Soccer
GUS Macleod has returned to senior coaching ranks in spectacular fashion after Chelsea’s stunning 8-0 thrashing of Brighton on Friday night. Edithvale Recreation Reserve was abuzz with high expectations before this State 4 season opener but no-one anticipated the demolition of the Dendy Park visitors that ensued.
Chelsea was 2-0 up when Brighton’s Connor Karambinas was shown a straight red in the 40th minute. English striker James Stinson had opened the scoring after six minutes and a stunning free-kick from just outside the area by Elwood City recruit Daniel Lewis in the 33rd minute already had the visitors on the back foot.
The second half was a rout. Stinson completed his hat-trick, Daniel Vella grabbed a double while South Yarra recruit Jacob Ross added to the onslaught. Chelsea didn’t need a helping hand but an own goal from Brighton’s Alessandro Tamo added to his side’s misery.
Macleod was typically circumspect after the match. “I’m just happy to get that first game out of the way,” he said.
“Look it’s a good start but once that boy got sent off they were really struggling. “It was quite pleasing though and our boys worked hard and the new players that have come in have freshened the squad up. “But it’s only one game so no-one’s getting carried away.”
In other State 4 matches Baxter’s season started with a dramatic 3-1 away win over Sandown Lions thanks to goals from Brody Taylor, Dylan Murchie and Ryan Brown.
An on-field incident with a few minutes remaining sparked a melee that caused the match to be abandoned.
Baxter players and officials required a police escort to their cars and it’s understood that the local club will lodge a formal complaint with Football Victoria. Baxter’s Sava Baledrokadroka was taken from the venue in a police vehicle as a safety precaution.
Somerville Eagles and Mentone both lost. Somerville was on the wrong end of a nine-goal thriller going down 5-4 at home to Springvale City while Mentone lost 4-0 away to Monash University. Somerville’s goals came from Marcus Anastasiou (2), Conor Mcfall and a Springvale defender.
In VPL1 Langwarrin’s unbeaten run stretched to seven matches after Friday night’s 2-2 away draw with Brunswick City.
Tom Youngs put Langy ahead in the 11th minute with a shot from inside the area after cutting in from the left. Just before half-time Lucas Portelli dislocated his kneecap and had to be replaced by Charlie Fry. Brunswick hit back early in the second half but Youngs restored the visitors’ lead from the penalty spot following a handball only for a long-range strike in the 89th minute leaving honours even.
In State 1 Mornington’s season started with a 3-0 home win over Collingwood City. This one was done and dusted by half-time. A deflected Rory Currie shot opened the scoring after two minutes and in the 24th minute Shaun Kenny buried the rebound after heading onto the post. A Ryan Paczkowski free-kick was headed home by Josh Heaton in the 34th minute but the towering defender was forced off at half-time with a heel injury. The second half was scrappy but the home side has started on the right side of the ledger as head coach Adam Jamieson and his men attempt to remove the NPL monkey from the club’s back.
State 2 kicked off in controversial fashion with home side Peninsula Strikers sharing the points in a 1-1 draw with Greater Dandenong while Skye United had a 2-1 away win over Chisholm United.
Strikers fell victim to a bizarre display from referee Warwick Berner that culminated in a dramatic finale.
Cooper Andrews had given the home side a 1-0 half-time lead after Strikers’ press forced a turnover and Andrews’ low left-foot shot went in off the post.
Strikers looked to have bagged all three points until an inexplicable mixup between Stevie Elliott and keeper Faraz Zenoozi left Zaki Rohani unmarked and he equalised from close range. That was in the 93rd minute but the official teamsheet listed that goal as being scored in the 87th minute.
Play continued with conjecture over the reasoning behind so much added time. In the 97th minute Strikers’ substitute Noah Musso was tripped well inside the area. Surely Berner would point to the spot but no. Berner stood as if transfixed and seemingly baffled by the vociferous nature of appeals from both on the pitch and off but what happened next caused an uproar. When he eventually consulted his linesman those within earshot of their exchange were adamant that the linesman thought it was a penalty but the referee refused to change his decision. He was escorted from the pitch at game’s end.
Skye United was rewarded in the 14th minute of its clash when Nhan Than caught out Chisholm keeper Rani Dowisha with a chip from 30 metres. Chisholm hit back in the 36th minute when Dragan Milesevic played a neat one-two inside the box and converted well. Skye pressed for the winner after the interval and returning recruit Alex Roberts made the moment count in the 62nd minute when he headed in a George Jeffs’ corner. The final 25 minutes were frantic but the visitors did well enough to hold on for a fine victory to kickstart their campaign.
In State 3 Frankston Pines lost 3-1 at home to Middle Park. Middle Park led 3-0 before Pines hit back through Josh Botha who was signed from Peninsula Strikers last week.
In State 5 news Aspendale thumped Pakenham United 11-0 at IYU Reserve on Saturday. The visitors led 4-0 at half-time and a feature of the second half onslaught was a hat-trick inside 15 minutes from Taylan Yildirim. Aspendale’s other scorers were Ryan Mravljak (2), Matthew Bruce (2), Gianluca Bozzo, Dom Paul, Juan Reineke and Jordy Athanassiou.
Seaford United also got its season off to an impressive start but in far different circumstances. Seaford was hosting Cleeland United which was making its State League debut. The decision to accept Cleeland’s application to join State 5 South has left Football Victoria with egg on its face because Cleeland’s seniors failed to turn up at North Seaford Reserve.
The visitors had to field their reserves in the senior match and early in the second half with the score at 10-0 another injury meant that they could no longer continue. Seaford’s scorers were Josh Vega (3), Blake Hicks (2), Michael Nobbs (2), Wise Barakzoi, Cory Osorio and Mitch Hawkins. The result may not stand however as the match was called off after 55 minutes.
Jordan Vacouftsis reports that Mount Eliza’s campaign got underway with an impressive 5-1 away win over Bunyip District last weekend. The visitors got off to a flyer leading 3-0 after just 11 minutes. Tyler White made it 1-0 in the 5th minute with a curled free-kick into the bottom corner and four minutes later a quick break was finished in style with a Cohen King rocket into the top corner.
Bunyip barely had time to draw breath before a back post header from Mount Eliza captain Callum Drysdale made it 3-0 and two goals in the final minute of the first half finished the contest. In the 44th minute ex-Fijian international Nickel Chand’s free-kick made it 4-0 and a minute later Drysdale’s through ball set up King who cheekily dinked the ball past Bunyip keeper Jake Biondo to put an exclamation mark on a stunning first half.
The home team’s sole reply came in the 85th minute via a superb half-volley from substitute Declan Pepping.
Rosebud overcame the dismissal of Nathan Yole in the 70th minute to defeat visitors FC Noble Hurricanes 3-2 on Saturday night.
Rosebud’s Dougie Cunnison opened the scoring in the 14th minute when an excellent low ball whipped in from the right from youngster Barney Johnson presented Cunnison with a tap-in. The visitors levelled in the 28th minute from the penalty spot but Rosebud hit back four minutes later when Cunnison rolled an indirect free-kick back to Johnson whose low drive hit the mark.
In the 55th minute Yole was felled in the box and Cunnison converted. Following Yole’s dismissal Rosebud coach Stuart Johnson reverted to a more defensive formation and although the home team ran out a deserved winner the Hurricanes grabbed an 89th-minute consolation when a looping free-kick came off the bar giving Ashlan Nautu a tap-in.
Mount Martha lost 2-1 away to Barton United last weekend. The visitors took a deserved lead after 20 minutes when Lenny Tate converted some good approach play from Dan Bancroft. Barton pulled level five minutes into the second half when a looping cross came back off the bar and was knocked in from close range.
In the 78th minute after a free-kick was awarded to Barton on the edge of the Mount Martha area a melee erupted resulting in red cards for Barton defender Batoor Jamalie and Mount Martha’s Adam Steele. When order was restored Barton took the free-kick which came off a post and was converted from close range for the winner. Mount Martha’s coaching staff asked the referee repeatedly to name the offence resulting in Steele’s dismissal but their requests were denied.
In Dockerty Cup news all four locals remaining in the national knockout competition (which reverts to the Australia Cup after the preliminary rounds) have locked in their round four ties.
Doveton gave up its home tie and will face Langwarrin at Lawton Park on Thursday night while Chelsea travels to CB Smith Reserve on the same night to face Moreland City.
Peninsula Strikers will host East Bentleigh at Centenary Park on Saturday while Skye’s United’s home tie with Dandenong Thunder will be played on Wednesday 10 April.
VPL1 and State League is in recess during the Easter break.
NEXT WEEK’S CUP GAMES
Thursday 28 March, 7.45pm
Doveton v Langwarrin, Lawton Park
Thursday 28 March, 8.30pm
Moreland City v Chelsea, CB Smith Reserve
Saturday 30 March, 12 noon
Peninsula Strikers v East Bentleigh, Centenary Park
First published in the Frankston Times – 26th March 2024
