WEEKEND WRAP | 18 JULY

It was a historic day for the club as all ten graded club teams picked up points on Saturday. In a first for the club, all teams were undefeated across the day. The girls were a perfect three from three whilst the boys were four wins from five. Both senior grades were unlucky not to get maximum points.

13 BOYS (WON 5-1)

A return to our home ground this week, with the team looking to continue playing quality football. In what felt like deja vu from the previous week, the boys continued to create chances early on but the finishing was missing. Midway through the first half, we took the lead after Jimmy Skarvelis volleyed home from a corner. Unfortunately, we went into the HT break at 1-1 with the opposition pouncing on an error at the back.

Although at times a scrappy second half, the team pushed on and again played some good football in patches. Eventually running over the top of Hawkesbury with a second goal to Jimmy, a brace from Matt Page and a goal to Willem Robaard.

Player of the Week: Jimmy Skarvelis

Two tidy goals from the weekend. Continues to work hard and improve each week.

14 BOYS (WON 1-0)

With the 14 boys returning home to Ian McLennan for the first time since the season resumption they were determined to atone for last weeks ‘one that got away’, this week against Hawkesbury FC.

Like last week the boys started strongly, pressing hard and high to limit Hawkesbury’s time on the ball and attacking opportunities. Playing with good intensity, calmness (particularly playing out from the back) and control through the first half the Flame created multiple opportunities although subtle execution lapses at times let them down and they weren’t able to turn game control into goals.

The positive football was rewarded however, midway through the half when a high pressing Noah Crapis took advantage of a loose touch at the back, taking possession and calmly chipping the keeper for a well-earned goal. The half-finished with the 1:0 score line.

The second half was remarkably similar to the first with the Flame holding the advantage for most parts of the game, creating half opportunities without being able to convert. Credit to our opposition who didn’t drop their intensity making for a nervous last few minutes. With the final whistle blowing, the score remained 1:0 to the flame. A well-deserved result and a positive boost for the weeks ahead.

Player of the Week: Allesandro Calmasini

A strong defensive display, showing maturity and calmness on game day, a great reward following a positive training week.

15 BOYS (WON 6-0)

As we welcomed Hawkesbury FC to IMF for our Rd 4 fixture the boys were looking to continue their great run of form. Straight from the whistle the boys came out firing and it didn’t take long for us to open up the scoring with Zac Birch finishing off some great build up play in the 7th minute.
It was Birch again with a six yard tap in right on the stroke of half time to make it 2-0 at the break.
At half time the boys were challenged to be the next team to score and to maintain a clean sheet and that’s exactly what happened.
In 47min it was Birch again finishing off a great team goal to claim his hat-trick.
The goals didn’t stop there for the boys with Harb scoring in the 48min, Durante in the 56min and Guevara in the 66min to seal off a dominant display of football and a 6-0 win.
Overall a very solid performance by all with some excellent team goals and our ever reliable and consistent back four keeping a clean sheet once again.

Player of the week: Zac Birch

Zac’s excellent display of a striker’s instinct inside the box earning himself a hat-trick and his continued hard work and understanding of his role within the team structure.

16 BOYS (WON 3-1)

After a slow first half with a lot of unforced errors costing us a goal, the boys started to play the quality of football we have come to expect. With this quality we were able to score 3 in the second half and win the game 3-1.

Player of the week: Jayden Makowski

Leadership and desire was second to none.

18 BOYS (DREW 1-1)

The visitors come out of the block running putting our defence under pressure and creating number opportunities. Our keeper Deakin was called into action a few times with either one v one or diving save to his left or the spectacular top right corner save. These opportunities come from our inability to keep the ball. The dead was broken early in first half where we caught square and disorganise at the back Hawkesbury played a long ball forward where their striker ran away too score.

This woke up our players and we started to control the game possession and we started to control the game and field position. We created some half chances but nothing to trouble their keeper 1 nil down at half time.

We came out the second half with more purpose; we had long spells with the ball pushing Hawkesbury deeper into their half. It was just the final pass missing, the away team were reverting to long balls but our back stood tall and dealt with it very well. Our goal come with seven minutes to go where Hasan made a good run down the line wipe in wonderful cross where Ned waiting to finish it off nothing more than we deserved. With seven to go we went looking for the winner however it wasn’t to be. We are looking forward to Granville this Sunday.

Player of the week: Josh Montgomery