By JARROD POTTER
PAKENHAM United’s unfettered march through FFV Metropolitan South East 2 continued with a 6-0 thumping of highly ranked Old Scotch SC Cardinals.
There were only two things you could hear travelling down Ballarto Road to Pakenham United’s home-field fortress on Sunday; cows mooing contently in the surrounding paddocks and the swish of the net as the Cougars’ forward maestros thrust past the Cardinals’ defence with ease.
Outside of the occasional forward foray, Old Scotch was helpless to fight back against Pakenham United – who are looking a few classes above the standard in the Metropolitan ranks.
The rampage started early as Jayden Wright (10, 25, 55) weaved his way past the Cardinals before Wayne Schembri (29) joined the action to make it 3-0 at the main break.
The fireworks continued in the second half as Old Scotch faded fast in the dying light while Pakenham United flew through to register another triple.
Wright finished his hat-trick soon after the resumption – finding too much space on his left side before working to the middle and booting the stuffing out of an unstoppable strike – and Keegan Bloomfield (72) put another goal against his name.
Coming up from the seconds, Christopher Franssen (80) sealed the United deal by slotting home a dying-stages penalty to give the Cougars their fourth five-goal win of the season.
“If we keep up the work-rate at training that we’re showing on the park also, it just sets us up,” Pakenham United coach Mario Hilli said. “I had a chat to the boys and it was probably our most defining game of the season and it opens up our break even further.”
Hilli admits complacency is just as big a threat to the Cougars as the chasing pack, but is willing to mix up the roster to get the job done.
“I sort of read the riot act to the boys about performing, as they’ve been getting a bit complacent,” Hilli said. “We brought young Chris (Franssen) in – scored the penalty – he’s a 17 year old and he’s been scoring in the second team so we promoted him and it just keeps everyone on their toes and I think he performed really well when he came on.”
It’s a great view from the top of the table at the half-way stage of the season as United sits two points clear with a game in hand over its nearest competitors and a whopping plus-20 goal difference.
The Cougars will host Carey EFC at Cardinia on Sunday afternoon
The Metro 4 Cougars settled for a 2-2 draw with Beaumaris. In Metro 6, Bunyip Strikers fired on all cylinders to knock off Mount Waverley City 5-3 away as the Strikers sit second in their competition ahead of another away journey – this time to St Kevin’s Old Boys SC on Sunday.
Pakenham United SC is seeking sponsorship ahead of a hopeful FFV State League debut in 2016.
For more information, contact Jarrod Reynolds on 0400 043 249.
