IT was a weekend of mixed results for the Swan Hill Soccer League, with the sole win coming from the Swans’ under-16 boys side.
It wasn’t just any old win however, with the boys thumping the normally competitive Strathdale SC 7-1.
Sonny Tucker pounded home five goals to open the season, starting in the second minute when he slid one past the outstretched hand of keeper Daniel McIntyre.
From then on, it was all Swan Hill, with Tucker scoring again in the 29th and 42nd minutes to give his team a 3-1 lead at half time.
The second half became a procession, with Tucker finding the net in the 61st and 74th, with Qarin Zulkarnain (72nd) and Bailey Johnson (89th) completing the rout.
In the men’s fixture, Swan Hill played out a 2-2 draw against Shepparton SC, securing a point thanks to a 90th minute strike from Jason Stokes.
Midfielder Santhosh Gunasekeran was the other Swan Hill goal scorer, levelling the scores at 1-1 in the 25th minute after an earlier Josh Dimit strike gave Shepparton the lead.
Shepparton regained the lead in the 63rd minute before the late equaliser.
The other results failed to fall Swan Hill’s way, with the women’s team beaten 8-0 by Border Raiders FC in Moama.
After letting six goals through in the first half, the young Swans produced a much more competitive second half, creating a number of chances and showing significant improvement.
Swan Hill’s under-14 girls stepped out for the first time in the club’s history, completing the pathway from juniors to seniors for female footballers in the region.
In their first competitive match as a group, the Swans were far from disgraced, with an honourable 2-0 loss to Kyneton FC, showing their potential against far more experienced players.
The Swans kept Kyneton scoreless in a positive first-half performance, but were unable to maintain the rage after half time, with Kyneton’s Sierra Benedict scoring a second-half brace to give the home side victory.
