SOCCER
PENINSULA Strikers added a State 1 scalp to their pre-season haul with an impressive 2-1 win over Old Scotch at Centenary Park on Saturday. Scott Morrison’s men are flying right now. Figuratively and literally. No local side is as quick and precise in transition with an abundance of extreme pace and rapid-fire ball movement that is breathtaking at times.
Strikers dominated most of this contest and you had to keep reminding yourself that they were the State 2 side taking on an opponent of higher status. The versatility at Morrison’s disposal – especially in the attacking third – is scary. Campbell Steedman, Kyle Eichenberger, Cooper Andrews, Riley Anderton, Matt Harrington and Sammy Maggs ensured that there was never any respite for Old Scotch and when you go through the Strikers’ midfield it is brimful of quality. Wayne “Buzzer” Gordon runs around like a teenager breaking into senior football which is no mean feat for a 40-year-old.
At the other end of the age spectrum is Ethan Goulding who glides across the manicured Centenary Park pitch like a veteran reading play superbly, quickly winning back the ball and pinging pinpoint passes that invariably catch the opposition off-guard. Then there’s Danny Brooks who returned to the fold last October after spells with Mornington and Beaumaris. “Brooksy is very much key to our set-up,” Morrison said.
Old Scotch likely headed home after this loss not realising that they’d faced an opponent with Faraz Zenoozi, Stevie Elliott, Jamie Davidson, Jaiden Madafferi, Noah Musso and Jai Power missing from the matchday squad but their absence only served to highlight the amazing depth at Morrison’s disposal.
Strikers fielded a backline with an average age of just 21 years and had the home team converted half the chances created this would have been a complete whitewash.
The goals that mattered came in the first half. The first saw the visitors caught out in transition when Steedman got in behind the Old Scotch back four and his pinpoint cross was side-footed home by Andrews at the back post. Old Scotch should’ve levelled against the run of play when a mix-up at the back went unpunished but within a minute Strikers’ transition speed was again on full display.
Quick-thinking Brooks released Gordon who found Steedman for a neat finish inside the box. There was no momentum change in the second period but Strikers’ profligacy in front of goal continued. Old Scotch hit back when a quick free-kick was bundled over the line with 20 minutes left but the home team continued to control the remainder of the contest.
Still in State 2 news Skye United drew 4-4 away to Heatherton United on Friday night with goals from Daniel Attard, Elliott Craig, Nicholas Millar and a triallist. The pick of Skye’s goals came from the triallist who unloaded from outside the area and scored in off the underside of the crossbar. Once more Skye boss Phil McGuinness used 22 players as he continues to deliberate over the composition of his senior squad.
In VPL1 news Langwarrin made an unexpected season start when visitors Caroline Springs George Cross came away from Lawton Park with a comfortable 3-0 victory on Saturday. Luke Lofts broke the deadlock late in the first half with a first-time finish from Saif-Eddine Sakhi’s square ball from the right.
In the 63rd minute a ball played across the Langy box should have been cut out but instead found Josh Whitely on the right and the George Cross striker set up Lofts for a tap-in. Luke Adams played a part in the final goal late in the piece not stepping out quickly enough and allowing George Cross substitute Riki Hosoai to skip clear and round advancing Langy keeper James Burgess for the final blow.
In State 4 news Chelsea goal machine James Stinson hit the target five times in Saturday’s remarkable 6-4 win over Monash Villareal at Edithvale Recreation Reserve. Chelsea was staring at a 4-0 deficit at half-time but Daniel Vella made it 4-1 early in the second half and from there on Stinson dominated the contest. Stinson was captain for the day in the absence of Luke D’Alessandro and put on a finishing clinic as the visitors were completely overrun. “In the second half we were organised and pressed well and Monash couldn’t cope,” Chelsea assistant coach Chris Porteous said.
Rosebud prevailed 3-2 over State 4 West counterpart Moonee Ponds United in a feisty pre-season game on Saturday evening. The visitors represented a very different challenge for the young ’Buds in this pre-season campaign bringing to Olympic Park a mature, strong and physical side that could also play. In a contest of tough challenges and quick transitions Moonee Ponds twice took the lead with the ’Buds fighting back on each occasion equalising with a super header from Billy Painting then a great left-foot volley from Ashton McMahon. Rosebud eventually scored the winner late on with a pearler of a free kick from Alfie Harris, a right-foot banger in the top left corner.
In State 5 news Mount Martha gaffer Charlie Platt has called for Football Victoria to regionalise the early preliminary rounds of the Australia Cup. Platt and his squad have to travel to Truscott Reserve in the Bendigo suburb of California Gully to face FC Eaglehawk in the first preliminary round of the Cup next weekend. “We feel we have an obligation to the Cup and to the sport to fulfill this fixture but I really think FV should consider making this an open draw after the first two preliminary rounds,” Platt said. “It certainly would minimise clubs forfeiting their tie.”
Platt was in a better mood on Saturday after his side’s 2-1 home win in a friendly with State 4 Somerville Eagles. Tom Brewster scored Mount Martha’s first with a great finish from a full-pitch move and Marcus Poda’s opportunistic backheel took care of the second. “I was impressed with how we kept the ball and moved it round the ground,” Platt said. Connor Phillips scored for the Eagles.
State 5 rival Seaford United lost 3-2 to Ringwood City at North Seaford Reserve on Saturday. Seaford opened the scoring early in the first half with a Naseer Muhammad finish following a cutback but 10 minutes later the visitors equalised then hit the front after a long ball caught out Seaford’s defence and exposed keeper Bayleigh Caulfield in a one-on-one. Zain Ahmad made it 2-2 early in the second half but Ringwood scored the winner from the spot after a careless challenge from Backy Barakzoi.
Last weekend’s friendly results:
Heatherton Utd 4 Skye Utd 4 (Daniel Attard, Elliot Craig, Nicholas Millar, Trialist); Peninsula Strikers 2 (Cooper Andrews, Campbell Steedman) Old Scotch 1; Chelsea 6 (James Stinson 5, Daniel Vella) Monash Villareal 4; Baxter 1 (Daniel Bancroft) Craigieburn City 8; Rosebud 3 (Billy Painting, Ashton McMahon, Alfie Harris) Moonee Ponds Utd 2; Aspendale 1 (Lewis Marco) East Bentleigh 2; Seaford Utd 2 (Naseer Muhammad, Zain Ahmad) Ringwood City 3; Mount Martha 2 (Tom Brewster, Marcus Pooda) Somerville Eagles 1 (Connor Phillips); Bunyip District 0 Somerville Eagles reserves 2 (Nick Varga, Brandon Mcdonnell).
This week’s local friendlies (check social media to confirm kick-off times):
Tuesday 11 February:
Peninsula Strikers v Chelsea, Centenary Park, 6.30pm
Rosebud v Mount Martha, Olympic Park, 7pm
Saturday 15 February
Keilor Park v Mornington, Keilor Park Recreation Reserve, 10am (seniors) & 12 noon
Peninsula Strikers v Albert Park, Centenary Park, 11am & 1pm
This week’s VPL1 round 2:
Friday 14 February
Langwarrin v Bulleen Lions, Lawton Park, 7.30pm
Australia Cup first preliminary round:
Saturday 15 February
Moonee Ponds Utd v Chelsea, JH Allan Reserve, 4pm
Seaford Utd v Yarra Jets, North Seaford Reserve, 3pm
Somerville Eagles v Maidstone Utd (Maidstone forfeited)
Frankston Pines v Sandringham, Monterey Reserve, 7.30pm
FC Eaglehawk v Mount Martha, Truscott Reserve, 1pm
Baxter v Colac Otway Rovers, Baxter Park, 3pm
Mount Eliza v Casey Panthers, Prospect Hill Reserve, 3pm
Mentone, Aspendale BYES
Sunday 16 February
Warrnambool Rangers v Rosebud, Harris Street Reserve West, 12 noon
First published in the Mornington News – 11 February 2025
