Brisbane Roar midfielder Ashley Spina is confident her team can carry the momentum from last weekend’s epic 3-2 win over Melbourne Victory into Sunday’s away match against Newcastle Jets.
Brisbane Roar midfielder Ashley Spina is confident her team can carry the momentum from last weekend-s epic 3-2 win over Melbourne Victory into Sunday-s away match against Newcastle Jets.
After Amy Chapman-s second goal of the contest put the Roar 2-1 up with two minutes of regular time left to play on Saturday, Melbourne shocked the hosts by scoring a 92nd minute equaliser.
But Brisbane took the drama to another level when, in the 95th minute, Spina-s curling effort from the edge of the area flew over the arms of Victory ‘keeper Cassie Dimovski to take the score to 3-2 with 10 seconds left to play.
“We can carry the confidence from last week into this week-s game,” the goal-scorer said.
“We want to get the three points, it-s tough to travel but we-re not happy to settle for a draw.
“It-s a short season and we want to win every week.”
The Roar will welcome back six key players, Laura Alleway, Tameka Butt, Emily Gielnik, Katrina Gorry, Clare Polkinghorne and Brooke Spence, for the match with the players returning from international duties with the Westfield Matildas on the weekend.
“With six of them missing, there was a hole in our squad and because we did well last week, it gives us an even bigger boost,” Spina said.
“It feels good to have the whole team together again.”
For the 20-year-old, last week-s goal marked an incredible recovery, coming almost a year to the day when she sustained a serious knee injury playing for the Roar.
The injury required Spina to have surgery and ruled her out of the rest of the Westfield W-League 2011/12 season – the match against Melbourne was her first 90 minute appearance since then.
“To be honest, I was just really excited we got the three points because it was a really important game,” she said.
“I was ecstatic to see it go in.
“I knew I really wanted to have a crack as soon as it fell to my feet, I was just thinking about getting that first touch and then having a shot.
“It was my first 90 minutes since my knee operation but I felt really good out there.”
Making it even more special was the fact her proud parents were in the crowd at Queensland Sports and Athletics Centre, having made the trip from North Queensland.
“They came down just for the game so it was pretty special,” Spina said.
“Last time they saw me play was when I injured my knee, exactly a year on.
“It was such a crazy coincidence.”
Newcastle Jets v Brisbane Roar
Sunday 2 December 2012
Wanderers Oval, Newcastle
Local kick-off: 2pm
Referee: Katie Patterson
Newcastle Jets squad: 1. Eliza CAMPBELL (gk), 2. Hannah BREWER, 3. Hayley CRAWFORD, 4.Gemma PEARCE, 5. Tori HUSTER, 6. Angela SALEM, 7. Gema SIMON, 8. Madeline SEARL, 9. Tara ANDREWS, 10. Emily VAN EGMOND, 11. Kate HENSMAN, 12. Tiffany BOSHERS, 13. Bronte Bates 14. Sammara SCHMITZER, 15. Alishia FOOTE, 16. Stacey DAY, 18. Michaela HATZIRODOS, 20. Alannah ROSEWOOD (gk) (* three to be omitted)
Ins: 8. Madeline Searl (returns from injury), 10. Emily van Egmond (returns from international duty)
Outs: None
Unavailable: None
Brisbane Roar squad: 1. Hoshimi KISHI (gk), 2. Laura ALLEWAY, 3. Amy CHAPMAN, 4. Clare POLKINGHORNE, 5. Brooke SPENCE, 6. Ashley SPINA, 7. Erika ELZE, 8. Elise KELLOND-KNIGHT, 9. Emma PITTMAN, 10. Lana HARCH, 11. Vedrana POPOVIC, 12. Rebecca PRICE, 13. Tameka BUTT, 14. Georgia CHAPMAN, 15. Hannah BEARD, 16. Sachiko TATSUOKA, 17. Emily GIELNIK, 18. Kate STEWART (gk), 19. Katrina GORRY, 20. Joanne BUCKLEY (gk) (*five to be omitted)
Ins: 2. Laura ALLEWAY, 4. Clare POLKINGHORNE, 5. Brooke SPENCE, 13. Tameka BUTT, 17. Emily GIELNIK, 19. Katrina GORRY (all return from international duty), 12. Rebecca PRICE (returns from injury)
Outs: 22. Lauren BROWN, 23. Chelsea HARPER, 24. Hayley SHEAHAN (all off contract)
Unavailable: None
