Both Boomerangs FS teams (men’s and women’s) travelled to Melbourne this past weekend to suit up for their first games in the 2014 Australian hummel F-League.
The men were scheduled to play both Victorian teams in this year’s competition, St Albans Strikers (who finished 5th in 2013) and Vic Vipers (the 2013 Premiers and Grand Final winners). The women had a date with Vic Vipers, a team that finished seventh out of the eight teams competing in 2013.
F-League MEN (video highlights HERE)
Boomerangs FS 12 – 1 St Albans Strikers
(D. Bennett 3, T. Zeitlhofer 3, M. Reeve 2, J. O”Dwyer , G. Smith , A. Konstantinou)
The men started their weekend with the match at YMCA Derrimut at 11am against St Albans. The first half saw both teams ease into the 2014 competition, but with the early difference down to the strong defensive effort by the Boomerangs, including some masterful saves by keeper Konstantinou, while his counterpart let one through in the third minute. Boomerangs doubled the lead at the half-way point of the first half immediately after a St Albans time out; with a the third scored with five to go first half. Konstantinou sealed a 4-0 first half lead with a quick thinking kick over an advancing St Albans keeper to chalk up a length-of-the-field goal. At half time the Strikers may have thought they were still in with a chance, but the Boomerangs lads were only just warming up — an eight goal to one blitz in the second half blew away any hope that St Albans had for a victory in this match.
The second half thrilled the small crowd as the game opened up – suiting the run and gun fast flowing style of the Boomerangs. The pacey, skillful Boomerangs players able to take full advantage with some silky smooth passing moves and back-post goals. Even with the bench mostly operating in the latter stages of the second half, the Boomerangs dominated – especially defensively – making everything St Albans tried a significant challenge. A great effort by the lads and one to blow the cobwebs from the long off-season.
Goal scorers included hat-tricks to both Daniel Bennett (continuing his remarkable season of goal scoring feats in outdoor) and Zeitlhofer; a double to Michael Reeve and singles to O’Dwyer, Glenn Smith and Konstantinou.
Boomerangs FS 4 -3 Vic Vipers
(C. Smith , M. Reeve , J. O”Dwyer , D. Bennett)
If the match in the morning was a reasonably comfortable affair for the Boomerangs men, they knew this match up against last year’s Premiers and Grand Final winner was going to be much tougher. And it was. Both teams were cautious in the opening few minutes, but with the Boomerangs having already played earlier, they were well into their stride before the Vipers had warmed up. An early goal by O’Dwyer in the third minute was followed up soon after by another by Bennett – his fourth for the day. The two goals sparked the Vipers into action, and they worked hard to peg back those two goals with nine minutes to play in the first stanza. Some stunning work by keeper Konstantinou held the Vipers at bay, whilst Cal Smith scythed a path through the Vipers defence and slammed home a sensational effort just before the half-time break. 3-2 to the Boomerangs.
The second half saw the Boomerangs come out of the blocks as they did in the first half and some slick interplay between Reeve and O’Dwyer saw them double the lead with seventeen minutes left on the clock. The Vipers threw everything they had at the Boomerangs in the latter stages of the second half, but the Boomerangs repelled, including a ten metre penalty save by Konstantinou. For the Vipers though, Fernando and Cooper combined – as they had many times in this match – to grab one back with five and a half minutes of game time remaining. But contrary to what many in the crowd were thinking, the Boomerangs did not fade on the back of two games close together, they rallied defensively and did all they could to keep the Vipers out. In a last ditch effort, the Vipers went fifth man (flying keeper), but seemed unable to penetrate the now exhausted and stretched Boomerangs defence.
At 4-3 a great victory by the Boomerangs men, and one to match the early season upset of season 2013 when they also defeated the Vipers 5-2 (in Sydney).
F-League Women (video highlights HERE)
Boomerangs FS 4 – 2 Vic Vipers
(M. Whittall , D. Osman , N. Nisbet , H. Buckingham)
The travelling Boomerangs women looked a little ‘light on’ personnel going into this match as they had a couple of their eight-man travelling squad with injuries going into the game. Meanwhile, the home team – the Vic Vipers women, had a full contingent of 12 players on the field and warming the bench.
Much like the men, the Boomerangs women started the game apace, and had netted two before the Vipers knew what hit them. A nice goal to Whittall to commence proceedings, followed by a tap in rebound by new recruit Nisbett. The Vipers pulled one back with five minutes gone, with a slight fumble by Boomers keeper Curic. The Boomerangs quickly made good though, with Doris Osman soon after netting a neat goal to restore the two goal lead, which is where it remained till half time.
In this first game for these players under stop clock conditions, both squads tired noticeable in the second half. The longer match time should have suited the Vipers with a deeper bench, but the Boomerangs women showed fitness and determination, as well as a high level of skill during this second half. The Vipers scored a second at the five minute mark of the second half, setting the game up for an exciting ending. It was end to end futsal, with keepers from both sides making solid saves, until Buckingham tapped in a rebound from the Vipers keeper with 90 seconds to play to put the game away. It remained Boomerangs 4-2 Vipers.
A great effort for this new look team in their first outing. A deeper bench and increased player availability will certainly help in the home game to follow next weekend.
The Football NSW review of Weekend 1 games can be found at http://goo.gl/ZjE4kD (Men) and at http://goo.gl/gwpCVm (Women).
To see photos of the matches, click on the PHOTO tab on the menu bar.