SOCCER
ROSEBUD will play in State 4 South next season after winning promotion from State 5 last weekend. Stuart Johnston’s men hammered bottom side Cleeland United 13-0 at Olympic Park with goal machine Dave Greening hitting the target nine times.
The veteran striker’s remarkable feat was highlighted by a seven-goal first half in one of the great 45-minute hauls in local senior football. Rosebud led 9-0 at half-time with Jacob Bigg and a Cleeland own goal adding to the scoreline. The ’Buds strolled through the second-half with two more Greening goals while Ben Symonds and Jacob Markulin also got in on the act.
Rosebud now stands on the verge of claiming the State 5 South championship. The club only returned to competition under Football Victoria’s banner in 2018 finishing second in Metropolitan 2 South-East and joining State 5 South the following year. The previous time Rosebud played under the controlling body was in 1984 when it finished last in Metropolitan 4 with just five points from 26 games.
If as expected Johnston and his side clinch the title this year it would be a remarkable turnaround for a team that finished last in State 5 South in 2022 with just two wins to its name in a season in which it conceded 79 goals and had become the competition’s easybeats.
The club’s resurgence started last year under Jason Symonds and has gathered pace under Johnston.
The pair have reshaped the senior squad and now Englishman Johnston is on the verge of winning the championship in his first year as a senior coach in Australia.
“It has been an incredible campaign and I am so pleased for the committee, the club, the fans, the players and the community of Rosebud,” Johnston said. “We have an incredibly talented squad that are hungry to create a powerhouse club as the most southerly soccer club on the peninsula and we believe anything is possible. “Promotion was our first goal but in the long run we want to see the club continue to grow and play an important part in the local community.”
Star striker Greening now has the chance to add a 10th league Golden Boot to his many accolades and what a fitting way to do it by also winning his fifth league title during a storied career. But Greening’s predatory instincts that have thrilled onlookers and dazzled defenders for years won’t be on show after the curtain falls on the 2024 season.
He will retire having made that decision earlier this year. “I’ll definitely miss it but I was always told you will know when the time is right to hang them up,” Greening said.
In other State 5 news Aspendale stayed in the race for promotion while Seaford United’s chances of returning to State 4 look like being on hold for another season.
Aspendale defeated Bunyip District 3-1 at Aspendale Gardens Sports Ground on Saturday. The home team led after four minutes when Gianluca Bozzo picked up a superb crossfield pass from Felix Hampson and finished well but the lead only lasted for three minutes. Bunyip’s Tristan Durovic headed home from a corner and that scoreline remained as the teams went in at half-time.
Aspendale regained the lead in the 53rd minute when Juan Reineke was able to bundle the ball over the line from a corner. Six minutes later Aspendale had breathing space when Bunyip keeper Jake Biondo couldn’t hold a James Macnab shot and Matthew Bruce steered home the rebound to round off the scoreline.
Seaford lost 1-0 away to second-placed FC Noble Hurricanes. The result leaves Seaford six points adrift of the Hurricanes with an inferior goal difference and just two games to play. A goal in each half was enough for Mount Eliza to overcome Casey Panthers 2-0 at Emil Madsen Reserve on Saturday.
Panthers’ best chance came in the first half when Mathew Kaligianis ran onto a long ball but shot wide from a one-on-one with Mount Eliza keeper Luke Armao. The visitors didn’t deal with a long throw in the 25th minute only heading out to Austin Mcewen whose low half-volley from the edge of the area made it 1-0. The second goal came in the 62nd minute when a penetrating pass from Nickel Chand found Ray Amiri at the back post and he slid the ball past Panthers’ keeper Daniel Santoro.
Mount Martha’s fifth win of the season was at the expense of Endeavour Hills Fire when the Mariners prevailed 3-1 at Power Reserve on Saturday. Davey Jones opened Mount Martha’s account in the 5th minute when Endeavour keeper Michael Therese didn’t deal with a high ball allowing Jones to put it back over his head. Two minutes later a great free-kick from Jacob Platt to the back post was finished in style by Jaden Taberner from a tight angle.
The home team hit back shortly after but in the 27th minute Mount Martha restored its two-goal cushion thanks to a great finish from Dan Bancroft after driving into the opposition area and hammering a low shot into the bottom corner of goal. Mount Martha controlled much of the second half and should have converted two more good chances.
In State 1 news two goals from striker Joe O’Brien underpinned Mornington’s 3-1 away win over Brandon Park on Saturday. A superb Halil Reki free-kick in the 13th minute opened the visitors’ account and late in the half good work by Shaun Kenny on the right was rewarded when O’Brien scored off his knee from close range. Brandon Park hit back 10 minutes into the second half but the win was sealed late in the contest. Ryan Paczkowski and Flynn O’Reilly combined well before the latter cut the ball inside to Kenny whose firm strike was parried by Brandon Park keeper Dilan Mery and O’Brien tucked it away.
In State 2 news Peninsula Strikers remain in the promotion hunt with Saturday’s 3-1 home win over Doncaster Rovers. Strikers led 1-0 in the 23rd minute when Billy Rae played the ball to Riley Anderton and the Kiwi striker buried his chance from the top of the box. A fine save from Doncaster keeper Gabriel Vallese denied Justin Eiman just before half-time but in the 53rd minute a superb ball from Anderton to the back post was expertly controlled by Cooper Andrews before hammering a left-foot shot into the far corner of goal.
Substitute Noah Musso made it 3-0 in the 86th minute after excellent play by fellow sub Jai Power who played a fine ball across the box and Musso made no mistake. Three minutes later Strikers didn’t deal with a cross into their penalty area and Doncaster’s Alex Santostefano claimed a late consolation goal.
The win closed the gap between third-placed Strikers and second-placed Hampton East Brighton who drew 1-1 with Skye United at Skye Recreation Reserve on Friday night. Skye got off to a strong start but chances went begging for Daniel Attard and Alex Van Heerwaarden. That was before Van Heerwaarden stunned the visitors in the 37th minute when he headed home from a George Jeffs’ corner.
The host should have gone further ahead in the second half but Jeffs’ penalty attempt was saved by East Brighton keeper Bernard Paris. The visitors levelled in the 63rd minute when Matthew Moody ghosted in at the back post to head home. But Skye was able to weather the storm for the remainder of the contest and hold on to a precious point in its quest to avoid the drop. Skye needs to draw or win against bottom side Greater Dandenong on Saturday to ensure safety and avoid taking the relegation battle into the final day of the league season.
In State 3 news Frankston Pines were pushed back to bottom spot in the league despite gaining a point from Friday’s night’s 0-0 home draw against White Star Dandenong.
Elwood City won its derby clash with Middle Park 3-2 to edge a point ahead of Pines in the race to avoid relegation.
In State 4 news Jason Grieve will step down as head coach of Mentone at the end of the season. He was in his fifth season in charge and can point to winning promotion from State 5 South last year as a highlight of his tenure.
“I’ve loved my five years at Mentone working with a great committee and a fantastic group of players,” Grieve said. “After winning promotion last year I wanted to solidify our place in State 4 and when we achieved that against Chelsea (a fortnight ago) the time was right to make the announcement. “I’ll coach again but I’m not sure if that will be next season.”
His side drew 1-1 at home against Brighton last weekend. The visitors are trying to avoid relegation and were rewarded in the 15th minute after James Hilton’s poor pass was pounced upon by Brighton captain Michael Fava and he calmly slotted the ball past Mentone keeper Matt Main for the opener. A much improved second-half performance by Mentone created numerous scoring opportunities but the only one that counted was Eric Ervine’s right-foot shot which went in off the post in the 59th minute.
Chelsea and Somerville Eagles drew 0-0 at Edithvale Recreation Reserve on Saturday. The Eagles felt they had the better of this one and thought they had earned a late penalty after Eli Masterson was brought down inside the box but the referee ignored their claims.
Hampton Park United’s 2-1 home win over Baxter on Saturday secured the title for Peter Colomiere’s side. It was 2-0 when Duncan Mcpherson was at the back post to finish from an Aleks Dukic corner in the 66th minute.
Although that brought Baxter back into the contest Hampton Park prevailed to clinch a second successive promotion.
NEXT WEEK’S GAMES
Friday 30 August, 8.30pm:
Frankston Pines v Sandringham, Monterey Reserve
Saturday 31 August, 3pm:
Mornington v Springvale White Eagles, Dallas Brooks Park
Bayside Argonauts v Peninsula Strikers, Shipston Reserve
Greater Dandenong v Skye Utd, WJ Turner Reserve
Mentone v Springvale City, Mentone Grammar Playing Fields
Aspendale v Mount Eliza, Aspendale Gardens Sports Ground
Seaford Utd v Bunyip District, North Seaford Reserve
Mount Martha v Cleeland Utd, Civic Reserve
Pakenham Utd v Rosebud, IYU Reserve
Saturday 31 August, 7pm:
Sandown Lions v Chelsea, Ross Reserve
Sunday 1 September, 3pm:
Baxter v Somerville Eagles, Baxter Reserve
First published in the Frankston Times – 27 August 2024
