By Callum Ludwig
Soccer clubs have kicked off their seasons in recent weeks, but with clubs taking a week off for the Easter break, here’s how local sides’ top teams have fared so far:
In the State League competitions, Outer East clubs include Mooroolbark Soccer Club, Croydon City, Monbulk Rangers, Boronia Soccer Club, and Lilydale-Montrose United.
Competing in the State 2 Men’s South-East competition, Mooroolbark have gotten off to a solid if unspectacular start, sitting mid-table in seventh with two wins, one draw and one loss in their first four games. They beat North Caulfield 1-2 in their season opener, followed by a 1-0 win over Peninsula Strikers before a 2-0 loss to Knox City and 1-1 draw with Berwick City. No individual player has hit the scoresheet more than once this season for the Barkers and they play Doncaster Rovers away on Anzac Day.
One step down in State 3 South-East, Croydon City have had a tougher start to their campaign down in ninth with one win, one draw and two losses. They drew 1-1 in their opening game against Sandringham, followed by a 1-3 loss to Heatherton United, a 1-2 win over Hampton Park and a 0-2 loss to Elwood City. Jack Buglass leads the scoring charts not only for the club, but the whole league, with 4 goals. Croydon City next play Waverley Wanderers at home on Anzac Day.
Monbulk Rangers are struggling in State 4 East, sitting in 10th with two draws and two losses for their senior side. Monbulk lost 1-2 to East Kew in their opening match, then picked up a 1-1 draw at Mount Waverley and a 2-2 draw at Albert Park before a tough 1-5 loss to Manningham Juventus. Thomas Wilkinson is their only multiple goalscorer with two and the Rangers next play Kings Domain FC away on Saturday 26 April.
Finally in State 5, Boronia are ninth, having beaten Glen Waverley 0-3 to start the season before losing 3-2 to Old St Kevins and 1-7 to East Bentleigh, while no result has been recorded for the 12 April match scheduled against Burwood City. Boronia have no multiple goalscorers and next play Old Trinity Grammarians away on Saturday 26 April.
Lilydale-Montrose United are doing it tough with four straight losses to start the season, going down 2-6 to East Bentleigh, 2-3 to Old Melburnians, 1-10 to Glen Waverley and 13-1 to Whitehorse. Julien Sebire has managed to put away two of their six goals for the season and they face Burwood City at home on Saturday 26 April.
In the Victorian Churches Football Association (VCFA) competition, the region is represented by Mooroolbark Baptist, Yarra Valley Soccer Club, Eastern United, Healesville Soccer Club, Maroondah United, Lilydale Eagles and Croydon Rangers (Monbulk Rangers senior side plays State League and other sides in the VCFA).
Mooroolbark Baptist are sat pretty in second in the VCPA Men’s Premier League 1 with a win and a draw from their first two games, drawing 3-3 with Knox Churches and then beating Eastern United 5-0. Andrew Stubley and Matthew Hotchikin-Van Neuren have each notched two goals and they play Doncaster away next on Saturday 26 April.
Yarra Valley have picked up a win and a loss to leave themselves fourth in the table, losing 4-2 Eastern United before beating Doncaster 3-0. They have no multiple goalscorers, though Winjo William has already picked up a red card, and play Berwick United away on Saturday 26 April.
Eastern United have had the aforementioned 4-2 win over Yarra Valley and 5-0 loss to Mooroolbark Baptist to sit in seventh. A hat trick from Rory Tattersall in their season opener has him as their top goalscorer and they play Knox Churches at home on Saturday 26 April.
In the Premier League 2, Healesville are sat equal-first thanks to a forfeit in their game against Croydon Rangers and a 4-2 win over Waverley City. Two goals for Daniel Tadesse has him as their top scorer and they play Dandy Casuals away on Saturday 26 April.
Maroondah United have also picked up two wins and sit third, having toppled Dandy Casuals 1-3 and One FC 3-1. Jack Williams has top scored for them with two and they play Lilydale Eagles away on Saturday 26 April.
The Lilydale Eagles themselves are down in ninth with two losses, going down 0-1 to One FC and 4-1 to Gideon’s Warriors so far. Christian ‘Flik’ Lindner-Mark is their only scorer so far and they will host Maroondah United as mentioned previously.
