Sale United Football Club’s 2023 season kicked-off on Sunday, with the Swans travelling to Leongatha for a pre-season meet against the Leongatha Knights Football Club.
On the ovals of Mary Mackillop Catholic Regional College, SUFC met Leongatha FC, each side fronting three teams with an Under 18s side the first to welcome the beginning of the 2023 season.
While neither team has an Under 18s side throughout the standard season, SUFC in the Latrobe Valley Soccer League and Leongatha FC in the Gippsland Soccer League, played an Under 18 fixture for the practice game.
Sale United took an early lead, dominating play from the first whistle’s blow.
Cooper Coleman, the 2022 senior men’s best and fairest, senior men’s defender Mace Irvine, reserves players Mitchell Lummis and Luke Wilson, and second division players Tynan Eldred and Milan Mitrevski delivered standout performances against the Knights.
Former Sale footballer Charlie Cockell, who now plays for Gippsland Football Club, joined the Swans for their match against the Knights on Sunday, also producing a stellar performance.
At halftime, Sale led 4-0, returning in the second half to score another four goals.
Wilson, referred to around the club as Weasley, walked away with a hat-trick plus one, with the youngster scoring his fourth goal late in the second half, just two minutes after claiming his third.
Second division player Luka Harron added two goals to Sale’s total, with Cockell and Coleman each scoring one, bringing the final score to 8-0.
The senior men were next to take the pitch, with the Swans slow off the mark in stark contrast to the last game.
The Knights were awarded a couple of early chances in the game’s opening minutes, a shock reality check shaking the Swans from their sluggish state.
For a moment, a very composed Sale showed their class, dominating play with fantastic movement from the defensive line through the midfield to their attacking front line.
Marrien van den Heuvel established himself as an influential player early in the game; his movement through the midfield and strategic passing, creating space and opportunities, clearly indicated his amassed football experience.
Leongatha’s speedy left wing made a break, tearing down the field as Sale’s Jake Jeong chased behind, nipping at his heels, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Knights player from finding a lone striker at the top of the goal box.
The Knights player faced Sale goalkeeper Cameron Churchill; both players positioned dead centre between the goals. As Churchill stepped towards the Leongatha striker, he took his shot, missing a sitter, much to the relief of Sale.
Sale United retaliated quickly, pressing forwards; Ot Khamchom showed off his fancy footwork in the midfield, taking on two, three, four players before finding Isaak Jondahl on the right wing.
Jondahl was quick to score, but Sale was yet to make their mark on the scoreboard, an offside call disallowing the goal.
Leongatha continued to challenge the Swans, taking advantage of Sale’s lack of communication before claiming the game’s first goal.
Another shock to Sale’s system; the Swans recomposed, earning themselves multiple opportunities to even the score, but were unable to convert.
The Knights’ frontline pace proved a dangerous threat, which was cemented by Leonagatha’s second goal.
Just before the break, Jondahl found the back of the net to put Sale on the board; the score 2-1 to Leongatha as teams retired to the change rooms.
The final half of the game saw a significant lift in energy, physicality and drive as both teams pushed to claim the win.
A switch in goal saw Christopher Kelsey replace Churchill, with the youngster pulling out several breath-taking saves in the final 45 minutes.
Fouls are to be expected as physicality increases; goalkeepers pray they are made outside the box.
Van den Heuvel made a break down the right side of the field, tracking a clear path toward the goal, only to be unorthodoxly stopped by Leongatha.
Van den Heuvel was awarded a penalty, scoring Sale’s second goal of the game; the score now 2-2.
A much more confident-looking Sale followed dan van Heuvel’s equaliser as the Swans exercised some class football.
Coleman, who joined the senior men for the end of the second half, sent a fantastic through ball across the field to Jondahl on the left wing, adding a second goal to his game sheet and setting Sale in the lead.
A second goal from van den Heuvel minutes before the final whistle’s blow added a fourth goal to the scoreboard.
Following a slow start and the early lead going to the Knights, at 90 minutes, Sale United was in front; the Swans defeated Leongatha 4-2.
Sale United cemented a clean sweep sealing a 6-1 win over Leongatha in the reserves.
Josh Deschepper put away four goals, his third goal a strong early contender for goal of the year, with the 6’5 man diving headfirst toward the goal as a cross ball rocketed in from the right wing, colliding perfectly with his forehead and into the back of the white net.
Two goals from Sale’s Tom Dyer added to Sale’s six-goal total.
Sale United senior men’s coach, Anouk Meereboer, said it was great to see three teams up-and-running so early into pre-season.
“I think the day went pretty well,” Meereboer said,
“There are still a lot of people away on holidays, but to have three teams going was great to see.
“The main focus of Sunday was to get the legs going, increase the fitness level and start finding your teammates, especially looking at the Under 18s squad who played really well and were able to find each other easily, which is great for the future of Sale.
“The seniors got behind, but we’re able to put some more fight into the game and get back on top.
“In the reserves squad, it was awesome to see so many new players on the park that fitted in perfectly and the overall vibes of the day were great.
“Massive thank you to all the women’s players, partners, parents and friends that came down to support the teams! The game wasn’t around the corner, so great to see many people made an effort to come down.”
Sale United Senior Women play a pre-season game against Bayside tonight at the Sale United Football Club grounds.
