Soccer
Skye United has blown the State 2 South-East promotion race wide open after Friday night’s 2-0 away win over Casey Comets. Skye became the first team this season to do the double over Comets having beaten Kevin “Squizzy” Taylor’s men 3-1 in their round 4 clash at Skye in April.
It took just nine minutes for Skye to open its account on Friday when Varmah Mgoneh pounced on a loose ball after a long throw-in and lashed home the opener. It was Mgoneh at the double in the 26th minute when Sharmeit Sharma’s ball across the face evaded everyone and Mgoneh simply chested the ball home to add to the visitors’ lead.
Comets’ keeper Kile Kennedy was enraged by a decision in the 38th minute and talked his way into the referee’s book. But Kennedy’s tirade against the match officials inexplicably continued at half-time and a second caution ended his involvement.
Despite being a man down, Comets were competitive in the second half, creating numerous chances, but the visitors held on to secure what may turn out to be a season-defining three pointer.
Skye gaffer Phil McGuinness celebrated the win in style. “Yeah I was delighted with the result,” he said. “I flew out to Bali three hours after the win so I was a very happy man indeed.”
The following day Peninsula Strikers took advantage of Skye’s success with a hard-fought 2-1 home win over Noble Park United. Strikers started fast and took the lead in the 3rd minute when a pinpoint Wayne Gordon corner was glanced home by Campbell Steedman.
A see-sawing tussle developed but Strikers doubled their lead in the 34th minute when Cooper Andrews scored one of the goals of the season, sweetly belting a 25-metre volley straight into the top corner. It should’ve been 3-0 before the interval but Joel Bowen’s free header was put wide at the back post.
In the second half, Noble Park pushed hard and hit back from a free-kick in the 66th minute that wasn’t dealt with, and Fraidoon Mohammadi headed home from close range. It should have been 2-2 soon after but Sarmad Nikakhter blazed away from the six-yard box and couldn’t hit the target.
In injury time, Strikers were denied a penalty after Sam Maggs slipped past a defender and was brought down in the box. The lineman flagged for the infringement but referee Farhad waved it away, much to everyone’s bemusement.
In State 1 news, Mornington suffered a setback in its promotion campaign going down 1-0 to bogey team Beaumaris at Dallas Brooks Park on Saturday. The pivotal moment came in the second half. The visitors forced a turnover and Beaumaris’ man-of-the-match Nao Hamamoto surged forward before sending Jorge Akers through and he made no mistake.
Mornington head coach Adam Jamieson wasn’t pulling any punches after the game. “We were disgraceful,” he said. “We let ourselves and the club down.”
In State 4, Chelsea stayed on top of the table via a 7-0 thumping of cellar-dweller Frankston Pines at Edithvale Recreation Reserve on Friday night. The league’s leading predator James Stinson chalked up another hat-trick and appears to have a stranglehold on Golden Boot honours for a second consecutive season.
Chelsea got off to a flyer when a scramble developed in the box and Stinson was at the back post to tuck home the loose ball. In the 25th minute, Stinson was through but Pines keeper Caleb Parr did well to save only for Daniel Vella to head home the rebound from close range.
When Vella nabbed his brace a minute into the second half it was contest over, and two more Stinson goals and singles to Adam Dunsford and Adam Bartosy sealed the deal. Central midfielder Bartosy rounded off his man-of-match performance with a headed goal in the 85th minute from a pinpoint Harry Parker cross.
Pines were without Ali Sina Rizai, who had been sent off for violent conduct the previous week against FC Noble Hurricanes and suspended for eight matches. Francisco Bousseranc was caretaker Pines coach filling in for Mauricio Perez, who was serving a one-match suspension.
Baxter captain Brody Taylor’s man-of-the-match display underpinned his club’s 4-0 away win over Rosebud on Saturday night. The home team has a lengthening list of unavailable players due to injury, and Jack Wyer’s name was added to that list on the weekend.
Taylor opened the scoring in the 26th minute when he was first to react inside the area and although Rosebud keeper Colin McCormack got a hand to the shot, he couldn’t stop it going in. Four minutes before half-time, Cody Storton-French’s close-range header opened his account for his new club having recently switched from Strikers.
Taylor’s wonder strike from 25 metres in the 64th minute effectively ended Rosebud’s chances and he capped off his display with a converted penalty in the 72nd minute after McCormack had taken down big Jai Power inside the box.
Somerville Eagles drew 1-1 at home to FC Noble Hurricanes last weekend. Mark Larner’s men needed a penalty conversion from Alezzio Izzo in the 85th minute to snatch a point.
In State 5 news, Mount Eliza and league leader Fortuna 60 had to settle for a share of the spoils in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Emil Madsen Reserve. The result keeps Mount Eliza on course for a top-two finish that would preserve its State 5 status in next season’s major league restructure.
A first-half goal from Michael Wright and a low shot from Josh Luca in the 57th minute had Mount Eliza in command, but Fortuna was pressing hard and two goals in the last 10 minutes of normal time gave it a deserved share of the spoils. Robbie Stephen and Damon Scott were on target for Fortuna.
Despite giving up a two-goal lead, there’s a real buzz about Mount Eliza’s senior squad nowadays with no talk about lack of depth, which had been a lingering theme throughout the season. Senior keeper Luke Armao summed up the feeling within the group succinctly.
“We’ve picked up some key players and they’ve really started to gel with the squad quickly,” he said. “We’re all playing for each other and it’s honestly a great squad to be a part of.”
Aspendale and Mount Martha both lost at home last weekend. A second-half header by Sam Curtis from a Jordy Athanassiou cross wasn’t enough as Aspendale went down 2-1 to Keysborough.
Mount Martha head coach Charlie Platt described Saturday’s 5-2 defeat at the hands of Cleeland United as his team’s “poorest game all year.” A Marcus Poda brace couldn’t stop the visitors from claiming just a second win this season.
Both Aspendale and Mount Martha are staring a two-division relegation in the face as State 5 teams finishing from seventh to bottom this season will play in a new State 7 league next year.
NEXT WEEKEND
Friday, 18 July
7.30pm – Langwarrin v Melbourne City, Lawton Park
8.30pm – Frankston Pines v Sandown Lions, Monterey Reserve
Saturday, 19 July, 3pm
Mornington v Collingwood City, Dallas Brooks Park
St Kilda v Skye Utd, Elwood Park
Bentleigh Utd Cobras v Peninsula Strikers, Victory Park
Baxter v Springvale City, Baxter Park
FC Noble Hurricanes v Chelsea, Alex Nelson Reserve
Monash University v Rosebud, Monash University Playing Fields
Mentone v Somerville Eagles, Mentone Grammar Playing Fields
Mount Martha v Mount Eliza, Civic Reserve
Endeavour Hills Fire v Aspendale, Power Reserve
Saturday, 19 July, 7pm
Keysborough v Seaford Utd, Coomoora Reserve