SOCCER CHELSEA’S ace predator James Stinson grabbed his second five-goal haul of the league season as his side hammered Sandown Lions 6-0 at Ross Reserve on Saturday. The former Sunderland youth striker is in his second year at Edithvale Recreation Reserve and has turned this season’s State 4 South Golden Boot award into a one-horse race. Stinson played for English Universities in the 2017 Home Nations tournament in Scotland and arrived in Melbourne in September 2022 only to be sidelined through injury in 2023. In 2024 he joined Chelsea and was scoring for fun during pre-season. Nothing changed when the…
Author: Craig MacKenzie
SOCCER FOUR games from glory – that’s what most local State League clubs are facing in the run-in to the 2025 season finale. Mornington, Peninsula Strikers and Skye United are eyeing promotion while Rosebud, Somerville Eagles, Baxter, Mount Eliza and Seaford United are desperately trying to hold on to their current league status. The off-season restructure of the State Leagues is massive. It entails creating State 6 and State 7 leagues broken into South-East and North-West divisions to finally bring regional consistency throughout the State Leagues set-up. In State 1 South-East the champion earns promotion to VPL2 while the runner-up…
Soccer ALEX Van Heerwarden’s transfer deadline-day return to Skye United played a crucial role in Friday night’s 2-1 win over near neighbours Peninsula Strikers. There was much to play for as both sides are locked in a fierce promotion tussle with St Kilda and Casey Comets. The in-form Strikers dominated the first half against Skye, whose keeper Steve Hadjikakou had a blinder, making superb saves to deny Campbell Steedman and Wayne Gordon. Strikers broke the deadlock in the 24th minute when Steedman pulled the ball back for Cooper Andrews, who side-footed home. Later in the half, Skye nearly equalised against…
LANGWARRIN’S come-from-behind 2-1 win over Eastern Lions at Gardiner’s Creek Reserve on Saturday has secured its status as a VPL1 club for next season. The recent turnaround in the club’s fortunes has been remarkable and a change to its playing style may be the key. “Safety from relegation seemed a long way off when we fell to the bottom of the table eight weeks ago after the 5-0 loss at George Cross,” head coach Jamie Skelly said. “But six wins, a draw and a loss over the past eight weeks has turned our season around and we now look to…
Soccer PENINSULA Strikers are on course for State 1 status if Scott Morrison’s second-placed side can maintain the momentum gathered in recent weeks. Strikers made it five on the trot with a clinical 3-1 away win over Bentleigh United Cobras last weekend. The win was helped by a first-half red card for Cobras captain Daniel Moirana who received two cautions in four minutes. His first came in the 30th minute after he left the pitch for treatment but re-entered without permission. His second came as Strikers’ keeper Faraz Zenoozi had the ball in both hands preparing to launch it downfield…