After a somewhat disappointing start to the 2023 season, Round 2 of the Latrobe Valley Soccer League was redemption for Sale United Football Club, concluding games on Sunday with a 12-point party.
The Swans hosted Tyers Lightning. The senior men claimed a 5-1 win, the senior women earnt a 5-0 victory and the reserves defeated their Valley opponents 3-0, while Sale United Green stole a 2-1 win from Sale United White in second division.
Sale United White led 1-0 at the half, but was robbed of their lead in the final 10 minutes of the game, with Sale United Green scoring an equaliser quickly followed by a second winning goal.
In other games, Fortuna 60 beat East Gippsland United 4-0, while Monash, Traralgon City, Churchill United and Moe United all had a bye.
Tyers Lightning, fielding a reserve side for the first time in several years, held off strong advances from Sale United in the first half, but the Swans managed to find the back of the net at 38 minutes with a goal from Kieran Horgan.
Returning to the field after the break, Josh Deschepper added two more goals to the Swans’ score.
Horgan, Deschepper, Will Page, Kyung Stewart, Declan Morris and Jake Richardson were big game players for Sale.
Mark McLoughlin was named best on ground.
In other games, Falcons 2000 beat Monash 6-4 in Morwell, Moe United thrashed Olympians 11-0 in Moe, Morwell Pegasus defeated Churchill United 3-2 in Churchill, while Newborough Yallourn United and Fortuna 60 had the bye.
Sale United’s senior men were hot out of the blocks on Sunday. The Swans’ forward line pressed hard and fast into Tyers’ defensive half.
Not even five minutes into the match, still early doors, and the Swans showed their danger, with a strong attacking line earning several attempts to score, but they were unable to find the back of the net. Marrien Van Den Heuvel missed a sitter at the mouth of goal.
Van Den Heuvel made sure to redeem himself by scoring two of the Swans’ five goals on Sunday, with Isaak Jondahl belting a penalty pass the keeper and Charlie Cockell also finding the back of the net twice.
Jamie Kendall, Ray Allred, Brennen Mcgill, Cooper Coleman, Jude Taylor, Jondahl, Van Den Heuvel and Cockell were best on ground for Sale United.
In other games, Falcons 2000 defeated Monash 3-1, Morwell Pegasus beat Churchill United 4-0, Moe United claimed a 1-0 victory over Olympians, while Fortuna 60 and Newborough Yallourn United had the bye.
Sale United women hosted Tyers Lightning for their inaugural game of the 2023 season, playing Caroline Springs George Cross Football Club in Round 3 of the Nike FC Cup last week instead of Fortuna 60 Round 1 of the LVSL.
It was a game of two halves for the Swanettes, claiming an own goal in the first half off a corner kick from Anouk Meereboer to put Sale in a 1-0 lead heading into the break. Returning to the pitch for the second half, Sale found the back of the net twice in less than five minutes, with playing coach Madeline Breakspear scoring from a corner kick and Meereboer killing the game, netting Sale’s third goal.
Young gun striker Dani Wilson claimed Sale United’s fourth goal and midfielder Zoe Askew added a fifth goal to the Swanettes’ score.
Naomi Mcpherson had a stellar debut for the Swanettes, joining Rohanna Mills, Dani Wilson and Hollie Ryan as Sale United’s best on ground.
Soreti Anderson also played well out of position, dropping from the forward line into centre back.
Second-season forward line players Tenille Page and Alana Jefferies showed significant improvements in what was arguably the pair’s best game yet.
In other games, Falcons 2000 clobbered Monash 14-2, Newborough Yallourn defeated Traralgon City 6-0, Fortuna 60 beat East Gippsland United 6-2, and Morwell Pegasus won 2-0 over Churchill United.
Sale United Football Club will play Monash away on Sunday.
