Soccer
PENINSULA Strikers are on course for State 1 status if Scott Morrison’s second-placed side can maintain the momentum gathered in recent weeks.
Strikers made it five on the trot with a clinical 3-1 away win over Bentleigh United Cobras last weekend.
The win was helped by a first-half red card for Cobras captain Daniel Moirana who received two cautions in four minutes.
His first came in the 30th minute after he left the pitch for treatment but re-entered without permission.
His second came as Strikers’ keeper Faraz Zenoozi had the ball in both hands preparing to launch it downfield until Moirana ran straight in front of him to try and block the kick.
Another four minutes elapsed before Sam Maggs broke the deadlock with a cross-come-shot ending up in the back of the net courtesy of a strong wind.
It was 2-0 in the 67th minute after Wayne Gordon intercepted a pass in midfield and quickly played it to Riley Anderton whose superb through ball released Maggs for a cool finish past Cobras keeper Erik Linsdell.
The contest was just about put to bed when Matt Harrington scored a brilliant individual goal after picking the ball up and running at the Cobras defence before deftly bending his shot into the bottom corner.
Cobras’ consolation came from the penalty spot after Gordon was adjudged to have brought down Colby Parton in the box and Parton converted.
Strikers missed a golden chance to make it four after a Josh Botha cross was put wide by Cooper Andrews late in the contest.
In another promotion clash in State 2, Skye United lost 2-0 away to league leader St Kilda on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors came in slightly undermanned and to make matters worse fell behind after only three minutes after a flick-on header from Gary McCrossan.
Skye struggled to trouble the hosts and the game was put to bed in the 57th minute when Jack Lynch finished into an empty net.
In VPL1 news, Langwarrin was no match for championship-chasing Melbourne City, losing 3-0 at home on Friday night.
Home team fans aren’t used to seeing their side corralled inside their defensive half for long periods of the contest but that’s what they faced here.
The first half produced the game’s goals but it also emphasised the class gulf between these teams.
In the 15th minute a brilliant free-kick from Beckham Baker opened the scoring and when he was tripped inside the area five minutes later by Langy keeper James Burgess, he had no problem converting from the spot.
A minute into first-half injury time a superb tackle on Langy livewire Tom Youngs sparked a quick City counter which ended with a Kavian Rahmani header giving Burgess no chance.
There was no more damage done to the home team in the second half, which is probably as much as it could expect.
In State 1 news, Mornington got back to winning ways with a 3-2 home win over Collingwood City on Saturday.
The state of the Dallas Brooks pitch forced the game to be played at Knox Regional Football Centre.
Mornington was on the back foot within a minute when Dean Markovski scored but six minutes later scores were level.
Kieran Dover’s cross to James Kelly was teed up for Dylan Thomas who levelled.
Kelly made it 2-1 in the 41st minute and four minutes later a Ziggy Razuki free-kick was headed in by Dover for what was to be the winner.
Collingwood reduced the deficit thanks to Robert Mackay in the 57th minute but had little else to offer in dreadful playing conditions.
In State 4 news, Chelsea relinquished top spot when it was forced to share the spoils in Saturday’s 2-2 away draw with FC Noble Hurricanes.
Gus Macleod’s men were in control at 2-0 in the second half thanks to goals from Daniel Vella and James Stinson.
When Stinson broke through and neatly lobbed the Hurricanes keeper that should have sealed a win, but the referee ruled that Stinson was offside—a decision that drew the ire of the Chelsea players, coaching staff and most onlookers.
“The referee gave offside for some reason even though he was 30 metres away,” Macleod said.
“The linesman was far better positioned and kept his flag down and when I asked the referee at the end of the match why he gave offside he said it was possible he’d made a mistake.”
FC Hurricanes scored twice in the last minute of play to end a dismal day for the visitors.
Baxter’s surge up the league ladder continued when a late Jai Power goal was enough to take down Springvale City at Baxter Park on Saturday.
The pivotal moment in this contest came in the 88th minute.
Keegan Myatt got the ball on the edge of the 18-yard box and played it inside to Kyle Eichenberger who squared it to Power for a tap-in.
Rosebud lost 2-1 away to Monash University in controversial circumstances.
A retaken penalty in the 87th minute decided this tussle after Rosebud had been the better side and had dominated possession and created more chances.
Monash took the lead against the run of play in the 66th minute when Jack Wyer failed to deal with a dangerous cross and steered it into his own net.
Rosebud responded well with Sean Smith scoring from an Ethan Hunt lay off in the 77th minute.
The spot-kick 10 minutes later was brilliantly saved by Colin McCormack only for the assistant referee to intervene and claim that McCormack had infringed.
Monash’s Archie Fraser scored from the retake.
“To lose a match on a decision like that is incredibly disappointing,” Rosebud head coach Stuart Johnson said.
“We’ve seen the footage and unfortunately the assistant referee has got it wrong. It’s a great save from Colin and it should have been points shared.”
Somerville Eagles won 3-0 away against Mentone with all the damage done in the first half.
Goals from Alessio Izzo, Josh Simmons and Marcus Anastasiou gave Somerville its first win since early May and rebooted its chances of a top-six finish.
Frankston Pines won its first game of the season when downing Sandown Lions 2-1 at Monterey Reserve on Friday night.
Ali Khan was the home team hero scoring both goals.
His first gave Pines a half-time lead and his second—a header from a corner—proved decisive.
Pines keeper Caleb Parr made a series of crucial saves through the match.
In State 5 news, Mount Eliza’s push to maintain its league status is still on course after Saturday’s 3-2 derby win over Mount Martha at Emil Madsen Reserve.
A through ball from the visitors saw Daniel Bancroft give them a 13th minute lead but in the 32nd minute a Noah Green free-kick was headed in by Lachie Mitchell for the equaliser.
Minutes later Trevor Smith intercepted a pass from Mount Martha keeper Derren Elliott and made it 2-1 and shortly after it was 3-1 when the Mount Martha defence couldn’t deal with Green’s free-kick.
The visitors had much more of the game in the second half but could only hit back in the 70th minute when Archie Thomas finished off a fine interpassing move.
Seaford United had a resounding 6-1 away win over Keysborough on Saturday and still eyes a top-two finish with six games remaining.
Zain Ahmad opened the scoring in the 33rd minute when he controlled a Backy Barakzoi cross and converted from close range.
It was 2-0 six minutes later when Dylan Waugh punished the home team’s defence for not dealing with a long ball.
A minute into the second half Conor Mcfall’s half-volley from a Keysborough clearance made it 3-0 and Blake Hicks hammered home a left-footed strike from just outside the box to make it 4-0 in the 62nd minute.
It was Ahmad at the double in the 73rd minute after a defensive blunder.
Keysborough’s Diego Galvez was at the back post to head home a well-worked free-kick in the 88th minute but two minutes later Seaford substitute Khalil Bahrami rounded off the scoreline.
Aspendale lost 3-1 away to Endeavour Hills Fire on Saturday with James Macnab on target for the visitors.
NEXT WEEKEND
Friday, 25 July, 8.30pm
- Chisholm Utd v Peninsula Strikers – Jack Edwards Reserve
- Chelsea v Springvale City – Edithvale Recreation Reserve
- Frankston Pines v Lyndale Utd – Monterey Reserve
Saturday, 26 July, 3pm
- Mornington v Brandon Park – Venue to be confirmed
- Skye Utd v Doncaster Rovers – Skye Recreation Reserve
- Baxter v Mentone – Baxter Park
- Sandown Lions v Somerville Eagles – Ross Reserve
- Seaford Utd v Fortuna 60 – North Seaford Reserve
- Mount Martha v Keysborough – Civic Reserve
- Casey Panthers v Aspendale – Prospect Hill Reserve
Saturday, 26 July, 6pm
- Eastern Lions v Langwarrin – Gardiner’s Creek Reserve
- Rosebud v Endeavour Utd – Olympic Park
Mount Eliza – BYE
