Just short of toppling top

July 22 2014

Shepparton News

Goulburn Valley Suns’ under-13 boys pulled off an unlikely draw against top-of-the-table Box Hill on Sunday, claiming a 2-2 result.

A win would have seen the Suns move to the top of the under-13 table, but despite taking a 2-0 lead into half-time, courtesy of goals from Nicholas Elder and Fraser Gosstray, they couldn’t hold on.

A draw is more than enough to entrench the Suns in the top eight, which will give them an opportunity to play-off for the title during the next eight weeks.

The weekend’s round was the last of the regular home-and-away fixtures in the National Premier Leagues Victoria junior competitions, with each age division now splitting into two halves.

The top eight sides in each group will play off to win the league title, while the bottom eight will also play off, but can only finish as high as eighth.

Aside from the under-13s, the under-14s were the only team to make the top eight.

Not one of the Suns’ junior sides finished bottom of the table, which technical director Pat Kielty said represented a successful first season.

‘‘When I took this on, I thought if we can get through the home-and-away season without a single team on the bottom, I’d consider it a success, to be honest,’’ Kielty said.

‘‘We’ve been allowed to drop one team for the next phase of the season and we’ve decided to drop the under-18s.

‘‘Most of them can play under-20s and we need the numbers there because we’ve lost Riley Hamilton to the seniors now.’’

The under-12s capped the season with a 6-0 loss to Box Hill to finish in ninth place, while the under-14s confirmed their spot in the top eight with a 4-0 win.

Isaac Read netted a hat-trick, while Elia Lulerhe got the other.

The under-15s won a thriller 3-2, with Read, Tom Kielty and Fedah Aziz among the goals, while the under-16s lost 3-0.

The under-18s lost 6-2, but won the second half 2-1 after being 5-0 down at half-time.

Rocky Papalia and Kyle Harris got the goals for the Suns.