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Gallery | Shepparton South breaks through for maiden Bendigo Amateur Soccer League victory
There’s nothing like clinching the first three points of the season.
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Shepparton South was forced to wait seven rounds for the privilege, but that made it all the sweeter after breaking through against Eaglehawk at the weekend.
However, victory didn’t come without an early scare, with the last-placed Hawks going 1-0 up at McEwen Reserve within the first 20 minutes.
With youthful exuberance and a few returning faces in the line-up, the black and white wouldn’t be denied this day.
Leading striker Maya Vukcevic swung the game back into South’s favour with two first-half goals, while a determined Lucy Kinnane struck in the 46th minute to fire the home side to a 3-1 buffer.
An own goal put the game beyond doubt and, at the final whistle, South had its first win of the Bendigo Amateur Soccer League season after drawing twice.
Vukcevic, Kinnane and the hard-running Samantha Comline were influential alongside defensive duo Keira Muskee and Teagan Kelly.
A combination of factors including buy-in from the young South squad, returning bench depth and home pitch support had coach Mike Vukcevic pleased after the win.
“The girls listened to the way we asked them to play,” Vukcevic said.
“It’s a very young team; we’ve got a couple of 14 and 15-year-olds and I think we only have two that are in their 20s.
“They’re a very young team, they’re eager to learn and they’re quick.
“It’s not just about winning, it’s about improving skills and having fun, that’s a lot of what we tell them.
“We had a couple come back, which pepped the girls up.
“It’s always good to have a couple on the bench, there’s been a couple of games this year when we didn’t have any.”
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Ella McIntyre gets around her opponent. Photo by Holly DanielImage 2 of 6
Olivia Beer keeps her feet. Photo by Holly DanielImage 3 of 6
Maya Vukcevic booted two goals in the Shepparton South win. Photo by Holly DanielImage 4 of 6
Sofia Stojanovski launches the ball down the pitch. Photo by Holly DanielImage 5 of 6
Olivia Beer dribbles. Photo by Holly DanielImage 6 of 6
Keira Muskee clears the ball. Photo by Holly DanielVictory leaves South perched in fifth with five points, drawing level alongside La Trobe University in the battle for the last finals position.
At Howley Oval, Tatura welcomed Shepparton United in a highly-anticipated top four bout.
However, it was United which kept the foot down on its quest to clinch top spot from Spring Gully, tallying its fifth consecutive win by blasting five goals past the Ibises.
Sarah Loverso and Jenna Lawson each picked up a brace, with Olivia Loverso rounding out a comprehensive win.
Cayla Ruijters was Tatura’s sole striker.
Undefeated Spring Gully picked up a 3-0 victory over Border Raiders, while Strathfieldsaye was a 4-1 winner over La Trobe University.
In the men’s competition, three games were decided by a goal or less in a tight round of action.
Shepparton South came close to dealing Eaglehawk its first defeat of the season after Lewis Coyle and Nicholas Murphy propelled it to a 2-1 half-time lead at McEwen Reserve.
Instead, Ewan Dawson and Keegan Smyth with his second goal in the 73rd minute helped Eaglehawk hold on for a 3-2 win and the full three points.
Tatura was also forced to hold on tight for its latest triumph.
Tristan Zito and Aaron Niglia scored in the first 10 minutes for the Ibises, before Farid Azizi’s first for Shepparton United.
Riki Koyanagi equalised in the 60th minute to set up a thrilling finish, but with United down to 10 men following Rumesh Bartaula’s expulsion, Xavier Black stepped up with a late winner to clinch Tatura’s third consecutive win.
Shepparton made the trip to Epsom and looked poised to claim a second win after going 2-1 up heading into the dying stages of the game.
A 90th-minute equaliser put paid to that result for Shepparton, which still remains only one game outside the top five reckoning.