SOCCER BAXTER teeters on the edge of the State 4 South relegation abyss after the controversial abandonment of Saturday’s clutch away fixture against Hampton Park United. Baxter was losing 2-0 in the first half when the decision of referee Zhihao Lu to give Baxter striker Liam Kilner a second yellow card triggered a reaction that saw his brother and Baxter captain Owen Kilner also sent off. Their father and Baxter senior coach Roy Kilner believes that he also was sent off as Saturday’s clash descended into farce. Referee Lu abandoned the match in the 39th minute and Roy Kilner claims…
Author: Craig MacKenzie
SOCCER ROY Kilner is back at Baxter in a last-ditch attempt to rescue the club from relegation from State 4 South. When news broke last week that work commitments had forced Francis Beck to step down as head coach the club turned to former coach Kilner and he has targeted controversial striker Mark Pagliarulo as the man to lead the front line. ‘Pags’ has also attracted interest from Somerville and Skye United but his relationship with Baxter is expected to tip the odds in Kilner’s favour. ‘Pags’ last played in 2017 and has since concentrated on his job as head…
SOCCER LOCAL NPLW club Southern United has signed American striker Michaela Dooley to a two-year deal with a one-year option. Dooley arrived in Melbourne last week and has trained with her new teammates and Southern hopes to finalise her international clearance in time to face Alamein next weekend. Dooley’s signing is a major coup as she has been in sparkling form for Swedish club Skövde KIK and had been approached by a Queensland-based club who offered her $2500 a month, a job and free accommodation. The 23-year-old was born in San Diego, California but grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona and…
SOCCER PENINSULA Strikers gave themselves a lifeline by winning Saturday’s State 2 South-East derby 2-0 against Frankston Pines at Monterey Reserve. It was only the club’s second win in a season of turmoil but it gives Strikers hope that they can climb off the foot of the league ladder. Referee James Milloy took centre stage before the match with opinions varied as to whether or not he should allow the contest to take place given the drenching the pitch had taken with little respite in sight. And eight minutes into the contest the home team was wishing that Milloy hadn’t…
SOCCER JAMIE Skelly has nine games left to save Peninsula Strikers from relegation from State 2 South-East. The revolving door at Centenary Park was spinning once more after Casey Comets shot themselves in the foot by sacking Skelly as head coach last week and inadvertently giving Strikers a lifeline. Within hours of his sacking Skelly had agreed to join Strikers on the proviso that Trevor Johnston remain as president. Johnston had resigned the previous night but the chance to rescue his club’s faltering season proved too good to resist and a back flip was duly performed. Skelly became Strikers’ seventh…