On a great day for Australian soccer( football), the precursor for the Matilda’s success was a truly extra-ordinary afternoon at Beauy Reserve.
An expected victory for Essendon Royals on Friday night meant that the final home game of the season took on even greater importance in Beauy’s fight to ensure NPL status is retained for 2024.
A bright start with a couple of chances , most obviously when the Nuna central defender tripped and allowed Zach Lemke in on goal but the keeper made a smart save to keep the score level.
Eventually Beauy broke the deadlock when Jason Dunphy got away down the right and a driven cross to the near post was met by Ryan Brown leaving the keeper helpless. 1-0 up at half time.
The home support was nervy for the second half with Nuna, lying third on the ladder before play, always dangerous with their pacey forwards threatening, but Jordan Siamoa, Alan Sheehan and captain Sam O’Regan standing firm. The second goal came on 55 minutes when a ball fell out to Zach Lemke on the edge of the box who arrowed a volley into the corner. What a strike!
The pressure lifted, just a touch though, as 2-0 is always a dangerous score.
However, on this day, Beauy piled on the pressure with Brown scoring again on 59 minutes closely followed by Lemke again on 65.
Felix Poster and Yoshi Sazuka came from the bench and hit goals in the 71st and 82nd minutes, before Brown completed his hattrick on 88 minutes.
Nuna got a consolation on 79 minutes, but this was a great day for Beaumaris and makes next weeks trip to now relegated Geelong for the last game of the season, irrelevant in terms of the result, but the coaching team will be keen to make sure the season is completed with a final wins to complete a great last three games with nine points.
Well played to those mentioned, plus their team mates, Fraser Maclaren in goal, George Smethurst, Liam Gilmore, Luca Pizzirani, Sam Mack and Ollie Chadwick, all of whom contributed to one of the most exciting and successful afternoons at Beauy Reserve ……. Since last year’s promotion from State League.
U21’s went down to a quick and forceful Nuna team.