Match Reports Sat 4th and Sun 5th May 2019
Saturday
U15 Boy’s MCC v Chadstone
Overnight in Melbourne it rained and was still raining as Gino, Christian and Matty left Wheelers Hill to head to Beaumaris. Beaumaris is along the bay about 25km south of Melbourne City. This is MCC new home ground for the juniors and some of their senior games.
The boy’s team (MCC) started with the bear minimum of 10 players with a couple of players away on camp and another recovery from a broken bone in his foot.
The coaches are Alex Fagan and Marty Hyde, who I recruited as juniors back in my time at MCC. Alex is a State League centre player and Marty is a State League midfield/forward who represented Australia in 2014. Lending a hand is Jake who plays as a defender. He originates from USA and played college lacrosse at the NCAA Div 1 school Hobart Uni. The boys are in great hands!
Chadstone eventually had 10 players turn up, as 3 were U13’s making their numbers. This was the MCC’s first standalone U15 team for over 10 years, and they easily accounted for an undermanned Chadstone team. They convincingly defeated Chadstone 15 to 3 with Bendigo’s Matt Saxon scoring 2 goals and assisting in 1 (it should have read 3 or 4 assists, but they weren’t acknowledged) and Christian bagged 4 goals and one assist. In all great performances by all.
Div3 Men’s Bendigo v Malvern
The Bendigo boys weren’t finished because they suited up for the Senior’s, and did we need them! We were missing four players and started with 11 players.
Making our way to the Malvern Town Hall ground from Beaumaris was painful. It took a good 45 minutes in “weekend “peak traffic.
As we arrived at the ground, the rest of the team turned up in the new bus we have hired from Windarring. The game had an earlier start, 1.00pm, and for most of us we had no time for a warm up.
The weather was miserable, there were showers on and off all day and hoping that it would clear when we started play. That wasn’t the case.
Our defense and middies were kept business, as the action was in our defensive half for most of the first quarter. When there was a break to the forward line it came back just as fast. Rusty was our sole centre player and won most of them. Our defense was accessing Malvern’s attackers and there was the usual suspect (Finnigan with 8 goals for the day). Our middies were run off their feet. Malvern throw 4 goals to Bendigo’s one which come from Ian Lock.
The second quarter was a better quarter for Bendigo and our defense, lend by Wookie and assisted by Mike Bell and new long pole Jordan O’Meara pressure Malvern’s attacker causing turn overs. The middies, Alex Orr, Dylan Le Clerq and young gun Tim Davis were outstanding running up and down the field with no complaints. The forwards and middies slowed the play down in attack to help the defense take a breather. However, the simply 1 percenter were not completed as well as they should have, such as backing up shoots at goal, manning up on dangerous Malvern players or passing to players under pressure. Malvern scored just two goals to Bendigo’s one, which came from Alex’s first of three goals for the afternoon. The score at half time was Bendigo 2 and Malvern 6.
After a half time break, Bendigo dropped their bundle. 2 quick goals within the first 3 minutes, and another goal from a “hidden ball” shoot which bamboozled Gino in goal. All he heard was Alex shouting when he felt something hit his stick which was the ball that caused the stick to turn and allow the ball to bounce into goal. Gino was speechless from embarrassment. However, the second half of the quarter, Alex let a thunderbolt rip to the top left corner goal. It was the best goal of the match. In the next passage of play it seemed that the ball was held in the Malvern defense for a while and Alex scored again. However, Malvern somehow goaled another three times from the remaining minutes of the quarter. Malvern were now leading 12 goals to 4.
The last quarter was better for Bendigo keeping Malvern down to 3 goals to Bendigo’s one. Junior Matty Saxon scored his first senior goal which was a gutsy display of dodging around defenders to shoot at the feet of the goal tenderer.
The final score was 15 to 5 Malvern’s way. A gutsy effort by the spirited Bendigo players who never gave up and put up a good fight. Christian and Matty who played their second game in a day helped in attack and midfield relieving the more senior players. They even impressed the more decorated Malvern players with their skill. The past Australian and Victorian Malvern players were happy to give advice to the youngsters.
The votes went to Alex Orr 3 votes and 2 association votes for his tireless running and three great goals. Wookie (Mark Reader) 2 votes for his great work in defense and attack. He also recorded an assist, and finally Tim Davies received the 1 vote for his never say die. Tim was nursing a tight/strained quad since quarter time. He was told to not run and to stay in the forward line, but no, he kept running.
So proud of these boys and men!
A special mention to David Neander who shouted the team at the shop for Bendigo’s willingness to assist Malvern in playing at an earlier time slot.
Sunday
B Grade Women’s MCC/Bendigo v Williamstown Blue
It was a beautiful sunny morning in Bendigo when Gino received a call from the Maiden Gully Progress Society. They let him know that someone have broken into the grey steel shed next to the clubrooms and the Police were called. The football club had gear stolen from their quarters. Gino quickly attended and found that the club was spared as the cupboards were not broken into or equipment damage. Thank our lucky stars!!!
Our two young ladies, Ruby McEvoy and Abigail O’Sullivan travelled down to Melbourne, but the traffic was horrendous. Gino rang Coach Barry Nugent “Nuggie” that they just past Calder Park at midday and they were moving no faster than the normal variety garden snail. The game starts at 1.15pm! They arrived with 5 minutes to spare.
Ruby and Abigail teamed up with 6 other MCC ladies at Caulfield Park.
The Team (MCC/Bendigo) was short a few players and had to play with 8 on the field. Williamstown on the other hand had 12 players which meant they had 2 on the bench.
The quarter started well with the Team scoring 3 goals before Williamstown were stunned into action. Williamstown rallied to score three themselves before the end of the quarter. The ladies were in for a tough afternoon.
The second quarter was a complete surprise. Abigail was moved from the forward line to the midfield. Ruby was continuously cutting in the forward third of the pitch. The Team scored 5 goal to Williamstown 1 to lead at half time, 8 goals to 4.
During half time break, the ladies looked tired but seemed to have this steely resolve. Were they going to hang on to this lead in the third quarter?
Well, the ladies scored another 5 goals to Williamstown 2. Abigail scored her first goal for the season. Ruby cut in front of goal that allowed Abigail to follow behind, which MCC’s Gubby passed the ball to assist Abigail to score. The third quarter ended with the Team leading 13 to 6.
Was the team able to hold on against the younger and numerically advantaged Williamstown?
Well, yes they did by adding another 4 goals to Williamstown 2. The women were over the moon, realizing that they gave it their all and came up trumps, winning 17 to 8.
Well done ladies!!!!
Gino Iuliano
(not Webby or as good a scribe)
Last Modified on 08/05/2019 12:49