Author: Craig MacKenzie

SOCCER LATE goals and a Mark Pagliarulo master class highlighted last weekend’s round of league games. Langwarrin had to wait until the 88th minute to break through against Box Hill United, goals in the 88th and 90th minutes salvaged a point for Frankston Pines while “Pags” scored four goals and set up one in an impressive Somerville romp. Both Langy and Box Hill had chances to break the deadlock at Lawton Park on Saturday but the decisive moment was engineered by a Damir Stoilovic corner to the near post and a Luke Burgess header. That was Langy’s fourth win of…

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SOCCER FRANKSTON council re-turfed Monterey Reserve on Friday and the work was so extensive that Southern United was forced to call-off five matches scheduled for the venue on Saturday. The local women’s club plays at the elite level of the sport in Victoria and president Shannon Palmer was furious that no-one from council contacted her to tell her what was planned. “It’s a complete and utter debacle for us,” Palmer said on Sunday. “I don’t know why they didn’t contact us and tell us what they’d planned. “They contacted (co-tenant) Frankston Pines but they didn’t say what day they were…

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SOCCER THE quest for glory among local State League teams begins in earnest this weekend when the 2019 season kicks off. Frankston Pines is keen to open proceedings on Friday night under the new Monterey Reserve floodlights but its State 3 clash with Monash Uni was awaiting Football Victoria approval as we went to press. Monash was drawn as the home team in this round one fixture but a ground availability problem encouraged Pines to apply to have the fixture reversed and held as its home game. Pines has been on a roller-coaster ride throughout the off-season twice having to…

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SOCCER THE blue wave of Langwarrin engulfed much fancied opponent Bulleen at Lawton Park on Saturday and gave home fans a taste of things to come. Langy gaffer Scott Miller hasn’t hidden his ambition for the club he played for as a junior and his pre-season mantra of an up-tempo, slick, interpassing style of soccer rang true last weekend. Bulleen succumbed to the blue tsunami 4-1 in Langwarrin’s most impressive performance yet of the 2019 NPL2 East season. Spectators had been given an insight into Jordan Templin’s capabilities with two stunning goals against Northcote a fortnight back and he continued…

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SOCCER SKYE United’s FFA Cup journey took a dramatic twist on Saturday when it came from two goals down to beat Monbulk Rangers 4-3 at Centenary Park. Monbulk had beaten Skye in the promotion race from State 3 last season and came into the clash as a firm favourite. But things didn’t go Monbulk’s way when injury forced Declan McAleese to be replaced by Cameron Poynter after just 14 minutes. Four minutes later Daniel Walsh’s lethargy in pushing up from defence allowed Poynter to beat the offside trap and hammer the ball past Skye keeper Jonathan Crook for the opener.…

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