SOCCER
SKYE United’s 2-1 home win over St Kilda on Saturday was its fourth success in five games and lifted it into second spot in State 2 South-East. The local side’s start to the season is remarkable given the tumultuous pre-season overseen by head coach Phil McGuinness who had to rebuild his squad after losing many experienced player. McGuinness methodically sifted through a large group of triallists by playing more pre-season friendlies than any other side on the peninsula and the outcome so far has been stunning.
“It’s almost a new squad with a lot of young lads in there and they have gelled well together,” McGuinness said. “The plan hopefully is to keep a good core group together for a few years like we once had. “Obviously I’m happy with our start to the season and although the lads have put in a tremendous amount of work leading up to this point nobody is getting carried away. “You need a little bit of luck along the way and we’ve definitely had that in some games so we’re not kidding ourselves.”
One of the success stories of Skye’s recruitment efforts has been striker Elliott Craig who was signed from Mornington. “What a fantastic young man with the perfect attitude for a young forward willing to learn,” McGuinness said. “I told him before I signed him that he won’t start every week and some weeks he might not even be in the matchday squad but his response was ‘all I want is a chance’ and he took it.”
The first half of Saturday’s clash with St Kilda was a lacklustre affair highlighted by the straight red shown to the visitors’ James Dermody in the 33rd minute for a dreadful challenge on Shameit Sharma.
Skye made the most of its numerical advantage just four minutes into the second half after Jason Nowakowski’s 50/50 challenge with the keeper led to the ball spilling loose to Craig who tapped into an empty net. But on the hour a lapse in concentration saw the 10 men equalise when Stephen Phillips fired home after Skye failed to clear from a set piece. Five minutes later the home team responded when substitute Naweed Alemi’s deflected strike hit the mark. Skye then defended resolutely and has goalkeeper Steven Hadjikakou to thank for keeping all three points as he made two crucial point-blank saves in the final 10 minutes.
Skye’s State 2 neighbour Peninsula Strikers hit a road bump on its promotion drive when it lost 1-0 at home to Bentleigh United Cobras on Saturday. Bentleigh keeper Sam Dabinett was the star of the show making multiple saves throughout this clash to continually frustrate the home team. He made three remarkable first-half saves while Wayne Gordon and Riley Anderton had scoring attempts cleared off the line and Strikers could easily have gone in to the break with a 5-0 lead. Dabinett’s heroics were rewarded in the 68th minute when Marcus Fernandez hammered the ball past Strikers’ custodian Ben Caballero from a tight angle for the winner. The Cobras’ keeper had the final say late in the match with a stunning save from an Anderton thunderbolt to secure an unexpected three points for the visitors.
In VPL1 news Langwarrin lost 1-0 away to FC Melbourne Serbia last weekend dropping to bottom spot on the ladder a point behind Serbia, Moreland City and Eastern Lions. The decisive moment came in the 77th minute but it was mired in controversy. Langy substitute Dante Avian broke into the box and was brought down but the referee ignored his assistant’s flag for a penalty and gave a corner instead.
He then overturned that decision and allowed the home team to take a goal kick from which the ball was quickly sent downfield and crossed for Ben Devine’s match-winning header.
In State 1 news Mornington got back to winning ways following the previous round’s reversal by beating Collingwood City 2-1 at Kevin Bartlett Reserve on Saturday Just four minutes had gone when Jacob Brito intercepted a pass on the right wing and played the ball to Rory Wagner. The former Gippsland United striker laid it into the path of Rhys Craigie whose top-corner finish put the visitors ahead. A powerful run through midfield from Shaun Kenny in the 32nd minute ended with a one-two with Wagner before Kenny’s strike made it 2-0.
Mornington was cruising but was given a reality check right on half-time when Mornington keeper Kane Runje should have controlled a Liam Hiscock cross at the near post and it was 2-1.
The second half developed into a tight contest with Mornington failing to convert a number of chances and Collingwood making the Seagulls fight every inch of the way. The win lifts Mornington into equal top alongside South Springvale and Hampton East Brighton.
In State 4 news Chelsea maintained top spot in the league with a convincing 4-0 home win over previously unbeaten FC Noble Hurricanes on Friday night. Youngster Matthew O’Neill was fouled after five minutes and Adam Bartosy took the ensuing free-kick from which Dunsford opened proceedings.
A typically cool finish from top scorer Stinson in the 11th minute doubled the lead and he nabbed his second two minutes into the second half when he curled a powerful shot in from the edge of the box leaving the keeper stranded. Christian Murray rounded it off with a neat back post finish from a Liam Burford cross.
Baxter lost 2-0 to Springvale City at Ross Reserve on Friday night and with just one point from five matches is in the midst of a relegation dogfight. Rosebud deserved more than the point it earned in a pulsating 1-1 home draw with Monash University on Saturday evening. Despite starting strongly Rosebud went 1-0 down in the 12th minute when Monash striker Alex Yu capitalised on a misjudged header from Riley Gill.
In the 15th minute man-of-the-match Connor Wharton drove at the Monash defence and earned a penalty only to missed his conversion attempt. But Wharton grabbed the goal his efforts deserved when he finished a superb cross from Sean Smith in the 36th minute with a left-foot strike at the back post. Rosebud bossed much of the second half but Wharton, Ashton McMahon and Mark O’Connor failed to finish and the home side had to settle for a draw. “The boys played some of the best football I have seen in a long while but it just wouldn’t go in for us,” head coach Stuart Johnston said. “But I am delighted with how the group is progressing and we have shown that we can be a match for anyone in this league.”
Somerville Eagles stayed in touch with the top six with a 4-2 home win over Mentone last weekend.
Nick Simmons, Joe Simmons, Max Watson and Marcus Anastasiou scored for Somerville.
Frankston Pines remained anchored to the foot of the table after Saturday’s 4-1 away loss to Sandown Lions. It was 0-0 at half-time but Pines went 3-0 down after the break until a late goal from Davey Jones. Nevertheless despite double relegation staring the club in the face (due to Football Victoria’s State Leagues restructure) training numbers have improved and director of football Ross Evans is hopeful that half a dozen of the newcomers who trained last week will sign.
In State 5 news Mount Eliza won Saturday’s derby showdown with Mount Martha 3-1 at Emil Madsen Reserve. Mount Eliza led after six minutes through Josh Luca and made it 2-0 just before half-time when Darcy Purcell’s free-kick was mishandled by Mount Martha keeper Derren Elliott before going into goal. Seven minutes into the second half the contest was over when Austin Mcewen finished with a low shot from a one-on-one with Elliott. The only highlight in an otherwise disappointing Mount Martha display was Josh McMillan’s late consolation goal.
Seaford United defeated Keysborough 3-2 at North Seaford Reserve last weekend. The home side outclassed the visitors but failure to convert chances and some unlucky decisions kept the game close. In the 10th minute a Conor Mcfall corner found Tristan Stass whose bullet header gave the keeper no chance. Not long after Dylan Waugh made it 2-0 with a side foot finish from Naseer Mohamad’s cutback from the right.
Keysborough was fortunate to be given a penalty from what looked like an excellent challenge from Seaford’s Sean Crespo and Tommy Quinton converted to make it 2-1 at the break. But Seaford restored its two-goal cushion in the 47th minute when Waugh got a touch to a Blake Hicks cross that had sailed over the keeper’s head. Keysborough hit back in the 65th minute with a looping left-foot strike from Anthony Tang but Seaford keeper Hayden Hicks proved unbeatable for the remainder of the match.
Aspendale had a 4-2 home win over Endeavour Hills Fire last weekend. The visitors led through a well-placed Ethan Rosemond shot from the edge of the area but Aspendale levelled with a counter attack which saw Samuel Timuska-Carr on target from outside the box.
In the second half Aspendale come out firing and went in front when Kailan Smith slotted the ball home from a tight angle after some good build-up play from James Pilchard. Matt Leggett made it 3-1 in the 65th minute with a header from a precise free-kick from James Macnab. Shortly after Endeavour’s Cedric Permal was sent off and Aspendale scored a fourth when Smith headed home his second. Although Driss Sakho pulled a goal back from the penalty spot Endeavour’s hopes were crushed when substitute Warren Sookun was sent off reducing the visitors to just nine men.
NEXT WEEKEND
Friday, 2 May, 8.30pm
Springvale City v Chelsea, Ross Reserve
Saturday, 3 May, 3pm
Peninsula Strikers v Chisholm Utd, Centenary Park
Doncaster Rovers v Skye Utd, Anderson Park
Lyndale Utd v Frankston Pines, Lyndale Secondary College
Endeavour Utd v Rosebud, Reema Reserve
Somerville Eagles v Sandown Lions, Westernport Secondary College
Aspendale v Casey Panthers, Aspendale Gardens Sports Ground
Fortuna 60 v Seaford Utd, Crinigan Road South
Saturday, 3 May, 5pm
Mentone v Baxter, Mentone Grammar Playing Fields
Saturday, 3 May, 5.15pm
Brandon Park v Mornington, Freeway Reserve
Saturday, 3 May, 5.30pm
Langwarrin v Western Utd, Lawton Reserve
Saturday, 3 May, 7pm
Keysborough v Mount Martha, Coomoora Reserve
Mount Eliza BYE
