Sport
27 June, 2025
Maryborough battle it out with Bacchus Marsh in entertaining 5-2 defeat
A brace from Maryborough talisman Julian Callea wasn’t enough for the blue and whites to defeat Bacchus Marsh on Sunday, with four first-half goals helping the Scorpions take a 5-2 victory.
After going their last five games without a goal, including a 4-0 loss to league-leading Ballarat North United the week before, the Maryborough Soccer club were keen to get on the scoresheet against Bacchus Marsh to give themselves a chance at three points.
Despite Bacchus Marsh creating more chances early at Jubilee Oval, Maryborough had more control of possession compared to their recent fixtures as they looked to work their way into the match.
That all changed when the Scorpions’ Edsson Rincon drew first blood in the 17th minute, getting on the end of a pullback and lashing the ball into the back of the net.
Bacchus Marsh would double their lead three minutes later in spectacular fashion, when Christopher Pratt delivered an absolute missile into the top-left corner from 30 yards out, putting the blue and whites well and truly on the back foot.
Things went from bad to worse for Maryborough when Bacchus Marsh was awarded a penalty in the 29th minute after Cullen Green handled the ball while trying to stop a shot.
Kyle Stewart made no mistake from the spot kick, leaving Maryborough keeper Jay Murdock helpless to stop the Scorpions from scoring another.
Now 3-0 down inside 30 minutes, the blue and whites desperately needed a moment of magic to give themselves a chance at a comeback.
Enter Callea, who in the 38th minute attacked on the right flank and managed to sneak a shot past the Bacchus Marsh keeper at the near post, giving Maryborough a jolt by making it 3-1.
That jolt quickly turned into frustration three minutes later when Pratt once again attacked the left flank, this time assisting Thomas Shaw with a pullback to restore the Scorpions’ three-goal lead just before half time.
Despite some strong defensive performances from Jack Schaffer and Neil Smyth, Maryborough found themselves 4-1 down at the break, forced to chase the game in the second half.
With the blue and whites committing themselves in attack, Jalen Shugg virtually iced the game for the Scorpions in the 67th minute, with his strike giving the visitors a 5-1 lead.
Determined to fight until the very end, Callea added a consolation goal in the 71st minute, which was his eighth goal of the season, but that was as close as Maryborough got, eventually losing the game 5-2.
Even in defeat, the blue and whites can take some encouraging signs into this Sunday’s fixture against Creswick.
A Callea double guided Maryborough to their first win of the season against Creswick in their last meeting, defeating the Cougars 2-1.
