SOCCER SAMMY Orritt has rejoined Mornington after playing in the NPL with Langwarrin and Eastern Lions. The 30-year-old dynamo agreed terms last week and could be joined by more new signings shortly. Orritt’s football odyssey started in California at the age of three after business reasons prompted his family to move to the US from Doncaster in England. He is the best-travelled footballer on the peninsula having paraded his skills on pitches in England, Scotland, the US, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. His first stint at Dallas Brooks Park started during the 2017 season when he arrived from NZ outfit…
Author: Craig MacKenzie
SOCCER LANGWARRIN gaffer Jamie Skelly has wasted little time in refashioning his squad by signing two new players for the 2024 season. And a third newcomer could be on the way if discussions between the club and an attacking player reach a positive conclusion. Last week the local NPL2 club agreed terms with central defender Luke Adams and Queensland goalkeeper Griffin Bambach. Adams, 29, boasts an impressive CV. He has captained New Zealand at under-17 and under-20 levels and made five appearances for the full national side. He started playing as a junior with Auckland-based Fencibles United eventually signing for…
SOCCER THE longest serving president in Seaford United’s history will step down at the club’s AGM next month. Willie Lynn and wife Liz have been involved with Seaford since 1978 and Willie is in the 16th year of a second stint as president having previously served for 10 years. Liz has served several terms on the committee and has turned her hand to almost every volunteer job at the club. The Lynns arrived in Melbourne from their native Scotland in August 1977 and North Seaford Reserve became their home away from home just a few months later. It’s been like…
SOCCER STATE 4 South outfit Chelsea has lured high-profile coaching guru Stuart Munro to its ranks. The local club announced his arrival as technical director late last week. Munro boasts a celebrated career both as a professional footballer and coach. The Scot played with St Mirren and Alloa before establishing himself with Glasgow giant Rangers where he played for seven and a half years. He also played with Blackburn Rovers and Bristol City before coming to Australia in 1997 to join Sydney United. Munro’s coaching CV includes stints at Gippsland Falcons, Carlton, Parramatta Power, South Melbourne, Oakleigh Cannons, Dandenong Thunder,…
SOCCER STUART Johnston is the new head coach of Rosebud and Donn Delaney is a short-priced favourite to take over the coaching reins at Frankston Pines. The last week has been dominated by coaching conjecture and although Pines are yet to make an official announcement former JBNPL coach and ex-Peninsula Strikers head coach Delaney is at unbackable odds to be appointed. Johnston was unveiled as new ’Buds boss at the club’s presentation on Saturday night in front of 130 attendees and this is his first senior appointment in Australia. The Englishman is an ex-Crawley Town junior and also was part…
SOCCER JAMIE Skelly is the new senior coach of Langwarrin. The local NPL2 club made the announcement late last week on its facebook page. Skelly replaces Scott Miller who resigned last month. Skelly is a former Langwarrin junior, reserves coach and senior assistant to both Miller and his predecessor Gus Macleod and has held senior coaching positions with Peninsula Strikers, Casey Comets and Noble Park United. His appointment came as no surprise after David Chick accepted the Bentleigh Greens role and Langy decided to honour the succession plan put in place five years earlier when Skelly became Miller’s assistant. “We…
SOCCER BAXTER has reached a fork in the road and its future direction could decide whether head coach Stephen Fisher remains at the State 4 club. Preliminary talks between club and coach took place last week and got off to a positive start. “If we had won promotion under the current set-up it would have been like going into a gunfight with a knife,” Fisher said. “There wouldn’t have been a happy outcome and we would have been fighting relegation throughout the State 3 season.” That’s a reference to the absence of a playing budget. Simply stated Baxter has to…
SOCCER FRANKSTON Pines remain hopeful of escaping relegation from State 2 South-East despite finishing second bottom after last weekend’s final league round. Goals from Tom Hawkins and Joe O’Connor weren’t enough to overcome second-placed Brandon Park and Pines had to settle for a 2-2 draw at Freeway Reserve on Saturday. The 2023 rules of competition make grim reading for Pines but all promotion and relegation is at the discretion of Football Victoria and a number of scenarios are yet to be played out. “No-one really knows what lies ahead,” Pines head coach Kevin “Squizzy” Taylor said. Rumours abound of a…
SOCCER SCOTT Miller won’t coach Langwarrin next season. The Lawton Park club made the announcement last week after scheduled talks between Miller, president Tanya Wallace and main sponsor Greg Kilner due to be held at the end of the season were brought forward. Miller’s last match as head coach was Saturday’s 2-1 home win over Brunswick Juventus a result that confirmed the visitors’ relegation. Goals from Brad Blumenthal and Tom Youngs sealed Juve’s fate but its cause wasn’t helped by the straight red brandished at Mathew Whatley in the opening seconds of the second half. Miller’s first match at the…
SOCCER MENTONE has secured promotion from State 5 South after Saturday’s 1-0 home win over Mount Martha. Jason Grieve’s men have locked-in a second-placed finish with two rounds to go due to upcoming byes for Rosebud and Seaford. A bullet header from Marcus Spivey in the 7th minute clinched the win last weekend. Grieve believes that player depth was pivotal to the senior team’s success. “When we’ve had players missing we’ve been able to move players to different positions and call on players from our reserves who have more than held their own,” Grieve said. “I put that down to…
SOCCER FRANKSTON Pines’ season goes on the line on Saturday night when it meets Berwick City at Monterey Reserve. It’s a do-or-die clash for both sides given the relegation scrap in which they find themselves. There’s just three games left with Pines precariously perched in second last place on the league ladder (at present the bottom two go down) a point behind Berwick and two points behind Skye United. Skye hosts Berwick the following week. Describing Pines’ season as topsy-turvy is an understatement. Losing last season’s strike force due to players switching clubs and work commitments posed a problem that’s…
SOCCER LANGWARRIN will have a new president at October’s AGM after Tanya Wallace steps down. Wallace became the club’s first ever female president and the youngest in the club’s history when first elected in 2014. She served for two years before handing the reins to John Heskins in 2016 then returned to the helm at the 2018 AGM. “I’m tired and it’s time to hand over to someone with a fresh perspective to see what they can achieve,” Wallace said. “I’ve achieved most of what I wanted to achieve but I don’t know what’s next so I need to step…
SOCCER MORNINGTON’s hopes of clinching promotion to the NPL are hanging by a thread after a shock 3-2 loss to Gippsland United at Warragul on Saturday. Seagulls’ players, support staff and supporters were seething after the match at what they claimed were poor refereeing decisions and substandard facilities. But Mornington gaffer Adam Jamieson dismissed those reasons for the loss. “It was a very disappointing day and probably the worst refereeing decision (for one of the goals) I’ve ever seen,” he said. “But unlike the ref who couldn’t, wouldn’t and didn’t – even after the game – put his hand up…
SOCCER ROSEBUD and Football Victoria are on a collision course that could end up in court. Last week FV emailed the local club to inform it of a three-point deduction for playing an ineligible player. The player in question is Davis Markulin. He received two yellow cards in Rosebud’s surprise 3-2 home loss to State 5 struggler Pakenham United in a round 12 clash on Saturday 10 June. It’s understood that Rosebud approached the referee after the match and he agreed not to record the second caution. Referees have to fill in teamsheets after each match recording the half-time and…
SOCCER A GOAL in the 93rd minute denied Langwarrin a memorable away win on Friday night against NPL2 championship challenger Preston Lions. The home side led after 18 minutes when Connor Bell neatly angled a low Andy Stubley cross from the right inside the far post. Langy hit back nine minutes later when Luke Goulding’s cross from the right was headed firmly by Brad Blumenthal. The visitors hit the front in the 80th minute with an Archie Macphee header following a Lucas Portelli cross from the right to make it 2-1. The last minutes of this thrilling contest kept fans…
SOCCER A DAVID Stirton brace and a Rhys Craigie strike kept Mornington’s State 1 promotion push on track last weekend. Adam Jamieson’s men came away from Victory Park with a 3-0 win over hosts Bentleigh United Cobras to sit second on the table a point behind leader Melbourne City. Stirton’s goals gave the Seagulls a handy half-time lead. His first was in the 33rd minute when his cross from the left sailed over the head of Bentleigh keeper Rahul Ramkumar. Just before the break Satoshi Kurakawa’s cutback was miscued by Adam Hester into Stirton’s path and he sent Ramkumar the…
SOCCER JASON Symonds is the new senior coach of State 5 outfit Rosebud and Stan Packer is his assistant. They replace Paul Truman who suddenly stepped down as head coach just over a week ago. Rosebud was second on the ladder when Truman quit. He told the club of his decision after the shock 3-2 home loss to second-bottom Pakenham United on 10 June. Rosebud spent the next 72 hours trying to convince Truman to reconsider but his mind was made up. “Over the past five or six weeks – probably after the loss to Hampton Park and the draw…
SOCCER CARLO Melino’s six-year stint as senior coach at Chelsea will end when the final whistle blows for the 2023 season. Last Friday’s 7-1 home defeat at the hands of a rampaging Baxter outfit had no bearing on the decision as Melino told the club’s board and the players that he will be stepping down a fortnight ago. “It’s just getting too hard to combine family life and football and I need to be there for my three kids,” Melino said. “I’ve been coaching for the best part of 15 years. “I joined Chelsea at the end of 2017 and…
SOCCER SOMERVILLE Eagles and Baxter have joined the chase to try and run down tearaway leader White Star Dandenong as the State 4 South promotion pursuit heats up. Both locals are now in second and third spots respectively after wins last weekend while White Star drew with Chelsea. Somerville outgunned Sandringham 2-0 at Tyabb Central Reserve on Saturday. Marcus Anastasiou could have scored early in the first half when he rounded Sandringham keeper Jack Evans but couldn’t convert from a tight angle. He made amends in the 43rd minute after a goalmouth scramble when he struck a well-timed volley to…
SOCCER THE friendship between Aaran Currie and Liam Baxter played a major part in reuniting their striking partnership last week. It led Currie to drop from State 2 to State 4 level quitting Frankston Pines and heading to Baxter Park. Currie, whose CV includes spells at Langwarrin, St Albans Saints, Peninsula Strikers and Casey Comets joined Pines last year and along with teammate Baxter formed part of a formidable strike force that helped win promotion from State 3. Baxter was Pines’ leading scorer but left at the end of the season. Currie’s decision to leave Monterey Reserve last week caught…
SOCCER SEAFORD United, Somerville Eagles and Mentone won their derby battles last weekend in a round of State League matches with some surprising outcomes. In a keenly contested clash at North Seaford Reserve the home side emerged a 2-0 victor over high-flying Aspendale thanks to second-half strikes from Andrew Packer and substitute Luke Murray. Aspendale came close in the first half when left winger Kailan Smith struck the far post only for the rebound to be cleared. The Seaford defence was excellent throughout and goalkeeper Hayden Hicks proved a formidable barrier. The goal that broke the deadlock came in the…
SOCCER RILEY Anderton treated onlookers to a volleying masterclass on Saturday as he single-handedly broke Berwick City’s resolve with a breathtaking four-goal display. The Peninsula Strikers ace was the catalyst for a second-half turnaround at Centenary Park that saw a 1-0 deficit transformed into a resounding and unexpected 5-1 win. Until the Kiwi first struck in the 55th minute Berwick was the better side and deserved its slender lead but Anderton levelled when he spun on a deflected cross and volleyed with his right foot into the roof of the net. Within minutes he demonstrated a deft touch at the…
SOCCER PENINSULA Strikers and Frankston Pines dipped into the transfer market last week with six players joining the State 2 rivals. Strikers signed forward Wayne “Buzzer” Gordon from NPL3 outfit Doveton, goalkeeper Faraz Zenoozi from Queensland side Souths United and defender and ex-Strikers player Deniz Karabadjak from Pines. “I wanted to sign ‘Buzzer’ during the off-season as his leadership and qualities on the pitch are still there,” Strikers’ gaffer Scott Morrison said. “Faraz is a great signing for us. “He goes about it in a professional manner and will challenge Ben (Caballero) and ‘Browny’ (Nathan Brown) for the number one…
SOCCER ANOINTED on Wednesday, took training on Thursday – the second coming of Kevin “Squizzy” Taylor to the task of head coach of Frankston Pines is still reverberating around local football circles. First-year senior coach Trevor Johnston resigned after Pines’ 4-0 home loss to Mooroolbark the previous weekend and had his resignation ratified early last week. Johnston’s stay lasted just five league games and failed to produce a win with Pines on the bottom of the State 2 South-East ladder when he quit. Pines turned to the man who had walked away from the job last year and later joined…
SOCCER A MAN-OF-THE-MATCH performance from Jamie Powell underpinned Mount Eliza’s 3-1 derby success against Mount Martha in their State 5 clash at Civic Reserve on Saturday. The visitors had planned to attack Mount Martha out wide and with Powell and Lachie Mitchell on song it worked a treat. Mount Eliza player-coach Bryce Ruthven went close with a free kick and midfielder Fraser Keon made a superb run only to force a corner in the early exchanges. Powell broke the deadlock in the 41st minute with an excellent run before taking on Mount Martha right back Dan Fernandes and unleashing a…
SOCCER PENINSULA Strikers and Aspendale were last weekend’s big derby winners while Baxter and Somerville Eagles had to settle for a share of the spoils at Baxter Park. Strikers overcame the send-off of Huss Chehimi in the 28th minute to emerge 1-0 winners over neighbour Frankston Pines at Monterey Reserve on Friday night. Chehimi reacted to a late Aaran Currie challenge and was shown a straight red for violent conduct. Nine minutes later the 10 men went in front. Pines keeper Colby Jones slipped and his attempted clearance was won by Campbell Steedman who teed it up with one touch…
SOCCER FOR 78 minutes lions roared at Carrum Downs Recreation Reserve last Wednesday night. Glenroy Lions from State 5 North had travelled south to square up to State 2 local Skye United in what loomed as a David and Goliath affair. For the opening 20 minutes Skye created the better chances with an Alex Van Heerwarden back post header striking the crossbar. That didn’t deter Glenroy and the home side was set back on its heels when Nathan Ibrahim’s fine finish in the 26th minute made it 1-0. Spurred on by this success the visitors almost increased their lead but…
SOCCER A MARCUS Spivey strike was enough for Mentone to emerge victorious in Saturday’s local derby against State 5 rival Seaford United. Mentone’s talismanic scorer hit the target in the 17th minute after a move that typifies his team’s style under head coach Jason Grieve. When Mentone wins possession its great strength is its ability to go forward quickly. Spivey, Tyler Pollard and Frankie Varsamis form a combination of finishing, guile and pace and the decisive move on Saturday was set up by Pollard who was on the end of a long ball from Zaidan Allie on the left. Pollard…
SOCCER WHEN the final whistle blew in Saturday’s State 1 clash at Comets Stadium visitor Mornington marched off the pitch with eight men and three points in a remarkable result. Club president Matt Cameron described the 1-0 scoreline as “one of the greatest wins in the club’s history”. But that was furthest from his mind in the 15th minute when referee Vince Turcarolo courted controversy with a straight red for Mornington midfielder Rhys Craigie after a challenge on Comets keeper Lajos Hun. Ten minutes later the 10 men took the lead. A superb interpassing move involving Rory Currie, Brady Pollard,…
SOCCER LIAM Baxter’s sudden return to Baxter and Donn Delaney’s unexpected departure as Peninsula Strikers joint senior coach were the main talking points leading into last week’s opening of the State League season. Baxter was Frankston Pines’ top scorer last season but switched to Baxter Park in September then a few weeks later started training with Beaumaris eventually joining the Bayside outfit. Their relationship ended abruptly early last week and Baxter celebrated his second arrival at the local club by scoring in its 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Baxter Park on Saturday. The final scoreline was a good result for…