SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIPS and promotion are on the line for four local clubs come this weekend’s final round of the 2022 season. Frankston Pines are in touching distance of the State 3 South-East title having already secured promotion while State 1 local Mornington and State 2 neighbours Peninsula Strikers and Skye United remain in the promotion race. Pines face an away fixture against ninth-placed Ashburton on Saturday while Mornington has a mountain to climb away to title-chasing Beaumaris. Pines thrashed visitor Rowville Eagles 5-1 last weekend thanks to a Liam Baxter masterclass in off-the-ball movement and finishing. While Rowville’s best player,…
Author: Craig MacKenzie
SOCCER MORNINGTON’S 2022 league season hangs in the balance and its fate is not in its own hands. With just two rounds remaining the Seagulls must win both matches and hope other results go their way if they are to realise a long-held ambition of playing in the NPL. As things stand Malvern City tops the State 1 South-East ladder on 44 points, Beaumaris is second on 42, Boroondara-Carey Eagles third on 41 and Mornington fourth on 40 with the first two teams expected to be offered places in NPL3 next season. While Malvern and Boroondara-Carey clash this weekend Beaumaris…
SOCCER MORNINGTON missed a chance to close on the State 1 South-East leaders in the race for an NPL spot when it drew 1-1 away with second-placed Boroondara-Carey Eagles on Saturday. The Seagulls enjoyed the better of the first half with the best chance falling to Campbell Steedman inside 15 minutes but his header back across home team keeper Gavin Watson was matched by a classy save that maintained the stalemate. On the cusp of half-time a quality Josh Hine volley dipped late and rattled the bar but rebounded out and was cleared. The second half once again saw the…
SOCCER FRANKSTON Pines won promotion to State 2 last weekend despite a 0-0 draw against State 3 title challenger Hampton East Brighton. And the $3.9m Monterey Reserve upgrade will be officially opened on Thursday even though the new clubrooms may remain unfit for purpose if problems with gas connection continue. Pines have been forced to use the synthetic pitch at Wedge Road in Carrum Downs for much longer than anticipated. That was the venue for the ladder leader to grind out a point on Friday night and with other results on the weekend going in Pines’ favour it was able…
SOCCER SOMERVILLE’S Adam Steele has been forced to retire due to ongoing concussion issues. The uncompromising defender is the second local player to stop playing this season due to the risk of head injury after post-concussion syndrome prematurely ended the career of Frankston Pines’ stalwart CJ Hodgson in April. London-born Steele, 32, arrived in Melbourne in 2012 and his first club here was Manningham United where he made the switch to defence after playing most of his career up front. He joined Somerville in early 2021 after stints with Eltham Redbacks, Ashburton United and Mount Martha. “Somerville’s been a fantastic…