Pirates claim cup with monster goal

A 30-METRE stunner from super substitute Adelyn Ayton in stoppage time sealed the women’s Statewide Cup for the Taroona Pirates with a 3-1 win over the Kingborough Lions.

In a fabulous advent for women’s football and befitting a Cup final, a physical Taroona imposed themselves on the contest early to jump to a 2-0 halftime advantage.

But the Pirates were made to sweat as the young Lions roared home in the final 20 minutes before Ayton’s brilliance iced the cake against the run of play.

The match started at a breakneck speed and Taroona got the dream start they were after when Zoe Horgan comfortably struck true from the penalty spot just three minutes in.

Kingborough thought they had found an equaliser in the 18th minute when the lively Emile Tatton crossed for teammate Laura Davis to knock home, only to have it brought back for an earlier free kick.

Taroona doubled its lead when Horgan turned provider in 33rd minute and Hulton somewhat fortuitously knocked home off her thigh from close range.

Horgan whipped in an enticing corner that was flicked on at the near post by the Lions defender and deceived goalkeeper Olivia Gardner and Hulton reacted first to put Taroona 2-0 up.

Taroona opened the second half by striking the woodwork before the Lions pegged a goal back when Davis slammed home a one-on-one opportunity in the 63rd minute.

The goal gave the young Lions the impetus to continue bombing forward on the counter-attack with Davis and Samantha Watkins threatening.

The match had everything in the final stanza as player of the final Hulton twice crashed shots against the woodwork either side of Tatton nodding centimetres wide of the near post from an inswinging Lions corner.

The Cup was sealed with Ayton’s brilliance, as she crashed home a screamer of the highest calibre in stoppage time to end the Lions giant killing cup run at the final hurdle and send Taroona supporters into raptures.