U16A

Castelamine played Golden City last Saturday at Chewton. With both teams sitting next to one another on the ladder, a close game seemed likely.

The first half was just that, with a very fast flowing game going quickly from end to end, although Castlemaine
retained much of they play in their attacking half. Two players from the Under 14s side filled out the numbers and they once again relished their opportunity. Kasper McCoy’s goalkeeping was superb and he remained unbeaten
until just before half time when a lucky strike from a long way out found the top corner of the goals, making the score 0-1 at the break

Golden City came out firing in the second half and after a couple of rapid near misses, found the back of the net
to make it 0-2 early on. Under persistent attack, Zac Sparrow was Red carded after finding himself the last
defender on the goal line and instinctively putting his hands up to stop a fast ball from close in. A resulting goal followed from the penalty kick and Castlemaine found themselves 0-3 down.

To their credit, they kept attacking with some great team combinations, but with one player down
the opposition were hard to stop and they scored thier fourth goal shortly before the final whistle blew, leaving the home licking their wounds from a 0-4 defeat.

U14A

Castlemaine continued their Championship campaign hosting Epsom at Soldiers Memorial Park.

Both teams contained each other for the opening period as Castlemaine struggled to find a way through the high backline of the Epsom squad.

However, the Mainers remained patient, eventually unpicking their opposition and settling into their game. The goals soon followed and Castlemaine led 3-0 going into the break.

In the second half, Castlemaine continued on where they left off, making better use of wide areas and taking several well created chances to round out the match 7-0.

A brace apiece from Tom Broughton and Dorian Schearf-Trauner and a goal each from Cohen Saunders, Harry Chester and Eli Rogers made up the tally. Noteworthy performances came from Tom Broughton, Yau Ka Lam and Arlo Johnston.

U12B

Hard on the heels of their close encounter with Spring Gully White in the Cup, the Mainers returned to play at Stanley Avenue. An optimistic opposition started brightly and vociferously, hoping to again unsettle the Maine with robust tackling.

However, the Maine weathered the early storm, quickly finding their rhythm and each other. Fionn’s early delivery from midfield allowed Himal and Mischa to bite deep into a committed Gully defence, though it was Henry who drew first blood with a sharp angled shot. Ball-handling in the box gave Elouise the chance to score her first goal and when she calmly placed her penalty kick past Gully’s keeper, the Maine’s spirits were soaring.

After the break, Fionn’s quick release allowed Elouise to storm the box and again sink the ball deep into the net. Sam’s relentless running overwhelmed Gully’s midfield. Jack, Obie and Monty calmly combined with Remy, Kane and Daniel to form an impenetrable defence. Released from keeper duty, Hugh ran rampant at goal, the offside flag alone denying him and Himal an embarrassment of riches.

Castlemaine defeated Spring Gully White, 6 – 0.

Goal scorers: Henry (1), Himal (1), Hugh (1), Mischa (1) and Elouise (2).

U10

The Castlemaine Swift Parrots’ top-of-the-table away game against the Strathdale Tiger Sharks followed on from a pulsating 2-all draw in an earlier round.

The Parrots might have fancied their chances when the home side turned up a player short. Strathdale duly settled into a defensive 4-1-2 formation, leaving their giant playmaker, Hamish, to boot the ball across the midfield.

Unfortunately, this proved dastardly effective. Although the Parrots played a fine passing game, genuine chances were hard to come by and their preferred 2-3-3 structure saw them vulnerable to the counter.

After an exciting first half passed without a goal, a powerful strike from Louis on the wing put the Parrots ahead. The Sharks immediately equalised, however, via a blistering run from Hamish from the kick-off.

Strathdale then somehow squeezed a second goal out of a goal-line tangle and, adding insult to injury, went two-up after a Castlemaine goal-kick went straight to Hamish, who blasted it back over the keeper’s head.

Yet the Swifties never stopped pressing, and their luck finally turned when the Sharks’ keeper handled a teammate’s hurried back-pass. Ciaran took the resultant penalty sweetly.

Still, it would have been only a consolation goal but for the very last half-minute of the game, when Monte slotted home a well-taken corner-kick from Dimitri: 3-all. Phew!