Sport
11 July, 2025
Maryborough triumph with 6-2 victory
The Maryborough Soccer Club has earned its second win of the season, outlasting Daylesford and Hepburn United in an entertaining goal-fest 6-2.
The victory meant the blue and whites have leapfrogged Daylesford and Hepburn on the Ballarat District Soccer Association division one table, now back into ninth.
Following their disappointing home loss to Creswick last week, Maryborough was keen to impress against a Daylesford and Hepburn team that recently surpassed them in the standings.
Similarly to their Creswick defeat, the blue and whites had a dream start at Jubilee Oval when 2023 club golden boot winner Brett Davey opened the scoring inside 60 seconds to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
The strike was Davey’s first goal of the season and sparked his teammates to chase another while they had the upper hand.
Daylesford and Hepburn recovered well from the early setback as the game slowed down following a frantic beginning.
With Maryborough attacking with the long ball to take advantage of their height and Daylesford and Hepburn driving forward with the ball at their feet, the clash of styles created half-chances for both sides, however goals weren’t forthcoming for the majority of the first half.
That all changed in the last five minutes of the half when the game suddenly burst back into life.
First, Daylesford and Hepburn’s Adam Sadler equalised in the 40th minute, with his tidy finish making it 1-1.
Then, Frey Pelham made it a devastating double three minutes later, giving the visitors the lead in the 43rd minute.
After being 1-0 up, Maryborough’s tendency to give up a goal just before half time this season had come back to haunt them, twice, suddenly 2-1 down on the eve of the first half.
However, the blue and whites had time to create one more chance right at the death of the first half, and talented youngster Kynan Carter delivered, burying his opportunity into the back of the net to draw the hosts level.
With the score now 2-2 at the break, the blue and whites had their tails up, keen to assert control of the match in the second half.
Six minutes after the restart, Maryborough retook the lead, with Davey slotting his second goal of the game to make it 3-2.
With Daylesford and Hepburn now forced to chase an equaliser, Maryborough began to have more space in attack to serve the killer blow.
Maryborough talisman Julian Callea stepped up to deliver that knockout punch, doubling the hosts’ lead in the 59th minute.
Riley Gardam was awarded for a strong performance with his first goal of the season in the 64th minute before Jake Bucknall added a misery-compiler in the 86th minute, completing Maryborough’s commanding victory.
After scoring three goals in their last seven matches, all through Callea, it’s an encouraging sign that Maryborough had five different goal scorers on Sunday.
The blue and whites get to bask in their victory for a while longer as the league enters a week-long hiatus this weekend before Maryborough returns to action on Saturday, July 19 against Victoria Park to end their five-game home stand.
Despite the Vultures smashing the blue and whites 10-2 in round two this season, Maryborough will be quite confident they can improve after their recent victory.