SOCCER
FOUR games from glory – that’s what most local State League clubs are facing in the run-in to the 2025 season finale.
Mornington, Peninsula Strikers and Skye United are eyeing promotion while Rosebud, Somerville Eagles, Baxter, Mount Eliza and Seaford United are desperately trying to hold on to their current league status.
The off-season restructure of the State Leagues is massive.
It entails creating State 6 and State 7 leagues broken into South-East and North-West divisions to finally bring regional consistency throughout the State Leagues set-up.
In State 1 South-East the champion earns promotion to VPL2 while the runner-up enters a play-off against its North-West counterpart.
Mornington currently is third, three points behind league leader Malvern City, but its fate firmly is in its own hands.
Three of its last four games are at home and include clashes with Malvern, second-placed Bayside Argonauts, fifth-placed Doveton and Old Scotch.
“At this stage all of our home games will be at Dallas Brooks,” head coach Adam Jamieson said.
The poor state of the main pitch at Dallas Brooks Park has been a contentious issue this season.
“I’ve got a fit squad and the players are ready for these last four games,” Jamieson added.
“We’ve tweaked our system of play since the loss to Beaumaris and so far it seems to be working.”
Ryan Pakzcowski remains overseas due to personal reasons.
In State 2 South-East both local clubs are in the promotion hunt with Peninsula Strikers second, four points behind champion-elect St Kilda.
The top two are promoted in this league and Strikers’ run home involves facing two top-six teams in Knox City and third-placed Casey Comets.
Strikers’ boss Scott Morrison will have Tommy Wood back from injury and sees fitness as one of the advantages his side takes into the season finale.
“Injury wise we are in very good shape and the work Kosta Drak does with the squad has unquestionably put us in a good spot for the last four games,” Morrison said.
“Our focus will be 100 percent on ourselves and not others.
“We know this league can throw up crazy results so as long as we do what’s required from our end we will be fine.”
Skye United is fourth, three points behind Strikers, and has had a remarkable season given its completely revamped senior squad.
Head coach Phil McGuinness was hard at work in the off-season running the rule over triallists in a program that saw Skye hold many more friendlies than other local sides.
Skye’s remaining fixtures involve two games against top-six sides in Mooroolbark and Knox City, but to its advantage, three of its last four games are at home.
Here is the run home for Strikers and Skye United:
STRIKERS: v Berwick City (H), v Doncaster Rovers (A), v Knox City (A), v Casey Comets (H).
SKYE: v Mooroolbark (A), v Bentleigh Utd Cobras (H), v North Caulfield (H), v Knox City (H).
The FV revamp impacts greatly on State 4 and State 5 levels.
In State 4 South there is a traffic jam of local teams desperately trying to cling on to their league status.
The top team wins promotion with teams finishing second through to sixth playing in State 4 South-East next year.
While Chelsea’s title tilt looks to have failed, its top-six status is secure given that it currently lies second with a 13-point gap over the seventh-placed side.
Not so with Rosebud, Somerville and Baxter, who are in fifth, sixth and seventh spots.
Here are their respective runs home:
ROSEBUD: v Mentone (A), v Chelsea (H), v Sandown Lions (H), v Springvale City (A).
SOMERVILLE: v Lyndale Utd (H), v Endeavour Utd (A), v Baxter (H), v Chelsea (A).
BAXTER: v Endeavour Utd (A), v Frankston Pines (A), v Somerville Eagles (A), v Lyndale Utd (H).
“Every game is a cup final if I am honest,” Rosebud gaffer Stuart Johnson said.
“In the first half of the season we had a great game against Springvale and Chelsea were far too good for us.
“For both those games we have to show where we have improved and put our best foot forward.”
Injuries and players going to other clubs have had major impacts on Rosebud’s season.
“Since the start of the season we have had four fractures and multiple long-term layoffs which has affected the consistency of the squad we could select,” Johnson added.
“The boys have done a tremendous job given the disruption and we now have to finish the job.
“We need a good result against Mentone this weekend and we are targeting three points against Sandown to ease our situation but we are taking nothing for granted.”
In State 5 the big question hanging over the run home is whether or not Seaford United can chase down second-placed Mount Eliza as Fortuna 60 looks to have a firm grip on the championship.
Mount Eliza has been the surprise packet of the league as a perceived lack of depth was expected to hinder the team’s consistency, but Gerry McDonagh’s men have thus far maintained their challenge for the title.
Seaford was one of the championship hopefuls at the start of the season but now finds itself fighting to save its State 5 status, given that only the two top teams remain in State 5 South-East next year while teams finishing third through to sixth drop into State 6 South-East.
Teams finishing seventh and below face a double drop into the new State 7 South-East – a fate Aspendale and Mount Martha are staring in the face.
Seaford head coach Paul Williams remains confident that his club can maintain its league status.
“We’re clearly doing something right as we’re at the business end of the season and still in the hunt for second spot in the seniors and the title in the reserves,” Williams said.
“When we’re on we reckon we can take on anyone.
“A few missed chances over the season have had me up at night endlessly reviewing the Veo footage but no doubt if character won trophies we’d be top of the table.
“Our support staff and players are a tight-knit bunch and they’re giving it their all.
“We’re not done yet.”
NEXT WEEKEND
Saturday, 16 August, 3pm
Doveton v Mornington, Waratah Reserve
Peninsula Strikers v Berwick City, Centenary Park
Mooroolbark v Skye Utd, Esther Park
Mentone v Rosebud, Mentone Grammar Playing Fields
Frankston Pines v Monash University, Monterey Reserve
Sandown Lions v Chelsea, Ross Reserve
Endeavour Utd v Baxter, Reema Reserve
Somerville Eagles v Lyndale Utd, Westernport Secondary College
Mount Martha v Aspendale, Civic Reserve
Mount Eliza v Cleeland Utd, Emil Madsen Reserve
Seaford Utd v Pakenham Utd, North Seaford Reserve
Sunday, 17 August, 4pm
Western Utd v Langwarrin, Ironbark Fields
