W-League Round 5 Wrap: Four proved the perfect minutes and scores, with the number—which has dominated scoresheets in recent weeks—cropping up again in round five wins.
With both Melbourne Victory and Brisbane Roar coming off the back of confidence-boosting wins, and although Amy Chapman missed the match with injury, Roar celebrated the return of Lauren Colthorpe to the squad. Melbourne and Matildas captain Melissa Barbieri, who's been out with an ankle injury, returned this week too, but even her skill between the posts wasn't enough to prevent Roar from putting four away.
Tameka Butt, who's proving to be one of the most prolific scorers with four goals in five games, beat two defenders and then the goalkeeper to score Roar's first in the 24th. Melbourne appealed the goal, arguing that the ball had hit Butt's arm as she'd brought it under control but the goal stood and Roar had found their goal-scoring rhythm.
Butt scored a second goal just two minutes later when she seized on a pass flicked on at the goal mouth and Roar bench could barely contain their pleasure and incredulity. A rare passing error at Roar's back gave Caitlin Friend an open-goal scoring chance, which she seized upon to peg back a goal for Melbourne.
Super sub Lisa de Vanna scored her third goal in three games in the 72nd to again edge Roar two ahead, then unselfishly set up Emily Gielnik, who'd subbed on just five minutes before, to score Roar's magic goal number four.
Four was also the score for Canberra United, who put away the golden number of goals against Adelaide United before the match had to be abandoned in the 68th minute due to torrential rain. Canberra didn't need the full 90 minutes, though, or even the full first 45, scoring all four goals in the first 21 minutes of play.
Season two golden boot winner Michelle Heyman set up Caitlin Munoz just six minutes in, who kept her successful shot low to nutmeg Adelaide goalkeeper Kristi Harvey. Heyman scored one herself in the 9th, and then again in the 16th to record a brace. Canberra found their fourth goal five minutes later after Munoz kept Ellyse Perry's slightly overshot corner kick alive and co-captain Ellie Brush headed the ball in at the far post.
Racheal Quigley had Adelaide's best chance of the game, but Canberra goalkeeper Lydia Williams managed to tip the shot up and over the goal. But with the poor weather cancelling out all precision and with the pitch starting to resemble a swimming pool, the game was abandoned and Adelaide finished the match without a chance to find a goal reply.
The fourth minute was the match-clincher on the west coast, when Perth Glory defender Jaymee Gibbons found the back of the net. Perth had the lion's share of possession and shots throughout the match, with 11 to Newcastle's three, but in a game where both teams struggled to find their rhythm, the early goal proved key.
A near miss by Newcastle's Melissa Feuerriegel, who spurned an open-goal opportunity, spurred Perth into action to find a second and match-sealing goal. Collette McCallum put up a pass to Kate Gill, whose header rebounded off the crossbar. Sam Kerr almost found the sought-after second goal, but was denied by desperate goalkeeping at the close. Kate Hensman almost levelled the scores in injury time but for Perth goalkeeper Tine Cederkvist smothering the ball to hold out for the win.
With ladder leaders Sydney on a bye, the results see a reshuffle and Roar Women leapfrog into first place, something Sydney will be looking to challenge when they take on Perth in round six.
