AHJSA Match Reports

YOUNG MAGPIES FLY HIGH….

What a way to start the week end with a great performance well beyond their years from the young men from Hahndorf. From the start they showed just how well they have improved over the season as a team.

From Hamish Glynn in goals who made a number of assured saves to keep a clean sheet. At the back Angus Clifton and Paddy Coffey showed great resilience and swatted away a number of Torrens Valley attacks and in turn fed the ball to the midfield to launch our own attacks, Jasper Christou and Michael Griggs in the middle showing a lot of effort winning the ball back all over the pitch. Jack Coffey also to the fore and created a number of chances and caused the Torrens Valley goalkeeper a lot of concern, but to no avail and the scores remained tied at nil all.

The Hahndorf players were always aware of their team mates and Sam Gardner and Hugo Dahmke playing the right way and providing vital passes and interceptions . Carter Hartley was also busy up front and had plenty of the ball but we couldn’t get the break through, however their hard work paid off when Griggs found J. Coffey in the forward line and scored a great goal to give us the lead just before half time.

The second half started as the first finished with Hahndorf on top and continuing to push for a second goal. Hartley starting in goals was assured and made some great saves with Dahmke and Gardner staring at the back and providing a solid platform to launch attack after attack. The midfield trio of Griggs, Clifton and Glynn were again in the thick of the action and winning back vital possession and finding team mates. Christou and Coffey came on as subs mid-way through the 2ND half and both linked up really well and J. Coffey scored his 2nd of the morning and gave us a 2 nil lead.  We were a little unlucky not to have scored a few more but credit to Torrens Valley who never gave up.

This was a great performance all round by all and every player made a contribution in the win. It showed just how far we have improved and gelled as a team and our teamwork was something to be proud of. Hahndorf football club is in safe hands with this group of young stars on the rise. Let’s finish the season with a few more wins….


GO MAGGIES….Onwards and Upwards
 

On a cool but sunny day at Torrens Valley Soccer Club on 14th August, U8 Hahndorf and Torrens Valley met for an exciting game.  Torrens Valley’s backline worked hard for the first half with all players working together to put on a strong attack. Matthew M defended Torrens Valley’s goal strongly and unfortunately one kick made it in for Hahndorf to be 1 up at half time.

All Torrens Valley players went into the second half determined to change the score, forcing the Hahndorf back line to work extremely hard to hold them back.  With many attempts at goal and a strong back line, Torrens Valley put up a real fight.  Urijah P also having many attempts at goal from midfield, with Jack C also having many attempts at evening the score.

Hahndorf also displayed determination with a strong backline and many attacking moves.  Eventually, Handorf realised a second goal with Torrens Valley putting in everything they had.  Overall a great effort from both Teams, with great evidence that these under 8’s have learnt a lot this season and are ready to move into their next phase of development.

Hahndorf U9s were keen and ready to go early on what was a magnificent morning, against Bridgewater, with beautiful sunshine and crisp green grass.

Hahndorf were off to a strong start with some great early passing, Owen Hoyle to Levi Neumann to Soren Mickan resulting in Mickan having 2 quick shots on goals – very well defended by the Bridgewater keeper. Play was quick and moved between the teams well. Neumann was the first to score for Hahndorf in a strong penetrating kick to the back of the net. Thomas Gould and Joshua Blain played great defensive roles in the back lines, returning the ball when it dared to come towards the Bridgewater end. Mason Saywell was very active through the middle of the field, intercepting and passing. Moving the ball to the outer field, allowing Rowan Gilroy to have another 2 shots on goal, but the Bridgewater keeper was in fine form, not allowing them through. Teams played very well, both teams doing their best to pass and gain control, a break from the middle by Hugo Curtis and Hoyle, passing to Neumann resulted in another goal for Hahndorf. Quickly followed by another one from Mickan. When the ball did sneak down to the Bridgewater end, Handorf goalie Oliver Knight was too quick, running down the pitch to kick a great big kick over the middle players and placed the ball front and centre for our Hahndorf team. This allowed Blain to run on and pass to Curtis to make another shot on goal, unlucky not to convert.

Second half saw Hahndorf come out strong, with some early shots on goal,  Gould coming into the striker role, getting 2 quick goals. This saw Bridgewater lift and the pressure was on Hahndorf.  Hahndorf made multiple attempts on goals, but the second half keeper was equally strong and we were not able to convert. Knight took control of the ball from the middle with 5 Bridgwater players in hot pursuit, he managed to get through all and take a shot on goal, super effort by the keeper meant it didn’t result in a goal. Gould then had the opportunity for a hattrick , taking the corner goal kick, unlucky for Bridgewater it was deflected in by one of their players – meaning a goal for Hahndorf. Bridgewater still had some fight left in them, the play moved to their end, and gave our goalie Hoyle some of the action, defending well and ensuring nothing slipped through. Last shots of the game were from Knight who had plenty of steam left, but Bridgewater was just too strong in defence.

Well done to both teams, team spirit was very high with everyone enjoying the game.

Mount Barker United U9 Gold vs Woodside Warriors Soccer Club U9 Blue

 

Our hopes of signing Messi in a late season transfer coup were dealt a double blow this week with PSG’s middle-eastern backers firstly managing to best our hopeful offer of a sausage in bread from the canteen each Wednesday, and our disappointment was compounded by the AHJFA pointing out that he was unlikely to meet the age requirements for the league anyway. So, our brave Warriors had to line up without any new signings on a bright but somewhat fresh morning at The Summit to play Mount Barker Gold.

 

The first half started briskly, and Woodside looked to have the measure of United by creating a couple of chances and restricting them to long shots. The Warriors again showed good passing movement and developing skills, with Captain Theo Nicholson showing his confidence on the ball by tricking his opposite number with a cheeky backheel. It wasn’t long before Woodside had the ball in the net through a solid move built on passing out of defence before Sam Balacco latched onto a midfield through ball, ran past the defence and beat the keeper to open the scoring. Unfortunately, this seemed to rouse Mt Barker from their slumber and in reply they had a trio of goals to their name before the half time whistle.

 

Woodside had to go into the second half with lots of energy to get back into the game. Forward Lucas March-Feltham dropped into the trequartista role that his initials suggest he is made for, winning posession in midfield and trying to link up with the strikers. Noah Paech and Leo Tucker both worked tirelessly and should be commended on their desire to win the ball and their increasing awareness when making forward passes. Keeper Lachlan Mitchell grew in confidence and pulled off some fine diving saves to keep Woodside in the game and defender Charlotte Cosgriff showed she can impose herself on the opposition’s front line by making some strong blocks and clearances to smother Mt Barker Utd attacks. These efforts (and a bit of luck) meant that United could only add a single goal in the second half, but their defence thwarted every attempt Woodside made to get back into the game.

 

The outcome at the final whistle didn’t really do justice to the effort that Woodside put into the game or the chances they created, but there is also some work to be done before the end of the season on positioning and making sure we don’t allow opposition forwards to approach the goal area unmarked. Maybe a great tactical defender like Chiellini would have been more tempted by a sausage in bread?

 

WWSC vs Stirling District FC on a clean and dry field in Bradbury on a beautiful Saturday morning. It was an exciting game to watch and cheer the boys on as they worked hard together on the pitch. Once again, spectators witnessed fabulous kicks on passing and interceptions of the ball. There were tireless efforts attempting to bring the ball down the field for a successful score. Both teams intercepted various attempts.  Our team supported some excellent passing which help to set up some successful scores from Quinn Klein. The goalies, Logan Bridge and Joshua Clifford at different times, were able to stop some attempts of the opposition. Excellent team passing amid fancy footwork was shown from many of the boys.  Our team showed more teamwork in the game by working together to intercept and bring the ball down toward the opposing team’s goals. Also, there were some strong kicks seen from Bastian French and Justin Smith in the game.  Arlo Areamkaew, Elliot Stewart, Samuel Clifford and Josiah Ambrose manned the field well by working together.  Well done boys!

 

After a wet week, a sun drenched and water soaked Aldgate pitch presented itself for the match between Hahndorf and Stirling Inited. The game leader was resplendent in his Richmond gear as the Hahndorf boys kicked off. Connor Ozolins and Sol Cootes working together had an early shot on goal but the keeper proved not to be stuck in the mud. Play bounced around before Ashon Broadbent-Shaw had the ball again on the edge of the box but the Stirling defender thwarted any further advance. Defenders Zack Perkins, Simran Singh and Caleb Earley made short work of any Stirling leads returning the ball to the Hahndorf attack again and again. Cootes made a dash forward but kicked the ball straight to the goalie. Jackson Bidgood lifted the ball off the ground with a big kick that the goalie just couldn’t hold on to scoring the first goal of the game. Stirling kicked off and made a charge but star goalie Lachlan Gardner was not letting it get past him. Back in the Hahndorf attack and Ozolins scored again for Hahndorf. The ball ventured back into the defensive line before Perkins gave it a massive kick up the field to Jhett Frost who took an impressive shot on goal from half way making the goalie work hard. In the last minutes of the half Lucca Falvo-Lopez found the ball but just couldn’t get it past the goalie. Second half and with the mud brushed off both teams were back at it. The Hahndorf boys worked together to set up a number of plays keeping the Stirling team under pressure. A final small toe poke by Broadbent-Shaw was fumbled by the Stirling goalie for the final goal of the game.

After a couple of tight and torrid battles earlier in the season, Woodside Warriors U12 expected nothing less when they again travelled to Mount Barker Summit to take on the locals in Red.

 

The early stages of this one were all Woodside. Right across the park Red and Blue shirts hunted the ball with precise aggression – seeking their prey with speed and purpose, stalking it with poise and restraint, and striking at the first chance to win the prize that they sought with common purpose – possession. And with the ball won, they looked up – for help. In football, as in life, the challenge can be too much to face alone. But with friends, the journey (regardless its outcome) is not just achievable but can be rewarding, thrilling, even fun! So Woodside looked to share. Anyone wearing the same colours, regardless of stature or skill, was a potential target – an ally to protect the ball and forge a path forward. This selfless style of play created too many targets for Mount Barker to defend and within five minutes Woodside had found the opening goal. They followed up with another five minutes later, and another fifteen after that. Although this delivered the striker another hattrick for the season (and full credit to him) each goal was the culmination of all-team football and each and every member celebrated their collective achievement as one. As well as creating a wealth of chances up front, Woodside’s defensive play was impeccable, protecting their keeper from having to make a single save throughout the entire first term.

 

After the break, the status quo remained, at least for a while. But although the Warriors were creating plenty of chances, Mount Barker were refusing to yield and their defensive effort was enough to deny their opponents time and space within range. This effort from Mount Barker was putting Woodside under enormous pressure, creating a sense of urgency and forcing all shots to be rushed. This gave the keeper a chance, and he earnt his bonus pay by making a handful of neat saves. Eventually Woodside did find another goal, right on the midpoint of the second half. And with only fifteen on the clock, a Woodside win looked a certainty. No-one told the hosts. Regardless of the score-line, the hosts had come to play, they desperately wanted a goal to keep them in the hunt. With eight on the clock, they surged within range. Woodside met the challenge and took possession, but one of the locals hit the earth as the ball was cleared from danger. The ref blew her whistle, seeing foul play in the contest, and ordered a free kick just outside the box. On instant replays the Woodside backman appeared to be hard done by, but refs are paid to make hard decisions in real time and Mount Barker stepped forward to take a free kick well within range. At U12 level, this was still going to be a big ask – clear the wall, clear the keeper, find the target. But the youngster from Barker nailed it with powerful precision that was a spectacle to behold. This goal was like a lightning rod in a Darwin-build-up-storm to the hosts, who now sniffed the tiniest of chances. Four minutes later, they goaled again to create a nail biting finish to the game. But Woodside were up to the challenge. The back four were aided by their midfielders to become a back six, the wing forwards dropped into the midfield and defended from mere yards in front of their backs, and together they successfully parked the bus to ensure no one else would score for the day.

 

Another great contest of U12 soccer on a picturesque if dangerously unforgiving surface at the Summit.  

 

In near-perfect conditions for a game of soccer, the Mt Barker and Woodside U12 teams arrived at the Summit Sport & Recreation Park to see the end of another U12s game - in which Murray Bridge Gold emerged victorious against SDFC White.
This result raised the stakes of the upcoming Crusaders vs Warriors match: the winning side would secure 2nd, and sniff an opportunity to snatch top spot on the ladder in the next few weeks. Any other result would see the team sitting on a very respectable 3rd place, with Bridge Gold knocking on the door of the podium.

Mt Barker knew they were in for a tough one, and opted to put regular strikers Arlo Turner and Beau Curran at the back, supported by defensive stalwarts Felix Koral and Harrison Burt. "Mr parkrun" Rory Martin took up a CDM role, the hosts anticipating a well-drilled warriors raiding party from the start.
Expectations are one thing, but reality is another. The young Crusaders were perhaps taken by surprise at the Warriors' incredible discipline and unrelenting pressure from the very opening whistle. Despite defending with intent and grit, it was only a matter of time before Woodside would score. Their superstar #13 received the ball in a dangerous position, weaved through the Barker defence, and slotted it past Goalie Tyler Raven in the 5th minute. The Warriors continued to pile on the pressure, finding the back of the net twice more by half-time (one of these courtesy of an own-goal by a Barker defender... oops!)
Credit must go to the Woodside defence in this half, who acted like a wall to halt the skill and speed of Barker strikers Lincoln Denley and Taya Kumnick
Despite the 0-3 scoreline, there was a positive vibe going round the Barker group. The coach focussed on the positives from the first half, and the team discussed how they could improve over the next 30 minutes.
From the beginning of the  second term, Barker was bursting with energy. Bringing Turner and Curran from defence to attack proved to be instrumental - finding gaps in the previously impenetrable defence, and giving the warriors keeper something to think about. Meanwhile, Kumnick went into right-back, where she and Martin played incredibly to halt the influence of Woodside's dangerous #32 and #12.
Crusaders captain Chloe Engley led from the front in the midfield, with Eric Liemareff, Alec Belsey, Thomas Honner and Danny Paterson winning the ball and sending it forward to the dangerous front line.
Despite the great start from Mt Barker, it was the #13 Warrior who struck in the 15th minute of the half, a rip-snorter of a shot from outside the box rounding out his hattrick.
Now Mt Barker had had enough. Tired of conceding, the Crusaders found another gear. A clearance from Max Barrljung Hummel in defence ended up at the feet of Curran, who was unlucky not to receive a penalty after going down in the box. Turner finally opened the Barker account in the 51st minute, a delicious free kick deflecting off the Keepers outstretched glove and finding the back of the net. It took only 5 more minutes to find a second goal, with Mt Barker executing a lethal through ball to the advantage of Curran, who tore away from the defence and beat the keeper - his 8th goal in 3 games!
The final 5 minutes saw the Crusaders play their best football of the season so far; locking the ball in the attacking half, and threatening to score again, but it was too little too late as the ref blew her whistle to end the game 4-2 in favour of the Warriors.
This result sees Woodside leapfrog Barker on the ladder to take 2nd spot, in what is turning out to be a very tight tussle amongst the top 4 teams.
Next week, Woodside face a Murray Bridge Blue side who have had a tough season but are on the up; whilst Barker  run the gauntlet in the last 3 rounds, first hosting Bridge Gold in a huge 3rd vs 4th clash, and later facing Ladder leaders Stirling twice in a row.
Well done to everyone who took part, both on the pitch and on the sidelines, for a fascinating and hard-fought match between 2 very exciting young teams.

Both teams started off on the attack, but Hahndorf were determined to score.

Hahndorf's goalie Dante Man was put to the test 3 times by Murray Bridge.

With Ryder Hill, Lawson Shotton and Daniel Peters doing some great defence, Murray Bridge were unable to convert any goals.  

After 17 minutes of play, Cooper Liddle was able to kick a great goal into the nets.

Again, Man was tested by Murray Bridge, but he still managed to save the goal.

Jeered on by the first goal, Emlyn Gilroy managed to sneak a goal past their goalie.

The ball spent a lot of time going back and  forth, until Hahndorf were rewarded with a penalty for accidental handball. Taken by Hayden Lien, the ball soon found the back of the net.  In the last minutes of the first half Gilroy scored his second goal.

With the lights on both teams came out determined to score.  The ball went back and forth again to each other's goal area. After 11 minutes Harrison Gould managed to sneak a goal by the keeper.

With Oliver Aylen, Christopher Haynes and Benjamin Romaldi taking the ball to the goalie end Gould managed to score his second goal for the day.

With minutes to go Levi Beesley manged to score the last goal of the day.Both teams started off on the attack, but Hahndorf were determined to score.

Hahndorf's goalie Dante Man was put to the test 3 times by Murray Bridge.

With Ryder Hill, Lawson Shotton and Daniel Peters doing some great defence, Murray Bridge were unable to convert any goals.  

After 17 minutes of play, Cooper Liddle was able to kick a great goal into the nets.

Again, Man was tested by Murray Bridge, but he still managed to save the goal.

Jeered on by the first goal, Emlyn Gilroy managed to sneak a goal past their goalie.

The ball spent a lot of time going back and  forth, until Hahndorf were rewarded with a penalty for accidental handball. Taken by Hayden Lien, the ball soon found the back of the net.  In the last minutes of the first half Gilroy scored his second goal.

With the lights on both teams came out determined to score.  The ball went back and forth again to each other's goal area. After 11 minutes Harrison Gould managed to sneak a goal by the keeper.

With Oliver Aylen, Christopher Haynes and Benjamin Romaldi taking the ball to the goalie end Gould managed to score his second goal for the day.

With minutes to go Levi Beesley manged to score the last goal of the day.

Woodside started attacking into the sun and the wind with 29 Harry and 24 Ryan leading the offense, supported by 45 Sam, 26 Bradley and 22 Lysiane. Quick effective defense from 13 Flynn, 18 Josh (Bob), 12 Maya and 16 Cooper kept the ball pushing predominately in Woodside’s attacking half early in the game. In goal, James blocked Stirling’s first attempts at goal, but repeated shots found the top right corner 15 mins in. Consistent pressure from Stirling shifted the focus into Woodside’s defense. A great diving save from James was exciting but a pass crossing the face of goal found the left corner. 45 Sam was strong in midfield and 28 Riley set up a great scoring opportunity for 29 Harry at the end of the first half which was well blocked by Stirling. Stirling’s persistent attack despite excellent goal keeping found another goal to finish the first half 3-0.

The second half began with a close goal attempt from Harry, James and Banjo working together in offense, and quick goal keeping gathers from Riley. Lysiane and 32 Cohenn were effective in midfield and Stirling was kept back from any close attacks on their goals well by Sam, Flynn, 16 Cooper and Bob until a strong shot pushed through for a fourth Stirling goal 15mins into the half. A Stirling corner shot was well defended and Riley caught repeated Stirling attempts confidently. Woodside pushed forward strongly and James found the back of the net for a first goal just before 12pm. Stirling scored again with 10 mins to go, followed by a close attempt by Ryan that curved away from goal. 
Score ended 5-1. An evenly matched game, although the final score didn’t reflect how well Woodside played.
 

Strathalbyn hosted Blackwood at their home ground on Saturday 14th August at 11am on a fine, warm, blue skied morning.

From the moment of kick off, Strathalbyn started off as they continued: strong. Raife T scoring within the first few minutes. The team peppered the Blackwood goal a further 3 times, each one saved by Blackwood Keeper, Angus D, before Strathalbyn’s Hamish W scored the team’s second for the half.  Four minutes later, Blackwood’s Loki N found the back of the net from a corner. Strathalbyn jumped straight onto the attack, dominating the play for 15 minutes, until Blackwood’s Caden R scored an equalising goal. Further attempts by both sides were unsuccessful leaving the teams tied 2 – 2 at the end of the half.

In the second half Blackwood’s failure to keep the Strathalbyn team marked provided the home side with ample opportunities to demonstrate their accurate passing and shooting skills. Finlay G proved to be a force to be reckoned with, finding the net 3 times before Blackwood found their momentum and made attempts to decrease the Strathalbyn lead. It was not to be Blackwood’s match, however, and their scoreline remained at 2 for the remainder of the match. Finlay G scored a further 2 goals, making his personal total 5 for the match, and Ben G scored the final Strathalbyn goal.

Final score line: Strathalbyn 8 : Blackwood 2

A glorious sunny day awaited the Woodside team for their first game at the Summit. With a near-full complement of players this week the Woodside Blues were ready to play.

Woodside from the start were dominant with efforts to get first to the ball but the younger Mt Barker team held tight in defense as Woodside forgot their passing game and tried too many times to run the ball into the goal or rush their shots. When they were on target Mt Barker’s keeper made sure he got his body behind the ball or a hand on it to stop the goal. Woodside though maintained the pressure, keeping the ball in their opponent’s half and started to make space and find free players who finally found the back of the net. By half time Woodside had the lead.

The second half had Woodside well in command so positional changes were possible allowing it’s usually defensive line to take up position in the forward line. While they were slow to get started Woodside finally found the time and space to move the ball efficiently down both wings creating opportunities. Before long Woodside had another and continued to press their opponents who still continued to fight on. Mt Barker’s keeper continued to be a thorn in Woodside’s side again making many great saves. Still Woodside’s regular defense, now playing up front, showed great composure and made many an accurate pass to create opportunities, netting themselves a couple of goals each. With 10 minutes to go, Woodside’s talented regular left back found himself in a scrappy contest with the keeper and a group of players, after getting his shot away he fell terribly due the the bodies around him and injured his lower leg as the ball slowly rolled across the goal line for his first goal of the season. The plucky defender was carried from the field in some discomfort and time will tell if he takes to the field next week. Woodside continued to get first to the ball with Woodside’s smallest player standing between the post only receiving one touch.

Woodside continued on in its winning way but full credit to the Mt Barker team who continued to fight to the end.

Update: That plucky defender ended up breaking his leg and will miss the end of the season. He will be sorely missed by his team mates but we look forward to seeing on the side line cheering his team on.

On Saturday 14th August Woodside hosted Rangers for their final of four U17 games over the 2021 season.

The first encounter in the season, the second round, saw a strong contender for the title, Woodside, be challenged with a 3-1 result in Woodside’s favour. The second encounter, again at Ashton Oval, was much more favourable for Woodside with an 8-0 result. The third encounter, this time hosted at Woodside, set the record on highest goal difference with an 11-0 result. By this time it was looking likely Woodside would take the title and Rangers wouldn’t trouble them again.

Despite this short history Rangers have been problematic for several clubs. Their first game was a 1-1 draw with a traditional powerhouse, Stirling United. A few rounds later they added their first win for the season, 6-3 against Strathalbyn. They backed that up with a 3-1 result against Stirling United. It has always been a bit hit or miss with anyone up against Rangers. Unfortunately more miss than hit for Rangers, but you can’t go into battle with them without being fully prepared for it.

Woodside, comfortable ladder leaders at the time with five games in hand, were a little too relaxed and forgetful that the underdogs have a habit of ripping the furniture every now and then. This doesn’t matter if the season is a blank canvas or it’s at the end when all is nearly done. Despite their low ranking they inspire.

The pitch wasn’t looking too bad. A day of sun gave it some time to dry. It was a bit heavy, but a surface that both teams were conditioned to. Referee William Smith lead the official duties with new recruits Barnaby Bevan and Sidney Cotton running the lines. This was appreciated by Woodside who were all out of active linesmen. Their two resident linesmen, fathers of players, were sporting injuries preventing them from doing it.

The game kicked off at 9am on Woodside’s main pitch.

The first five minutes of play saw two teams looking to open their accounts first. With Woodside strikers LACHLAN MOWBRAY, JETT TONKIN and Captain ANGUS WILKINS all benched it was time for someone new to take the glory. The honour went to BENJI BAILES who scored his first league goal for the season. This of course gave reason for the bench, coaching staff and supporters to celebrate.

From there little happened until half time, beyond a whole lot of up and back for both teams. A head-on crash between Tonkin and Rangers keeper Joseph Bellamy resulted in nothing more than a quick health check and acknowledgement that all was okay. Beyond that the game was respectful and in line with expectations.

The second half kicked off 1-0 in favour of the home team, Woodside. Mowbray was back on and keen to maintain his rank on highest league goal scorers. Rangers were keen to slow down any further attempts at goals by putting in their best keeper. Whilst it had the desired effect Mowbray managed to get one past him on the 48th minute.

Twenty minutes later Ranger’s player Shannon Cox slipped one past the home team keeper. The celebrations by the away team and supporters were deserving and enough to add fuel to the tank for the remainder of the season.

No further goals were scored and Woodside finished on top. It was Rangers that stole the show though with their best loss of the season, a single goal behind the ladder leaders. A round of fist-bumps and lolly pops acknowledged mutual respect.

HAYDEN DAVIS and ISAIAH HAMMAT were relentless but unfortunate not to add to the scoreline. On the other end of the pitch CASEY GODFREY, ASHER HAMMAT, IZEYAH RAYMOND and JOSH VASSOS prevented the visitors from scoring any further.

“Good on them”, said Coach BRUCE TONKIN after the game. “If we were in their boots we would put that down as a win. We wish them all the best for the remainder of the season and hope they continue into 2023.”

Keeper SAMUEL HERMAN was deserving of best and fairest. IZEYAH RAYMOND provided a solid performance yet again. BENJI BAILES also delivered a great game.

Round 18 will play out on the 21st of August where Rangers will host Murray Bridge. Murray Bridge will be keen to take three points in a dash between them and Hahndorf for second place. Meanwhile Woodside will host Strathalbyn at 9am.

Woodside faced Rangers on Saturday 14th August. With the extreme rescheduling due to Covid, Rangers had not played a game for several weeks, while Woodside had just played the night before.

The game started in Woodside’s hands, with a 6th minute goal coming from a 1 on 1 with the Joseph Bellamy, the Rangers keeper. From then, however, the game slowed down quite a bit and the teams switched possession frequently. Throughout the game, Woodside took many corners, all of which were dangerous and capable of being a goal scoring ball. In the final minutes of the half, Rangers midfielder Torin Cooper got the ball and dashed past Woodside defenders looking for his first goal for the season. The shot went over the crossbar, however, and the score remained 1-0 until half time.

As the second half began, Rangers player Alex Smith took charge in the midfield, constantly pressuring and running from box to box. It was Woodside who struck early into the play again however, dribbling past Rangers defenders from a near-halfway throw-in to take the score to 2-0. A change by Rangers to have 3 at the back instead of 4 allowed Ben Michelsen a chance in midfield. Some time after the Woodside goal, he gave a through ball to Errol Martin, who crossed to Shannon Cox for a shot on goal. The Woodside team were relieved that they managed to clear the ball safely. After another few dangerous Woodside corners, Alex Smith got the ball and ran up the field to give a through ball to Shannon Cox who finished cleanly on a tight angle, opening the scoring for Rangers.

As the game was almost ending, both teams began to tire. Rangers seemed to have a slight upper hand in the final 10 minutes, but the score ended 2-1 to Woodside at the final whistle.

Both teams played well and should be very happy with their performance.

Match report

Woodside faced Rangers on Saturday 14th August. With the extreme rescheduling due to Covid, Rangers had not played a game for several weeks, while Woodside had just played the night before.

The game started in Woodside’s hands, with a 6th minute goal coming from a 1 on 1 with the Joseph Bellamy, the Rangers keeper. From then, however, the game slowed down quite a bit and the teams switched possession frequently. Throughout the game, Woodside took many corners, all of which were dangerous and capable of being a goal scoring ball. In the final minutes of the half, Rangers midfielder Torin Cooper got the ball and dashed past Woodside defenders looking for his first goal for the season. The shot went over the crossbar, however, and the score remained 1-0 until half time.

As the second half began, Rangers player Alex Smith took charge in the midfield, constantly pressuring and running from box to box. It was Woodside who struck early into the play again however, dribbling past Rangers defenders from a near-halfway throw-in to take the score to 2-0. A change by Rangers to have 3 at the back instead of 4 allowed Ben Michelsen a chance in midfield. Some time after the Woodside goal, he gave a through ball to Errol Martin, who crossed to Shannon Cox for a shot on goal. The Woodside team were relieved that they managed to clear the ball safely. After another few dangerous Woodside corners, Alex Smith got the ball and ran up the field to give a through ball to Shannon Cox who finished cleanly on a tight angle, opening the scoring for Rangers.

As the game was almost ending, both teams began to tire. Rangers seemed to have a slight upper hand in the final 10 minutes, but the score ended 2-1 to Woodside at the final whistle.

Both teams played well and should be very happy with their performance.

After a 5 week hiatus due to a combination of holidays, wet weather and lockdowns, Stirling United returned to the field against Murray Bridge on a fine Saturday morning, with a hint of spring in the air, and jackets were removed early in the warm morning sunshine.

Despite the extended break, it was Stirling who came out on top early, with a number of opportunities in the opening minutes giving confidence to the away side. However despite the chances being created, none were able to find the back of the net.

The limited opportunities that Murray Bridge had were being repelled by the ever reliable Kye McDonald, ably backed up by Charlotte Miller, Oliver Turczynowicz and Matthew Silcock.

With Edward Mato taking the field for Murray Bridge at the mid point of the first half, there were a few more chances for Murray Bridge but they didn’t amount to anything significant before the break. Despite the teams being locked together at 0-0, Stirling went into the break brimming with confidence after a dominant 40 minutes.

This confidence was quickly broken when Stirling were caught napping by Mato, who made a typically blistering run down the left hand side before spectacularly launching from the corner of the box, over the top of the returning Lachlan Stein in goal, into the far side netting to give Murray Bridge the lead.

From there Stirling mounted a spirited challenge in an attempt to level the scores, with numerous shots going over, into the posts or ruled offside. Murray Bridge threatened at times, but with the number of chances created, Stirling should have at least evened up the scoring if not taken the points, but as has been the pattern this season, play after play of quality build up did not result in that crucial finish on the scoreboard.

Hahndorf under 17’s hosted the Strathalbyn Strikers on a warm Saturday morning. Strathalbyn won the toss and elected to head up hill for the first half, leaving Hahndorf to kick off the game. The game was quite evenly poised with both teams holding an even possession and taking numerous shots at goal, with Hahndorf’s Toby Boekel working wonders between the sticks making some magnificent saves. Hahndorf’s continuous forward momentum and pressure in the midfield, consisting of Romaldi, Gibbs, McArthur, and J.Martin eventually paid off when a lovely ball was played through Strathalbyn’s defense, allowing Xavier Kell put the ball in the back of the net. Strathalbyn answered back late in the half with two quick goals, and ending off the half with a 2-1 lead over Hahndorf.

The second half got underway with Strathalbyn kicking off, with both teams continued to hold even possession of the ball, with contributions from D.Martin, Panich, and Hahndorf’s midfield, they were trying everything they could playing the ball up both sides of the pitch, where finally Hahndorf’s Kyle Fenlon was able to slot the ball past Strath’s keeper to level the scores. However, it wasn’t long until Strathalbyn was able to make a breakthrough, answering back with a goal in the matter of a couple of minutes. The game continued to play out until Hahndorf’s Xavier Kell was awarded a penalty after an incursion by Strathalbyn’s defense, and Kell was able to put it away. Once levelling the scores once again at 3 a piece late in the game. Hahndorf’s Nielsen in goal and the defensive line of Hardingham, Boekel, and Aylen, was held together well by Josh Rayner, denying any more opportunities on goal for Strathalbyn leaving the match to end in a draw.

Hahndorf under 17 played against Woodside on a chilly Friday night.  Woodside came out strong from the first whistle, and Hahndorf defenders Edward Hardingham, Daniel McArthur and Josh Raynor really had their work cut out, as Woodside kept up the pressure and continued to push forward.

 

Kyle Fenlon was goalie for Hanhdorf, and was kept busy keeping the ball out of the back of the net.  Not perturbed, Hahndorf settled, and began their own attack.  Some nice ball work between Xavier Kell and Matthew Daly saw a perfectly placed ball at the feet of Kane Gibbs, who took a shot at goals, but narrowly missed scoring.

 

It was a back and forth affair, with both teams seemingly evenly matched, however at the 30 minute mark the Woodside front line broke though Hahndorf’s defence to finally score the first goal of the match.  The game resumed, and a tightly fought struggle in the Hahndorf goal square saw Woodside put the ball in the back of the net for their second goal, just before the half time whistle.

 

Like the first half, both teams came out strongly after half time, but it was Woodside that had the greater opportunities at goal, and Fenlon took some amazing saves to avoid Woodside adding to their score. In the final ten minutes of the game Hahndorf really gave it their all, with their mid field feeding the ball to Gibbs who took some desperate shots at the goal without success.

 

Both teams played well, but it was a well deserved win to Woodside. 

It was a sunny afternoon with only the slightest of breezes in Strathalbyn when Hahndorf U14 Girls took on the Strathalbyn Strikers on their home turf.

Strathalbyn started with several quick attacks into their goal area, with several attempts at goal that were held off by the first half Goalie Charlie and the back line defenders Jo Van De Gaer, Isabella Czulki, Zara Tinsley-Smith and Amber Klose. Strath were able to find the back of the net a few times that Hahndorf tried to respond to with great pressure in the forward line lead by Luci Tinsley-Smith, Eloise Cutting and Ruby Tully.

At the 35 minute mark the forward line was able to penetrate the tough opposition and Ruby was able to put one in the back of the net for Hahndorf.

Hahndorf put in a good defence after the half time break with Strathalbyn only being able to score once in the half thanks to some great stoppages by the second half goalie Mika Kelly. There was lots of great play by the mid-field Jade Czulki, Jemma Langford, Amiel Kerber and Esther Van De Gaer who got the ball into the forward line who were unfortunate to not be able to convert their attempts at goal.

Strathalbyn proved to be a tough opposition today and despite the great effort by Hahndorf today, the full-time score was 5 -1. We thank Strathalbyn U14 girls for a great game and look forward to meeting them again this Friday!

Damp under foot but with warm sunshine from above the game started in a lively manner with both sides looking to break out of the midfield and mount attacks. Both sides, but particularly Mt Barker, mounted some good early efforts but throttling defence and solid keeping meant all came to nought. As the half wore on Stirling gained a slight ascendency; quenching many of the Mt Barker attacks well outside the 18-yard box and then mounting some good forays of their own. In the chaos of a string of corners Stirling found the net to take the half 1-0 at the break.

The second half saw the Stirling girls pick up where they left off and all bar a period midway through H2 Stirling had a slight edge in the play. Good field play led to opportunities for Stirling but some great never-say-die defence saw Mt Barker deny them any further goals time and time again. When the final whistle sounded the score remained 1-0 in Stirling’s favour.

A glorious day for soccer greeted everyone at Woodside for the U17 girls game. 

It proved to be a competitive match, that could have gone either way at various times throughout the play.  Torrens Valley took out the win again this week, scoring two goals that were unable to be answered by Woodside. 

Woodside will take on Torrens Valley one more time, for the last game of this season.