SOCCER
IN A miserable weekend for local clubs there were just four winners from round 13 of the State league season – Chelsea, Seaford United, Mount Eliza and Aspendale.
Three of them are mounting serious promotion campaigns while Seaford is hopeful of finishing the back half of the season in style.
Chelsea is in second spot in State 4 just four points behind Springvale City and maintained its promotion momentum with Saturday’s 3-0 away win over Ashburton United.
Chelsea came out of the blocks flying on Saturday and was three up after 23 minutes.
Adam Dunsford struck first with a point-blank finish following a corner in the 3rd minute.
Liam Burford made it 2-0 in the 14th minute when he skinned two opponents and scored from close range and Nathan Boccari made it 3-0 in the 23rd minute when he surged forward from midfield then hammered home a strike from outside the area.
Chelsea will miss Burford for a couple of games as he flies back to Scotland to get married.
Chelsea rival Baxter lost 2-0 away to Kings Domain in a match that never reached great heights.
In State 5 Seaford United claimed its fourth scalp of the season with Saturday’s 3-1 victory at home to title challenger Monbulk Rangers.
Seaford got on top early and an audacious volley attempt by Dylan Waugh from distance rattled the post.
Monbulk fell behind when right back Liam Maunder headed an own goal in the 12th minute and in the 27th minute it was 2-0.
Conor Mcfall’s through ball found Matt Cobb on the left and his cross was headed home by Waugh.
Monbulk hit back in the 69th minute when Seaford keeper Hayden Hicks lost sight of the ball with the sun in his eyes and it sailed over his head and into goal.
But the home side would not be denied and it restored its deserved two-goal cushion in the 72nd minute when Zain Ahmad pounced on a loose pass and ran through to convert from a one-on-one.
Fellow State 5 outfit Somerville Eagles lost 3-1 at home to Sandown Lions on Saturday with Joe Hitchcock scoring for the locals.
In State 6 Mount Eliza had to wait late to overcome visitor Pakenham United 2-0 on Saturday.
Billy Gowans broke the deadlock in the 79th minute after Pakenham failed to properly clear a corner.
Multiple ricochets ensued until the ball fell to Gowans on the edge of the box and he volleyed it neatly inside the far post.
Seven minutes later Josh Luca controlled a lobbed ball from the left then struck it into the bottom far corner for the sealer.
Still in State 6 Frankston Pines lost 2-1 at home to Whitehorse United while Mentone lost 1-0 away to Old St Kevins.
Pines were 2-0 down before a late reply from Kenny Akalan.
Naseer Mohammad beat his man on the left of the box and pulled the ball back for Akalan to take a touch then wrongfoot the keeper.
Despite one of its better performances this season Mentone lost its 13th straight game and to make matters worse had Alex Mallamaci and Luka Varga red carded in the last 10 minutes.
Aspendale became the only State 7 side to do the double against league leader Noble Suns when it travelled to Norman Luth Reserve on Friday night and earned a deserved 2-1 victory.
Jason Grieve’s men are fourth and their first target is to chase down second-placed Keysborough.
Aspendale took the lead against Suns in the 29th minute when Mitch Hodder broke clear before rounding Suns keeper Bobby Pejkovic and slotting the ball home from the edge of the box.
Two minutes into the second half it was Hodder at the double with a near identical run and finish.
The Suns could only offer a converted penalty from Thanasi Zervos in reply.
“Beating the league leader for the second time this season proves that we can beat anyone on our day and creates a belief that we can be in the promotion mix,” Grieve said.
“It’s now about finding the consistency to go on a winning run and there’s no reason why we can’t do that.”
The other local State 7 side in action last weekend was Mount Martha who lost 3-0 at home to Lilydale Montrose United.
In State 1 Mornington hit a major bump on the promotion road with Saturday’s 4-1 loss away to Boroondara Eagles while Skye United gained no traction in its fight to avoid the drop losing 2-1 at home to Doveton.
Mornington went behind in the 13th minute when Daniel Agius delivered a deep cross that evaded everyone leaving goalkeeper Kane Runge rooted to the spot as it found the back of the net.
The home side doubled its advantage in the 32nd minute when another dangerous cross into the box found Aden Grganovic and his glancing header into the bottom corner made it 2-0.
When Jacob Colosimo was left unmarked at the back post in the 78th minute and his header made it 3-0 the contest was effectively over.
The Seagulls responded four minutes later when Nathan Sim powered home a well-taken header but Aaran Morris sealed their fate in the 87th minute heading home from a corner.
Mornington has to bounce back and make the most of its games in hand if it is to stay in the title race and this weekend it faces a challenging away clash with league leader South Springvale.
There is concern over the fitness of leading scorer James Kelly who was forced off against Boroondara with a slight hamstring injury while Kieran Dover remains suspended.
At Skye Recreation Reserve on Friday night Marcus Spivey lashed home a loose ball in the 17th minute to put the home side ahead but a second-half brace from Doveton’s Sam Maggs sealed Skye’s fate.
One positive to emerge from the game was the return of Skye keeper Steve Hadjikakou after his ACL injury in the final game last season.
In State 2 Peninsula Strikers lost 5-1 away to Brandon Park on Friday night.
It was a fog-plagued clash with the assistant referees unable to see the far side of the pitch for much of the match so offside decisions were problematic.
Strikers’ only joy was to open the scoring through Oscar Colgate-Jones in the 25th minute in a move initiated by Matt Harrington and involving Riley Anderton.
Colgate-Jones ran onto Anderton’s long diagonal pass in behind the defence and although pressed all the way he unleashed a right-foot strike from the top of the box that hit the target.
The home side levelled in the 29th minute and by half-time had established a two-goal cushion.
Two more goals in the second half completed a dismal night for Strikers who have leaked more goals than any other side in the league.
NEXT WEEKEND’S GAMES
Saturday 4 July, 3pm
Langwarrin v Eltham Redbacks, Lawton Park
South Springvale v Mornington, Warner Reserve
Boroondara Eagles v Skye Utd, Carey Sports Complex Wilcox Field A
Peninsula Strikers v Berwick City, Centenary Park
Chelsea v Rosebud, Edithvale Recreation Reserve
Baxter v Greater Dandenong, Baxter Park
Monbulk Rangers v Somerville Eagles, Monbulk Regional Soccer Facility
Lyndale Utd v Seaford Utd, Lyndale Secondary College
Mentone v Pakenham Utd, Mentone Grammar Playing Fields
Knox Utd v Mount Eliza, Carrington Park
Bunyip District v Frankston Pines, Bunyip Recreation Reserve
Aspendale v Mount Martha, Aspendale Gardens Sports Ground
