SOCCER
ELLIOTT Craig has joined Rosebud, Nathan Yole has switched to Frankston Pines while Jordy May and Jacob Pay debuted for Baxter last weekend.
It’s the time of year when State League clubs ramp up their wheeling and dealing on the player market as they zero in on the kick-off to their league campaign next month.
Elliott, 21, had a breakout senior season last year with Skye United finishing with six goals, one behind the club’s top scorer Varmah Mgoneh.
But a heart-to-heart discussion with Skye gaffer Phil McGuinness at season’s end prompted him to look elsewhere.
“He was very open and honest with me and I really appreciated that,” Craig said.
“He said that he might be unable to give me as much game time as I’d like and that at this stage of my career he believed I’d benefit more from playing regularly.”
Craig phoned Rosebud head coach Jason Symonds straight away and was welcomed to Olympic Park with open arms.
“Jason gave me my chance in the Mornington reserves when I was a teenager and had hoped to get me down to Rosebud last year but I had committed to Skye.
“I knew a lot of people at Rosebud already which made it very easy to settle in.”
Rosebud will be his third club since migrating from the UK to Australia with his family in 2015.
He joined Mornington juniors and made his way into the reserves before joining Skye last year.
At Rosebud he’ll be used up top in his preferred role and he’s looking forward to continuing the learning curve he is on.
“I can be quite direct and quick and I’ll get the chance to work on my craft.
“In the brief time I’ve been here it’s looking really promising and I think there’s an opportunity to kick-on at Rosebud as the club has been on an upwards progression for a few years now.”
Yole arrives at Monterey Reserve with great expectations and a bold prediction.
“I’ve always been a fan of Pines and I used to watch them back in the day when they were in Premier League,” he said.
“I love everything about Pines and the new facilities are phenomenal.
“I’m enjoying being with the group of lads we’ve got.
“I’ve won five State League championships so I know what it takes and I think we’ve got the foundations of that down here.
“I wouldn’t have come down if I didn’t think we could be successful in fact I came here to win the league.”
Yole, 34, has played with Mornington, Peninsula Strikers, Baxter and Rosebud.
He’ll be Pines’ main man up front as the club aims to put an end to a dreadful three-season freefall.
Both Pay and May – signed from Peninsula Strikers – enjoyed stress-free debuts as Baxter cruised past Bacchus Marsh 5-1 in their Dockerty Cup/Australia Cup tie at Baxter Park on Saturday.
Pay played in a defensive midfield role and rarely had to get out of second gear.
May had a hat-trick of assists from left back and was one of Baxter’s best.
Baxter’s goals came from Jai Power, Austin Sporys, Kyle Eichenberger, Nicholas Whelan and Matheus Pinzan.
Chelsea won its Cup tie with Monbulk Rangers 2-0 at Edithvale Recreation Reserve last weekend.
Monbulk succumbed to early pressure in the 24th minute when Victor Cruz De Faria whipped in a corner that the keeper couldn’t handle and it flew straight into the net.
Despite Chelsea having the bulk of possession it had to wait until the 95th minute for its second goal which came from a superb interpassing move.
Adam Dunsford won the ball to start the Chelsea attack which involved neat build-up play from Dylan Scott and Liam Burford before finally being finished by debutante Marcus Anastasiou.
Seaford United strolled to an 8-1 victory over Croydon Ranges in their Cup tie at North Seaford Reserve on Saturday.
It was no-contest by half-time with Seaford leading 5-0.
The local side’s scorers were Zain Ahmad (4), Mitch Lander (2), Blake Hicks and Luke Murray.
In other Cup results Mentone lost 10-0 to Sebastopol Vikings, Mount Martha lost 6-0 to King’s Domain (with a group of under-18s in the side) and Mount Eliza went down 1-0 away to Westside Strikers with the winner coming in the 88th minute.
In VPL1 news Langwarrin lost its season opener 2-1 to North Sunshine Eagles at Lawton Park on Saturday evening.
Langy opened in style and was unlucky to go in at the break only 1-0 up after dominating the first half with Alun Webb hitting the post twice and Luke Adams forcing the North Sunshine keeper into a top reflex save from a close-range header right on half time.
Sayed Fatemi scored the opener in the 22nd minute.
An early ball into the box from Webb found Fatemi with only one defender to beat and after getting past him he hit an early shot across the keeper and into the far corner of goal.
The second half was a different story as Langy couldn’t maintain its intensity and North Sunshine came more into the game.
However a poor penalty decision by referee Noah Langerak in the 69th minute was a pivotal moment in the contest.
Webb was ruled to have handled inside the area despite video replays clearly showing that the ball didn’t strike his arm (which was tucked in by his side anyway).
Ndue Mujeci converted from the spot and North Sunshine chased the winner.
It came in the 87th minute after Langy failed to deal with a cross that was tapped home at the far post by Minchan Kim.
In local friendlies Frankston Pines drew 2-2 with Old Trinity Grammarians on Saturday, Peninsula Strikers defeated Skye United 3-2 and Somerville Eagles lost 1-0 to Berwick Churches.
Charley Hunt scored for Pines in the 26th minute with an acrobatic strike following a header back across goal from a corner.
Pines’ other scorer was Sam Allen with a deft near-post click from a free-kick in the 70th minute.
Skye finished Saturday’s Centenary Park clash with nine men having two players sent off in the final 10 minutes.
In the 19th minute after a defensive smother bounced off a defender’s knee Matt Harrington swooped and slotted the ball past the keeper’s outstretched left leg to make it 1-0.
Skye then had a number of chances from distance and set pieces that they couldn’t get on target before making a set piece count when a delightful free-kick from Nasha Hussainy to the back post saw Dei Gatkek’s initial header saved by Ben Caballero but Gatkek was able to slot the rebound home making it 1-1.
Three minutes later Danny Brooks earned a foul well outside the area and hit a stinging free-kick that curled inside the right-hand upright.
In the 51st minute Skye’s Jason Nowakowski sent a fizzing cross towards the box which caught the top of Tuach Ter’s head and looped over the outstretched keeper to make it 2-2.
In the 63rd minute after a long diagonal ball Wayne “Buzzer” Gordon on the left placed a perfect left-foot cross to Riley Anderton, who controlled and finished from six yards to make it 3-2.
Ten minutes later Hussainy missed a penalty after a controversial decision when Marcus Spivey handled but was deemed to have been fouled.
With eight minutes to go Nowakowski received a second yellow for dissent and youngster Jack Geddes followed him a few minutes later after a straight red for a late challenge.
Here are some upcoming friendlies:
Thursday 19 February
Skye Utd v Rosebud, Skye Recreation Reserve, 7.30pm
Saturday 21 February
Ballarat v Mornington, Trekardo Park, 3pm
Peninsula Strikers v Heatherton Utd, Centenary Park, 1pm & 3pm
Baxter v Seaford Utd, Baxter Park, 1pm and 3pm
Frankston Pines v Somerville Eagles, Monterey Reserve, 4pm & 6pm