SOCCER

LVSL

By LAURIE WILLIAMS, JOHN CARDONA and JOE AUCIELLO

 

WITH the last game of the first half of the Latrobe Valley Soccer League season played over the weekend, results went largely as expected.

Moe, Falcons and Fortuna (who beat East Gippsland 8-nil), all took maximum points in Round 9, while Olympians toppled Monash in the Match of the Round.

 

Tyers 0 def by Moe United 8

MOE United Seniors went on a scoring spree in the first 20 minutes of their away game against Tyers on Sunday.

It took only two minutes to open the scoring for the Red Devils in their Round 9 clash, when a Matt Shearing pass sent Bayden Heusmann clear on the left flank, who then sent a perfect cross to the back post which saw Riley Winklemann easily head the ball into the net.

Ten minutes into the game, Winklemann repaid the favour with a perfect pass to Heusmann, who skipped past the Tyers defender, and then made no mistake with his low hard shot pass.

From the restart, Moe United won back possession out on the right by Oscar Sceney, who’s run up the right saw his cross met first by Winklemann, and he again made no mistake to give United a 3-nil lead.

United continued to apply pressure to the Tyers defence, and it was Shearing’s through ball again which beat the Tyers defence, sending Winklemann through, only to be brought down by the Tyers defender. Connor Dastey took the resultant free kick and blasted it over the crossbar.

United’s 20-minute, four-goal barrage ended from a Brendan Ruddell long ball which put Tanner Pyle through, and he cooly rounded his way through to score.

Despite United’s dominance in play, they failed to add to their scoreline, leaving a frustrated Moe coach in Lee Dastey to ponder his planning on converting those opportunities that were coming his sides way.

The second half saw Moe United on the attack, and the Red Devils were 5-nil up after a half clearance by the Tyers defence saw the ball to Shearing, who’s first time shot saw it rocket into the top left hand corner.

Play rarely got out the Tyers half in the second half, and a strong driving effort by Tanner Pyle gave a square pass to Connor Dastey, who slotted the ball into the unguarded Tyers goal.

The Red Devil’s continued their onslaught, and a pass out wide to the left by Shearing found Noah Kane, who’s pinpoint cross was met by Winklemann to put the United side up 7-nil complete his hat-trick.

Right on 90 minutes, a superb piece of play by Shearing saw him put substitute Harley Robinson through, and he calmly placed the ball past the oncoming Tyers keeper to give United a convincing 8-nil win.

Shearing was voted best for Moe, followed by Sceney, Winklemann and Pyle.

Best for Tyers were Brodie Inglis and Shayne Pavich.

 

Falcons 2 def Newborough/Yallourn 1

AFTER beating fellow Latrobe Valley Soccer League title fancy Moe United the round before, it was expected Falcons 2000, on their home deck, would easily account for Newborough/Yallourn last Sunday.

While the Combine have been struggling in season 2024, they made Falcons work hard for their eventual 2-1 victory.

The match again proved that nothing can be taken for granted in this LVSL competition.

The Combine came out with an intent to take the game to their more fancied opponents, and they shocked the home crowd by taking an early lead as a lacklustre Falcons defence were caught napping.

Falcons continued to dominate possession and created chance after chance, and halfway through the first half, dynamic duo Moni Eliaser and Kuku Mahmoud each helped themselves to a goal to give the side a deserved lead at the break. The second half saw total domination from the home side, yet once again their inability to convert in front of goal almost saw them pay the ultimate price.

A host of chances to Mahmoud, Eliaser, Jordan Kennedy, Jamie Pistrin and substitute Nick D’Alessandro could not be translated into goals, which gave Newborough/Yallourn the faintest of hopes of securing a late equaliser.

However, it was not to be, as all three points were secured by the home side, which keeps them level on points with league leader Fortuna 60 by virtue of a superior goal difference.

For the Combine, it was possibly a sign of their season’s fortunes, turning to become a more competitive team for the remainder of the season.

 

Churchill 1 drew with Sale 1

FOR the first time in more than 14 years, Churchill and Sale ended in a stalemate.

The match at Godfrey Baldwin Reserve looked for a while like the Rams would take out the match after 16-year-old Harry Forbes scored his first senior goal.

Churchill hung onto the lead for quite a while, until Charlie Cockell found space to deliver a telling blow to equalise before time was called.

 

Monash 1 def by Olympians 2

OLYMPIANS kept pace with the leading pack as they secured all three points in a hard-fought contest against Monash.

It was Olympians’ first win against the Wolves since 2017, and yet another sign that the Traralgon side are progressing well in their rebuild.

Goals to Guguei Malual and Sam Jacob ensured Olympians the win, but Monash hit back at home, with Gonza Ortellodo halving the deficit to give them a sniff of at least splitting the points.

However, it was not to be, as Olympians closed out the match resolutely to claim victory.

 

Fortuna v East Gippsland – NOT PROVIDED