SOCCER SKYE United and Mornington won important games last weekend to keep the threat of relegation at arm’s length.Skye went into Friday night’s derby showdown with Peninsula Strikers a pronounced underdog given their respective places on the State 2 South-East ladder.Skye lost the bedrock of its senior squad during pre-season and has struggled to recover from the setback while Strikers have had their gaze firmly fixed on winning promotion since the start of the current campaignBut that gaze was diverted by two first-half goals for Skye and the visitors to Skye Recreation Reserve went into the break staring down the…
Author: Craig MacKenzie
SOCCER CHELSEA blew a great chance to continue its promotion push when it couldn’t beat 10-man Baxter in Saturday’s feisty State 4 South derby at Edithvale Recreation Reserve.The 1-1 scoreline reflects the persistence and commitment of Baxter despite facing an uphill battle after Brodie McMinimee was cautioned twice for dissent in the 23rd minute and sent off.In dreadful weather conditions that washed out two other games featuring local sides it took until the 65th minute of this clash for the deadlock to be broken.Chelsea striker Piers Brelsford came out of retirement last week and couldn’t have timed his comeback any…
SOCCER CHELSEA has set the State 4 South title race alight by becoming the first team since 2022 to inflict a loss on table-topping Hampton Park United. A solitary goal was all that separated these sides at KM Reedy Reserve on Saturday and league top scorer James Stinson was on the mark once more. The English ace emphasised his importance to the Chelsea cause when a pinpoint through ball from Adam Bartosy in the 52nd minute allowed Stinson to round Hampton Park keeper Michael Almeida and calmly finish the move.The home side would have hit back soon after if not…
SOCCERNEW signings and player axings stole the limelight last week with Baxter featuring prominently. Noah Green, Joey Bucello and Robbie O’Toole were released by Baxter while Ryan Brown has left on a pre-planned overseas trip. Green had a stellar season last year and will likely join a club closer to his Southbank home. It’s believed that there has been an undercurrent of unrest among a section of the playing group throughout the season and head coach Kevin “Squizzy” Taylor decided that action had to be taken. That resulted in last week’s cull. But Taylor already has plans to reinforce the…
SOCCER ROSEBUD has bolstered its championship credentials by signing experienced midfielder Andy Jerez. The 34-year-old’s football CV includes stints at Melbourne Victory, Knox City, Mornington, Dandenong City and Berwick City and he was lured to Olympic Park from VPL2 outfit Doveton. His friendship with first team mainstay Doug Cunnison and the planning and ambition of head coach Stuart Johnson played important roles in Jerez’s decision to drop down five divisions to State 5 South. And Jerez hit the ground running with a man-of-the-match display on debut in Rosebud’s 4-0 derby success over Mount Eliza at Emil Madsen Reserve on Saturday.The…