SOCCER
JAMES Stinson and Matthew Bruce lit up the State Leagues last weekend with four goals apiece. Stinson terrorised the Keysborough defence as Chelsea came away from Coomoora Reserve with a 7-0 win while Bruce did as he pleased in a wide attacking role as Aspendale crushed Cleeland United 13-0.
Chelsea is the equal highest scorer in State 4 South (with ladder leader Mentone) and after eight rounds is just five goals away from equalling its 2023 season tally. Stinson is chasing the league’s Golden Boot award and Saturday’s haul takes him to 11 goals just one behind Hampton Park’s Naseem Rasekh. Chelsea’s other scorers were Adam Bartosy, Daniel Vella and Tim Koulouris.
The goalfest at Aspendale Gardens Sports Ground on Saturday was triggered by Self and Taylan Yildrim (3), Ryan Mravljak (2), James Macnab (2), and Felix Hampson joined in on the party. Not that the home team needed any help but Cleeland’s George Madul also got on the scoresheet with an unfortunate own goal.
In VPL1 Langwarrin beat Bentleigh Greens 2-1 at Kingston Heath Soccer Complex on Friday night. The first half was a cagey affair with both teams having chances and both keepers making important saves. Langy went ahead in the 38th minute when Brad Blumenthal got on the end of a forward pass by Rogan McGeorge, rounded Bentleigh keeper Andrew Withers who had charged out of his box, then blasted his shot past a defender who was on the line.
Archie Macphee had a great opportunity in the 45th minute when the visitors broke with a three against one.
Macphee received the ball on the penalty spot but Withers made a superb fingertip save to put it over the bar.
Bentleigh was much stronger in the second half creating a couple of chances that came to nothing. Langy seemed content to play on the counter creating opportunities but unable to take them. That was until the 89th minute when substitute Joe O’Brien smashed the ball under Withers after McGeorge had played him in behind the defence.
Two minutes into time added the home team scored after the ball ricocheted off a Bentleigh player following a cross into a crowded box. The goal was mistakenly given as an own goal by Langy substitute James Kelly but that couldn’t take the gloss off a fine away display by the local outfit.
“That was a great win,” head coach Jamie Skelly said. “I was excited to see Ryo Takahashi start the game and perform well after an injury lay-off and Lucas Portelli returned from his dislocated knee with 30 minutes off the bench.” The squad is close to full strength which augurs well for the back half of the season. Jeremy Min Fa is close to returning from his knee injury although Charlie Fry remains a long-term injury prospect.
In State 1 Mornington lost its fifth game of the season when going down 2-0 to Gippsland United in Warragul last weekend. The home side hit the front seconds before half-time when Rory Wagner headed home from a corner.
Mornington had the better of the chances after the break but couldn’t make them count and Wagner’s second goal in the 60th minute set up Gippsland who defended superbly for the remainder of the contest.
In State 2 Peninsula Strikers were held to a 0-0 draw at Centenary Park on Saturday by Bentleigh United Cobras.
Twenty minutes in and livewire Cooper Andrews struck the Bentleigh crossbar. Andrews tormented his opponent with four good crosses into the box but no-one was there to get on the end of them.
In the second half Tommy Wood’s well-hit volley drew an equally impressive reflex save by Cobras keeper Karl Skinner then Cobras’ Merizel Dos Santos should have broken the deadlock but shot wide. Strikers had a penalty shout waved away when a corner wasn’t cleared properly and Stevie Elliott contested the second header only to be flattened by a Cobras’ defender. Late in the contest Strikers substitute Noah Musso had a golden chance to clinch the three points. A long throw wasn’t dealt with and the ball fell to Musso just over 10 metres out but he sent his volley wide which summed up a frustrating day for the promotion-chasing home side.
Skye United lost 3-1 at home to bottom team Knox City on Saturday. The visitors had wrapped up the points when Skye replied in the 86th minute through Daniel Walsh who headed home a cross from substitute Daniel Attard.
It was Skye’s sixth loss in eight games this season.
In State 3 Frankston Pines lost 3-2 at home to Heatherton United on Friday night.
In State 4 Baxter make it three away wins on the bounce with a 3 1 win over Mentone last weekend. Aleks Djukic opened the scoring in the 15th minute with his third goal in three games. Keegan Myatt broke down the left, played a one-two with Declan Seca then got in behind the defence before squaring the ball to Djukic who finished from the edge of the box.
Mentone equalised on 28 minutes after Cameron Ironside, Adam Leander and Peter Varsamis combined to cut open the Baxter defence with Leander finishing with a powerful left-foot shot. But Baxter restored its lead right on half-time when Duncan McPherson opened his account with a back-post header from a Djukic free-kick. In the 60th minute the visitors were given more breathing space after Djukic put in an inswinging corner which Mentone failed to deal with and Jack Elliott nodded it in at the back post.
Baxter and Fijian international Sava Baledrokadroka has been suspended for two years following a Football Victoria investigation of the local club’s round one away clash with Sandown Lions in March. Baxter won 3-1 but an on-field incident with a few minutes remaining sparked a melee that caused the match to be abandoned. Baledrokadroka was punched and shortly after felled the Sandown opponent he believed to be responsible. That opponent was Duboul Kong who received a five-game suspension. Baxter players and officials required a police escort to their cars and Baledrokadroka was taken from the venue in a police vehicle as a safety precaution. Baxter had until last week to appeal the decision but both player and club decided not to proceed. Sandown was found not guilty of bringing the game into disrepute and the 3-1 result stands.
Somerville Eagles beat Brighton 2-1 at Dendy Park on Saturday. The Eagles went ahead in the 21st minute through an Alessio Izzo backheel flick from a low and hard Marcus Anastasiou cross. Brighton equalised nine minutes later after a mix up from a long ball found James Pilcher through on a one on one and he neatly slotted the ball past Somerville keeper Arthur Karagiannis.
Somerville looked in trouble when Brighton was awarded a penalty early in the second half but Karagiannis put any fears to bed when he saved the initial conversion attempt and the follow-up strike. Somerville took charge of the contest but had to wait until the 83rd minute when a Conor Mcfall free-kick found Tom Simmons at the back post and he squared the ball across the face of goal to Nick Simmons for the winner.
The race for the State 5 South championship looms as a threeway contest between Rosebud, Seaford United and FC Noble Hurricanes. On a bitterly cold night at Olympic Park on Saturday Rosebud took over top spot on the ladder with a 6-2 derby win over Mt Martha. But the home side was on the back foot after just three minutes when a ball played in from the right gave Daniel Bancroft a tap-in. Rosebud responded almost immediately when Caleb Davies was felled in the box and Dougie Cunnison made no mistake from the resultant penalty.
Recent signing Ben Symonds had an excellent game in midfield and he made it 2-1 after 15 minutes with a neat finish following a great save from Mount Martha keeper Derren Elliott. A tweak in formation at half-time saw Stuart Johnson’s men run over their opponent led by master goalscorer Dave Greening. His second-half hat-trick was a lesson in positioning and he was able to finish off some great work from Ibiyepribo Davies and Nathan Yole.
At 5-1 the home side was in complete control but gave away a sloppy goal when taking too long to play out from the back in the 73rd minute. A mix up from the normally reliable Cunnison and keeper Colin McCormack left the latter making a clearance that was charged down by Bancroft for his second of the contest. Rosebud responded and won another penalty through the industrious Yole and once again Cunnison made no mistake from the spot to complete the scoreline.
Seaford United drew 1-1 away to Barton United last weekend and is now second in the league. After a dour first half Seaford took control and started to create chances. Michael Turner who was making his first start for Seaford was put through in the 50th minute and slotted his shot passed Barton keeper Suliman Fazel. A few minutes later Seaford won a penalty but Turner’s attempt was saved. Seaford boss Paul Williams responded with three substitutions bringing on Blake Hicks and Naseer Muhammad then shortly after putting on Cory Osorio. Both Mohammad and Osorio had chances but were denied by Fazel and Seaford paid the price in the 87th minute when Isaac Lifu’s attempted clearance deflected off keeper Alfonso Cardinale and into goal for the equaliser.
Mount Eliza lost 3-0 away to FC Noble Hurricanes on Saturday.
NEXT WEEK’S GAMES
Friday 24 May, 8.30pm:
Doncaster Rovers v Peninsula Strikers, Anderson Park
White Star Dandenong v Frankston Pines, Greaves Reserve
Cleeland Utd v Rosebud, Thomas P Carroll Reserve
Saturday 25 May, 3pm:
Eastern Lions v Langwarrin, Egan Lee Reserve
Mornington v Brandon Park, Dallas Brooks Park
Hampton East Brighton v Skye Utd, Dendy Park
Somerville Eagles v Chelsea, Westernport Secondary College
Baxter v Hampton Park Utd, Baxter Park
Brighton v Mentone, Dendy Park
Seaford Utd v FC Noble Hurricanes, North Seaford Reserve
Aspendale v Bunyip District, Aspendale Gardens Sports Ground
Mount Martha v Endeavour Hills Fire, Civic Reserve
Casey Panthers v Mount Eliza, Prospect Hill Reserve
