a team."
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The striker almost made it two shortly after with a similar run before half time. Former Canberra defender Jessie Rasschaert slotted a ball through for Crummer and she hammered it across the goal, narrowly missing the bottom corner to leave it 1-0 at the first whistle.
Gorry played her part again in setting up her side's second, playing a square ball to Roar captain Ayesha Norrie outside the box. The midfielder took a few forward touches and fired in off her left boot into the top corner, beating an outstretched Lincoln and doubling the home side's lead to 2-0.
Allira Toby and Heyman made short work of Canberra's response minutes later, with a through ball from Toby finding the A-League Women's top goal scorer. She held off her former teammate Rasschaert and slotted it past the goalkeeper to bring the deficit to one, 2-1.
A long ranged effort from Grace Maher moments later nearly made things level, forcing Brisbane's Isabella Shuttleworth to push it into the cross bar. An ambitious second phase effort from the rebound by United's Robinne, a bicycle attempt, ended their chances.
Minutes later Heyman made no mistake and levelled the score for Canberra. A turnover by the Roar's defence at halfway through Heyman's tackle allowed Robinne to pick up the ball and play in the veteran striker to go one-on-one with Shuttleworth and make it 2-2.
The winner came from a freekick earnt by substitute Holly Caspers. Maher sent it into the mix to gift United their first lead of the night, finding Heyman's head to make it 2-3 for the visitors. Marking the captain's 82nd ALW goal.
Linton made the decision to give Belconnen United goalkeeper Cristina Esposito her debut in the 90th minute for Canberra. Before poor defence from the visitors allowed Roar's Meaghan McElligott to be played in and level the scores for the second time at James Drysdale Reserve.
It levelled the scores 3-3 in more ways than one for Roar, as last time it was United's extra-time winner that gave the two teams a draw by the same margin.
Minutes later handball calls from Canberra in the box were waved away in extra time by the referee, ending United's hopes of reclaiming the lead.
Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
