SOCCER
DAVID Stirton, Hayden Taylor, Matt Harrington, Conor Mcfall, Tristen Stass and Daniel Bancroft are some of the names that fell under the local spotlight last week.
Stirton and Taylor have joined Mornington’s coaching staff with “Stirts” assisting senior coach Adam Jamieson and “Hados” assisting reserves coach Kyle Johnson. This is Stirton’s first foray into senior coaching ranks after a playing career that took him to A-League youth and senior NPL levels. Recently plagued by injury the 33-year-old reluctantly stepped away from playing and has been considering taking up coaching for some time.
Jamieson rang Stirton over a week ago and discussed the position vacated by Danny Topping who has taken up a role with Melbourne City’s NPL program. “At the end of last season ‘Jamo’ asked me if I wanted to transition into coaching and I guess we’re about to find out whether or not this if for me,” Stirton said. “It still feels a bit weird not playing and being on this side of the fence but so far so good.
“As for my role, I think I’ll be giving ‘Jamo’ my opinion on the team each week, taking some drills and offering my opinion on matchday as well. “Obviously he’s the coach and he picks the team but I’ll have my say too. “I think the current squad is quite strong with a few boys there that have come down from NPL ranks and I think we’ve done well to get them over the line. “I guess now it’s a matter of getting them to gel and to do better than we did last season.”
Taylor caught everyone off-guard early last month when he reversed a previous decision and quit as head coach of Baxter. Jamieson sounded him out late last year about joining the Seagulls and he recently agreed. “I went to a session and had a look and here we are,” Taylor said. “It’s a young squad – essentially a 23s development squad – and I’m looking forward to it. “I’ve known ‘Jamo’ for a long time and I know a few of the boys down there so I thought it would be a good fit. “I think it’ll be a good year.”
The big news at State 2 level is the return of Matt Harrington to Peninsula Strikers, the club he left after the 2019 season to join Mornington. For the past two years the 23-year-old has been in England on a working visa and had a successful spell at Reigate Priory FC, the oldest club in Surrey. “We were promoted (to the Southern Combination Football League) for the first time in the club’s history so it was pretty special being part of that,” Harrington said.
Now he’s back at his boyhood club and eager to contribute to Strikers’ State 1 ambition. “I have a lot of friends at Strikers – Campbell (Steedman), Kyron (Kerr), Ethan (Goulding) – from my time at Mornington and everyone raves about the culture and the style of football there. “I came down for a session or two when I got back and really enjoyed it and Scotty (Morrison) seemed pretty keen to have me sign so yeah. “The club’s been pretty close to promotion in the two years I’ve been away so ideally I’d like to contribute as much as possible to fight for promotion. “By the looks of it the squad looks fairly strong.”
In State 4 the 2025 version of Baxter’s senior squad under new boss Billy Armour is taking shape and the club’s first new signing is 29-year-old Daniel Bancroft from State 5 club Mount Martha. Bancroft had four seasons at Ashburton United alongside Declan Seca and Mount Martha’s Adam Steele with Seca playing a part in the switch to Baxter Park.
“Declan’s my closest friend so when Billy rang me out of the blue and asked me to come down it was an easy decision to go there and train,” Bancroft said. “I liked the vibe of the club straight away and they were keen to sign me.”
Bancroft bought a property in Seaford and moved here just before the pandemic and stopped playing for a few years preferring to concentrate on marathons and triathlon. “When I heard Adam was going to play (at Mount Martha) I decided if I was going to make a comeback I may as well play with a mate and that’s why I joined Mount Martha.”
Last season was a huge personal success for Bancroft in a side that finished 10th in a 12-team league.
He won Mount Martha’s best and fairest and players’ player of the year awards. Yet you won’t find the senior presentation night award winners listed and what they won on the club’s official Facebook page. “I think Baxter is a good opportunity to play at a higher level where the senior men are sort of a priority to an extent whereas at Mount Martha I think they sort of focus more on the juniors– Baxter’s more like Ashburton.”
The timing of Bancroft’s switch couldn’t be better given that Baxter’s attacking linchpin Jack Elliott seems certain to join Rosebud. “In the first half of last year I played as a striker and scored plenty but we had a heap of injuries and I ended up playing in midfield for the first time in my life. “I think Billy will use me up top and I’m really looking forward to that in fact I’m absolutely buzzing to get back into it.”
In State 5 news Conor Mcfall and Tristen Stass have returned to Seaford United in a major boost to the club’s promotion push. Mcfall played as a junior at both Seaford and Skye United but it was at North Seaford Reserve that he transitioned into senior football. His decision is a major blow to Somerville Eagles where he has been a pivotal part of the senior squad since joining during the pandemic-interrupted 2021 season. “As much as I enjoyed being at Somerville Seaford’s always been home and where I was raised and being back at the club for pre-season really made me miss being there,” Mcfall said. “I’d love to be part of the squad that helps get them back into State 4.
“There’s a few new faces there, players I’ve played against for years at other clubs and I’m excited to be playing with them rather than against them. “The professionalism and organisation from the coaching staff and the club as a whole is really exciting and it’s a breath of fresh air to be a part of that.”
Stass is a no-nonsense defender who left Seaford and had stints at Frankston Pines and Baxter in the past three seasons. Seaford gaffer Paul “Toffee” Williams is delighted to have secured their signatures. “It’s great to have them back at Seaford as they bring quality on and off the park and are welcome additions to the squad,” Williams said. “Conor has football smarts and quality in that final third for goals and assists while Tristan is a rock at the back and doesn’t shy away from a tackle.”
Last week’s local friendlies:
Mornington 2 (James Kelly, Tom Woods) Springvale White Eagles 1; Peninsula Strikers reserves 8 (Jai Power 4, Josh Botha 2, Nave Yoresh 2) Somerville Eagles reserves 0; Seaford Utd 3 (Zain Ahmad 2, Andrew Mazzone) Skye Utd reserves 0; Langwarrin U23s 4 (Marco Torresan 2, Jeremiah (Jezza) Achiek 2) Skye Utd 1 (triallist); Peninsula Strikers 6 (Wayne Gordon 2, Riley Anderton 2, Matt Harrington 2) Somerville Eagles 1 (Max Watson); Rosebud 0 Knox City 3; Langwarrin 0 Banyule City 1; Langwarrin 4 (Andrew Mullett, Lucas Portelli, Tosan Popo, Savion Fernandez) Mornington 1 (Kyle Johnson).
This week’s local friendlies (check social media to confirm kick-off times):
Tuesday 28 January
Peninsula Strikers v Langwarrin U23s, Centenary Park, 6.45pm
Baxter v Skye Utd, Baxter Park, 7pm
Saturday 1 February
Langwarrin v North Geelong, Lawton Park, 4pm
Werribee City v Mornington, Galvin Park Reserve, 1pm & 3pm
Peninsula Strikers v Williamstown, Centenary Park, 11am (seniors) & 1pm
Somerville Eagles v Monash Villarreal, Westernport Secondary College, 1pm & 3pm
Rosebud v Skye Utd, Olympic Park, 6pm & 8pm
Seaford Utd v Boronia, North Seaford Reserve, 1pm & 3pm
