Margaret River Strikers 4 v Dunsborough 2
On a beautiful Autumns day the Strikers played host to a Dunsborough team that had a very impressive victory the previous week, so the whole squad knew they were in for a fierce contest. The following seventy minutes showed what depth of talent we have here in the South West, as both sides showed fantastic skill and team play.
It really was end to end stuff and was great entertainment for the supporters from both teams. It was going to take something special to break the deadlock and that is what happened, as Jayden Stammers made a penetrating run from the defence and laid a great pass to Kelby Guthrie Phelps who beat his opponent and squared it inside to Sol Masters, who curled it into the corner of the net. This was followed up very quickly by another great piece of individual play from Jayden Stammers who curled a shot in from a corner.
Margaret River Strikers 6 v GMAS 0
There was a buzz in the air on the first day of the 2012 Soccer season, as months of training was now going to be put to the test in the first game, fielding mostly 16 year olds and facing a lot bigger opposition, the Strikers may have felt a bit daunted by what was in front of them, but they needn’t have worried, as the crisp passing and movement of this Margaret River team had the GMAS chasing shadows, and proved why they were winners and went unbeaten in the League last year.
It wasn’t long before the Strikers took the lead through a well taken goal by Kelby Guthrie Phelps and you thought that this was going to be a big score line but the solid goal keeping of the GMAS Goal Keeper and poor finishing in front of goal kept the score line the same till half time.
Dunsborough Chargers 4 v Vasse United 2
Vasse United had gone through the league season undefeated. Dunsborough Chargers, after an indifferent first half of the season, improved during the second half, and by the time of the Grand Final had beaten all the other teams in the league except Vasse United. So the stage was set.
The battle of the giants: Would Vasse prevail and remain unbeaten throughout the season? Or could the Chargers do what no other team had done this season, beat Vasse and in so doing, lift the cup? The weather was perfect, the Dunsborough ground was in good condition and a sizeable crowd gave the occasion a carnival atmosphere.
The game started with both teams unwilling to give an inch. It was end to end stuff, with Dunsborough striking first. James Black found himself on the right in space and knocked in a pin-point cross that a soaring Tim Nigg headed firmly in to put Dunsborough 1-0 up. This rocked Vasse somewhat, but they didn’t take long to recover their composure, and were soon testing the Dunsborough defence with through balls from their midfield, superbly led by Shea Hayley.
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LNJSA Knock-Out Cup Semi-Final Round Robin
Dunsborough Chargers 3 def Margaret River AllStars 0
The AllStars travelled to Busselton with confidence after having beaten both Cup opponents this season. The team missed fast winger Aaron Locke and midfielder Lewis Hayes. The game was played on the superb Churchill Park pitch but strong westerly’s and threatening heavy clouds dampened the spirits.
The team knew that the first game would be the decider in this round robin cup tournament and the focus was very much on countering Dunsborough’s forwards.
The Margaret River team however lost the toss and had to face the wind in the first half. Dunsborough combined beautifully, applying constant pressure onto the team in yellow.
The response from the AllStars was nervous, individual attempts that became increasingly futile. A long ball by Dunsborough opened the scoring in the 11th minute. Cade Thompson grabbed the ball only for it to be pushed out of his hands. Liam Shanahan came too late to stop the Dunsborough forward from kicking the loose ball into the back of the net.
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Margaret River AllStars 3 def Busselton United 2
The last game of the 2011 league season was played in brilliant spring sunshine, and for only the third time this year the team was complete. Preparation for this silver medal decider was not ideal with both training sessions needed to be cancelled due to illness to the coach.
The teams were full of contrasts: the full Margaret River squad faced a depleted Busselton team of nine players and an attacking home side met defensive-minded visitors. An all predictable outcome therefore? While game statistics were overwhelmingly in favor of the AllStars, efficiency was Busselton’s game.
From only four shots on target, they put two into the back of Cade Thompson’s net. Margaret River recorded 26 shots and scored three times. The AllStars dominated but struggled to find a way through, and Busselton waited for the opportunity to expose River’s backline. All goals came in the second half.
YLB’s VASSE UNITED 3 V GMAS 1
The last game of the final round was a casual affair to end season 2011 with Vasse claiming victory over GMAS. The glorious weather allowed spectators to bask in the sun, and the relaxed nature of the day seemed to infiltrate players on the pitch, who didn’t seem particularly concerned about the outcome of this match.
Vasse scored twice in the first half, courtesy of Dylan McGregor. GMAS also had opportunities, one of which was seized and well executed with a clever goal to Luka Cluff. The other was a penalty chance, but Vasse goal keeper Joel Fraser denied the opposition when he saved the attempt.
The second half was much the same, lacking ferocity, but without the goals. GMAS had a few good attacking moves, but in the end Vasse just did enough to keep them at bay. Vasse did add one more goal late in the half, when Ben Fish charged forward and the split second timing was on his side to beat the keeper and seal the match. Fish also picked up the Sports Power Player of the Day Award for his efforts.
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MR AllStars 4 def Dunsborough Chargers 2
The AllStars travelled to Dunsborough for this decisive match without right wingers Aaron Locke and Jordan Stanbury and midfielder Oscar Howse. This was one of the most exciting matches of this season where highlight followed highlight.
Margaret River started strong, but Dunsborough came back strongly towards the end of the first half. The second half featured all goals and an entertaining end-to-end match that was finally decided by superior fitness and willpower of the AllStars.
The team in yellow took control from kick-off, recording several good moves and shots on target. The best one came in the 7th minute from Henry Rogers’ crossed to unmarked Mishka Marzohl. His shot just missed the goal. Mehdi Balkhi and the ever present Jake Graebner-Bond had more superb scoring opportunities.
Vasse United 3 V Busselton United 1
After last week’s debacle, Vasse regained some form to comfortably claim a win against a rejuvenated Busselton outfit.
There was some good football produced by both teams, but the finish was better for Vasse on this occasion. Shea Hayley opened the scoring from a free kick superbly weighted with the wind at his back, giving the Busselton keeper no chance. Fast paced Dylan McGregor finished a lovely chipped pass from Mike Newell to send Vasse to the break 2 goals clear.
The addition of youngster Chris Massey to the Busselton squad gave Vasse some food for thought, and he proved a handful for the black and white backline when he pushed forward. Vasse were also still threatening in their attacking zone and McGregor made the most of his opportunities when the ball fell to him, threading the needle once more. Eventually Busselton also claimed a reward for their hard work when the ball found the back of the net, and were unlucky not to score on several other occasions.
The Sports Power Player of the Day for Vasse was awarded to Mitch Monck who did a tower of work defensively.
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Dunsborough Chargers 7 v Busselton United 1
The Dunsborough chargers met 2nd place team, Busselton United for the third and final time in the Youth league this season having lost the previous 2 meetings by close margins. Looking to rebound from a tough game against undefeated Vasse United last week, the chargers won the toss and started strongly .
Slick passing through the midfield to the forwards resulted in James Black scoring the first goal early on to put Dunsborough ahead.
Soon after Dunsborough was 2-0 up through a well-worked goal from Tim Nigg, (a first of 4 goals). Busselton responded immediately, but the Chargers defence, well-marshalled by Chelsie Winchcombe, held firm.
Ryan Dalimore, captain Ethan DeLatte and James Thomson were superb in controlling play in midfield and patiently drawing in the defenders before snapping off crisp passes to strikers James Black, Brayden Sibbald and Tim Nigg, creating many opportunities to shoot.
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MR AllStars 7 def GMAS 1
The AllStars missed Jordan Stanbury and Liam Shanahan for Saturday’s encounter against bottom-of-the-table GMAS. The coach demanded a solid performance to improve the goal difference in anticipation of a tight season finale and opted to play a 4-4-2 formation, giving emphasis to the attacking play.
The game proved to be a one-sided affair with Margaret River dominating the proceedings. The home team showed at times superb combination, switching play frequently and controlling the midfield. Many goals however were fortunate and the team needs to keep focusing on finishing touches to ensure that the strong midfield play will transform clear scoring chances.
The home side controlled the game from the kick-off. A long range shot by Mehdi Balkhi in the 3rd minute resulted in a lucky, early goal and settled the nerves. The team kept pressing but squandered several clear opportunities to increase the score.
It was Mehdi again that increased the lead in the 20th minute from a precise Aaron Locke cross. Five minutes later substitute Oscar Howse scored his first goal of the season with a powerful shot from outside the box. At this stage, GMAS recorded only two promising moves towards Mishka Marzohl who stood between the AllStars posts. Jake Graebner-Bond showed some brilliant runs into space but was unlucky not to score on numerous occasions.
Vasse United 1 v Australiand 0
An undermanned Vasse outfit were lucky to steal a win against Australind in a display that was arguably their worst game of the season. Australind started the game with only 10 men and it was a freakish goal for Vasse in the first few minutes to Jayden Baillie which provided one of the few highlights of the day.
Even with a player down, Australind played the better soccer in the first half. Vasse seemed content to react to the playmakers of the opposition as they moved the ball forward unchecked, and Australind would consider themselves unlucky not to have scored during this time. Playing the easy ball was also not the chosen option for Vasse and they made hard work the order of the day, when it wasn’t really necessary.
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Margaret River AllStars 3 v Australind 0
The AllStars travelled to Australind for the last time this season without proven wingers Jordan Stanbury and Aaron Locke. The match was played on the much better senior pitch, but it was the weather that dictated the proceedings: mild sunshine during warm-up was followed by strong westerly winds, then rain and finally a lightning storm with a torrential downpour. The game was called off fifteen minutes before the end by the referee due to the deteriorating weather conditions. The hosts struggled to field a full squad and started with only nine regular players; this and the weather made it a one-sided, but very physical encounter, dominated by the guests from the south.
Margaret River started with the wind and showed some excellent combinations early on. Runs down the right wing and crosses by Henry Rogers opened up Australind’s defense and gave the guests several scoring opportunities. It took the hosts sixteen minutes to record a first shot on goals, such was the supremacy of the AllStars. However, the longer the first half went on, the more the game changed from movement, passing, control and intensity to a physical pushing and shoving. The Margaret River side had ample opportunities to take the lead but poor last touches, decreasing combination play, the worsening weather and the brilliance of the Australind keeper prevented any scoring.
Read more: Margaret River Allstars Victorious At Australiand
Vasse United 6 V Dunsborough Charges 3
It was a bruising, yet entertaining encounter between these two sides as we draw towards the end of the 2011 season. Dunsborough was light on for players, but not for heart, and they are certainly one of the better improved sides to have played in this division this year.
Vasse opened the scoring via Dylan McGregor, and Mike Newell kicked two goals also before half time. Dunsborough’s Tim Nigg hit a magnificent strike to urge his team on, but unfortunately an injury to goalkeeper Darcy Carroll saw him leave the pitch, forcing the Chargers into a player reshuffle. Chelsea Winchcombe was courageous in the Dunsborough backline, particularly in the first half.
The second half was a mixed bag for Vasse with a couple of defensive errors adding two more goals to the Dunsborough tally, but also adding 3 more goals to their own score. McGregor finished with 2 goals, as did Newell, and Mitchell Monck had a rare foray into the forward line and was rewarded with a goal. Jack McKay wrapped up the scoring and also received the Sportspower Player of the Day Award when he often found himself in plenty of space to help out his teammates from the right wing.
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Vasse United 4 def MR AllStars 1
The AllStars welcomed league leader Vasse United for the second time this season to Margaret River. The team was without key players Benjamin Smith and Henry Rogers (both ill). Vasse dominated the statistics, but the home side continued to show improvements particularly with position play and closing space.
The guests in white opened the scoring in the first minute. Some sloppy defending allowed the unmarked Vasse forward to put the ball into the back of the net after a precise cross. Vasse kept up the pressure and nearly scored again from a very similar position if not for some Cade Thompson heroics. Having already been beaten by the bouncing ball, Cade twisted around and threw himself into the goal, fisting the ball mid-air from the line. The ball landed into the feet of an incoming Vasse forward who luckily booted the ball wide. Nevertheless, Cade was powerless to stop Vasse from extending the lead in the 11th minute after another swift counter attacking move that allowed the centre forward to run uncontested at the Margaret River keeper.
Margaret River 1 v Vasse United 4
Margaret River hosted an undermanned Vasse outfit in what could have been a danger game for the visitors, but they pulled the win off and still sit securely at the top of the table and look likely to remain that way.
The Allstars started the game with confidence, as Vasse allowed them to move the ball freely up the pitch with some pretty lax marking resulting in creative play from Margaret River. Mehdi Balkhi owned the centre of the park and had a wonderful first half for the Allstars, also scoring a goal to boost his team’s morale. However Vasse did threaten when they were able to move the ball over the half way line, and twice broke through courtesy of goals to Mike Newell and Dylan McGregor.
The second half saw Margaret River with the wind advantage, but try as they might they could not penetrate in the 18 yard box where it matters most. Vasse also struggled up front , until the two fullback’s decided to try their luck and Ben Fish and Sam Harrison both came away with a goal for their pushes into the forward line. Scott Phelps worked tirelessly in the backline for the Allstars, and the Sportspower Player of the Day for Vasse was awarded to Adam Fraser, who had big boots to fill, and he did not disappoint with a huge work rate for his game performance.
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