‘Squizzy’ says Seaford can maintain its momentum

Fortnightly Frankston area wrap by Craig MacKenzie.

Craig MacKenzie

Seaford United coach Kevin ‘Squizzy’ Taylor is confident that his men can maintain their promotion push.

The Provisional 2 South-East outfit recorded a come-from-behind 3-1 away win at Endeavour United on Saturday to join Caulfield United Cobras on top of the league ladder.

Matt Durand put the home team in front early in the second half but a Luke Gale through ball set up usual suspect Dave Greening and he made no mistake to level.

Seaford went ahead when a Marcus Brownlie goalkick wasn’t dealt with by the Endeavour defence and quicksilver Matt Curd rounded the keeper and finished off well from a tight angle.

No prizes for guessing who put the icing on Seaford’s cake as Greening notched his 12th goal in eight starts in 2012 as he chases last year’s haul of 22 goals from 14 games.

“I think we can keep it going although the next couple of games (against Bayside Argonauts and Ashburton United) are going to very, very difficult,” said Taylor.

“But we’re playing really well at the moment. We’ve been digging deep and there’s a great spirit among the lads.

“We’re solid at the back, we’re good in midfield and we’ve got blokes that can score.”

And how Langwarrin coach Gus Macleod wishes that he had blokes that could score.

Macleod thought he’d nabbed one such player when he agreed on terms with Casey Comets striker Liam Ryan last week but Comets exercised their option to hold up the paperwork and Ryan was unable to debut in Langy’s State League 2 home game against Morwell Pegasus.

Star striker Caleb Nicholes was suspended and Firaol Likassa had been released so Macleod decided to promote Rod Meikle from one of the club’s Bayside League teams to partner Ben Caffrey in attack.

However championship challenger Pegasus prevailed in a scrappy contest and maintained its push for a State League 1 spot with a 2-0 victory.

One of the positives to emerge for the home team was the debut display of defender Chris McKenna, who had been signed from rival Mornington a few days earlier.

Senior coach Danny Verdun is one win away from smashing a five-year hoodoo at Frankston Pines as the club recorded a 3-1 away win in its Provisional League 1 South-East clash with Mooroolbark on Saturday, its fourth success of the season.

Pines won just four games in both the 2008 and 2010 seasons. It won two games in 2009 and last year had just a solitary win to its name.

“It was our best display this year,” said Verdun of the success against the Barkers.

“We were losing 1-0 at half time but the way we came back in the second half was outstanding.”

Matt Jensen scored twice after the break and set up big Jima Ruach for the third and decisive goal.

Verdun continues to be in the hunt to bolster his squad and is understood to be negotiating with a former Knox City striker.

Peninsula Strikers led twice in the club’s away clash with promotion challenging Heatherton United but despite Michael Cooke’s opener in the 30th minute and an Alex Calder header early in the second half the home team ran out a 3-2 victor.

Chris Aldonato, former Bulleen, Sandringham, Bentleigh Greens and Pines player made his debut for Strikers after signing from Mornington and coach Jamie Skelly plans to use Aldonato in a central midfield or wide left role in coming weeks.

Baxter slumped to its third successive loss going down 3-2 at Dendy Park against home team Old Brighton Grammarians.

“It was a poor effort by us in what I saw as a very winnable game,” said Baxter coach Jim Morrison.

Baxter livewire Blake Hicks put the visitors ahead after five minutes but poor defending saw Old Brighton take a 3-1 lead before Francis Beck reduced the deficit with 20 minutes left.

Morrison’s first team squad has been boosted by the recent inclusion of Anthony Famularo and Tony Orr and the Baxter boss is understood to be negotiating with an experienced local striker.

Skye United’s away clash with Boroondara Eagles was called off on the Friday before the scheduled Saturday game.

The fixture has been rescheduled for 8 September.

Here are the fixtures for the six Frankston area clubs for rounds 10 and 11:

Friday 22 June, 8.30pm: Croydon City v Frankston Pines (Dorset Recreation Reserve).

Saturday 23 June, 3pm: Malvern City v Langwarrin (Kooyong Park), Old Scotch v Peninsula Strikers (Willsmere Park), Seaford Utd v Bayside Argonauts (North Seaford Reserve), Old Carey v Skye Utd (Wilcox Field, Carey Sports Complex), Baxter v Eltham Redbacks (Baxter Park).

Saturday 30 June: Langwarrin v Box Hill Utd (Lawton Park), Frankston Pines v Hampton Park (Monterey Reserve), Ashburton Utd v Seaford Utd (Ashburton Park), Skye Utd v Collingwood City (Skye Recreational Reserve), Ringwood City v Baxter (Jubilee Park).

Sunday 1 July: North Caulfield v Peninsula Strikers (Caulfield Park).