Rising Melbourne City star Holly McNamara grabbed a goal and an assist but it wasn’t enough as her side had to settle for a 2-2 A-League Women draw against Western United.
An 86th minute strike from Western’s Kahli Johnson pegged City back at City Vista Recreation Reserve but three-cap Australia international McNamara was the star of the show on Sunday.
Mark Torcaso’s Western side had taken the lead in the first half through last season’s golden boot winner Hannah Keane.
But McNamara grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck to get City level and then put them in front.
The 20-year-old forward raced in from the left flank and fired a speculative shot way beyond the reach of Alyssa Dall'Oste in the Western goal and into the back of the net in the 49th minute.
McNamara then turned provider by setting up Kiwi international Hannah Wilkinson through another cavalier run down the left.
At that point City looked to be heading for a perfect 3-0-0 start to the season but there was a late twist in the tail with Johnson striking late to secure a point for Western, who head to New Zealand to face Wellington next week.
City will take on the Western Sydney Wanderers, who blew a chance to pick up their first win of the season in a 1-1 draw with Newcastle in Sunday’s other game.
Experienced Wanderers defender Vicky Bruce looked set to be an unlikely hero when she popped up in the 79th minute.
But a screamer from the edge of the box courtesy of Newcastle’s Cass Davis, who was playing in a record 132nd appearance for the Jets, squared things up in the 93rd minute.
The Wanderers handed a senior debut to 14-year-old Ischia Brooking, who surpassed teammate Talia Younis in becoming the youngest player in the history of the ALW, late in the contest.
