Western United played host to Brunswick City in NPL 2 Victoria while the Junior Academy sides met various opposition at home and Calder United also sought to defend its home turf against Bayside United.
Western United NPL 2 Men’s Senior’s
Western United 1-2 Brunswick City
Goal scorer: M.Bisetto (45+3)
Western United was looking to win a third successive match for the first time in the 2023 NPL 2 Victoria when Brunswick City came to City Vista.
It was the visitors that seized the early momentum, though, taking the lead in the 22nd minute before Max Bisetto levelled just before half-time.
A deadly close-range finish gave Bisetto his eighth goal of the season, keeping him equal second in the golden boot standings and just one strike off the top.
Diogo Ferreira would have hoped his side could use that as a springboard to take control of the game in the second half, but Brunswick held firm and regained the lead just before the hour mark.
United pushed for a second equaliser but one wasn’t forthcoming as the side’s winning streak came to an end.
Despite the defeat, however, United actually managed to rise up the table and now leads the league on goal difference after Preston Lions’ defeat to Werribee City.
Western United NPL 2 Men’s Under 21’s
Western United 5-2 Brunswick City
Goal scorer: N.Koek (11’), T.Alisandratos (18’, 21’), M.Pollara (77’), A.Hird (83’)
After returning to winning ways last week, Western United’s Under 21’s was eager to continue that form and pick up another valuable three points.
The game came alive in the opening 20 minutes as Nicolas Koek put United in front before Brunswick City equalised only for Thomas Alisandratos to strike twice in quick succession to give United a 3-1 advantage.
Brunswick pegged another one back just after half-time but the Green and Black killed the game off with another quick-fire double late on.
Max Pollara in the 77th minute and Alex Hird in the 83rd minute all but shored up the win for Vaughan Coveny’s men as they remain hot on the heels of Melbourne City at the top of the league.
Western United Junior Academy teams
The JBNPL 1 seasons rolled one with all four Western United teams returning home to Alcock Road Reserve to face various opponents on Sunday.
The Under 14’s set the tone with a thrilling 3-2 win over Moreland City, coming from 1-0 down as Jordan Vonja scored another two goals, taking his season tally to a league-leading five strikes.
The Under 15’s followed that up in convincing fashion with a 5-1 thumping of Brimbank Stallions. Will Ashburner and Zain Imran both scored braces, with Matthew Di Lorenzo adding the fifth.
United’s Under 16’s had the lead in their match against Caroline Springs George Cross but would go on to lose 5-2, while the Under 18’s were defeated 3-1 by Port Melbourne.
The Under 15’s have shot up to third place while the Under 18’s remain four points off top spot, while the Under 14’s and Under 16’s continue to push up their respective league tables.
Western United Junior Academy scores
Under 14’s
Western United 3-2 Moreland City
Goal scorers: D.Caracciolo (26’), J.Vonja (34’, 43’)
Under 15’s
Western United 5-1 Brimbank Stallions
Goal scorers: Z.Imran (45’, 48’), W.Ashburner (56’, 59’), M.Di Lorenzo (69’)
Under 16’s
Western United 2-5 Caroline Springs George Cross
Goal scorer: K.Leban (16’), N.Tzimos (48’)
Under 18’s
Western United 1-3 Port Melbourne
Goal scorer: L.Grundy (76’)
Calder United NPLW Senior’s
Calder United 6-2 Bayside United
Goal scorer: R.Deralas (9’, 11’, 66’), L.Walsh (32’), K.Hieda (36’), A.Groba (69’)
After three straight draws in NPLW Victoria, Calder United finally turned one point into three with a resounding 6-2 win over Bayside United.
It was difficult to choose the pick of the goals, whether it was Raquel Deralas’ long-range lob into an empty net, Keiwa Hieda’s belter off the post or Larissa Walsh’s classy finish from Hieda’s brilliant set-up play.
Deralas netted a hat-trick on the day, one with her head and two unerring strikes on her right foot while Ava Groba scored the sixth, making it two goals in two games for the Calder captain.
That win stretches Calder’s unbeaten run to five matches and brings the side to within three points of the top four at the halfway point of the NPLW season.
Calder United Under 19’s
Calder United 3-0 Bayside United
Goal scorers: O.Anderson (3’), M.Dedalija (5’), N.Schultz (63’)
Calder United’s Under 19’s recorded a much-needed win, overpowering Bayside United to return to winning ways after three straight defeats.
The damage was done in the opening five minutes as Olivia Anderson and Maria Dedalija got Andy Burnett’s side off to the perfect start on home territory.
Calder continued to dictate the majority of the game and wrapped up the result just after the hour mark when Nicola Schultz scored her first Under 19’s goal having been promoted up from the Under 17’s squad.
The victory sees Calder return to second place on the table with a nine-point deficit to overcome from NTC U17 heading into the second half of the campaign.
Calder United junior girls
Calder United’s junior teams made it a perfect weekend for the club with three convincing wins over Alamein FC on Sunday.
The Under 13’s kicked it off with a 5-0 win thanks to a brace from Achol Taban and hat-trick from Poppy Kingan, the pair now up to 21 goals between them this season.
Four separate goal scorers did the damage for the Under 15’s in a 4-1 triumph before the Under 17’s supplied the exclamation point at the end of the day, winning 7-2.
Calder United junior’s scores
Under 13’s: Alamein FC 0-5 Calder United
Goal scorers: A.Taban (x2), P.Kingan (x3)
Under 15’s: Alamein FC 1-4 Calder United
Goal scorers: A.Hartinger, N.Gravina, P.Vargiu, M.Crawford
Under 17’s: Alamein FC 2-7 Calder United
Goal scorers: T.Kul, C.Stefanovski (x2), S.Vonja, L.Presilski, R.Santiglia, F.McGorian
