Club ventures into the unknown

BUNYIP and District Soccer Club travelled
into the unknown on Sunday with its first match
in the FFV Mens Thirds, Division 5 South East
League.
After a strong pre-season with good results
in friendlies, the team was confident of a com
petitive start in their debut match.
The pressure of being the first players to
pull on a shirt for the new club must have been
weighing on the minds of the team, with the
boys starting in a flurry and being unable to
compose themselves and keep possession of
the ball.
A counter attack from Brighton’s defence
saw the strikers caught out, allowing the home
team to put away an easy ball and take an early
1-0 lead.
After this early goal Bunyip composed and
began to maintain possession and put through
some dangerous balls to their strikers.
Five minutes from the half time break strik
er Gavin McCann took control of a quick pass
at the top of the 18 yard box to put away a thun
dering volley to open the scoring for Bunyip
and be the first scorer for the new club. At the
half time break coach Craig Marks reiterated
the importance of keeping possession and
using the faster players on the flanks.
At the kick off of the second half Bunyip
caught Old Brighton napping and some fantas
tic running by left winger Anthony Leju was
able to cut through their defence to take the
lead for Bunyip.
The Strikers had taken on board the coach
es instructions in the second half and their fit
ness began to play a part and they started to
out run their more experienced opponents.
In the fifty fifth minute attacking midfielder
Reginaldo da Silva took on three defenders
inside the box to score Bunyip’s third goal to
put the game beyond the home teams grasp.
Bunyip’s defence thwarted two serious attacks
from Old Brighton both of which were con
trolled by goal keeper Riley Kop.
Bunyip started it’s debut celebrations when
Anthony Leju put in Bunyip’s fourth goal and
his second for the game with a beautifully
placed diagonal ball through the opposition
defenders.
Coach Craig Marks was ecstatic with the
win and the fact that the team were able to
come back from an early opposition goal to
take control of the game and win comfortably.
The Junior Strikers also had their debut on
Sunday hosting Oakliegh Cannons in the under
9s, Ashburton in the Under 12s, and DOC unit
ed in the Under 14s. All teams battled hard and
are looking forward to their next matches this
coming Sunday.
Next week Bunyip and District Strikers
host East Bentleigh at 3:00pm for their first
home game of the season.