SOCCER

LVSL

By TOM HAYES and JOHN CARDONA

 

LATE equalisers, upsets, and forfeits. Round 5 of the Latrobe Valley Soccer League’s Senior Men’s competition had it all.

Four games for the seniors soon turned to three, when East Gippsland United forfeited against Falcons 2000, handing them an automatic 3-nil win. A result that was already most likely heading in that direction at Latrobe City Stadium, but nonetheless Falcons will take the points.

League leaders, Traralgon Olympians had the bye.

 

Senior Men

Churchill United 1 drew with Newborough-Yallourn United 1

LATE drama at Hazelwood South Reserve.

Newborough/Yallourn, a side still searching for its first win of the season, claimed an early lead, when Leigh Jankovic put the visitors ahead just before halftime.

The slender 1-nil lead was held onto by the Combine past the hour mark, when things began to look nervy.

NYU’s Adam Batt picked up a caution, while soon after Churchill duo Thomas Hughes and Takudzwa Gwara also saw yellow.

Nonetheless, Newborough/Yallourn looked all but certain to claim their first three points, as the game entered additional time.

But saving the day for the Rams, Bradley Sands struck with a 92nd minute equaliser to clinch a point for the home side, leaving NYU winless through five weeks.

 

Sale United 4 def Monash 3

SALE United claimed the scalp of Monash, who were looking to cement themselves as one of the top teams this season.

Both sides got on the scoresheet within the first half-an-hour at Baldwin Reserve, with proceedings all tied up at 1-all.

Sale got the jump however, managing to stretch out another three goals, while Monash could only muster two.

United claimed the three points in a seven-goal thriller, putting some breathing space between itself at the bottom of the ladder.

 

Traralgon City 0 def by Moe United 10

MOE United seniors jumped to the top of the Latrobe Valley Soccer League ladder after another goal scoring spree when they travelled to Traralgon and easily accounted for Traralgon City 10-nil.

The Red Devils were led to the easy victory by a superb display of attacking football by left winger Riley Winkelman, who scored four goals.

Oscar Sceney was also dominate on return.

The opening goal came after 10 minutes, when 17-year-old right winger Tully Andersons crossed and found an unmarked Winkelman at the back post to convert.

United took until the 35th minute to increase the lead, after a run and cross by Anderson was headed home by Winkelman.

Two minutes later, it was 3-nil after a brilliant free kick from the right flank by left footed defender Brendan Ruddell from 30 metres out deceived everyone and finished up in the goal at the far post.

Just before the halftime whistle, a first time pass sent Winkelman clear, and his cross was hammered home from close range by Anderson.

Moe United continued its dominance into the second half, and five minutes is all it took for the scoreboard to read 5-nil.

Anderson crossed from the right and was headed home by Winkelman to bring up his hat-trick.

Soon after, a Sceney cross was slotted home by Matt Shearing.

After hard work, Connor O’Hanlon eventually got on the scoreboard when he chased down the Traralgon keeper to slot the ball home into the empty goal.

O’Hanlon then got his brace and United’s eight after a great through ball by Noah Kane saw O’Hanlon finish off the play with a left foot strike that gave the City keeper no chance.

Moe then went 9-nil up with the goal of the game when Sceney unleashed a thunderbolt drive into the top left corner from 25m out.

Winkelman wrapped up a superb individual performance with his fourth to make it 10-nil after converting a cross on the right from O’Hanlon.

Best for Moe United were Winkelman, Sceney, O’Hanlon and Ruddell.

Moe United’s next match in two weeks time will be away to 2024 league champions, Falcons.

The ladder sees Moe United on top following its 10-nil drubbing of Traralgon City, and after Olympians had the bye, they slid into second.

East Gippsland’s forfeit moved Falcons into third, as Monash dropped to fourth following its loss.

Sale stay in fifth, but are now just one point from Monash inside the top four. The bottom four remains the same, with Churchill and NYU picking up a point each.

 

Senior Women

CHURCHILL can’t be caught if they keep winning in the senior women competition.

The Rams claimed their fourth straight win at the weekend, putting three goals past Newborough/Yallourn United, all while keeping a clean sheet.

Moe United doubled Churchill’s effort, putting six goals past Traralgon City.

Star of the match was striker Rebecca Van Koogh, who finished with a five-goal haul.

Winger Miley Cooper put the seal on the game with United’s sixth goal, and was among the best alongside Van Der Koogh, Nicole Risely and Bridget Green.

The confident win keeps Moe within touching distance of Churchill, who remain two points ahead.

Sale United also remain undefeated, with their third win of the campaign, this time over Monash.

The reigning champions won 8-1 at home, and with a greater goal difference to Churchill and a game in hand, top of the table is up for grabs.

Falcons and Tyers played out a nil-all draw, as both sides stay put in the middle of the table, fifth and fourth respectively.