SOCCER
JAMES Stinson’s five-goal haul underpinned Chelsea’s 9-1 mauling of Frankston Pines at Monterey Reserve on Saturday. The result leaves these sides at different ends of the State 4 South ladder with Gus Macleod’s Chelsea flying high while Pines are last with no respite in sight.
Pines remain the only local side to have played at the highest level in Victoria but right now its senior men’s program is in disarray and doubts have surfaced about the club seeing out the 2025 season.
But on Sunday president Liz Diaz hit back at the critics. “We had a chat with all players on Thursday and their response on the pitch yesterday was clear to us so yes we will have some players leave but it’s in the best interest of the club,” Diaz said. “The rebuild of the men’s (program) was never going to be easy but we’ll reset and keep going.”
Pines have had four senior coaches in the past five months but have not been able to overcome problems of poor player numbers and quality. And the club can’t look to its reserves for support as they are on the same trajectory as the seniors and got thumped 10-0 on Saturday.
The seniors were 7-0 down at half-time against Chelsea and league top scorer Stinson had already notched a hat-trick. Things went from bad to worse for Pines when referee Amrit Parmar gave Nikesh Singh a straight red in the 56th minute for comments directed at the match official. Stinson’s haul and goals from Christian Murray (2), Adam Bartosy and Liam Burford sealed Pines’ fate. The home team’s solitary reply came from David Jones in the 67th minute. Chelsea wasn’t at full strength as Dylan Scott, Dan Lewis and Adam Dunsford were rested and Jake Ross has returned to the UK.
In other State 4 games Rosebud won the local derby at Baxter Park 2-0 on Saturday while Somerville Eagles drew 2-2 away to FC Noble Hurricanes on Friday night. The ’Buds won their third game of the season in a hard-fought contest against Baxter.
They took the lead in the 12th minute when Connor Wharton cut in from the right to curl a shot into the top corner giving the Baxter keeper no chance. It was 2-0 minutes later when a bursting run from Barney Johnson saw his cross handled and Johnson stepped up to convert his own penalty.
Baxter played some good football in the second half only to be thwarted by the excellent Rosebud defence. In the 62nd minute Johnson reacted to being fouled with a swinging arm that earned a red card but the visitors defended resolutely for the remainder of the contest and the home side couldn’t break through. Somerville recovered from a two-goal deficit to earn a point in Friday night’s see-sawing 2-2 away draw against FC Noble Hurricanes. Max Watson and Marcus Anastasiou scored for the Eagles.
In VPL1 Langwarrin lost 2-1 at home to fellow struggler Eastern Lions last weekend. Both Lions’ goals came after Langy gave possession away inside its defensive half. The visitors led after six minutes when Hussain Al Sharifi was at the far post to knock home the cross from the left of the area by Reg Nagamatsu but Brad Blumenthal equalised in the 16th minute.
Lions paid for not dealing with a ball played in from the left with Cal Goulding rolling it into the path of Blumenthal who leathered it past Lions keeper George Tzamouranis. Blumenthal almost grabbed his second in the 25th minute only to see his shot cleared off the line. Tzamouranis made a series of top reaction saves during this contest and was made to work much harder than his counterpart at the other end of the pitch.
For all of its momentum in the second half Langy couldn’t break through and paid dearly in the 83rd minute. Substitute George Botsioulis was sent clear on the left of the area and finished superbly past an advancing James Burgess for the winner.
In State 1 news Mornington lost its first points of the season when going down 2-1 away to Beaumaris on Saturday.Kieran Dover put the visitors ahead in the 13th minute but two goals in the first five minutes of the second half proved decisive.
In State 2 news Peninsula Strikers won 3-2 away to Noble Park United on Friday night in an action-packed high-speed contest. Steve Elliott put Strikers ahead in the 15th minute when Noble Park didn’t deal with Campbell Steedman’s long throw-in and five minutes later a Jaiden Madafferi near post header from a Steedman corner made it 2-0.
Early in the second half referee Rafail Sitaras awarded a penalty for handball against Elliott but Ben Caballero saved brilliantly down to his left. Noble Park eventually hit back in the 69th minute through a looping header from Shane Tagliaferro but four minutes later Strikers’ two-goal cushion was restored.
Cooper Andrews released substitute Wayne Gordon whose first-time pinpoint cross was hammered home by Riley Anderton. Tagliaferro grabbed his second in the 75th minute and despite a barrage of attacks Strikers held on to take all three points.
Skye United hosted its first home game of the season on Friday night and got back to winning ways after a tough 3-1 win against local rivals Casey Comets. Skye started the better of the two sides and was rewarded in the 24th minute when Emmanuel Scarlett skipped through the Casey defence and played in Mitch Blake who made no mistake to give the hosts the lead.
Ten minutes later the lead was doubled when Skye custodian Steven Hadjikakou caught the Casey defenders napping and played a direct ball over the back four where Shameit Sharma calmly lobbed the oncoming Casey goalkeeper Trevor McMullen. But the game was turned on its head in the 43rd minute when Joseph Manual stabbed home a loose ball to make it 2-1 and a minute later Skye centre back Nic Millar was sent off for a second bookable offence.
Skye faced a battle in the second half and defended resolutely until substitute Elliott Craig iced the contest in the 97th minute on the break finishing well into the bottom corner after being played in by fellow substitute Amin Ahmad.
Skye last week announced two additions to its senior squad in midfielders Cameron Boulton and Solomon Scarlett both from Gippsland League side Phillip Island. Boulton was a half-time substitute against Casey Comets.
In State 5 news Mount Martha beat Cleeland United 3-1 at Civic Reserve on Saturday while Mount Eliza lost 4-1 away to Fortuna 60 and Aspendale lost 2-1 away to Keysborough. Trevor Smith scored for Mount Eliza who lost top spot in the league and Sam Curtis scored for Aspendale.
Mount Martha took the lead in its clash in the 12th minute after a great run and assist by Josh McMillan which saw Zac Foad with a great first touch and shot on an angle through the legs of the Cleeland keeper. Cleeland levelled from the penalty spot four minutes later but a second half double from McMillan settled the issue and provided a boost for Charlie Platt’s side heading into its derby showdown with Mount Eliza on 26 April.
Meanwhile one of the fiercest local rivalries resumes on Wednesday night when Langwarrin and Mornington clash at Lawton Park at 7.30pm. The outcome of their Australia Cup round 4 preliminary tie will leave the peninsula with just one representative in the national competition.
Local clubs now have a fortnight break from league action as this weekend is a catch-up round for State League and no locals are involved. Action resumes the following weekend (round 5).
AUSTRALIA CUP
Wednesday, 16 April, 7.30pm
Langwarrin v Mornington, Lawton Park
