Ladies Notch Up Double Century

The hat-trick boosted Central Coast Mariners to a solid, 6-0 win in stiflingly-hot Adelaide, while Roar Women's draw against Melbourne Victory in round seven continued their record unbeaten run. With just three points now separating the top three teams, the race for the Premiership is heating up.

Heatwave-ravaged Adelaide hosted second-placed Central Coast Mariners for the first match of the round, with the home team suffering from both the on- and off-pitch heat. Lead goalscorer Heyman's hat-trick saw the W-League surpass 200 goals and send her own goalscoring tally to eight (nearest rival is Sydney FC striker Sarah Walsh has four to her name).

Heyman almost scored a fourth goal except for some valiant defensive work while on the ground by goalkeeper Sian McLaren. Ashleigh Connor, Lydia Vandenbergh, and US import Kendall Fletcher slotted in the Central Coast's other three, with Fletcher's perfectly placed 30-metre free kick curling into the top left corner.

Last season's golden boot Leena Khamis scored the match-winner for Sydney against a 10-woman Newcastle Jets, with third-placed Sydney dominating seventh-placed Newcastle from the first whistle.

Sarah Walsh and Heather Garriock signalled Sydney's goalscoring intent early and continued to threaten all game, but it was Khamis who delivered the match's sole goal with a screamer in the 25th. Sydney would have gone 2-0 up except for a heroic (and one of many throughout the game) saves by goalkeeper Alison Logue.

Newcastle's woes were compounded when two first-half yellows sent captain Hayley Crawford from the field and Newcastle were forced to play one down for the remainder of the match in hot conditions. To their credit, though, they rallied and fought hard to keep the score at a commendable one-goal difference.

Further south but in conditions just as hot, Canberra United notched up their largest winning margin to date with a 4-0 over Perth Glory. Ashleigh Sykes set Canberra's attacking tone when she shot within seconds of the starting whistle but quick-thinking goalkeeper Emma Wirkus managed to save the shot with her legs.

Striker Lisa De Vanna almost gave Perth the lead when her on-target shot slipped through goalkeeper Lydia Williams' hands, but it was Sykes who found the back of the net to score her third goal in as many games and give Canberra a 1-0 lead at half time.

Co-captain Ellie Brush headed in Canberra's second immediately after the break, substitute Ellie Raymond gave Canberra their third, while an own goal courtesy of a wicked deflection off Jaymee Gibbons gave Canberra their fourth.

A 6pm kick off gave Roar Women and Melbourne slightly cooler on-pitch conditions. But Melbourne kept the heat on the home team for the full 90 minutes, snatching a dramatic draw just two minutes before full time.

Roar dominated possession but Melbourne contested every ball and goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri reminded us why she is the first-choice Matildas keeper with exceptional, reflexive saves. Neither team could break the defensive deadlock before half time, with captain Clare Polkinghorne, who has in recent weeks clearly been in the hunt for a goal, finally finding the back of the net with a header in the 49th.

Melbourne continued to press for an equaliser, though, with Brisbane-based Kara Mowbray, who trains with Roar but plays for Melbourne, tapping in the ball among a press of bodies in the goalmouth in the 88th to snatch the draw.

The shared spoils mean that the Roar remain undefeated for a record 17 matches, but sit just one point ahead of nearest rivals Central Coast. Sydney and Melbourne round out the top four respectively, with fifth-placed Canberra still within striking distance and, with just three rounds remaining, the race for the premiership is well and truly on.

Round eight sees third-placed Sydney host Perth, embattled Newcastle host the surging Canberra, Brisbane take on Adelaide, and Central Coast take on Melbourne, who will be aiming to ensure a top-four finish.

Westfield W-League 2009 Ladder

Westfield W-League 2009 - Leading Goal-Scorers

8 - Michelle HEYMAN

4 - Sarah WALSH

 3 - Ellen BEAUMONT, Courtney BEUTEL, Ellie BRUSH, Kendall FLETCHER, Leena KHAMIS, TSENG Shu O, Lydia VANDENBERGH

 2 -Trudy CAMILLERI, Renee CARTWRIGHT, Ashleigh CONNOR, Katrina GORRY, Lana HARCH, Collette MCCALLUM, Sasha McDONNELL, Cathrine PAASKE, Racheal QUIGLEY, Ashleigh SYKES, Marianna TABAIN

 1 - Tara ANDREWS, Enza BARILLA, Tenneille BOALER, Joanne BURGESS, Tameka BUTT, Catherine CANNULI, Michelle CARNEY, Alesha CLIFFORD, Hayley CRAWFORD, Kelly GOLEBIOWSKI, Elise KELLOND-KNIGHT,Selin KURULAY, Cian MACIEJEWSKI, Kara MOWBRAY, Deanna NICESKI, Clare POLKINGHORNE, Ellie RAYMOND, Alex SINGER, Leia SMITH, Julianne SITCH, Katie THORLAKSON