⚽ Weekend Warriors: Mixed Results for Murray United NPL Boys
Round Recap: U14, U15, U16 & U17 vs Hume City, Caroline Springs George Cross & North Geelong Warriors
It was another action-packed Sunday at Baranduda Fields for our Murray United NPL Boys, as our squads faced three strong clubs across the state – Hume City FC, Caroline Springs George Cross FC, and the North Geelong Warriors. From impressive individual efforts to team grit, the matches brought both challenges and promising signs as we edge into the back half of the season. Here’s how each team fared:
🔴 U17’s vs Hume City FC
Final Score: 1-4 Loss
Goal Scorer: PJ (Penalty)
A game of two halves for the U17s.
Our boys opened with an excellent 30 minutes, shutting down Hume’s attacking options and creating chances with wide, forward balls. PJ’s brilliant run earned a penalty, which he converted to give us the lead. However, Hume hit back with two set-piece goals before half-time.
The second half saw momentum shift, as Murray struggled to gain control and allowed Hume to dominate possession and tempo, conceding two more. Despite the scoreline, the squad showed patches of promise to build on.
High Performance Players: Oli, Buddy, Bonheur
🔴 U14’s vs Hume City FC
Final Score: 4-2 Win
Goal Scorers: Noah Brunec (2), James Griffith, Hunter Neville
Back in the winner’s circle in style.
Despite limited substitutions, the U14s were full of energy and purpose. Noah Brunec opened the scoring early with a composed finish. James Griffith then won and converted a free kick, while Hunter Neville coolly slotted a penalty for a 3-0 lead.
Two quick goals from Hume gave the visitors a glimmer of hope, but Noah sealed the result with another sharp goal to complete his brace. With a bye ahead, this was the perfect result to launch into the second half of the season.
High Performance Players: James Griffith, Noah Brunec, Hunter Neville
🔴 U15’s vs Caroline Springs George Cross FC
Final Score: 1-2 Loss
Goal Scorer: Asher Royal (Penalty)
Fighting to the finish against the top side.
Back from a break, our U15s met the top-of-the-table Caroline Springs in a fiery clash. After an early goal from the opposition, Murray responded with a penalty from Asher Royal just before the break. In a tense second half, Caroline Springs edged ahead once more with a solo effort.
The match grew physical, with both sides reduced to 10 and then the opposition down to 9 players. Murray pressed hard, and nearly equalised through Andrew’s late header, but it wasn’t to be.
This match marked Cade Webb’s final game as head coach, with Jordan Meredith stepping into the role for the remainder of the season. A heartfelt thank you to Cade for his commitment over many years.
High Performance Players: Xavier Rech, Christian Pasqualotto, Easton Fullwood, Bailey Meredith
🔴 U16’s vs North Geelong Warriors
Final Score: 0-2 Loss
Close contest against the division’s benchmark.
The U16s turned in a strong, disciplined performance against the undefeated North Geelong Warriors. Their defensive shape was excellent, and they created some dangerous counterattacks early. Unfortunately, a defensive misread allowed the opposition to sneak ahead just before the break.
Murray came out firing in the second half, controlling large periods of possession but were unable to crack the Warriors’ sturdy backline. A late second goal sealed the result, but it was a performance full of positives and proof of how far the group has come.
High Performance Players: Koby, Leroy, Odin, Jack, Anu
Next weekend will see both the NPL Boys and the CPL Girls back on the pitch, with the girls having a weekend off due to Emerging Matildas Championships this weekend.
