Sport
20 June, 2025
Ballarat North hand Maryborough 4-0 loss
The Maryborough Soccer Club went toe-to-toe with top-of-the-table Ballarat North United on Sunday, but the visitors proved to be too good, leaving Jubilee Oval with a 4-0 victory
After showcasing their ability to compete with the league’s elite in their 1-0 loss to Forest Rangers before the King’s Birthday Weekend break, Maryborough wanted to kick off the second half of the season with a rejuvenating performance.
The blue and whites needed a good start against the league leaders to cement their position in the contest, however, those plans were dashed almost immediately.
First, a Maryborough mishap at the back allowed Charlie Richardson to score on an open net, putting the blue and whites 1-0 down inside eight minutes.
Four minutes later, the hosts believed they earned a massive opportunity at an instant reply, appealing for a penalty for a potential handball inside the box.
Despite Maryborough’s protests, the referee didn’t point to the spot, and from the ensuing counterattack, Mikiyas Stevenson Chamings delivered a cruel twist of fate, finishing a one-on-one to give the visitors an early two-goal cushion.
With Maryborough forced to chase the game against a very talented team, Ballarat North United made the most of the blue and whites’ higher defensive line.
Some acrobatic saves from Maryborough goalkeeper Jay Murdock and a goal-line clearance from Cullen Green were needed to keep the score at 2-0 by half time.
The blue and whites created a few openings on the counterattack through Julian Callea and Seng Ngim in the first half.
Now heading into the second half, Maryborough knew they couldn’t rely on the counterattack with Ballarat North United setting up more defensively to see out the result, meaning they needed to take more risks in attack.
Ballarat North United took full advantage of Maryborough’s new aggressive approach almost immediately, as Henry Ward virtually sealed the contest in the 49th minute to make it 3-0.
The visitors would add another through Jackson Mciver late in the second half while keeping the hosts scoreless for the fifth consecutive game to put themselves five points clear in first.
The defeat indicates Maryborough’s noticeable improvement this season after losing 7-0 and 6-0 in their two meetings with Ballarat North United last season.
After a run of tough fixtures, Maryborough will be confident they can break their scoring rut against sixth-placed Bacchus Marsh Scorpions at Jubilee Oval this Sunday.
Goals from Callea and Bj Melton were the highlights for Maryborough in their season-opening loss to Bacchus Marsh.
With the blue and whites recent improvements, a much closer contest is expected.
