ALTHOUGH the rain fell, all scheduled games for the Central Coast Mariners Academy were played over the weekend.
Although the rain fell, all scheduled games for the Central Coast Mariners Academy were played over the weekend.
The Boys Skills Acquisition Program 9 and 10 teams were home at Pluim Park and welcomed Gladesville for their games on Saturday. Both grades played well under what were wet and trying conditions.
Round 18 of the Boys Super Youth League also kicked off at Pluim on Saturday with excellent results in the Grade 13, 14 and 15 Boys for the Central Coast Academy Teams against the Northern Tigers. Michael Glassock in the Grade 13 Boys bagged two goals in his sides’ 4-0 win over the Tigers with a goal a piece to Kevin Robertson and Jed Hornery.
Trent Buhagiar of the Academy 14s kept the goals coming with two in the 3-0 win over the Tigers. Jack Buffon also netted a goal for the Academy which gives the team a healthy goal difference of +25 sitting comfortably in second position on the ladder behind Sydney University.
The 15 Boys also had a strong win with a 5-1 result over the Tigers. A hat-trick to Matt Bennett was followed by goals to Tim Tseng and Sam Pirrottina. The win for the 15 Boys put them in close contention for the top of the ladder sitting just one point behind Sydney University with the Academy team having extra games yet to play. One of those games, a previous washout, will be played this Thursday night at Pluim against eleventh placed Bankstown City – kick off is at 8pm.
The Grade 16 and 18 Academy teams both had to be content with draws on Saturday. The Grade 16 Academy Boys were backing up from a mid-week game where they beat Bankstown City 2-0. The Grade 16 Boys sit top of their season ladder with five games yet to be played.
Saturday also saw the Grade 11 and 12 Academy Boys travel to Nowra to play Southern Branch. It was a positive day for both teams that then travelled up the coast to Wollongong to play Football South Coast on Sunday.
The Girls and Womens Academy teams were also on the road on Sunday to play Northbridge FC at Hills Sports High at Seven Hills.
Sunday was a day of mixed results for the Girls teams with a win to the 16s and losses to the Grade 12 and 14 Girls. The Grade 16 Academy Girls are currently sitting in second place on the ladder behind Illawarra Stingrays but still have two catch up games to play. One of these games will be played this Wednesday at 8pm at Pluim Park and is against fifth placed Macarthur Rams.
In the Seniors, the Reserve Grade squad had a narrow 3-2 loss to Northbridge FC whilst two goals to new recruit Vanessa Hart and one to Briony Holcombe cemented a 3-0 win for the First Grade Central Coast Mariners Academy Women-s side.
The Academy teams all remain in a busy time of the season with a number of teams having catch-up matches in the next few weeks and the count down to the finals series looming.
