By Sarah Bailey
Healesville’s junior and senior teams put in a very strong showing last Saturday, with few losses recorded.
Healesville U8 Tigers 4 – 0 Knox Strikers
Wow, what a game! U8 Tigers were a different team today they’re really understanding the play and every single player was amazing.
Healesville U9 Falcons 7 – 1 Knox Pride
U9 falcons had a dominant win over Knox playing their best team game this year. Strong defensive work, great passing and teamwork gave us a 7-1 win. Logan S scored three goals, Spencer B two goals, Charlie H and Bryce S one goal each.
Healesville U9 Redbacks 6 – 3 Knox Force
Great to see the Redbacks pass the ball around and show encouragement for each other even when things didn’t go as planned. A win on the scoreboard as well as a win for good sportsmanship today.
Healesville U9 Lions 6 – 4 Knox Strikers
A solid performance by the U9 Lions with a 6-4 win over Knox at home. Some good ball movement and awareness being shown leading to a couple of goals. With two goals to both Nate and Hudson and one each to Mitch and Colton.
Healesville U10 Ninjas 8 – 0 Knox Strikers
Healesville worked well as a team demonstrating the passing coach Nik has been working on the past weeks.
Leo C lively up front, moving the ball well and scoring goals. Jackson S was strong in defence cutting off many forward plays by the opposition.
Noah S was classy down the wing, moving the ball forward and making nice passes for teammates. Ollie T made some nice moves through the midfield in the second half. Overall a strong 8 – 0 win.
Healesville U10 Goats 7 – 4 Knox Pride
The Goats head to Knox with new superstar teammates Reuben and Kasper.
It was a tight first half with both teams evenly matched, but the Goats took control in the second. With excellent link up play, positioning and structure they came away with a much deserved 7-4 win.
Special mention to Reuben who saved a penalty late in the second half.
Healesville U11 White Wolves 3 – 0 Knox Strikers
Healesville U12 Heelers 8 – 0 Blackburn Coyotes
Heelers won a solid 8-0 victory against BNFC Coyotes with smooth passages of play leading to plenty of shots at goal.
BNFC’s goalie did a remarkable job under constant pressure to keep the scoreline capped at eight.
Mannie added a goal to his collection.
Big ups to Lexie who booted some great kicks and got right in there with her tackling. Well done to Pepe, Mack and Bodie with two goals each, and congratulations to Max with his first ever goal in his first season.
Captain Oscar made several powerful strikes at goal but was unrewarded with finding the net.
Well done Heelers, you’re an inspiration.
Healesville Hearts U13 Girls 1 – 0 Knox Force
The first half was an arm wrestle with neither team able to score. In the second half after a reshuffle, Healesville dominated the play and finally broke the deadlock midway through Saskia S with a well taken goal.
Healesville could have made it two or three but just lacked poise in front of goal.
New player Poppy T presented well up front, Stella C didn’t stop running up and down the wings and the Twin Towers of Isla H and Isla L were rock solid at the back as always.
Healesville U15 0 – 4 Yarra Valley
After a great win last week, Healesville U15s hoped to go back-to-back. Unfortunately unavailability forced a shuffle in the lineup, and several team members tried to play through illness. Yarra Valley hit the scoreboard early and went into half time 2-0 up.
Trying to lift the energy of the team Asha S and Puala B kept their voices loud, and with efforts by Nick R, Blake and Max J evident hopes were high of a turnaround, unfortunately Yarra Valley scored another two.
With Healesville suffering their first loss to local rivals Yarra Valley in a number of years losing 0-4.
Healesville U15 Flames 3 – 0 Mooroolbark Amazons
In an evenly matched game, the Flames headed into the break 2-0 up thanks to goals from Olive B and Mia K.
The second half was even tighter but a bit of skill on the turn from Eloise S in the box and a handball under pressure from the Mooroolbark defence, allowed captain Ella D to slot home a third from the penalty spot and saw the Flames wrap up the three points winning 3-0.
Healesville Reserves 7 – 2 Blackburn Sixths
Healesville were looking to make it three wins against bottom of the ladder Blackburn.
A slow start by Healesville, not helped by the fact some of their players were pushed up to first team duties this week, saw them finally take the lead through Ben S after good work from Oshane.
That opened the floodgates and Healesville would be four up at half time and seven in front 15 minutes into the second half.
The goals were scored by another from Ben S, two for Will W, two for Tom E and one for Lindsay M (returning from a broken ankle) Making changes and taking their foot off the gas.
Healesville conceded two late goals but would still drive home resounding winners.
Healesville Firsts 0 – 3 Blackburn Giraffes 3
With Healesville low on numbers Declan C made his first team debut and Josh B just his second game for the firsts, both performing admirably.
Healesville started the game well and were unlucky not to take the lead through good chances for Ben M, who hit the post, and Daniel T.
The game turned on its head with two quick goals from the home side against the run of play.
Trailing 2-0 Healesville missed a penalty on the stroke of half time after Johnny C was brought down in the box.
Good chances were missed by a confident Blackburn in the second half but Healesville couldn’t capitalise.
Healesville Senior Women Reds 3 – 1 Croydon Ranges
Senior Women Reds were in search of 3 points to keep them in touch of a top two spot.
The Reds pressing hard and creating chances but unable to capitalise. Croydon managed to upset the Reds formation with some great passing and physicality and but for some great defensive efforts and a incredible first half goal keeping performance from Ruby M the teams went into the break all square 0-0.
The second half started with Croydon well on top with possession. Their pressure saw them win a penalty and go ahead 1-0.
The goal seemed to shift the Reds into gear. Olive B was relentless in her effort and running and thanks to a defensive clearance, latched onto the wide ball setting up Eloise S who calmly slotted home the equaliser.
The game needed a goal scoring hero, and it was the Reds Olive B (Betty) who broke the lines late and smashed the ball home giving the Reds a hard-fought three points.
Special mention to Holi May T for her efforts in goal in the second half.
