Canberra United have made a statement to the rest of the W-League with a thumping 7-2 victory over Perth Glory at McKellar Park.

Four goals to Ashleigh Sykes plus contributions from Stephanie Ochs, Grace Maher and Hayley Raso ensured strikes from Perth’s Vanessa Di Bernardo and Sam Kerr counted for little in the end.

Similar to last week, Canberra immediately set out to dominate the game, moving the ball forward with pace and precision.

Unlike last week, however, the home side didn’t have to wait long for the pressure to tell as Sykes found the net after six minutes.

A pinpoint cross from Yukari Kinga found the Canberra skipper who made no mistake with a powerful header past Glory keeper Melissa Maizels.

Sykes would be a familiar face for the Perth shot stopper and she soon had her second just shy of the 20 minute mark after rounding Maizels and duly finishing.

Stephanie Ochs made it 3-0 shortly after, getting on the end of a through ball and once again forcing Maizels to pick the ball out from the back of the net.

Perhaps surprisingly, the flurry of goals didn’t kick Perth into action, the visitors’ intensity levels remaining down in the Canberra heat.

Matildas striker Kerr worked hard all afternoon but was smothered by a Canberra defence determined to let nothing through after conceding eight goals in the past two games.

Maher was the next green-clad goal scorer, lurking at the back post to get on the end of an accurate ball to end the contest.

Unwilling to be caught, Sykes sealed her hat-trick, albeit with assistance from Maizels.

The Glory keeper failed to capitalise on Sykes’ heavy touch and allowed the Matilda to toe poke to ball home to make it five.

The teams needn’t have bothered with the halftime break as Sykes had her fourth only a minute in, again beating Maizels, who was left stranded by her defence.

Raso had been in the mood all afternoon and was rewarded after her strong run and shot left Maizels clutching at air.

Perth looked a lot steadier in the second half and finally pulled one back as Kerr was held back in the box by Emma Checker.

Di Bernardo duly converted just short of the hour mark and the goal seemed to click Perth into action with Trudy Burke called into action on a number of occasions.

Kerr was rewarded for her efforts with ten minutes to go, her first shot being saved but the follow-up giving Burke no chance.

A potentially devastating result for Perth while Canberra have surely erased those demons from Sydney as they leapfrog the Glory into second spot.

Canberra United 7 (Sykes 6’, 19’, 45’, 46’, Ochs 25’, Maher 33’, Raso 49’)
Perth Glory 2 (Di Bernardo 57’ Pen, Kerr 79’)

Venue: McKellar Park
Crowd: 1153

Referee: Kate Jacewicz
Assistant Referees: Allyson Flynn and Delfina Dimoski
Fourth Official: Kelly Jones

Canberra United: 1. BURKE Trudy (GK), 2. KINGA Yukari, 5. MCCORMICK Jenna, 8. RASO Hayley, 9. SPENCER Jasmyne, 10. MAHER Grace, 12. BREWER Hannah, 13. BOUREILLE Celeste (18. HOGG Kahlia 71’), 14. SYKES Ashleigh (C) (32. DE VANNA Lisa 51’), 15. CHECKER Emma, 22. OCHS Stephanie (19. FLANNERY Nickoletta 61’)

Substitues: 19. FLANNERY Nickoletta, 20. BORIC Georgia (GK), 18. HOGG Kahlia, 32. DE VANNA Lisa

Perth Glory: 1. MAIZELS Melissa (GK), 2. CARROLL Sarah, 3. CARROLL Kim, 4. MAUTZ Alyssa, 7. STANTON Nicole, 8. BILLAM Shawn, 9. DEE SUTTON Rosie, 10. DI BERNARDO Vanessa, 17. RIGBY Natasha, 20. KERR Samantha (C), 22. ROMERO Arianna

Substitutes: 5. CHARALAMBOUS Patricia, 13. GIBBONS Jaymee, 14. DOEGLAS Caitlin, 18. DAL BUSCO (GK)