It was a tough day at the office for East Gippsland United Football Club, taking on ladder leader Fortuna in Morwell on Sunday.
Despite an own goal in the first five minutes, the game started well for the Eagles, the teams evenly matched as the wrestle for control of the ball began.
Play was kept in the middle of the pitch as each team tried to break through and send the ball into their forward half, with the wet conditions making the ball and the ground slippery.
A couple of early chances for the Eagles went wide and a cracking shot from Fortuna hit the post.
Centrebacks Tom Forster and Alex Padula, assisted by Lachlan Feather and Noah Price, put in solid performances in defence, blocking Fortuna’s attempts at scoring.
Not getting its own way with the ball, frustration was setting in for Fortuna, taking whatever chances it could at scoring and sending the ball wide.
Jaydon Steele came close to scoring off a pass from Forster with the keeper out of the nets, but sent the ball across the front of the goal.
At 38 minutes Fortuna was able break through, scoring from a header in a scramble in front of the nets that slipped past keeper Brendan Dunstan.
The Fortuna keeper fumbled a free kick taken by Alex Padula, but was able to gain control before Oscar Bury was able to put it through.
But the Eagles lost their intensity in the second half, despite a couple of early attempts by Steele.
Fortuna took advantage and took control of the game, scoring six goals in 20 minutes.
Despite never giving up, the Eagles had no answer to the onslaught and Fortuna took the win 8-0.
In the earlier match, the Eagles’ reserves suffered a similar fate from the undefeated Fortuna.
Fortuna took control of the game from the first kick, scoring its first goal two minutes in.
It kept the ball in its forward half, consistently attacking the net, the unsettled Eagles finding it difficult to get the ball past the half way line, only to have the ball turned over from inaccurate passing when they did.
At 22 minutes, Harry Padula out-manoeuvred an opposition player to take a catch at the nets and was rewarded when the ball went over the keeper’s head and into the nets.
A Fortuna free kick floated into the top right hand corner of the net and the next goal following quickly after, with five goals to Fortuna for the first half.
The second half started in similar fashion to the first with a quick goal from Fortuna.
Some substitutions and position changes stemmed the flow of Fortuna goals but the Eagles still couldn’t get the ball past the Fortuna defenders.
Tyler van den Meiracker hit the cross bar and the rebound saw a desperate scramble in front of the Eagles’ goal, only for the ball to end up with the Fortuna keeper.
Fortuna scored two further goals for the game, with a final score line of 8-1 to Fortuna.
In the under 15s, the Eagles encountered their toughest match so far this season, suffering a 3-1 loss to Fortuna.
The Eagles started strong taking control of play and having multiple shots at goal but unfortunately not able to score.
Fortuna took its chance at the seven minute mark, scoring its first goal, the Eagles had many scoring opportunities but could not finish.
Rayner Bonifacio had multiple shots at goal, but Fortuna’s goalkeeper was not letting them past.
Fortuna pushed past the Eagles’ defence and scored its second goal at the 19th minute.
The Eagles’ defenders had their job cut out for them with Fortuna putting them under pressure, but with some amazing intercepts they kept Fortuna goalless for the rest of the first half.
Going into the second half, Fortuna got its third goal of the game in the first minute, the Eagles were ready to put in the work and showed their determination to hit back, keeping Fortuna goalless for the rest of the game.
Many opportunities at goal arose but it was not the Eagles’ day, Mason Radley’s commitment to the game kept him running until the last second, setting up many goal opportunities.
At the 57th minute Jesse Williams scored giving the Eagles an opportunity to take back the game, but unfortunately Eagles could not net another goal.
Caleb Till received the Coach’s award for his improvement in defence.
In a spirited home game against Churchill United, the under 13s secured a solid 3-0 victory.
The match was well contested, with both teams displaying commendable skill.
The first half saw the Eagles catching Churchill off guard early on, quickly netting their first goal.
Despite continued efforts from both sides, the remainder of the half saw no additional goals, as both defences held strong.
The second half maintained the competitive spirit, but the Eagles managed to capitalise on two key opportunities.
One of these was a spectacular free kick from outside the box, skilfully driven over Churchill’s defensive wall and past their goalkeeper.
Rustan Bazley, the star defender and team captain, was named the player of the match.
His defensive skill was crucial in thwarting Churchill’s attacks, and he also scored a stunning goal from outside the box, showcasing his versatility and leadership.
While the Eagles delivered a strong performance, they still have much untapped talent yet to be fully displayed.
This promising win sets a positive tone for the rest of the season.
THIS WEEK
The senior sides trek to Moe on Sunday, taking on the powerful Moe United combination, who are having a good season.
The under 15s are at home to Sale United on Saturday, while the under 13s are away to Sale United Green.
