SOCCER
MORNINGTON has signed former Wellington Phoenix youngster Lachlan Candy.
The 20-year-old made his A-League debut in 2024 and has played four youth internationals for the All Whites.
The attacking midfielder was playing with NPL heavyweight Oakleigh Cannons when the chance to switch to Dallas Brooks Park emerged.
Cannons boss Chris Taylor wanted the youngster to have more senior game time and pointed him in Mornington’s direction.
Former Seagulls player and current senior assistant Marinos Panayi watched the youngster train and play and recommended him to head coach Adam Jamieson.
“He’s the best 20-year-old I’ve ever seen,” Panayi said.
“And give a shout out to Oakleigh who were very supportive in all of this.”
Candy’s switch to the Seagulls is akin to a loan deal and if Oakleigh want him to return during the next NPL transfer window he’ll do so.
The youngster’s introduction to State 1 football was in a 10-goal romp away to Old Scotch on Saturday with the points being shared.
Old Scotch had a remarkable efficiency rate scoring from their only five shots on target.
The saviour for Mornington was Ryan Paczkowski whose 89th minute header from Kieran Dover’s cross completed the 5-5 scoreline.
Fellow State 1 side Skye United broke through for its first win the season when downing fellow cellar-dweller Collingwood City 2-1 at Skye on Saturday.
Skye started out the better of the two sides and was rewarded when Artim Baki’s cross in the 10th minute was inadvertently turned into the net by Collingwood’s Matthew King.
The hosts had to wait till 10 minutes into the second half to double their lead.
Daniel Attard’s flick-on header from a long throw was brought down by Arash Sadeghi at the back post and calmly slotted home.
The bottom side persevered and Josh De Voogel hammered home a loose ball in the box with 20 minutes left.
A nervy finish was on the cards but the home side was resolute in defence and held on.
The result moves Skye out of the relegation zone, however a strong test awaits away to league leader South Springvale this weekend.
In VPL1 Langwarrin had a fine 4-2 away win over North Geelong on Saturday.
It was a helter-skelter affair.
Brad Blumenthal put Langy ahead in the 7th minute after being played in by Alun Webb.
Five minutes later the home side levelled from a Gevaro Nepomuceno free-kick.
But two minutes later Webb restored Langy’s lead after being sent through by Rogan McGeorge who had won the ball in midfield.
The roller-coaster ride continued in the 29th minute when Ionut-Casian Anghel strolled through the midfield, played a one-two and equalised with a low strike from just inside the area.
Four minutes later Langy regained the lead.
A superb diagonal from Ryo Takahashi picked out Blumenthal wide on the right and his low drive across the face of goal was tucked away by Tom Youngs.
A minute later big Lucas Portelli was forced off with a dislocated knee and in the 36th McGeorge was sent off following a sliding tackle that had the North Geelong bench up in arms.
In the 64th minute Eisay Adhanom was shown a second yellow card and both sides were down to 10.
Langy defended well and the icing on the cake came in the 90th minute when Webb gathered the loose ball after a defensive mix-up and squared it for substitute Zach Bates to sidefoot home.
The big news in State 2 was the departure of Peninsula Strikers senior co-coach Stephen Duffy after Friday night’s 5-3 loss away to Chisholm United.
Neither Duffy nor the club provided a reason for his departure.
Strikers featured new signing Oscar Colgate-Jones from Dandenong City who was only registered late on Friday.
Colgate-Jones, Sam Altmann and Riley Anderton scored for the visitors who continue to search for a second win.
They’ll do so this Saturday against Noble Park United but Danny Brooks is unlikely to play due to a foot injury and Wayne Gordon is suspended.
Brooks was forced off after 30 minutes of the Chisholm clash and Gordon received two yellow cards in quick succession in the 93rd minute.
In State 4 Baxter’s 2-0 home win over Monash University lifted Billy Armour’s side into third spot on the ladder.
Charlie O’Connell scored in the 6th minute with a cracking low drive from the edge of the box after the ball had pinballed about the visitors’ area.
Cody Storton-French cemented the win with a looping header from a 91st-minute corner.
Rosebud drew 1-1 away against Riversdale despite Duncan Mcpherson’s red card in first-half injury time.
Rosebud led after three minutes when a superb corner whipped in by Charlie Gunning wasn’t dealt with by Riversdale’s defence and Jack Heseltine was on hand to slam the ball home from close range.
Despite Mcpherson’s dismissal the Budders defended brilliantly and Riversdale could only level in the 65th minute through Kaishan Jones.
Rosebud keeper Enzo Rosenblum was deputising for the injured Colin McCormack and had an excellent game.
In State 5 Somerville Eagles won 5-0 away to Mount Waverley City last weekend to move into the top half of the table.
Mark Larner’s men were in control at half-time leading 3-0 thanks to a Nick Simmons brace and a goal from Max Watson.
Connor Carson’s header made it 4-0 in the 67th minute and Tom Simmons put this one to bed with an 85th minute goal.
Seaford United and Templestowe Wolves shared the honours with a 3-3 draw at North Seaford Reserve last weekend.
Seaford was 3-0 down after 42 minutes and Templestowe has been reduced to 10 men after Anthony Del Medico’s second caution in the 32nd minute.
Jonas Harrasser started the fightback two minutes into the second half and Dylan Waugh scored three minutes later.
Cory Osorio made it 3-3 in the 69th minute but the home side couldn’t find that elusive winning goal.
In State 6 Mount Eliza recorded its biggest ever State League win when hammering Mentone 8-0 at Emil Madsen Reserve last weekend.
Mentone was 2-0 down when Sulkipli Sulican was shown a straight red in the 16th minute and never recovered.
The star of the show was Alfie Harris whose four goals were a match highlight.
Other scorers were Michael Wright (2), Callum Drysdale and Lachlan Mitchell.
Frankston Pines won 2-1 away to Brighton on Saturday with striker Kenny Akalan grabbing both goals.
Brighton scored first after 18 minutes when poor defending allowed Marcel Szynkowski to meet a corner at the near post and smash it home.
Three minutes later Pines equalised after a great passing move that saw Said Uygur and Kenny Akalan exchange passes on the edge of the box before Akalan fired a superb shot across the keeper into the far corner.
Pines grabbed the winner just before half-time when Nathan Yole pressured Brighton’s centre back into an error that saw the ball fall to Akalan on the edge of the box.
He took a touch and fired it into the bottom corner.
Pines have made two recent signings in goalkeeper Nick Ambor and forward Onur Goksu both from White Star Dandenong.
But news from Pines isn’t all positive.
Ethan Sanderson’s comeback from a broken collarbone ended abruptly in the reserves when he again broke his collarbone.
On Monday he underwent his third surgery to repair the break and has been advised not to play again.
In State 7 Aspendale moved into the top half of the table with a 4-1 home win over Lilydale Montrose United on Saturday.
Oscar Carter scored from close range in the 30th minute to put the home side in front but the visitors levelled direct from a corner and it was 1-1 at half-time.
Headed goals from captain Matthew Leggett and Jack Gallagher put Aspendale in control after the break and Taylan Yildirim completed the scoring.
The only blemish on a fine performance came in the 86th minute when Aspendale substitute Mark Antonopoulos was red carded in the 86th minute.
Mount Martha was trounced 7-0 at home by Cleeland United.
The Mariners were already 4-0 behind when Adam Steele was shown a straight red in the 72nd minute.
NEXT WEEKEND’S GAMES
Friday 22 May, 8.30pm
Springvale City v Baxter, Ross Reserve
Cleeland Utd v Aspendale, Thomas P Carroll Reserve
Saturday 23 May, 3pm
North Sunshine Eagles v Langwarrin, Larissa Reserve
South Springvale v Skye Utd, Warner Reserve
Peninsula Strikers v Noble Park Utd, Centenary Park
Chelsea v Kings Domain, Edithvale Recreation Reserve
Somerville Eagles v Seaford Utd, Westernport Secondary College
Mentone v Knox Utd, Mentone Grammar Playing Fields
Whitehorse Utd v Mount Eliza, Terrara Park
Keysborough District v Mount Martha, Parkmore Soccer Club
Saturday 23 May, 6pm
Rosebud v Ringwood City, Olympic Park
Frankston Pines v Casey Panthers, Monterey Reserve
Mornington BYE
