Bears Knoxed out

By Rebecca Torsello
WITH only nine players the Monbulk Rangers under-12 Falcons played Knox away in their first game for the season in what was always going to be a difficult match.
Despite a final scoreline of 0-4 goalkeeper Liam Hoppner made many good saves and was awarded player of the day.
The Monbulk Rangers women’s reserves made the trek to Ballarat for the opening match of the season and returned 1-0 winners.
It was a tough first match and the reserves had many chances on goal. The teams were evenly matched, keeping the score at nil-all for most of the game.
But Nicky Cranston took advantage of the keeper’s tiredness and scored a superb goal after a fumble.
Cranston had been pressuring the keeper all day and her hard work paid off, a great outcome for the reserves, with a new coach and many new players.
The under-15 Bears won their first match, defeating Boroondara 3-0.
The Bears were tentative in the first half, displaying first-match nerves, leading to a nil-all half-time score.
The Bears came out strong and fighting in the second half. Max Rechner was the first to score from a corner and this boosted the team’s confidence.
Michael Park proved that second efforts could bring results with his goal from a penalty. The ball struck the crossbar and bounced back on his first attempt. He struck the ball again and it hit the post. One final header saw the ball in the back of the net.