SOCCER
SEAFORD United and Rosebud are the only two unbeaten sides in State 5 South and have laid bare their credentials in what looms as an enthralling promotion race. Seaford went into Saturday’s away clash with Casey Panthers buoyed by a Football Victoria ruling 24 hours earlier that the scoreline from its abandoned round one clash with Cleeland United would stand.
That game took place in bizarre circumstances when Cleeland’s seniors didn’t turn up forcing the reserves to double up. The depleted visitors only fielded seven players at the start of the second half and within a few minutes of the restart two of them slumped to the ground and couldn’t continue. The referee was forced to call off the match with Seaford leading 10-0. FV’s ruling sent Seaford to the top of the table but its euphoria didn’t take long to dissipate.
Nine minutes to be exact. That was how long it took the Panthers to pounce last weekend.
Seaford defender Jack Wyer was dispossessed on the left and when the ball was squared to Lennon Hughes he tapped it into an empty goal. Three minutes later the visitors levelled when man-of-the-match Michael Nobbs skinned a defender on the left and charged into the area before setting up Blake Hicks at the far post for a point-blank finish.
Seaford hit the front in the 31st minute when a Nobbs corner was headed back across goal by Wisey Barakzoi and Naseer Mohammad’s first-time volley hit the mark. In the 68th minute it was Nobbs’ turn to get on the scoresheet and he did so in style. He charged forward then linked up with Blake Hicks on the right before chesting the ball down then swivelling and unleashing a volley that rocketed into goal off the underside of the crossbar.
The home team’s best second half chance came a couple of minutes later but Hayden Hicks reacted well to tip a header wide of the far post.
Rosebud’s perfect season continued on Saturday evening with a 2-0 home win over previously unbeaten Endeavour Hills Fire. Three yellow cards in four minutes was a measure of Endeavour’s frustration and Rosebud led at half-time thanks to a Barney Johnson set piece and a Dougie Cunnison lay-off for defensive partner Billy Painting to score from close range.
In the second half Johnston’s third goal in four games gave Rosebud a two-goal cushion and home team keeper Colin McCormack was only forced into action in the 80th minute making a fine save at his near post.
The State 5 derby between Mount Eliza and Mount Martha at Emil Madsen Reserve last weekend saw the home team run out a convincing 4-1 winner. The game doubled as the Mental Health Safety Net Cup and despite the home side creating the most chances in the first half it found itself 1-0 down in the 31st minute after a quick break was finished by Mount Martha striker Dan Bancroft. Mount Eliza hit back eight minutes later through captain Callum Drysdale who headed home from a corner to send the sides in at the break locked at 1-1.
Mount Eliza dominated the second period and a quick-fire double from Mujtaba Sakhi in the 48th and 52nd minutes gave the home side a commanding lead. The contest was put to bed in the 89th minute by substitute Austin McEwen back in action after a long stint on the sidelines following an ACL injury. A through ball from Fraser Keon saw McEwen bearing down on goal before chipping advancing Mount Martha keeper Derren Elliott to complete the scoreline in classy fashion.
Aspendale’s worst performance of the season resulted in a 5-0 away loss to FC Noble Hurricanes last weekend. Defensive errors and a lack of killer instinct up front cost the visitors dearly. Aspendale’s best were Felix Hampson, Matthew Bruce and James Macnab.
In VPL1 two late goals gave Melbourne Victory a 3-1 win over Langwarrin at Lawton Park on Saturday giving the visitors a seven-point buffer at the top of the table. Victory was denied an early lead from the penalty spot when Luka Kolic’s conversion attempt was well saved by James Burgess. In the 37th minute it was Langwarrin’s turn to miss from the spot when Young’s attempt slammed into the post and bounced clear. Three minutes later Victory was in front.
Captain Alex Menelaou charged into the left of the area and his cutback was hit first-time on the turn by Marc Petheriotis from point-blank range. But that lead didn’t last long. In the 43rd minute Barath Suresh robbed a defender inside the area and Rogan McGeorge squared the ball to Youngs who made no mistake as Victory keeper Christian Siciliano scrambled to reposition himself.
In the second half Siciliano was the busier of the two keepers but Langy couldn’t finish some excellent build-ups and it paid dearly in the first minute of time added. James Kelly was dispossessed and Victory broke quickly before substitute Tomasso Minotoli’s cool flick over Burgess’ attempt to smother. Three minutes later Petheriotis completed the scoreline and the threat Victory represented in transition had proven to be the home side’s downfall.
In State 1 Mornington ended its 2-1 away loss against Mazenod on Saturday with nine men and a player crisis that shows no sign of abating soon. David Stirton is still a couple of weeks away from resuming following a serious calf injury, Kostas Droutsas remains sidelined following his pre-season ACL injury and Sam Scott still hasn’t recovered from a shin haematoma.
Then there’s the carnage from Saturday’s third straight loss. Luke Burgess was sent off in the 10th minute for violent conduct after an off-the-ball incident, Rhys Craigie was sent off in the 93rd minute for abusive language and Shaun Kenny hobbled off with a hamstring injury. But it doesn’t end there. Toshi Kurosawa returns to Japan in a few weeks’ time and Josh Heaton is set to miss three weeks next month while on holiday.
Mornington has signed 35-year-old central defender Sam O’Regan from Beaumaris but O’Regan only registered with the Seagulls a fortnight ago meaning he still has four weeks of a six-game carryover suspension to serve. Football can be cruel and despite playing most of Saturday’s match with 10 men every Mornington player gave their all and deserved to get something from this contest.
Mazenod broke the deadlock in the 58th minute with a low strike from Patrick Ayoul Both and went further ahead five minutes later thanks to a Jayson Gucciardo cross and Jamie Mammino’s firm header. But the home team was still celebrating when the Seagulls broke quickly and Rory Currie finished superbly from the left of the area to make it 2-1.
The visitors kept finding one-on-ones in attack as they went forward with pace and precision and thought they had earned a penalty late in the contest when substitute Carlos Abboud went to ground only for their pleas to be waved away.
Mornington head coach Adam Jamieson is believed to have a couple of new players on his radar as the next few weeks are set to be testing times indeed for the local outfit.
In State 2 Peninsula Strikers were forced to share the points after a 1-1 home draw with Chisholm United on Saturday. In the 13th minute a ball over the top from Billy Rae to Taylan Geylan saw the latter whip in a quality ball to the back post where Cooper Andrews headed home.
Shortly after strong claims for a Strikers’ penalty were ignored then Ethan Goulding forced a turnover and Wayne Gordon was through in a one-on-one with Chisholm keeper Rani Dowisha but shot wide. Chisholm controlled much of the game without creating chances but its moment came in the second minute of injury time. A clearing header fell to Gerry Kavadas just outside the box. His shot took a wicked deflection off Rae who was attempting to block and the ball looped over helpless Strikers’ keeper Faraz Zenoozi and into goal.
Skye United lost 3-1 at home to Bayside Argonauts on Saturday. The visitors led 2-0 at half-time through Mitch Cooper after Skye central defender Alex Van Heerwarden had been forced off with a hamstring injury. In the 67th minute Skye fought back after substitutes Arash Sadeghi and Daniel Attard combined with the latter heading home following a good ball into the box. Skye pressed hard for an equaliser but Bayside’s Carl Darling made it 3-1 with the last kick of the game.
In State 3 news Frankston Pines faces another setback after captain Deniz Karabadjak announced on Sunday that he had left to rejoin Peninsula Strikers. “The club and people that do volunteer work there have been nothing but amazing to me welcoming me with open arms,” Karabadjak said. “It’s a shame where the club is right now and I hope they can turn it around I really do. “I just would like to play with people I’m close to and be back at the club I have good memories with and get back my passion for the sport.” It’s believed that Josh Botha also could return to Strikers.
In State 4 news the early-season noise surrounding Chelsea is barely a whisper after last Friday’s second successive loss this time going down 5-2 at home to Hampton Park United. Chelsea’s scorers were Tim Koulouris and Christian Murray and ill-discipline from Hampton Park’s Manos Triantifillidis and Edin Ali saw them dismissed in injury time after both being shown a second yellow card. Injured Chelsea duo Adam Bartosy and Jarrah Clear are expected to be available for Saturday’s derby away to Baxter. Both locals will go into the clash following successive losses after Baxter lost 2-0 at home to Endeavour United last weekend.
To add to Baxter’s woes star striker Liam Baxter is believed to have gone overseas with no timeline on a possible return and 23-year-old defender Dylan Tervit announced his shock retirement late last week. Tervit was acting on medical advice following his ninth concussion in the last three years.
Somerville and Keysborough drew 1-1 at Western Port Secondary College on Saturday. Late in the first half Somerville took the lead after a deep cross from Jake Meggs was met by Marcus Anastasiou who squared it back across goal to Joe Simmons for a tap-in. Keysborough struck back early after the interval with a great long-range effort from Jose Ramon Perez Telea and despite Somerville creating multiple scoring chances its finishing lacked conviction.
Mentone recorded its first win of the season when it won 1-0 away to Lyndale United on Saturday. The decisive moment came in the 18th minute when Tom Johnston sent Joe Dunbar through on goal and he made no mistake calmly side-footing past Lyndale keeper Michael Napolitano.
In other news teenage Mount Martha twins Alexi and James Houridis have arrived in Germany for trials with Bayern Munich and Freiburg. The siblings flew direct from Italy after an intensive two-week training camp with the Joeys as part of the national team’s preparation for October’s AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifiers and next year’s World U17 finals.
The Houridis siblings turned 16 in January and play with Melbourne Victory in different midfield roles. Former Langwarrin head coach Scott Miller has been working privately with the twins for the past five years.
“It’s an inspirational story for any aspiring young footballer from the peninsula,” Miller said.
NEXT WEEK’S GAMES
Friday 26 April, 8.30pm:
Skye Utd v Berwick City, Skye Recreation Reserve
Mount Eliza v Barton Utd, Emil Madsen Reserve
Saturday 27 April, 3pm:
Mornington v Malvern City, Dallas Brooks Park
St Kilda v Frankston Pines, Elwood Park
Baxter v Chelsea, Baxter Park
Hampton Park Utd v Mentone, KM Reedy Reserve
Aspendale v Mount Martha, Aspendale Gardens Sports Ground
Seaford Utd v Pakenham Utd, North Seaford Reserve
Saturday 27 April, 6pm:
Rosebud v Bunyip District, Olympic Park Reserve
Saturday 27 April, 7pm:
Sandown Lions v Somerville Eagles, Ross Reserve
Sunday 28 April, 3pm:
North Caulfield v Peninsula Strikers, Darebin International Sports Centre
Sunday 28 April, 4pm:
Western Utd v Langwarrin, Ironbark Fields
First published in the Frankston Times – 23rd April 2024
