Sport
7 August, 2026
Hat-tricks for Bucknall and Callea in 8-0 win
With just four rounds remaining in the Ballarat and District Soccer Association’s third division home and away season, Maryborough is on the precipice of clinching the top seed for finals after their 8-0 victory over Victoria Park.
While the commanding result was marred by red cards for Kynan Carter and Andrew Love, it preserves the blue and whites’ eight-point gap over Ballarat North United in second.
Similar to the last meeting between Maryborough and Victoria Park back in round nine, ending with a late winner by Maryborough talisman Julian Callea, Sunday’s clash at Victoria Park started rather tensely, as neither team could generate an early breakthrough.
Following a hard-fought 45 minutes, Love put the blue and whites ahead with his second goal of the season.
After Luke Bucknall doubled Maryborough’s advantage early in the second half, the Vultures’ comeback efforts received a major jolt when Carter was sent off in the 55th minute.
Bucknall quickly shut the door on that opening, continuing his sensational goal-scoring form.
With blistering strikes in the 60th and 62nd minutes, Bucknall had eight goals in his last three matches and put the blue and whites 4-0 up.
After making no mistake from the penalty spot in the 66th minute, Callea quickly had a magical trifecta of his own, recording his fourth hat-trick of 2026 after Mitchell Gardam got on the scoresheet in the 80th minute.
Despite a late Love send-off bringing Maryborough down to nine men, Jay Murdock kept his clean sheet intact to complete an 8-0 demolition for the ladder leaders.
The blue and whites will travel to Buninyong on Sunday for a tricky matchup against the third-placed Redbacks.
An early goal from Adarsha Thapa gave Buninyong a 1-0 lead at half time of their round 10 encounter with Maryborough before goals from Callea, Jake Bucknall and Love guided the blue and whites to a 4-1 victory.