Author: Craig MacKenzie

SOCCER CHELSEA scoring machine James Stinson put Greater Dandenong to the sword at WJ Turner Reserve on Saturday with a stunning seven-goal display. The former Sunderland youth striker is in his third year at Edithvale Recreation Reserve and is on course for back-to-back league Golden Boot honours. The last thing that cellar dweller Greater Dandenong needed was to go down to 10 men early in the contest and that’s what happened when Ezatullah Mohammadi was shown a straight red after a clash with Paddy Briggs in the 12th minute. A minute later Stinson put Chelsea 1-0 up and by half-time…

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SOCCER A REFRESHED Peninsula Strikers line-up recorded its second win of the State 2 season when downing Noble Park United 4-2 at Centenary Park on Saturday in a dominant display. Strikers’ boss Ross Walliss brought Hayden Schreck, Sam Delaney and recent signing Max Civil into the starting line-up. Civil, ex-Mornington, and former Chilean pro Angel Orellana were both announced by Strikers as new signings late last week. From the outset on Saturday Matt Harrington controlled the midfield for Strikers while Delaney capped off his energetic outing with a well-earned man-of-the-match performance. Strikers struck early when Oscar Colgate-Jones whipped a dangerous…

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CER MORNINGTON has signed former Wellington Phoenix youngster Lachlan Candy. The 20-year-old made his A-League debut in 2024 and has played four youth internationals for the All Whites. The attacking midfielder was playing with NPL heavyweight Oakleigh Cannons when the chance to switch to Dallas Brooks Park emerged. Cannons boss Chris Taylor wanted the youngster to have more senior game time and pointed him in Mornington’s direction. Former Seagulls player and current senior assistant Marinos Panayi watched the youngster train and play and recommended him to head coach Adam Jamieson. “He’s the best 20-year-old I’ve ever seen,” Panayi said. “And…

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SOCCER SKYE United emerged from Saturday’s chaotic contest with Hampton East Brighton with a precious point after a six-goal thriller at Dendy Park. Both teams were searching for their first win of the season and the hosts were well on their way to breaking that duck when taking a 2-0 lead in the first half. HEB struck its first blow in the 33rd minute when Jay Leader headed home from a corner and 10 minutes later Joshua Frame flicked on his header from a free-kick to make it 2-0. Skye hit back on the stroke of half-time when Jason Nowakowski’s…

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Soccer SOMERVILLE Eagles have Tom Simmons to thank for their 4-3 away win over East Bentleigh on Saturday. He opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a moment of real quality latching onto a through ball and lobbing East Bentleigh keeper Adam Stone in style. Two minutes into the second half Sebastian Davies levelled but in the 53rd minute Troy Dekker regained the lead directly from a corner. Simmons made it 3-1 four minutes later with a crisp left-foot strike from the edge of the area. He completed his hat-trick in the 66th minute from the penalty spot but…

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