East Gippsland United Football Club played host to Monash last Sunday in round 11 of the Latrobe Valley Soccer League at West Bairnsdale Oval.
The Eagles were first on the scoreboard when Brandon Ginty put a half volley from outside the box into the top right hand corner of the net just two minutes into the game, but Monash levelled the score a few minutes later.
From then on the game was evenly matched with both teams having plenty of time on the ball and both keepers kept on their toes.
Alex Padula sent the ball towards the net and came close to scoring when the keeper fumbled but the ball bounced in front of the goal line.
Ginty had another opportunity but it went straight to the keeper.
Down the other end Eagles’ keeper Adam Reidy ensured the ball stayed out of the nets.
The intensity lifted in the second half as the teams tried to break the deadlock.
The Eagles were unlucky early when Josh Calle just missed to the right of the goal after a pass from Ginty as they were increasingly able to keep the ball in their attacking half, but the Monash defence held firm, blocking all attempts.
Finally at 65 minutes Will Sutherland made a run up the wing and crossed the ball into the box. After an initial fumble by the Eagles, Ginty was able to put the ball away for his second goal.
But the joy was short lived when Monash was able to score two goals in quick succession to take the lead.
With only minutes remaining, Monash successfully did everything it could to slow down play and prevent any opportunities for the Eagles to level the score, with the final score 3-2 in the visitors’ favour.
Earlier in the afternoon the reserves match started in a similar fashion when Sean Mamo scored two minutes into the match, only for Monash to reply shortly after, but that is where the similarities ended.
Initially there was a bit of a scramble from both teams as the players settled into the match.
Play was kept to the middle of the pitch as the midfielders fought hard for possession. While Monash was able to find its playing rhythm, it never quite happened for the Eagles.
Monash scored its second goal 17 minutes in and from there took control of the game, while Eagles had to work hard to block the attempts.
Monash was consistent in finding the gaps in the Eagles’ defence.
The Eagles worked hard to bring the ball forward but passing errors and pressure from Monash consistently led to turnovers.
There were few opportunities for the Eagles to score and the ones they had weren’t successful, with the exception was David Le’s goal at 65 minutes.
The game ended with a resounding 9-2 victory for Monash.
With three players sidelined, the under 16 Blue team anticipated a challenging match against Churchill, lacking the advantage of fresh substitutes.
Both teams started strong, showcasing solid defensive efforts.
At the 23-minute mark Seth Giuffrida-Love managed to score thanks to a powerful assist from Kobi Overy, putting the Eagles on the scoreboard.
Churchill effectively thwarted the Eagles’ offensive efforts until Giuffrida-Love managed to penetrate their defence and score again.
The first half concluded with Giuffrida-Love earning a penalty kick which led to yet another goal for the Eagles.
In the second half Churchill came out strong, quickly finding the net to score their first goal.
A well-executed corner kick by Robbie Christie set up Harrison Dingwall, who added another goal for the Eagles.
However Churchill responded with a flurry of goals shortly thereafter, turning the final 10 minutes of the match into a thrilling contest.
Rahsa Long successfully navigated the midfield delivering a precise pass to Giuffrida-Love, who scored another goal for the Eagles, solidifying their victory just before the final whistle.
The Eagles’ dedication during training in recent weeks was evident as their improved teamwork and controlled play led to a decisive 6-4 win.
Competing against Churchill United for the second time this season proved more difficult for the under 16 Gold team than the initial encounter.
The Eagles concluded the match with a score of 2-0, yet finding opportunities to score was notably challenging due to the exceptional performance of Churchill’s goalkeeper.
The Eagles began the match with an aggressive strategy, initiating their first attempt on goal in the second minute, maintaining consistent pressure on Churchill’s defence with numerous attempts.
At the 11th minute Harry Storer successfully scored the first goal of the match.
The Eagles’ defence was impenetrable, leaving Churchill without opportunities as the Eagles’ goalkeeper Dion Styrdis executed several impressive saves.
Frustration grew for Churchill, resulting in more frequent errors.
At the 64th minute Lucas McDonald skilfully outran two opponents down the wing, ultimately facing the keeper who successfully made the save while Jay Sutherland, demonstrating persistence, attempted a goal from outside the box.
His shot unexpectedly caught the goalkeeper off guard, resulting in the ball successfully reaching the back of the net.
In the final minutes the Eagles continued to apply pressure on Churchill’s keeper but unfortunately no additional scores were achieved.
The under 13s were victorious against Churchill 3-1 at home at Howitt Park.
There are no games for the long weekend with the junior Country Championships being held in Albury Wodonga.
The following weekend the senior teams have a bye before hosting Moe United at home on June 21.
The under 16 Blue side will host Fortuna 60 at West Bairnsdale on June 14, with the Gold side away on the same day to Traralgon Olympians at Harold Preston Reserve.
Morwell Pegasus Maroon at Ronald Reserve in Morwell on June 21 is the next assignment for the under 13 team.
