SOCCER
ARCHIE Macphee was the toast of Lawton Park on Saturday evening after a stunning late goal spree underpinned a remarkable 3-2 win for Langwarrin over high-flying Western United. No-one saw this coming least of all the visitors who were left shell-shocked after being in cruise control with a two-goal lead and just three minutes of normal time remaining.
A Tobias Servin lay-off in the 30th minute was lashed home by James York and when Jake Najdovski had the luxury of a free header from a 40th minute corner Langy seemed certain to remain at the foot of the VPL1 table. When substitute Dante Avian was tripped inside the box in the 87th minute Lucas Portelli had no trouble converting to make it 2-1.
There was an added urgency about Langy’s game now and a minute later Kosta Apostolopoulos made a superb solo run on the left then crossed to Macphee who chested down and slammed the ball home with his trusty left foot for the equaliser. And that was that. A point apiece. Or so it seemed.
But in the 90th minute the impossible became possible. Portelli to Avian to Macphee gave the big Scot the chance to prove that his right foot wasn’t just for standing on. And he did so in some style switching the ball from his left foot to his right and hammering a low shot past despairing Western keeper Alex Nassiep sparking colourful celebrations on and off the pitch and taking Langy from 14th to 11th spot in the league. More importantly it gave the local club renewed hope of avoiding relegation in what has been a bumpy ride so far.
In State 1 news Mornington shares top billing with South Springvale but had to wait until the 88th minute to down home team Brandon Park 1-0 on Saturday.
The Seagulls were reduced to 10 men in the 53rd minute after Rory Wagner was shown a second yellow card. Liron Azizi came on as a sub in the 83rd minute and five minutes later tapped in from close range after a Jay Davies free-kick wasn’t cleared.
In player news assistant coach David Stirton has registered to play for Mornington while young forward Tommy Wood has returned to Peninsula Strikers.
In State 2 news Skye and Doncaster Rovers shared the spoils in a 3-3 draw at Anderson Park on Friday night. The hosts took less than two minutes to get on the board when Luc Misenga rounded Skye goalkeeper Steven Hadjikakou and finished well. Doncaster then went 2-0 up but a stroke of good fortune came in the 15th minute when Hadjikakou’s free-kick from inside his own half sailed all the way in.
However Doncaster regained its two-goal buffer in the 28th minute when Alexander Santostefano cleverly finished into the bottom corner and the visitors were staring down the barrel. Less than three minutes later Skye was awarded a penalty and although Hadjikakou missed the initial attempt he followed up the rebound and unbelievably had two goals to his name. Cameron Boulton then drew the visitors level after he found space in the box and finished well. It was 3-3 at half time and spectators could hardly believe what they were seeing but Skye was fortunate to be level.
The second half was in stark contrast to the first but the referee managed to dish out nine yellow cards as well as a red card to already substituted Boulton for supposedly delaying the restart of play.
Peninsula Strikers got their promotion drive back on course with a come-from-behind 2-1 home win over Chisholm United on Saturday. The visitors took the lead when gifted a free header from a corner in the 21st minute. Strikers keeper Ben Caballero pulled off a superb reaction save but the ball fell to Andrew Simpson who hammered it home from close range.
Riley Anderton and Jaiden Madafferi came close to equalising in the first half but Strikers made it 1-1 six minutes into the second period when a quick counter-attack ended with Anderton sending Joel Bowen clear and he finished in style past the advancing Chisholm keeper.
It looked like a draw was inevitable until Sam Maggs picked out Campbell Steedman wide on the right with the latter cutting inside a defender before finishing with a left-foot strike for the winner in the 88th minute.
In State 4 news Chelsea dropped its first points of the season in a 2-2 draw with Springvale City at Ross Reserve on Friday night. The home side had the better of the first period and deserved its 1-0 half-time lead thanks to a 38th-minute goal from former Mornington, Langwarrin and Baxter attacking midfielder Nat Daher.
In the 53rd minute it was no surprise that league top scorer James Stinson was quickest to react to a deflected free-kick and tapping the ball home from close range. When substitute Alex Namar headed home from a Dylan Scott free-kick in the 86th minute the visitors led 2-1. But two minutes into stoppage time Adam Dunsford handled inside the box and Springvale’s Marti Watt levelled from the spot.
Chelsea signed Nemanja Lojanica from Springvale White Eagles late last week and he came off the bench late in the match. Chelsea has played four away games in the opening six rounds and this weekend it’s away from home again when it takes on Endeavour United in a top-of-the-table clash for the annual Melino Cup.
Somerville Eagles moved into the top half of the table after Saturday’s 3-1 home win over Sandown Lions. Marcus Anastasiou, Max Watson and Jake Meggs were Somerville’s scorers.
Frankston Pines earned their first point of the season with a 3-3 draw away to Lyndale United on Saturday. Two goals from Davey Jones and an own goal went close to giving Pines a first win this season.
Baxter claimed its opening win of the season last weekend with a 4-1 away win against Mentone with Jack Bradbury, Austin Sporys, Charlie O’Connell and Brody Taylor all on target for the visitors. While promotion seems a fanciful prospect Baxter retains hope that it can achieve a top-six finish and avoid relegation as a result of next season’s league restructure.
Rosebud should have led comfortably at half-time away to Endeavour United on Saturday but the home side overran its opponent in the second half winning 3-0 and grabbing top spot in the league.
In State 5 news league leader Fortuna 60 and visitor Seaford United went toe-to-toe in a crazy 10-goal thriller on Saturday that ended in a draw. Fortuna led 4-0 after 16 minutes courtesy of a second-minute opener from Jake Budija and a Damon Scott hat-trick.
The visitors hit back in the 34th minute when Conor Mcfall won the ball on the halfway line and played Dylan Waugh through who converted his one-on-one with the Fortuna keeper and just before half-time Naseer Mohammad on the left squared the ball to Jay McCabe for a tap-in to make it 4-2. A Blake Hicks long throw in the 67th minute led to a goalmouth scramble with Backy Barakzoi smashing home his volley to make it 4-3.
The equaliser came eight minutes later when Mcfall converted a penalty awarded for handball.
And a dream comeback seemed likely when a Mohammad cross in the 91st minute enabled Logan Johnston at the back post to tap home and put Seaford ahead. But a minute later a looping header from Fortuna winger Hayden Tanti at the back post found its way into the net and the points were shared.
Mount Martha notched its second win of the season when 2-1 success over Keysborough at Coomoora Reserve on Saturday. The night before Keysborough had considered defaulting as it had lost its coach and some players through the week but decided to fulfill the fixture.
Mount Martha took the lead in the 16th minute when Howie Anderson controlled a cross from the left on his chest then his knee before hammering it home from just inside the box. Anderson made it 2-0 in the 43rd minute but to Keysborough’s credit it pounced on a poor clearance in the 65th minute and Madi Muhammad scored. Although Mount Martha then wasted some good chances to make the game safe the coaching staff were pleased with the overall performance.
Aspendale suffered a second loss this season when going down 1-0 at home to Casey Panthers on Saturday. Casey’s winner came from Lucas Whiteside just before half-time.
In Australia Cup news there is no remaining local representative in the 2025 national tournament which is run in conjunction with Football Victoria’s Dockerty Cup. Langwarrin was the peninsula’s sole hope of advancing to the next round until its 2-1 loss to State 1 North-West side Clifton Hill at Lawton Park last Wednesday night.
Dean Lorenzi opened the scoring in the 38th minute after being sent through by Robbie Williamson and the unfancied visitors led 1-0 at half-time. Langwarrin rested Archie Macphee, Brad Blumenthal and Cal Goulding while Tom Youngs was injured. When Peter Giorges made it 2-0 in the 85th minute latching onto a poor headed clearance it was game over. Langy’s response came deep into injury time with an own goal from Chris Davies after a mix-up with his keeper.
NEXT WEEKEND
Friday, 9 May, 8.30pm
Frankston Pines v Somerville Eagles, Monterey Reserve
Saturday, 10 May, 3pm
North Sunshine Eagles v Langwarrin, Larissa Reserve
Mornington v Hampton East Brighton, Dallas Brooks Park
Peninsula Strikers v Skye Utd, Centenary Park
Endeavour Utd v Chelsea, Reema Reserve
FC Noble Hurricanes v Baxter, Alex Nelson Reserve
Mount Martha v Pakenham Utd, Civic Reserve
Seaford Utd v Bunyip District, North Seaford Reserve
Mount Eliza v Casey Panthers, Emil Madsen Reserve
Fortuna 60 v Aspendale, Crinigan Road South Reserve
Saturday, 10 May, 6pm
Rosebud v Lyndale Utd, Olympic Park
