FOOTBALL Federation Sunraysia (FFS) has lauded participants for following the rules as competition resumed on Sunday.
The junior J-League soccer competition was able to finally get under way following the COVID-19 pandemic delaying the start of the season, with FFS general manager Susan Watts praising all who ensured the sport could resume.
“Everyone was really good and did the right thing,” she said.
“I did have to remind a few people they needed to be 1.5 metres apart but it went well.”
Under the COVID-19 guidelines participants had to be registered, with hygeine and social distancing protocols adhered to.
“When the sub juniors start this week that’s going to be a bit tougher,” Watts said.
“There’ll be more people coming and going and the little kids will be excited.”
FFS has also put a call out to spectators and parents/guardians to email their details to further note who was coming in and out of the grounds.
The weekend also heralded the debut of the under-16 and under- 13 girls’ grades.
One club, Northern Suns, had to forfeit their matches due to flu symptoms grounding a host of players but they are expected to play going forward.
Unfortunately, the start of S-League senior soccer has been pushed back due to rising coronavirus cases in Melbourne.
Teams were meant to start senior contact training this week and competition from July 26, but the Victorian Government has delayed that indefinitely.
“Hopefully it will be perhaps a week or two but that depends on what happens in Melbourne,” Watts said.
“I’ve had different thoughts on that, some of the senior men are looking at a certain date and saying we won’t start if it goes past that. One club has indicated it is happy to play as many games as it
can, so when the time comes we will have to take a vote as to how that’s going to happen.”
RESULTS
Under 16s
Mildura City 8 Irymple Knights 1
Goals: Mildura City: Christian Pollifrone 5, Meric Kiran, Nicholas Lia, Jasper Gemits. Irymple Knights: George Karallis
Mildura United had the bye
Under 16 girls
Mildura City 6 Nichols Point 1
Goals: Mildura City: Ellie Dimasi 3, Chelsea Pollifrone 2, Macaila Britton. Nichols Point: Maia Gowers.
Under 14s
Mildura City (14) 11 Irymple Knights 0
Goals: Mildura City: Jasper Gemits, Harry Watt 3, Campbell Brown 2, Tenace Moraitis, Adlin Martin. Irymple Knights: own goal
Mildura City (13) 4 Three Colours 4
Goals: Mildura City (14): Amanjot Singh 2, Isabella Palamara, Jack Almond. Three Colours: Nathaniel Bathe 3, Yuna Rurageze.
Nichols Point had the bye
Under 13 girls
Mildura City 4 Nichols Point 2
Goals: Mildura City: Isabella Palamara, Zalia Fluer 2. Nichols Point: Maia Gowers 2.
Northern Suns forfeited to Irymple Knights
Under 12
Irymple Knights Green 8 Irymple Knights White 0
Goals: Irymple Knights: Luka Primarano 3, John Holani 2, Luca Primarano, Alexis Pantazopoulos, Christian Panagiotopoulos.
Mildura City Red 16 Mildura City Black 2
Goals: Mildura City Red: Harvey Brown: 5, Johan Jeevan, Oliver Richards 3, Jontae Moraitis, Dante Mammone 2, Sebastian Lia. Mildura City Black: Alessio Mammone, Nikolas Muraca.
Nichols Point Orange 9 Nichols Point White 0
Goals: Nichols Point Orange: Rhylan Carter, Hamish Pitt, Colby Marr 2, Francis Boulton, Liam Milne, Jordan Szeto.
Nichols Point Black had the bye
