SOCCER
ARCHIE Macphee’s goal two minutes into the second half on Friday night gave Langwarrin its first win of the season and lifted the local side off the bottom of the VPL1 ladder. Langy had travelled to John Cain Reserve to face Northcote City with the weight of a winless start to the season on its shoulders and a mounting goals against record. It also was undermanned with Dante Avian still out injured, Cooper Legrand and Barath Suresh on international duty and Jeremy Min Fa unavailable.
Langy started well against Northcote and was in control in the first half without being able to take the opportunities that came its way. That changed in the 47th minute when a Lucas Portelli switch found Tom Youngs who drove into the box and crossed to Macphee. The big Scot was unmarked at the far post and was able to slide home a simple finish. Langy continued to push creating numerous chances before Youngs was felled in the box. Macphee stepped up for the penalty but Northcote keeper Ahmad Taleb saved down low to his left.
Despite Northcote pushing for a late equaliser the Langy defence stood tall with keeper James Burgess making one good save and Brad Blumenthal effecting a last-ditch tackle to stop a goal. Langy head coach Jamie Skelly was relieved to get a win that came seven games into the season. “The longer you go without winning – even when you know you are playing well and very competitive in each game – the further away the first win feels,” Skelly said. “But the win was very satisfying as our performance was a mix of our brand of football with the ball, tactically what we worked on during the week, and the true Langy fight and grit that we needed to show in the final 15 minutes.”
In State 1 news Mornington overcame a two-goal deficit in its 3-2 away win over Gippsland United on Saturday. Despite creating numerous chances the visitors went behind in the 25th minute from a deflected Cooper Coleman shot and it was 2-0 in the 38th minute after Bayden Heusmann pounced on a Jack McDonald back pass.
Mornington’s fightback started in the 43rd minute when Rhys Craigie hit the mark with a glancing header from a Jacob Brito cross. In the 86th minute Ryan Paczkowski’s powerful header made it 2-2 and the winner came four minutes into time added. Paczkowski’s long and direct ball was cushioned by substitute Tom Wood for James Kelly to complete a stirring comeback by the Seagulls.
In State 2 news Skye United’s season started on a winning note with a 2-1 away win over Berwick City last weekend. Skye started the stronger of the two sides and was rewarded in the 22nd minute when Tapiwa Kufakurowa was brought down in the area and Elliott Craig converted from the spot.
Berwick fought its way back into the contest and 12 minutes from time Rohan Gani converted from the penalty spot to make it 1-1. However in the 87th minute Kufakurowa raced down the wing and squared the ball to substitute Ali Hazarah who clinched the points for the visitors with a shot from close range.
Peninsula Strikers and St Kilda drew 2-2 at Centenary Park on Saturday. Strikers started well but St Kilda struck first with a stunning long-range strike from Evander Muzaya. A minute later scores were level. Matt Harrington’s pinpoint ball found Riley Anderton who finished brilliantly with a side-foot volley.
Strikers went ahead 10 minutes into the second half. Danny Brooks cut out a ball in midfield and played it to Anderton whose composure in the box saw him square it to Harrington for a toe-poke into the bottom corner. But it was 2-2 in the 60th minute when Ethan Goulding was harshly ruled for a high foot inside the area and Mark Walsh converted from the penalty spot. Strikers had the best chances of the closing exchanges but couldn’t nab the winner. Jordy May rattled a volley off the crossbar and a brilliant Sam Maggs cross was put over the bar by an outstretched Anderton.
In State 4 news Chelsea’s season started on a high with a comfortable 3-0 home win over Mentone on Friday night. Chelsea led 1-0 at half-time after Mentone keeper Dylan Taylor punched the ball straight to goal ace James Stinson who rifled it into the roof of the net in the 22nd minute. A minute into the second half it was 2-0 when Daniel Vella turned onto his left foot and hammered the ball home inside the near post.
Mentone striker Marcus Spivey must still be scratching his head at Adam Dunsford’s remarkable clearance to deny the visitors from hitting back and the contest was over in the 81st minute when a Dan Lewis shot was deflected to Lachie Davies for an easy finish.
Somerville Eagles opened the season with a 3-0 home win over fancied opponent Springvale City last weekend. Clinical finishing and defensive resilience were the hallmarks of this performance. Max Watson gave the Eagles a 12th-minute lead when he beat the offside trap and finished calmly from a one-on-one with Springvale keeper Kris McEvoy.
The second half proved to be a test of character requiring a fantastic defensive display. This hard work was rewarded when Marcus Anastasiou produced a moment of brilliance delivering an excellent backheel assist to set up Alessio Izzo who rounded McEvoy in the 56th minute to double the lead.
The win was sealed in style in the 83rd minute by captain Nick Simmons who capped off a fine performance by side-footing home a precise cross from Anastasiou.
Rosebud began their first season in State 4 with a very nervy 2-1 home win on Saturday evening over a Frankston Pines side beset by off-field upheaval. Pines head coach Alex Halikias resigned last week and reserves coach Juan Vargas took on the senior caretaker role. But the visitors stunned the home side in the fourth minute when Nickel Chand caught Rosebud’s defence napping and put a delicate volleyed finish past Colin McCormack in goal.
Rosebud continued to be sloppy in possession and could have gone 4-0 down were it not for the brilliance of man-of-the-match McCormack. A half-time Rosebud reset was effective and in the 73rd minute after Alfie Harris closed down a defender the ball fell to Ashton McMahon who swept it in from 10 metres out. With a draw on the cards a Rosebud corner in the 94th minute was cleared only as far as Sean Smith who hit a delightful shot through a crowded penalty area for a winner greeted enthusiastically by the home fans.
Baxter survived with 10 men for most of the contest in a gutsy 1-1 away draw with Monash University on Saturday. The visitors led after Alex Giordano’s right foot curler into the top corner but were forced onto the back foot when keeper Suliman Fazel was red carded for coming out of his area and denying a goalscoring opportunity in the 28th minute. Duncan McPherson took over as makeshift keeper and had a fine game as Baxter defended resolutely for much of the remainder of the clash only for substitute Jasper Guthrie to snatch a point for the home side in the 81st minute.
In State 5 South the big news is that Barton United has dropped out and all its fixtures are now recorded as byes. That has reduced the league to an 11-team competition which leaves a vacancy in Football Victoria’s planned restructure for the 2026 season.
Seaford United won Saturday’s derby showdown with Mount Martha 3-1 at North Seaford Reserve.
Seaford was 2-0 up after 12 minutes, the opener coming from Zain Ahmad who slotted home from a one-on-one with Mount Martha keeper Derren Elliott. Four minutes later Dylan Waugh showed he’d lost nothing during his time off from the game with a clinical finish into the top corner.
Despite a much better second-half showing Mount Martha went 3-0 down in the 81st minute after a pinpoint Conor Mcfall through ball set up substitute Naseer Mohammad for a one-on-on with Elliott.
Three minutes later former Seaford player Mitch Hawkins’ tidy finish from the left completed the scoreline.
Mount Eliza’s season started with a 2-0 home win over Bunyip District last weekend. Riley Van Zanden opened the scoring right on half-time with a header after the visitors had failed to clear from a corner.
Bunyip was reduced to 10 men when a second caution saw Ed Walker dismissed in the 70th minute and seven minutes later Austin McEwen settled the issue with a strike from the edge of the area following a Jackson Tossavainen cutback. With about 10 minutes to go Bunyip was awarded a penalty only to be denied by a fantastic save from Mount Eliza keeper Luke Armao.
NEXT WEEKEND’S GAMES
Friday 28 March, 8.30pm
Moreland City v Langwarrin, CB Smith Reserve
Noble Park Utd v Skye Utd, Parkfield Reserve
Frankston Pines v Springvale City, Monterey Reserve
Saturday 29 March, 3pm
Mooroolbark v Peninsula Strikers, Esther Park Reserve
Lyndale Utd v Chelsea, Lyndale Secondary College
Monash University v Somerville Eagles, Monash University Playing Fields
Aspendale v Mount Eliza, Aspendale Gardens Sports Ground
Endeavour Hills Fire v Mount Martha, Power Reserve
Casey Panthers v Seaford Utd, Prospect Hill Reserve
Saturday 29 March, 6pm
South Springvale v Mornington, Warner Reserve
Rosebud v Noble Hurricanes, Olympic Park
Saturday 29 March, 7pm
Sandown Lions v Baxter, Ross Reserve
