At the season’s crunch time, Healesville teams delivered pivotal victories.
Healesville Premier Women 4–0 Bayswater Strikers
Healesville’s Premier Women travelled to Bayswater on a cold, grey Sunday needing a win to stay in the top-four race.
Missing several key players, and with head coach Soupi also abroad, the side featured eight U16s and was again led by fill-in coach Glen Stevenson.
Motivation wasn’t hard to find, with a Bayswater social media post earlier in the week calling the match a ‘winnable game’.
Healesville had other ideas.
Relentless pressure had Bayswater on the back foot early.
Olive ‘Betty’ B latched onto a bobbling ball in the six-yard box and nodded home her first of the season.
Centre forward Tess N added a second before half time, giving Healesville a deserved 2–0 lead.
The second half was even more dominant.
Kiah C and Kiera S caused constant problems on the wings, Ava H and captain Sarah C controlled the midfield, and the defence remained rock solid.
A sharp coaching sub saw Ruby M enter the game and immediately tap in a slick team goal.
The standout moment came in the dying minutes when skipper Sarah C collected the ball just inside the centre circle.
With time and space opening up, she took a touch forward, glanced up and launched a thunderbolt from 30 metres out.
The strike curled beyond the outstretched keeper and rocketed into the top right corner.
It was a goal worthy of any stage – an instant classic and a fitting exclamation mark on a dominant performance.
Healesville U16 Hurricanes 2–1 Berwick Blues
The U16 girls braved chilly, wet conditions at Don Road to take on the top-of-the-ladder Berwick Blues for the second consecutive week, this time in a pivotal league clash.
After eliminating Berwick from the Cup last weekend with a gritty 2–1 win, the Hurricanes entered the match just three points behind their rivals and hungry to make a statement.
Healesville applied relentless pressure, dominating territory and possession in the first half.
The breakthrough came from forward Charlee R, whose tenacity in the front third saw her win the ball deep in attack.
With composure and power, she delivered a low, hard cross that ricocheted its way into the net to give the home side an early 1–0 lead.
Not long after, attacking midfielder Mia K made it 2–0 with some dazzling footwork on the edge of the box, dancing past defenders before slotting the ball home.
Towards the end of the second half, Berwick surged.
With their unbeaten season on the line, they found a way through and pegged one back to make it 2–1.
Despite the pressure, Healesville held firm.
Goalkeeper Summer C was exceptional between the uprights, producing a series of vital saves.
The result sees Healesville draw level on points with Berwick at the top of the table, turning the race to be crowned Premiers into a thrilling final stretch.
Healesville U16s 5–2 Berwick
Away against Berwick, the U16s needed a win to stay in touch with the top two teams.
It was all-out attack from the first whistle.
A nice header from a well-placed corner kick by Gordon K saw Pip M score Healesville’s first.
Shortly after, Charlie J slipped past defenders to knock in the second.
Another 10 minutes went by and Kieran O scored off a keeper deflection.
The home side scored immediately in the second and again a short time later before Healesville regained control.
Griffin H turned on a sublime performance down back, while the midfield returned to their best and peppered the Berwick goal line.
In a welcome return after injury, Aidan C took advantage of some sloppy defending and scored, then snuck another under the keeper to score two in five minutes.
Healesville U14 Red Devils 4–1 Blackburn
After a disappointing Cup defeat on penalties the week before, the Devils were looking to bounce back.
The game started flat, but Healesville managed to take the lead with a cross turn shot by our golden boot leader, Sia M.
A rev-up from the coach saw the girls start the second with increased intensity.
After two shots off the cross bar, one off the post and several great saves from the Blackburn keeper, it was beginning to feel like one of those days.
But the girls didn’t take their foot off the pedal and were soon rewarded with three quick goals, thanks to a brace from Evie T and a well-deserved solo effort from Ava H.
Isla LF continued her good form from last week with a solid display in the backline, and Henrietta IM was player of the match for her work.
Healesville U12 White Wolves 3–0 Lilydale Eagles
Away at Morrison Reserve, the undermanned Wolves were joined by U12s Ash, U11s Ryder C and Griffin T and U10s Louie A and Spencer, who answered our SOS for support.
Our supporting players fitted in seamlessly, with great work on both wings by Griffin and Ryder.
Will B relished the opportunity as striker, getting to a loose ball and evading the keeper to give Healesville the early lead.
Austin A was fearless in defence, and Robbie K tracked back to help and thrust forward when required.
Jon G was at his relentless best.
A thorn in the opposition’s side throughout, Zak G struck a high ball that gave Will B plenty of onside clearance to chase it down.
Will surged towards goal, making no mistake in the box to put the Wolves 2–0 up at the break.
Oliver R, captain for the day, was rock solid in goals, finishing with a clean sheet.
Play of the day went to Spencer, who pursued a great through ball angled away from the keeper and struck truly on the left towards the inside of the far post.
Healesville U11 Ninjas 5–2 Blackburn Jaguars
After a few weeks off, the Ninjas were in attack mode against Blackburn.
Percy, Felix, Kaspar and Jaxson formed a strong backline, the Hayden and Max partnership in midfield worked really well, and Leroy and Ollie made several great passes.
Always available in the forward line, Levi was rewarded with a lovely goal. Hayden, Leroy and Max also added to the score.
In the second half our formation fell apart a little, but thanks to Leroy’s efforts on the wing and another goal by Hayden (plus one disallowed because of the mercy rule) the Ninjas brought home the win.
Other results:
Healesville Men’s Firsts 1–3 One FC
Goal: JJ
Healesville Men’s Reserves 2–2 One FC
Goals: Josh B
Healesville U12 Panthers 3–7 Gideons Warriors
Goals: Ryan, Jake, Milo
