Brisbane Roar’s hopes of going top of the A-League Women table have been dashed after late goals from Emma Robers and Michelle Heyman propelled Canberra United to a 2-1 win on Saturday evening that was dramatic as it was late.
Taking the field at Perry Park looking to throw down a gauntlet to league leaders Melbourne City, the Roar couldn’t produce the same lethal edge that had seen them score 14 goals in their last two wins but still found a breakthrough in the 72nd minute via Laini Freier.
Set up by Tameka Yallop, it was the 23-year-old’s seventh goal in her last three games and moved her top of the Golden Boot race.
But Canberra fought back to stun the hosts, first with a long-range effort from Robers in the 81st minute and then a classic piece of route one football that saw a long clearance from keeper Sally James bounce through into the Roar penalty area for Heyman to fire home.
Earlier in the afternoon, Adelaide United vaulted into fourth on the table after Emily Hodgson’s first goal in eight years secured them a 1-0 win over the Central Coast Mariners in Woy Woy.
Making an unsighted run into the penalty area, the defender poked home a Chelsie Dawber cross to secure what would prove a winning margin just nine minutes in.
The Mariners should have equalised in the 74th minute when Peta Trimis picked out Annabel Martin inside the six-yard box only for her header to loop over the bar.
Another chance went begging in stoppage time when Jenkins pounced on a header that had bounced off Trimis before it could find the net.
The defeat not only saw the Mariners fall below Adelaide on the table but also Wellington, who moved into sixth after they defeated Perth 2-0 at Porirua Park.
Former Glory representative Grace Jale delivered a painful blow to her old side with a fine solo run and long-range shot to open the scoring 47 minutes in before English striker Olivia Fergusson headed past Dumont for her second goal in as many games in the 69th.
