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 Melville City went down 2 – 1 to league leaders UWA-Nedlands

On a rainy Saturday afternoon at McGillivray Oval.

Two early goals in as many minutes were enough to ensure that UWA-Nedlands took the three points and extended their unbeaten run.

James Plowman gave UWA the perfect start within the opening minute when he rolled defender Clayton Kendall and outpaced Lee McKay to smash home UWA's first. UWA went two up just a minute later after a dubious offside call benefited Plowman who ran onto the through ball and slotted past goalkeeper Stewart Dalgarno.

Despite the start Melville controlled most of the first half and continually had UWA on the back foot. Melville's pressure was rewarded in the 20th minute when Paul Sanchez hassled UWA's defence into a poor back pass which he latched onto to pull one back for Melville. Sanchez was unlucky not to have another 5 minutes later after a cutback from Michael Jennings was fired just over the bar.

Injuries to several Melville players forced a reshuffle but Melville continued to apply the pressure to UWA whilst rarely being troubled in defence. UWA's best opportunity to put the game beyond doubt fell to Jack Mann who was the recipient of a poor clearance by Dalgarno; however, his first time shot crashed against the cross bar and was cleared from danger.

Melville should have snatched a point from the game in the dying minutes when a long ball was flicked into the path of Sanchez who found himself one on one with goalkeeper Danny Roberts but his shot was well saved by Roberts.

The match official brought proceedings to a close and Melville were left rue another missed opportunity.

In the earlier match, Melville's reserves lost 1 – 0 to UWA.

Melville 0 – 1 Subiaco

Subiaco overcame a one man disadvantage to upset Melville City 1 nil at Len Shearer Reserve on Saturday. Despite controlling most of the game and creating numerous goal scoring opportunities, Melville was unable to convert and were undone moments from full time by a fast moving Subiaco counter attack.

Melville started the better of the two sides and created several opportunities through attacks down the wings. Melville's best opportunity fell to Innocent Zico who found himself unmarked inside Subiaco's 18 yard box but his half volley was blocked by some desperate Subiaco defending.

Against the run of play Subiaco almost took the lead just before half time. Only a goal line clearance by Lee McKay was enough to keep scores level at the half time break.

Melville continued to dominate possession and create numerous opportunities in the second half but either the final ball lacked quality or Subiaco's goalkeeper was on hand to deny Melville's strikers.

In the 66th minute, Subiaco were reduced to 10 men after an off the ball tussle. With the advantage, Melville continued to press and were unlucky not to go in front on several occasions. Firstly, Sasa Slavujevic's first time shot was just saved by the goalkeeper's outstretched foot and then Kudzi Chigwanda's goal bound header was just tipped around the bar by the goalkeeper.

As Melville continued to search for the elusive goal, Subiaco pounced on a counter-attack in the 78th minute. A long range strike was not held by Delgarno and Subiaco's Jordan Rhodes was first on hand to fire home on the second attempt to give Subiaco an unexpected lead. Despite the extra man, Melville could not pull level and Subiaco ran out winners 1 – 0.

In earlier results, Melville's youth team lost 3 – 1 to Subiaco and Melville's reserve team beat Subiaco 6 – 4 in a highly entertaining affair.

Fremantle upstage Melville 2 – 0

Fremantle moved to the top of the State League Division 2 table after a convincing 2 – 0 win over favoured opponents Melville City at Len Shearer Reserve on Saturday. Two well taken goals by Fremantle in the first half were enough to close out the game and guarantee the three points.

Fremantle took the early ascendency within 5 minutes after a brilliant cross from the left wing was tapped in by Fremantle's striker Paul Neff, leaving Melville's goalkeeper Stewart Dalgarno with no chance.

Fremantle continued to look the better of the two teams with Melville struggling to hold their shape against a side playing a similar brand of football. On the other hand, Fremantle skipper Willy Pender was pulling all the strings for Fremantle in the midfield.

Fremantle's dominance was rewarded in the 25th minute when some lose marking allowed Fremantle's left winger to cut in and drill a low shot through the legs of the lunging Melville defender and beyond the outstretched arm of Dalgarno to make it 2 – 0.

Some positional changes injected a bit more life into Melville in the second half, but they struggled to create any real opportunities up font as Fremantle committed more players behind the ball in order to defend their lead.

As the game opened up midway through the second half, Dalgarno was called into action on several occasions, saving several shots from Neff who continued to cause Melville's defence a great deal of trouble.

Ultimately, Melville were unable to break down a resilient Fremantle defence whereas at the other end Melville were lucky not to concede more as they pushed to get back in the game. Fremantle ran out deserved winners 2 – 0.

In earlier results, Melville's reserves lost to Fremantle 4 - 1 and Melville's youth team lost to Fremantle 4 - 0.

Melville City FC V Joondalup City Saturday 31 March 2012

Melville City FC claimed their first win of the new state league season beating opponents Joondalup City 5 – 3 on Saturday. Michael Jennings scored a hat trick and Sasa Slavujevic a brace as Melville lead from start to finish.

Melville took the lead in the 3^rd minute as Jennings latched onto a loose ball inside the box to header beyond the outstretched Joondalup goalkeeper.

Melville doubled their lead in the 9^th minute after being awarded a penalty following a clumsy challenge by the Joondalup defender on Lee McKay. Slavujevic stepped up and converted the penalty sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.

Joondalup pulled a goal back in the 24^th minute after a long throw caught Melville’s defence out and Joondalup’s striker was on hand to score past Melville goalkeeper Stewart Dalgarno.

Just before the halftime break, Melville restored their two goal lead. A long goal kick by Dalgarno was flicked on by McKay into the path of Jennings who sidestepped Joondalup’s goalkeeper to convert truly.

Early in the second half, Joondalup again pulled a goal back after their striker beat the offside trap from a long clearance and ran onto the ball and drilled a shot past Dalgarno.

Melville made it 4 – 2 sixth minute later. A free kick just outside the 18 yard box was taken by Slavujevic who powerfully struck the ball into the bottom right of Joondalup’s goal.

Melville put the game beyond doubt after a sweeping move through the midfield was finished by Jennings who was on hand to tap Kudzi Chigwanda’s cross into an open net and complete his hat trick.

Joondalup continued to fight and managed to get a consolation goal after Dalgarno’s attempted clearance deflected into the Joondalup striker’s path who had little difficulty scoring into an empty net.

Any comeback was stamped out by the match official who ended proceedings with the score 5 – 3 to Melville.

In earlier results, Melville's reserves beat Joondalup 4 - 2 and Melville's youth team lost to Joondalup 4 - 0.

25 February 2012

Melville go down in first night series game

by Clayton Kendall: Newly promoted state league outfit, Melville City Football Club, lost their opening night series fixture on Saturday night against fellow state league opponents Morley Windmills at Wotton Reserve. In a game that created few opportunities, it was Morley that took advantage of some loose marking to take a 1 nil lead in the 85th minute and then resolutely defend this lead to take maximum points away from the fixture.

The opening 5 minutes of the match saw both teams trying to assert their authority but neither side was able create many clear cut chances. Morley was content to try their luck from distance, but Melville custodian and captain Stewart Dalgarno was rarely troubled. Melville on the other hand tried to exploit Morley down the left flank with some good link up work between Sasa Slavujevic and Simon El-Chami; however, the final delivery into the box was lacking.

Melville looked the stronger of the two teams leading into the second half, trying to play the ball around the Morley midfield whereas Morley were looking to exploit Melville's high defensive line with long balls.

As the rain started to pour towards the end of the game, the game increased in intensity as both teams looked to get maximum points; however it was Morley that created the first real opportunity in the 85th minute. Some poor defending allowed the Morley striker to pick up the ball just inside the box, turn and curve a strong shot passed Stewart Dalgarno.

Spurred into action, Melville commenced wave after wave of attack and were aided when Morley was reduced to 10 men after a lack of discipline got the better of Morley's striker. Danielle D'Ulisse went close after getting on the end of John Brennan's cross and Sasa Slavujevic has his precise shot tipped around the post by Morley's goalkeeper. Time proved to be Morley's savior as they held on to take a 1 nil win.

In the earlier game, Melville's reserve team won 3 - 2 against Morley's reserves. A goal to Jack Haldane and a brace from Danielle D'Ulisse was enough to cap off a strong performance.

Melville's next night series fixture is this Saturday evening versus Gosnells City at 7pm at Wotton Reserve. Please come along and support your team.

Sunday 5-2-2012

Report by James Wragg

There were goals aplenty at Alfred Skeet Oval on Sunday 5th February as Inglewood United and Melville put on a goal scoring feast with the premier league side surviving a spirited comeback by Melville to eventually win 6-4.

To continue reading the full story please go to Football West:  www.footballwest.com.au

Boys 2011 Wrap

By David Long: So another season is over and as coaches, managers and parents we progress one more notch up the ladder guiding our children from small-sided-games through to where they emerge at U18. And every year brings a mixed bag of success – for me personally this manifested itself in two ways: firstly that the U16’s team that I help coach played beautiful football with team spirit even if we occasionally under-achieved in games we should have won; and secondly that I emerged myself from a season playing masters football in my mid-forties without too many injuries!

For the junior boys teams we had some notable achievements from the U18 division 2 who won their league, and from the U14’s teams who not only did well but have a team heading to Singapore to compete in the Singa Cup. This year’s U12’s are showing exceptional promise with a 2nd, 3rd and 4th placing in the blue, green and orange leagues. And the U12 Blue going into premier division in 2012 as U13’s. From a club level however, we might measure success on a different level. We are twice the size we were five years ago. With 31 (u10 to U18) junior boys teams in 2011, and we are the biggest junior boys club in the city, unlike some clubs we also extend across the complete spectrum of age groups. This has produced growing pains and a strain on resources, but it also represents more girls and boys of all abilities outside kicking a ball rather than inside on the play station!

Melville prides itself on retaining its inclusivity. We field more teams, be it sometimes in the lower leagues, because we don’t believe in turning players away whatever their ability. That is also success.

One of our biggest challenges is to find enough coaches and offer as much support and training to give these people the tools to guide and motivate our players – and in 2012 we hope to be more successful in that. To that end we do heavily subsidise coaching courses so please consider taking up one of these.

I’ll finish by offering a big thank you to everyone who helped out during 2011 and making an appeal to all mums and dads who think they might have something to offer in 2012:

• Come and make this club your club and share in your child’s experience – We love offers of help and we will try to enable you to do so.
• Continue to support your team with fair play and respect for the officials and the other team
• Support competitiveness but encourage participation and equal opportunity for all players.

Have a great summer and we’ll see you back at the club in February, if not before for trials or pre-season scratch matches.

Girls 2011 Wrap

By Jonny Gibson: Our girls and ladies are great - no doubt about it. A special mention goes to the teams below:

• 13 Div 1 Runners up league and top 4
• 13 Prem – league winners, runners up top 4 and 13’s cup winners a special thanks to the girls from 13 Div 1 and 14 Prems who occasionally assisted this team in their endeavours.
• 14 Premiers League winners and runners up top 4
• 17 Prems Runners up league, cup and 3rd in top 4.

Winners Bunbury Cup with excellent support from the 14s prem and ladies (all under 16).

Add thank you to the coaches, assistant coaches, team managers and parent helpers this was a great year for the ladies and girls. Thank you also to the Sink Warehouse for their sponsorship efforts, the kit was stunning and definitely raised awareness of the issue of breast cancer in our communities.