SOCCER
GSL
SALE United was held to a scoreless draw at home by Newborough Yallourn United on a soggy Godfrey Baldwin Reserve in Gippsland soccer at the weekend.
With the pitch playing host to two matches before the senior encounter, it was far from ideal conditions as the usually fluent Sale struggled to implement its neat passing game.
Despite the conditions the Swans held the balance of possession in the first half and had the ball in the net after two minutes, only for it to be called back for offside.
The Swans had further opportunities, mainly from set pieces, while NYU had its moments on the counter attack but neither team could break the deadlock before half-time.
The second half was a more even affair in the early stages with NYU’s Mark Fairbrother in particular keeping the Sale defenders on their toes, while the Swans attacked predominantly down the right flank through Dean Nichols.
As the half wore on tired legs in both units saw the game open up.
Sale captain Ash Ross came closest to securing all three points with an effort which crashed against the crossbar, while a cross from the right was too hot for Tommy Nguyen who missed everything from inside the six yard box.
NYU also had chances fall to Fairbrother, Andrew Batt and Brett Shaw but none beat keeper Chris Richardson in the Sale goal.
Bizarrely the closest NYU came to hitting the scoreboard was from a wild Sale backpass that Richardson did well to keep out and put behind for a corner.
Sale pressed hard in the final stages for a winner but NYU held out its more fancied opponents to share the points 0-0.
All other GSL central matches were called off due to poor weather.
