SOCCER

LVSL

By JOHN CARDONA

 

MOE United seniors continued on their winning form after beating Traralgon City 7-nil on Saturday night.

The result temporarily puts the Red Devils on top of the Latrobe Valley Soccer League ladder after 14 rounds.

However, there is still four rounds to go. Moe has the bye in the last round, which means Traralgon Olympians will likely go back to the top of the table if they win their remaining four games.

For the Red Devils to win the league title, they would have to win all three remaining games against Falcons, Churchill United and Monash, and hope that Olympians drop points against Monash, Churchill, East Gippsland United and Newborough/Yallourn United.

IN the encounter at Olympic Park, Moe on Saturday night, the home side got off to a great start when they created a few early pressure attacking moves on the City defence, which saw a penalty awarded to Moe for a handball infringement after five minutes play.

Noah Kane stepped up and made no mistake, sending keeper Mason Loprese the wrong way. Moe United doubled their lead within 10 minutes when Connor O’Hanlon went on a searching run and found space to hit a low hard drive shot which was initially saved by Loprese, only for the deflection to fall to the ever-alert Matty Shearing, who tapped home the simplest of chances.

Moe United won a corner kick at the 34-minute mark, and it was a perfectly hit corner that saw Lachie McKenzie time his run to head home and give Moe United their third goal.

Traralgon City was struggling up front to break open the well organised Moe United, defence which forced the Traralgon City’s forwards to take shots from a distance.

Before the halftime break, Moe United got out to a 4-nil lead when another strong aggressive run by O’Hanlon saw him skip around the Traralgon City defender, then send a perfect cross to the waiting Luke Bathgate, who placed his header past the Traralgon City keeper.

Minutes later, the referee blew the halftime whistle to give the battling Traralgon City side a well-needed rest.

The first 20 minutes of the second half panned out to be a dull affair, with play flowing from one end to the other. 

Eventually, the Red Devils sparked into life after a cross from Kane was headed on by Bathgate to Michael Melnyczenko, who put home his first time shot past a stranded Loprese.

Moe United went into a full out attack, making the Traralgon defenders work extra hard to keep the home side at bay, but all that hard work was broken when O’Hanlon made another of his near unstoppable runs as he beat a couple of defenders, then hit a low drive which saw the keeper parry the ball away, but straight to an unmarked Melynczenko, who laid the ball back to O’Hanlon, and he cooly placed the ball into the unguarded goal

Moe United needed to go for more vital goals in the chase for the league championship.

With only minutes remaining, Moe United won a late corner kick, which Connor Dastey duly took, and found an unmarked Oscar Sceney, who’s header found the back of net to make it 7-nil.

Best for Moe was O’Hanlon, Dastey, McKenzie and Melynczenko.

Best for Traralgon City was Sean Sayle, Luke Waters, Harper Isherwood and Isaac Burgoine.

A mention must go to Loprese, who’s goalkeeping stopped Moe United scoring a high double figure result.

IN other games across the weekend, Churchill United had a nil-all draw at home against NYU.

Neither side was willing to give an inch, and both created chances, especially the Combine who had three good late chances, with the best going to Ash Birrell who’s shot looked destined for the winning goal, only for Santo Simon in goals pulled off a remarkable save.

Sale United’s recent drop off in form continued, with the Swans going down to the inconsistent Monash, who on a certain day can test any side.

A goal in each half by Ethan Lawrence gave Monash the win.

Falcons 2000 made the long journey to Bairnsdale and managed to come home in a seven goal thriller, 4-3 winners.

After a scoreless first half, Falcons took the lead within two minutes of the restart, but East Gippsland was soon back on level terms.

Eventually, Falcons got their game going and soon raced to a comfortable 4-1 lead.

A Falcons terrible back pass mix-up gave East Gippsland a glimmer of hope at 4-2, but that soon lifted even further and with five minutes to go, East Gippsland scored again to make it 4-3.

It was then a tense last five minutes, but the visitors held onto their nerves to grab three vital away points.

Moh Taleb scored twice and Tommy D’alia one for Falcons, while there was also an own goal.

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