SOCCER
ALEX Van Heerwarden’s wonder goal for Skye United and a controversial end to Peninsula Strikers’ round 10 contest were highlights of last weekend’s local fixtures.
Frankston Pines, Mornington and Chelsea all faced setbacks to their promotion push while Rosebud won its second game of the season.
Skye won 2-0 away to Brandon Park on Saturday in their State 2 clash and spectators lucky enough to be there were treated to the big Al show in the 12th minute.
The former Langwarrin captain and central defender burst forward after defending a Brandon Park corner and was put through by a lob over the top from Skye midfielder Jack Gallagher.
Van Heerwarden beat an opponent to the ball heading it into the ground as he did then from an angle almost 30 metres from goal unleashed a half-volley that sailed into the top far corner.
“I’ll never hit a ball that sweet again in my life,” Van Heerwarden said.
Skye coach Phil McGuinness was forced to shuffle the side at half time as striker Mitch Blake was withdrawn just before the break and taken to hospital after being involved in a nasty head clash.
Van Heerwaarden was also substituted as he was unable to continue after a separate incident.
The second half was much of the same as Skye worked on the counter while keeping the home side at bay.
Brandon Park’s Sargis Geghamyan was sent off in the 88th minute after dragging down Gallagher as he was through on goal and substitute Ryan Mravljak put the game to bed after he pounced on a loose ball and finished well into the bottom corner in the 90th minute.
State 2 leader Peninsula Strikers left it late to overcome Heatherton United 2-1 in a spiteful encounter at the Bosnia and Herzegovina Centre on Saturday night.
Wumjock Jock had given Heatherton a 1-0 half-time lead but Riley Anderton equalised in the 66th minute from the rebound following a Cooper Andrews shot that Heatherton keeper Senad Ahmetovic could only parry.
Things started to unravel when Heatherton’s Ibrahim Unal was sent off in the 74th minute and when Heatherton captain Ali Sanad was also given his marching orders six minutes later referee Caitlin Williams had a difficult contest to control.
The winner came in the 93rd minute when Nathan Prince flicked the ball on at the near post and it went in off former Pines striker Tito Vodowaqa.
Williams was forced to blow for full time shortly after following a pitch invasion from some Heatherton supporters.
Strikers players and president Adrian Scialpi were manhandled with Scialpi knocked to the ground despite being a marshall at the match.
It’s understood that Strikers will lodge a complaint with Football Victoria while the referee’s report could make for some interesting reading.
In NPL2 Langwarrin lost 2-1 to Brunswick City at Lawton Park last weekend.
Scott Miller’s side couldn’t contain former A-League player Jesse Makarounas who scored both Brunswick goals.
His first came in the 14th minute after Shayan Alinejad’s poor pass inside his defensive third gifted possession to Lucas Oliveira who set up Makarounas for a close range finish.
Tom Youngs equalised from the spot in the 54th minute but the decider came in the 84th minute and Makarounas made it look like a training drill.
Langy got hit on the break after Sam Orritt gave the ball away.
Makarounas played a one-two with Oliveira, skipped past Rogan McGeorge’s lunge, nutmegged Langy keeper Fraser Maclaren then waltzed around Jaiden Madaferri before calmly tapping the ball into the unguarded goal.
In State 1 Eltham Redbacks maintained their good recent run at Mornington’s expense beating Adam Jamieson’s side 2-0 at Eltham North Reserve on Saturday.
It’s a setback for the Seagulls’ title push but they remain within touching distance of the leading group while the good news was Josh Hine’s appearance as a second-half substitute along with the senior debut of teenager Cooper Leopold.
In State 3 Frankston Pines went down 3-0 away to Rowville Eagles and now just five points separate the first six sides.
In State 4 Chelsea was never in the hunt against Springvale City last Friday night going down 5-1 at home.
The match was effectively over at half-time with Chelsea staring at a 3-0 deficit.
Baxter’s inconsistency continued when it went down 2-1 away to bottom side Noble Park on Friday night.
Former Langwarrin technical director Stephen Fisher was deputising for Baxter head coach George Hughes who is recovering from surgery and assistant Robert Mathieson who was overseas.
Poor finishing, claims of offside for both Noble Park goals and a poor team performance from Baxter were features of the loss.
Somerville Eagles lost 3-0 away to champion elect Dandenong South on Saturday.
It was 0-0 at the main break and Somerville’s Adrian Pace missed a penalty in the final minute of normal time.
In State 5 Rosebud’s 2-0 away win last weekend was at the expense of cellar dweller Endeavour Hills.
Rosebud had chance after chance blocked by Endeavour goalkeeper Damien Nobin and went in at half-time frustrated and goalless.
But Blake Hicks broke the deadlock in the 56th minute when he weaved his way past three defenders and slotted the ball into the bottom right corner.
Michael Durrance doubled the lead four minutes later with a great run from fullback to the back post to receive a superb ball from Hicks and hammer it home.
“It was our best performance of the season and after a rocky start this year this could be a turning point,” Rosebud coach Ryan Monk said.
“I was really pleased and proud of our performance today.”
League leader Mentone had a fight on its hands but eventually overcame Mount Martha 2-1 last weekend at Mentone Grammar playing fields.
Mitch Hawkins scored for Mount Martha whose coach Chris Sanderson was chuffed with his side’s performance and thought his players deserved “at least a point”.
Here are this weekend’s round 11 games:
FRIDAY: Collingwood City v Skye Utd, Kevin Bartlett Reserve, 8.30pm; Frankston Pines v Ashburton, Carrum Downs Recreation Reserve, 8.30pm; Chelsea v Noble Park, Edithvale Recreation Reserve, 8.30pm.
SATURDAY: Manningham Utd Blues v Langwarrin, venue TBC, 3pm; Mornington v Beaumaris, Dallas Brooks Park, 3pm; Peninsula Strikers v Doncaster Rovers, Ballam Park, 7pm; Baxter v Keysborough, Baxter Park, 3pm; Somerville Eagles v FC Noble Hurricanes, Tyabb Central Reserve, 3pm; Rosebud v Mentone, Olympic Park, 8pm; Pakenham Utd v Mount Martha, IYU Recreation Reserve, 3pm.
