SOCCER

ANOINTED on Wednesday, took training on Thursday – the second coming of Kevin “Squizzy” Taylor to the task of head coach of Frankston Pines is still reverberating around local football circles.

First-year senior coach Trevor Johnston resigned after Pines’ 4-0 home loss to Mooroolbark the previous weekend and had his resignation ratified early last week.

Johnston’s stay lasted just five league games and failed to produce a win with Pines on the bottom of the State 2 South-East ladder when he quit.

Pines turned to the man who had walked away from the job last year and later joined Beaumaris as assistant coach and acted quickly to secure Taylor’s agreement.

“I came back to continue what we started a few years ago,” Taylor said.

“I still need to assess some of the players but from what I’ve seen there is definitely enough quality there.

“I still think that it’s reasonable to aim for a top four spot.

“And Trev deserves thanks for getting the players to the level of fitness they needed to be.

“I may tweak things a little, maybe make some positional changes and some changes to the way we play but nothing drastic.”

The second Taylor era did not kick-off as anticipated on Sunday when Pines lost 3-1 away to North Caulfield.

Pines led after the home side didn’t clear following an Aaran Currie corner and Joe O’Connor thumped the ball home from close range.

But North Caulfield pounced on a rare Christian Malgioglio error to equalise through Ben Schneider.

Second half goals from Daniel Sacks and Ryan Knight sealed Pines fate.

In other State 2 games last weekend Skye lost its unbeaten record in spectacular fashion when Mooroolbark handed out a 7-0 caning at Esther Park.

Alex Van Heerwarden, Daniel Attard, Harrison Michaelis, Alex Rojas and Michael Rovinson were injured or unavailable but Skye gaffer Phil McGuinness refused to use that as an excuse.

“We still had a strong squad to choose from but individual errors cost us dearly and we got punished every time,” he said.

“These boys have been terrific over the years and I know it’s killing them but I also know they’ll dust themselves off and be ready for North Caulfield on Thursday night.”

Peninsula Strikers had to settle for a point when drawing 2-2 away to Heatherton United on Saturday night.

Two yellow cards in a minute saw Strikers’ midfielder Cal Bradbury sent off in the 61st minute, the third Strikers’ player red carded in as many matches.

A Riley Anderton double in the 67th and 73rd minutes gave the visitors a two-goal cushion but the 10 men couldn’t hold on and goals from Heatherton’s Eid Sarwari ensured that the points were shared.

Strikers had another player red carded when Nathan Tsimis was sent off the bench and Heatherton keeper Senad Ahmetovic was also sent off after denying Campbell Steedman a goalscoring opportunity.

In NPL2 last weekend Melbourne City put on a clinic in how to pressure opponents en masse with a 5-1 drubbing of Langwarrin at Lawton Park.

City featured five first teamers in its starting line-up – Kerrin Stokes, Seb Esposito, Emile Peios, Raphael Borges Rodriguez and Luke Oresti.

Nineteen-year-old Borges Rodriguez had a day out with four goals.

Langy’s sole reply came from a Lucas Portelli free kick that made it 1-1 in the 28th minute and allowed Langy fans to dream but only for another 16 minutes until Oresti restored the natural order.

In State 1 last weekend Mornington thumped Richmond 7-2 at Dallas Brooks Park and remains on top of the ladder.

The Seagulls swept Richmond aside in the second half after going in at 2-2 at half-time.

Richmond’s pace and movement troubled the home side in the first 45 minutes but in the end the visitors had no answer for a Rory Currie masterclass that netted four goals.

David Stirton, substitute Travis Chalk-Hatton and Josh Heaton also scored for the Seagulls.

In State 4 Chelsea enjoyed its first win of the season when it beat visitor Noble Park 2-1 on Friday night.

Returning striker Piers Brelsford opened the scoring in the 19th minute when he finished Adrian Pace’s square ball.

Noble Park hit back from the penalty spot when James Bouzitis converted in the 56th minute but Chelsea substitute Dylan Scott swung over a free kick nine minutes later for Tim Koulouris to head home the winner.

Somerville maintained its unbeaten record when it accounted for Endeavour United 4-2 at Tyabb Central Reserve on Saturday.

Somerville went 1-0 up after eight minutes when a deep cross from Tom Simmons found Marcus Anastasiou who headed home at the back post.

Endeavour equalised in the 19th minute when Matty Durand converted a penalty awarded after a Joel Wade foul.

Three minutes later Xavier Apela was brought down in the box and Conor Mcfall converted from the spot to make it 2-1.

Somerville extended its lead when a goalmouth scramble in the 34th minute led to Apela scoring.

The home side continued to work hard in the second half and was rewarded early when a Mcfall free-kick found Anastasiou again at the back post and his side-foot attempt smashed off the crossbar and went in to make it 4-1.

But Endeavour refused to give up and scored a late consolation through Henry Gordon.

Baxter made it back-to-back wins with a Liam Baxter brace in its 3-1 away success over Lyndale United last weekend.

The Scottish striker should have had a hat-trick but his 70th minute penalty slammed into the crossbar.

Keegan Myatt was Baxter’s other scorer.

A feature of the clash for the winners was the emerging central defensive partnership of Daniel Taylor and Aiden McKenna.

In State 5 Rosebud maintained its unbeaten record with a 2-1 win over Mount Martha at Olympic Park on Friday night.

The match was heading for a scoreless draw until Noah Musso hit the target with a strike from outside the area in the 83rd minute.

Mount Martha hit back two minutes later when Neal Byrne got a foot to the ball during a scramble in the six-yard box.

The winner came courtesy of a long-range shot from Tom Donoghue in the 91st minute.

Mount Eliza won 4-3 away to Pakenham United on Friday night with Chris Parry (2), Nazif Mohammed and Lachie Mitchell scoring for the visitors.

Aspendale lost 2-1 at home to league leader Hampton Park United on Saturday.

Dom Paul put Aspendale ahead in the 64th minute when he slid the ball home after some determined play on the left from Gianluca Bozzo.

The visitors equalised 12 minutes later courtesy of Sasha Sgarbossa’s well-taken strike from the left.

Hampton Park captain Archie Lindsay grabbed the winner in the 90th minute after Aspendale failed to clear from a corner.

Seaford United beat an undermanned Barton United 4-0 at North Seaford Reserve on Saturday.

Josh Vega (2), Andrew Packer and Daniel Mota were the scorers.

First published in the Frankston Times – 2 May 2023