THE Swan Hill men’s soccer team remains undefeated in the Bendigo Amateur Soccer League Division 2 competition for 2024, following their 9-0 thrashing of Golden City Black on Sunday.
It was yet another dominant performance from Swan Hill’s men’s team, who are already guaranteed of finishing the home-and-away season on top of the ladder and automatically qualify for their third straight Super Cup preliminary final.
In a dominant display from start to finish, the Swans netted six goals before half time before finishing the rout with three more after the break.
It was also a second clean sheet for the season for goalkeeper Riley McCosh.
Conner Brown was again the standout, the Swan Hill striker scoring four goals to take his season tally to 22, and seven clear Border Raiders FC’s Joel Fataolisia in the league’s golden-boot award.
Also contributing on the scoresheet was captain Cooper Fox and midfielder Gareth Johansen, both with two goals, while Jason Stokes also scored a goal.
The Swan Hill women’s team weren’t so fortunate, with their hopes of breaking a decade-long finals drought dashed by a 2-1 away loss to Kyneton District.
It was another strong performance from the Swans, who pushed fourth-placed Rangers all the way to the final whistle as they pressed to score the equaliser in the dying minutes.
Kyneton took the advantage in the 22nd minute through Sian Hooppell, before the Swans answered back 10 minutes later when Maddi Muir-Howie scored from the spot after a handball from Kyneton in their defensive box.
With the scores locked at 1-1 at the main break, it was Kyneton who then broke the deadlock seven minutes into the second half through Molly Wilding, with neither team able to add to their total over the remaining 38 minutes.
The defeat meant Swan Hill needed to rely on other results going their way, which ultimately wasn’t the case, as Epsom Scorpions drew 3-3 with Border Raiders FC to remove the Swans from the finals equation due to their lesser goal difference.
Also in action at the weekend was the club’s three junior BASL teams, with the under-16 girls having to settle for a 2-2 draw with Kyneton at Ken Harrison Reserve.
Trinity Shelton scored both goals for the Swans in the first half, with the home side at one point holding a 2-0 lead before Kyneton pegged the margin back to one just before half-time.
A second-half penalty then allowed Kyneton to equalise, with both teams again pressing hard over the dying stages in search for the matchwinning goal to no avail.
Swan Hill’s under-16 boys followed the girls’ game, with their match against Castlemaine Gold ending in a 2-1 loss to the Swans.
Taking on the second-placed Castlemaine, Swan Hill took it right up to the visitors, who at one point held a 2-0 lead before Sonny Tucker cut the margin in half midway through the second half.
Try as they did, Swan Hill weren’t able to find the equaliser, however, with Tucker showing his attacking skills and providing a constant threat to Castlemaine.
Also at home, Swan Hill’s youth boys team twice led Shepparton South SC before eventually going down 8-2.
The Swans opened the scoring and, after Shepparton equalised, then scored the third goal to take a 2-1 lead.
They were unable to maintain their form against their older and more experienced opponents, with Cal Croskery and Faizal Amran scoring for Swan Hill.
