By Steve Fleming
The Yarra Valley Soccer Club Junior teams began their 2022 campaigns on the weekend with a win and two losses.
On Saturday the YVSC U10 Dragons, many of who were playing competitive soccer for the first time, travelled to Blackburn for a 9am game. They began their warm-up drills in earnest, waiting for their
opposition to show, but none did, allowing the Dragons to claim victory by default. The Dragons, in true Valley spirit used the opportunity to train and practice their attacking runs.
Next Saturday morning they take on Croydon at home in Millgrove and hope to put those attacking runs to good use.
Yarra Valley U13’s however were on the other end of the forfeit equation and handed the Knoxfield U13 Force a win.
In a trend that bore out across the competition, many matches were lost to forfeit due to COVID illnesses and, contentiously, having the opening round in the last long weekend of the school
holidays.
In the game that did take place, Yara Valley hosted Knoxfield U15 Force at Millgrove Recreation Reserve, where, despite a goal from YVSC’s George Lyons and sensational effort from Player of the
Match Audrey Lyons, Knox prevailed in the 3-1 loss. Coach Finlay Kerridge was particularly impressed with the YVSC U13’s who helped bolster the U15’s numbers.
“Everyone played in the right spirit, they all played tremendously,” he said.
Next Saturday the U15’s play Northern Eagles at Wilson Rd Reserve in Eltham, while the U13’s host the Monbulk Rangers razorbacks at Millgrove, both games start at 10am.
The YVSC Senior Men’s team meanwhile, had a convincing 8-0 victory over the Bayswater Strikers while the Senior Men’s Reserve team had a 6-0 victory over the Bayswater Reserves.
The win puts the YVSC Senior team to the top of the VCFA ladder after 3 rounds and establishes them as a team to beat this season.
The YVSC ‘Thunderthirds’ had a difficult game at home, yielding to Waverly City SC, 2-6; while the YVSC 4ths team managed 3 goals against the Blackburn Hawks 7 goals.
The VVSC Women’s team was the final beneficiary of the forfeit equation in this round, gaining the points when Croydon Ranges couldn’t field a team.
