Laurie Williams and Allan Roberts
THE big three of the Latrobe Valley Soccer League, Fortuna, Falcons and Moe all had big wins in Round 2 action (played Sunday, March 24).
Churchill broke through for their first win of the season, and Monash scored their biggest ever win over East Gippsland.
Sale United were no match for Fortuna, while Moe United survived an early scare against Newborough/Yallourn.
There was no LVSL last weekend for the Easter break.
SALE’S game against Fortuna proved to be a game of two halves.
The first half was a pretty scrappy affair between the two sides. Home side Sale came out in the first half with clear intent to make it a physical game, in an attempt to slow Fortuna’s possession and passing style.
The ball movement from the Lions wasn’t as crisp or slick as the week before, with the visitors beginning to fall into Sale’s game plan and playing reactionary football.
In the eighth minute, Fortuna played a wide ball from out of their defensive third to Joel Palermo, who put in a blistering run down the right side of the pitch.
Palermo whipped the ball into the feet of Damon Scott, who calmly slotted it past Sale’s keeper to give the Lions a 1-nil lead against the run of play.
The game would then see-saw for the next 25 minutes, and it was again the Lions forward talisman in Scott who received the ball and took on the Sale keeper to score his second for the game in the 33rd minute.
Unfortunately for the home team, the second half turned into a ‘Nightmare on Raglan Street’, with the Swans conceding six goals as the Lions dominated the rest of the game.
Fortuna ran our 8-nil winners to continue their strong start to defending their 2023 League Championship.
The Sale United Women on the other hand, had better fortune, defeating Fortuna 3-1. Zoe Askew, Anouk Meereboer and Madelaine Breakspear were the Swans goalscorers.
