SOCCER

THE 2022 league season gets underway this weekend with high hopes that for the first time in three years a full season can be completed.

There are a few local clubs that fancy their chances this year none more so than Frankston Pines.

However head coach Kevin “Squizzy” Taylor is on holiday in the UK and will miss the first three games.

Assistant Paulo Pinheiro takes over as Pines embarks on a State 3 campaign it hopes will go some way towards making up for the club’s bitter disappointment at the outcome of the previous two seasons.

Mornington rounded off its pre-season preparations in a 2-2 draw with Caroline Springs George Cross in the Tony Mackay Memorial Game at Dallas Brooks Park on Saturday.

The visitors pounced on a poor clearance from Mornington keeper Josh Gates to lead 1-0 and Mornington striker Josh Hine failed to convert a penalty late in the half.

Two impressive Rhys Craigie goals inside three minutes in the second half gave the home side the lead but a penalty to George Cross rounded off the scoreline.

Peninsula Strikers beat Noble Park United 5-1 on the back pitch at Centenary Park on Saturday.

The match highlight was a Cooper Andrews hat-trick in just four minutes in between goals from Cassius Delaney and Callum Bradbury.

Strikers’ round one league clash with North Caulfield on Sunday will be on the back pitch but subsequent home matches will move to Ballam Park on Saturdays with the reserves at 5pm and seniors at 7pm.

The major makeover of the main pitch at Centenary Park is expected to be completed by the end of the month with floodlighting to be completed later this year.

It’s not known when that pitch will be available for use.

Skye lost 2-1 to Langwarrin’s under-21s at Lawton Reserve on Thursday night.

Skye led early in the second half from a Mitch Blake strike inside the area but Langy levelled through an Oscar Goble volley and the winner came from an Owen Murphy penalty that ended the match.

Two days later Skye was again in action this time against Brighton at Comets Stadium.

And again Skye succumbed to a last-minute goal.

A Ryan Mravljak header had put Phil McGuinness’ side ahead early in the second half after a James George surge down the left and a superb cross but an error at the back as Skye worked down the clock allowed Brighton to snatch an equaliser.

Last Thursday Baxter took on Rosebud at Olympic Park with the State 4 side heading back up Peninsula Link later that night after a 5-0 win.

Baxter gaffer George Hughes and assistant Robert Mathieson were satisfied with the result but it was Baxter’s performance that pleased them most.

Lachie McMinimee (2), Lawrence Komba (2) and Luke Grant scored.

On the same night Chelsea downed Aspendale Stingrays 1-0 at Edithvale Recreation Reserve.

Adam Bartosy scored in the first half by running onto a through ball and rounding the keeper before knocking the ball into the unguarded goal.

“I think we played really well and probably should’ve scored more but ultimately I was very happy with the win,” Chelsea head coach Carlo Melino said.

On Sunday Somerville Eagles beat Knox Churches 4-0 with a Conor McFall double and goals to Ronnie Krishnan and Adrian Pace while Mount Martha swamped Mount Eliza 8-0 in the annual Mental Health Safety Net Cup.

Adam Martin (3), Connor Mooney (2), Corey Riddle (2) and Mitch Hawkins were the scorers.

Here are the local senior squads for 2022 with the previous club of new signings in brackets:

ASPENDALE STINGRAYS

GOALKEEPERS: Matthew Self, Joshua Mravljak. DEFENDERS: Matthew Leggett, Noah Berends, Peter Dimopoulos, Dominik Ogon, Liam Norris, Pal Calvino. MIDFIELDERS: Sam Timuska-Carr, James Macnab, Kieran Hughes, Justin Lampert, Blake Rosenberg. FORWARDS: Ben Garside Weinert, Kenan Nuhanovic, Cole Ryan (Frankston Pines), Dominic Paul, Taylan Yildirim, Mathew Bruce.

BAXTER

GOALKEEPER: James Foster. DEFENDERS: Izaak Barr, Dan Disseldorp, Matt McDermott, Daniel Fernandez, Kieran Grant, Charlie Hunt, Sunday Kim (Sandown Lions), Jack Wyer (Somerville). MIDFIELDERS: Lewis Gibson, Luke Grant, Robbie O’Toole , Jack Buttery, Joey Bucello, Matt Irvine, Liam Stuckenshmidt, Anes Hakicic (Langwarrin) Jamie Faithfull (Hampton Park), Ash Atkin (March Town United FC, England) Brodie McMinimee (Doveton). FORWARDS: Nathan Yole, Charlie O’Connell, Nat Daher, Lawrence Komba, Lachlan McMinimee, Mick Richardson (Mount Martha).

CHELSEA

GOALKEEPERS: Rhys Davies, Tom Carter, Calum McLauchlan. DEFENDERS: Luke D’Alessandro (c), Tom Flavelle, Chris Neumann, Sam Dunn (v/c), Danny Graham, Franco Mazzeo, Tim Koulouris, Ben Miller, Liam Pavlov, Bobby Read (Old Scotch). MIDFIELDERS: Connor Scott (v/c), Max Timuska-Carr, Nathan Boccari, Adam Bartosy, Arki Gantzos, Oliver Gibson. FORWARDS: Piers Brelsford, Will Ong, Vinnie Van Dyk, Daniel Vella, Lachlan Davies, Mitch Hammond (Old Scotch), Paul Mavros (Oakleigh Cannons), Kieren Harbis.

FRANKSTON PINES

GOALKEEPERS: Thomas Hull, Jarrod Nardino. DEFENDERS: Keegan Grealy (Doncaster Rovers) Daniel Taylor, Ryan Ratcliffe (Launceston Strikers), Christian Malgioglio, Tom Hawkins (Peninsula Strikers), Laban Stringer, Brodie Jones (Doveton). MIDFIELDERS: Thomas Dunn (Navua FC, Fiji), Jordan Avraham, Marinos Panayi, Joe O’Connor, Tom Scott (Beaumaris), Jamie Baxter (Seaford Utd), Graham Hill ( Brandon Park). Nickel Chand (Millicent Utd). FORWARDS: Liam Baxter (Kingston City) Callum Batey (Beaumaris) Aaran Currie (Casey Comets), Dylan Waugh (Seaford Utd) CJ Hodgson.

LANGWARRIN

GOALKEEPERS: Fraser Maclaren, Jake Richardson (Sale Utd). DEFENDERS: Shayan Alinejad, Simon Storey, Lucas Portelli, Marcus Holmes, Jaiden Madaferri, Sam Orritt, Jeremy Min Fa. MIDFIELDERS: Callum Goulding, Rogan McGeorge, Lenny Gregory (Oakleigh Cannons), Liam Wolstenholme (Dandenong City), Jay Davies (Green Gully), James Kelly (Essendon Royals), Tom Youngs, Isaiah Joseph, Slaven Vranesevic, Kieran Dover (Bentleigh Greens). FORWARDS: Ryan Paczkowski (Oakleigh Cannons), Marwien Nielo (Heidelberg Utd), Jacob Brito (Dandenong City).

MENTONE

GOALKEEPER: Noa Corimbelly. DEFENDERS: Zaidan Allie, Nicholas Farrell, James Hilton, Tom Johnston, Alexander Mallamaci, Kogulan Sabaratnam, Frankie Varsamis (South Springvale). MIDFIELDERS: Matias Cantavenera, Joe Dunbar (Bentleigh Greens), Max Dunn, Leonardo Perin, Stefan Sepulveda. FORWARDS: Cormac Cox, Wilhelm Rudzevecuis, Marcus Spivey, Dylan Taylor.

MORNINGTON

GOALKEEPERS: Taylor Davidson, Josh Gates. DEFENDERS: Josh Heaton, Mark Vangeli, Jamie Davidson, Andy McIntyre, Andrew Goff, Charlie Gunning, Gianluca Avian. MIDFIELDERS: Damien Peters (Nunawading City), Sam Scott, John Mclean (Fitzroy City), Luke Goulding, Danny Brooks (Peninsula Strikers), Rhys Craigie (Tranent Juniors, Scotland). FORWARDS: Josh Hine, Wayne Gordon, Matt Harrington, Campbell Steedman, Taylan Geylan (Eastern Lions), Tom Wood.

MOUNT MARTHA

GOALKEEPERS: Derren Elliott (Mornington), Ryan Sharrock. DEFENDERS: Hamish Budgen (Mornington), Neal Byrne, Connor Gibbs, Campbell Leo, Jack Morgan, Ben Schmidt (Mornington). MIDFIELDERS: Howie Anderson, Jett Higgin, Adam Martin (Seaford United), David Oswald, Tar Vilasak, Finn Tweedie (Mornington). FORWARDS: Mitch Hawkins (Seaford United), Connor Mooney, Ethan Sanderson.

PENINSULA STRIKERS

GOALKEEPERS: Ben Caballero, Connor Phillips. DEFENDERS: Ahmad Tabbara (Endeavour Utd), Cody Storton-French, Darcy Purcell, Isaac Doggale, Jacob Pay, Michael Nugent, Nathan Prince (Doveton). MIDFIELDERS: Abbas Yaqobi, Alex Whyte, Callum Bradbury, Calvin Delaney, Huss Chehimi (Brandon Park), Junior Mpota. FORWARDS: Abe Kuol (Monbulk Rangers), Cassius Delaney, Cooper Andrews (Endeavour United), Dakota M D’Brass, Jai Power, Josh Botha (Monbulk Rangers), Riley Anderton.

SKYE UTD

GOALKEEPERS: Jonathan Crook, Callum Hope. DEFENDERS: Billy Painting, Daniel Walsh, Brett Heskins, James George (Langwarrin), Ali Ulum (Pakenham Utd), Alex van Heerwaarden (Langwarrin), Mohammed El Hassan, Davis Marketing, Oscar Marsden (Berwick City), Michael Rovinson. MIDFIELDERS: Marcus Collier, Harrison Michaelis, Mark O’Connor, Boris Ovcin, Marcus Anastasiou, Jack Gallagher, Alex Rojas, Logan Magri. FORWARDS: Mitch Blake, Daniel Attard, Jason Nowakowski, Michael Bruzzese, Caleb Nicholes, Ryan Mravljak, Michael Turner.

SOMERVILLE EAGLES

GOALKEEPERS: Nick Bucello (Ashburton), Cameron Parsons, Latham Horvath. DEFENDERS: Adam Steele, Conor Carson (Seaford Utd), Sam Beadle, Connor Guyett (Aspendale), Ash Scholes (returning), Joel Wade (returning), Sam Brick, Tom Pollock (Seaford Utd). MIDFIELDERS: Chris Thomas (Seaford Utd) Josh Simmons (Seaford Utd), Jack Carter (Seaford Utd), Joe Simmons (Mornington), Conor McFall, Dido Finnegan, Jakob Gurney. FORWARDS: Adrian Pace (Aspendale), Zach Karolidis, Tom Simmons (Seaford Utd), Rannesh Krishnan, Guil Riberio (Berwick City), David Jones.

Here are this weekend’s round one league fixtures:

FRIDAY: Frankston Pines v Brighton, Carrum Downs Recreation Reserve, 8.30pm; White Star Dandenong v Mentone, Greaves Reserve, 8.30pm.

SATURDAY: Langwarrin v Werribee City, Lawton Park, 7pm; Mornington v Richmond, Dallas Brooks Park, 3pm; Knox City v Skye Utd, Egan Lee Reserve, 3pm; Baxter v Endeavour Utd, Baxter Park 3pm; Lyndale Utd v Somerville Eagles, Lyndale Secondary College, 3pm; Keysborough v Chelsea, Springers Leisure Centre, 7pm; South East Utd v Mount Martha, Fotheringham Reserve, 3pm, Casey Panthers v Aspendale Stingrays, Prospect Hill Reserve, 3.30pm.

SUNDAY: Peninsula Strikers v North Caulfield, Centenary Park, 3.15pm.

First published in the Mornington News – 15 March 2022