Author: Craig MacKenzie

Soccer PENINSULA Strikers left no doubt about their promotion credentials when they comfortably accounted for neighbouring Skye United 4-0 in Saturday’s derby showdown at Centenary Park. Eleven minutes in and a Taylan Geylan cross was steered home by Tom Wood at the near post. Veteran striker Wayne Gordon’s solo run came to an end when he was tripped in the 24th minute and Skye’s hopes probably ended there too. Gordon’s neatly curled free-kick left Skye keeper Callum Hope grasping at thin air. The killer blow came seconds after an audacious long-range effort from Ethan Goulding had beaten Hope only to…

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SOCCER CHAOS descended on Mount Eliza after Friday night’s controversial ending to the local team’s State 5 home game against Barton United.The trigger for referee Farhad Sharif’s decision to abandon the contest was the dismissal of Mount Eliza’s Nickel Chand after an off-the-ball incident late in the first half. Barton led 1-0 at the time and Mount Eliza head coach Alex Halikias was incensed at the red card decision. Referee Sharif approached the home team’s bench and after an exchange with Halikias sent off the irate coach. Sharif’s report claims that he was racially abused and threatened and it is…

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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…

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Soccer ROSEBUD remains on top of the State 5 South ladder after a stirring 3-1 away win over Aspendale on Saturday. It didn’t take long for Nathan Yole’s threat to emerge after he got clear in the 10th minute only to hammer a shot against the Aspendale crossbar.In the 22nd minute Rosebud went 1-0 up after a slick spin by Yole off a defender before squaring the ball for Davis Markulin to tap in from point-blank range. Aspendale captain Matthew Bruce had a great chance in the 37th minute when he ran onto a fine through ball only to be…

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SOCCER FRANKSTON Pines’ gun recruit Ardi Ahmeti has left the Monterey Reserve outfit and refuses to play under senior coach Donn Delaney. It’s a bodyblow for Pines who went down 2-0 at home to Dandenong South on Friday night.Pines have now started the season with consecutive home defeats and have lost their top striker and one of State 3 South-East’s finest players.Ahmeti has an impressive NPL background at both junior and senior levels and has played overseas.COVID prompted his return to Australia where he had spells at Eastern Lions, Dandenong City and North Sunshine Eagles. The 23-year-old took time off…

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