LAURIE WILLIAMS and JOHN CARDONA
SOCCER
LVSL
By LAURIE WILLIAMS
THE penultimate round of the ever-intriguing race to the league championship title took another twist as Morwell Pegasus beat rivals Fortuna on Sunday in the match of the round.
In other games, reigning champions Falcons 2000 came from the dead to beat Sale whilst Moe and Monash both won their respective fixtures.
However, we start our round-up in the all-Morwell affair.
Fortuna 2 – Pegasus 4
FORTUNA, seeking their first bit of senior men’s silverware in over ten years, were looking to solidify top spot, given the night before Falcons had chalked up three points.
Many expected Pegasus to have checked out for the remainder of the home and away season but they did anything but, as they came to play with the sole intention to upset Fortuna’s title aspirations.
The home side did start the better of the two sides as Daniel Cooper has two free kicks thwarted by Pegs keeper Santo Simon, but soon enough it was the Flying Horsemen who took the lead as the deadly duo of Germaine Otieno and Kuku Mahmoud combined, which ended with Mahmoud opening the scoring in the 21st minute.
Only five minutes later it was two as Mahmoud helped himself to his brace and provide a handy two goal buffer.
Pegasus were the better side in the first half and Fortuna fans were wondering when their side would turn up.
It was soon three as Otieno got himself on the scorers ledger and amazingly at the 28th minute mark, the league leaders found themselves with a mountain to climb.
The Orangemen clawed one back before half time to make it 3-1 through Damon Scott to give themselves a glimmer of hope.
The second half started much like the first with Pegasus continuing to attack with wild abandon and they got their just rewards as they got a fourth on 58 minutes.
Fortuna seemed to awaken from their slumber but could only manage a solitary goal in the second half to add some respectability to the score line as Jake Budija found the net in the 84th minute.
The loss has significant ramifications in the league title race for Fortuna as they now have to beat Falcons on the last day of the championship to lift a trophy that they have worked so hard for over the last few years.
The win for Pegasus merely gives them renewed confidence for the upcoming Battle of Britain Cup.
Sale 2 – Falcons 3
IN a season where drama has met us at every turn, there was no greater example than on Saturday night as Falcons 2000 came back from the brink to claim all three points to keep their back-to-back title hopes alive.
Sale have shown that they are a much tougher commodity at home and we’re looking to spoil the Birds’ party and they got off to the perfect start in the seven minute mark as Sakhon Khamchom took advantage of a rare Falcons defensive mix up to give his side the lead.
Falcons dominated possession but could not break down the resolute Sale defence, however if being 1-0 down was of concern, then, with Sale taking a two goal lead on 25 minutes through Kieran Horgan it quickly became a migraine for the Morwell side. Knowing only a win would do, Falcons were handed a lifeline as Sale went down to ten men and this seemed to fire them up.
They got one back before the break with Jamie Pistrin converting from the penalty spot.
The second half was all one way traffic and the never-say-die attitude of Falcons was once again on show as they equalised through a Jim Mills finish inside the six-yard box.
They would complete a miraculous comeback six minutes later as wonderful work down the right hand wing from Kevin Carcellar gave Mills the opportunity to make it two for him the night; an opportunity he gladly took with both hands.
Falcons should’ve converted more of their chances but the many travelling fans were simply glad that three points were secured.
The win, coupled with Fortuna’s loss, sees Falcons move back into top spot, only needing a draw against their cross-town rival on the final day.
Monash 2 – Olympians 1
MONASH look to be finishing their season in fourth place after a tough match against Olympians, the Wolves were two up within 38 minutes with goals from Adam Semple and Shawn Lawrence.
It was a low-key affair with neither side showing their true potential.
Olympians scored just before half time from Mohamad Taleb to give Monash a 2-1 advantage by the break.
After half time both teams were going through the motions without worrying the scoresheet and the match finished at a 2-1 win for Monash.
By JOHN CARDONA
Moe United 16 – Churchill 1
MOE UNITED recorded one of its biggest ever wins in the Latrobe Valley Soccer League, when they defeated lowly Churchill 16-1 on Morwell Football-Netball Club’s synthetic pitch on Sunday afternoon.
Star of the day was English striker Connor O’Hanlon, who bagged eight goals, while strike partner Riley Winkleman gabbed five as well.
Moe United handed out a football lesson to a struggling Churchill side, mainly due to a dominant midfield led by Joe Stewart, Matt Shearing, Noah Kane, Tanner Pyle and Campbell Dastey, who continually tore apart the Churchill defence with precision pinpoint passing.
In the opening minute, a handball inside the box saw O’Hanlon convert the spot kick.
Within a minute, a run by Winkleman saw his cross hit home first time by O’Hanlon.
A short corner play by Brendan Ruddell to Kane saw his cross find Winkleman, who head home the Red Devils’ third.
Moe continued its onslaught and a through ball by Matt Shearing sent O’Hanlon clear and he made no mistake with his chance.
Winkleman soon made it 5-0 when a Dastey pass to O’Hanlon saw his cross slotted home by Winkleman.
Against the run of play, a cross from the left side saw a well-judged header by Brad Sands give Moe keeper Peter Albanese no chance to save.
United were back soon after, when an O’Hanlon pass found Winkleman, who’s cross was driven home by Dastey to make it 6-1.
Before the break, United’s pressure and creative football added another three goals, coming from a shot on the run by Pyle, another well-hit drive by O’Hanlon and Winkleman finished off a brilliant first half, converting a cut pass from O’Hanlon.
Not long after the second half started, Shearing found O’Hanlon, to notch Moe’s 10th and O’Hanlon’s fifth for the game.
He soon had his sixth when he slotted home a Winkleman cross. Stewart in the midfield was in superb touch and a standout in his flashy pink boots, constantly opening up chances for Moe United forwards.
It was a Stewart Cross which soon saw another opportunity rifled, driven home by Winkleman to make it 12-1.
O’Hanlon brought up his sixth for the match, converting a Winkleman cross from 10 metres out to make it 13-1.
Moe United was relentless with the pressure, and a long range low drive by Shearing gave Churchill keeper Trevor Reiss no chance.
In the closing few minutes, Moe United continued their demolition. Shearing crossed and found O’Hanlon, who set up Winkleman to score.
O’Hanlon finished up a record-breaking day for Moe United, and a personal best eight-goal-haul after converting a cross from debutant, 16-year-old Seth Grixti.
Best for Moe was O’Hanlon, Stewart, Winkleman and Chad Shelley.
THREE TITLES ALREADY DECIDED
Fortuna have won the Reserves Championship finishing ahead of Newborough/Yallourn.
Traralgon City has taken out the second division title and Sale have taken out the Women’s Championship.
The senior Championship will be decided on September 3, when Fortuna will be home to Falcons with the winner claiming the title.
