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Jan 16, 2018   |  11:31AM AET

W-League preview: Wanderers v Victory

W-League preview: Wanderers v Victory

Melbourne Victory looks to build on its Derby win when it visits the Western Sydney Wanderers in the Westfield W-League on Friday.

Victory produced a fine comeback to overcome City 2-1 in the Round 11 clash at Epping Stadium.

A stunning goal from Melina Ayres and Christina Gibbons’ winner saw Victory to the Derby success.

Victory head coach Jeff Hopkins said his team, which faces the Wanderers at ANZ Stadium, had shown it could beat anyone.

“It is one win and I think we kind of emphasised that, let’s not carried away with it but it was a very, very good win against a very, very good side as well,” he said.

“Again, we’ve been talking about it over the last few weeks, we’ve been doing things well for 60, 70 minutes but we’ve got to make sure we’re consistent right the way through the game with our game plan and the execution.

“I think it got through to a few players on the weekend that when we do things right and we can compete, we can beat any team in this league and I think that proved to be right on the weekend.

“I still think City are a real benchmark football-wise in the league so if we can beat them, we can beat anyone.”

While Ayres and Gibbons were on the scoresheet, right-back Annabel Martin was another star performer for Victory.

Hopkins said the 19-year-old defender’s Derby display was her best of the season so far.

“Bel has had a tough season. The league is getting stronger and stronger, but I think the weekend was her best game of the season,” he said.

“She was up there among our best. She had a real determination to do well defensively.

“But the other thing was that she was very positive trying to get forward and trying to play the game in their half as well.

“I said to her that’s the best she’d played all season and let’s keep that going now until the end of the season and you never know where it will take her.”

Victory and the Wanderers played out a 1-1 draw when they met earlier this season.

Western Sydney is eighth on the table, a place and three points behind Victory.

Westfield W-League 2017/18 Round 12
Western Sydney Wanderers v Melbourne Victory
Friday, January 19, 5.20pm AEDT
ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Live on Fox Sports 501 and SBS Viceland