Gippsland FC returned to its winning ways in the under 13s but fell short in the under 14 and 15 Metropolitan South A grades at the weekend.
Due to a number of school commitments and an extensive injury list, Gippsland was unable to filled an under 18s team against Sandringham and had to forfeit the match.
Gippsland had early control of its match against visitor Sandringham, which was relying on the counter attack.
Cory Johnson was a standout in a midfield that combined well with the forward line.
However, Endeavour flooded its back line and was difficult to penetrate as the half ended 0-0.
Gippsland started the second half slowly with their first touch slightly off, but Manny Scarlett forced the Endeavour ‘keeper to pull a fine save that sparked the hosts back into action.
With 10 minutes left on the clock winger Harrison Meyer dribbled the ball into the box and angled a shot across the goal keeper to score low into the opposite corner.
One minute later the home team doubled the lead when a through ball from Kelsey Dal Pozzo left Jordan Bannister one-on-one with the keeper and he coolly finished.
Gippsland won the game 2-0.
Standout players were Johnson and Dal Pozzo, with the back four and midfield all solid contributors.
Gippsland travelled to second-placed Berwick aiming for a win to take second spot on the table.
Gippsland was under pressure in the first 15 minutes and unable to match the strength, and pace in particular, of the Berwick boys.
Against the run of play Gippsland took the lead when a Connor Dastey-cross fell to Jesse Buhagiar whose excellent first touch and finish put Gippsland 1-0 up.
Gippsland then went 2-0 ahead when a Jarrod Ross-cross was controlled and finished well by Reuben O’Brien.
Gippsland controlled the first 15 minutes of the second half.
However the game began to change when Berwick got one back and then managed to equalise from a corner with 10 minutes remaining.
The game looked to be heading for a draw until Gippsland failed to deal with another corner and conceded a third in the final minutes to lose 3-2.
Caleb Semple, Steffen Aboltins and Manny Lual were outstanding for Gippsland.
Gippsland faced league leaders Berwick in what ended up being a tough afternoon for the boys.
Berwick led 3-0 at half-time, with goal keeper Ben Elliott making some good saves in the first half.
Gippsland battled in the second half with the central defensive pairing of Callum Slade and Myles Luders working had to prevent the Berwick strikers from adding to the score.
Berwick managed to add a few more in the second half to run out 7-0 winners.
Elliott, Slade and Isaac Boulton were Gippsland’s best on the day.
There are no matches this weekend due to a catch up round across the leagues.
