Round 8
Mother Nature paid us a visit this weekend to remind us the Soccer is a winter sport. And boy did she remind us! I won’t lie - I was glad of a bye for our team that’s for sure! Read on to support all the junior teams who braved the weather to take to the pitch.
No games for the next 3 weeks due to school holidays. Safe travels for those heading away, and we will see you all back in July for Round 9!
U7 Shadows
The rain and wind didn’t stop the U7 Shadows from turning up with a lot of energy and team spirit against the Busselton Jaguars at Churchill Park. The Jaguars put up a strong defence but the Shadows demonstrated some great passing skills to keep the ball in their attacking half. The Shadows showed great team work, sharing the ball around which resulted in multiple goals from Ted, Kai, Elkie and Harry, while Kaden and Jimmy kept up the strong defence. Most importantly, the whole team demonstrated fair play and great sportsmanship celebrating both our and the oppositions achievements. Huge thank you to The Golf Gardens for the Player of the Week voucher, which went to Ted for his 2 amazing goals and getting back in the game after taking a rough tumble.
U8 Falcons
It was a wet and windy finish to the first half of the season. The Falcons hosted GMAS Glory and both teams defended and attacked with great skill in the conditions today. It was a great game to watch with with all players enjoying the last game for a few weeks. Player of the day was Matthew who has improved every week and cemented himself as a tough defender.
U8 The Breakers
Not even squalls of rain could "break" the Breakers as they took on the Panthers. A huge team effort, with Liam and Sophie named players of the day and taking home well-deserved Dominos vouchers.
U9 Magic
Team Magic headed to Vasse this week to take on the Rattlesnakes, with the weather deciding to throw in a few extra challenges! The Rattlesnakes proved to be tough opponents, but Magic never stopped fighting.
Austin exploded out of the gates with his trademark speed and energy. Between the posts, Mitch and Zephyr were both outstanding making lots of brave saves, with Zephyr pulling off a string of spectacular diving stops that even had the opposition applauding.
Oleg fought through the tough defense to score early. In the second half, Savannah slotted a brilliant goal past the keeper which sent the traveling crowd into raptures. A minute later Mason rode the wave of energy scoring another magic goal for the team.
At the back, Elbi was rock solid, repeatedly clearing the danger from the oppositions attack with some timely defensive work. Captain Charlie led by example, creating attacking opportunities and delivering a FIFA-worthy corner kick in the dying seconds that almost produced one last bit of Magic.
Player of the day went to Oleg for his fearless tackling and strong turnovers. His willingness to put his body on the line and his bravery inspired the whole team to keep fighting to the last whistle. Thanks to Dominos for sponsoring this week’s Player of the Day voucher.
U9 Messi Kids
It was a local derby day for the U9s with The Messi Kids vs The Raptors on a cold, wet winter’s day. The Raptors opened the scoring early from a corner, before both teams battled it out in a closely contested, end-to-end game full of exciting attacking soccer and great chances at both ends.
Early in the second half, Quinn found the equaliser for the Messi Kids with a well-taken goal, set up by Clancy. The remainder of the game continued just like the first half, with both teams locked in a closely contested battle.
Ezra and Malakai each played a half in goal and both made some excellent saves. Jack and Max produced some strong runs down the wings, while Quinn was strong in central midfield, driving the team forward with some great runs through the middle. Elliana was, as always, rock solid in defence.
Clancy had a brilliant game at centre forward, earning Player of the Match, with a well-deserved hot chocolate and brownie voucher—the perfect reward after such a cold and rainy game!
A fantastic team effort by everyone in very challenging conditions, and it was great fun playing familiar faces from around town in such a close game. Well done, Messi Kids and Raptors.
U9 Raptors
The River Raptors produced another determined performance on derby day, battling to a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Messi Kids in difficult wet and rainy conditions. Both teams only had the bare 7 players each with multiple players missing, it was an even well fought battle.
Led by captain Eddie, the Raptors started brightly with Lochie taking his place between the posts. Early pressure paid off when the team earned a corner opportunity, and Ollie finished superbly to give the Raptors the lead.
The attacking trio of Ezra, Eddie and Beau combined brilliantly throughout the match, creating chances and keeping the Messi Kids defence under constant pressure. Their energy and teamwork gave the Raptors plenty of attacking momentum despite the challenging conditions.
Messi Kids responded with sustained pressure, but the Raptors remained composed. Lochie produced an important save, while Ollie showed his commitment at both ends of the field with a crucial defensive block to preserve the advantage.
The second half began in dramatic fashion, with Messi Kids finding a quick equaliser to make it 1-1. The pressure continued to build, but the Raptors stood strong and refused to be broken. Three free kicks in the half provided attacking opportunities, while Will was outstanding in defence, launching several big clearances and keeping the backline safe.
Lochie, Ollie and Aston were exceptional in denying Messi Kids easy runs on goal, working tirelessly to close down space and frustrate the opposition attack. Aston also produced a timely header to help relieve pressure at a crucial moment.
With Beau taking over in goal, the team continued to battle bravely until the final whistle. The scores remained locked at 1-1, but the performance spoke volumes.
In wet and rainy conditions, the River Raptors displayed incredible determination, teamwork and resilience. Their fighting spirit and collective effort earned them well-deserved recognition as a team to watch this season.
A fantastic derby encounter and another proud performance from the Raptors.
U10 Legends 11
An early start at Churchill Park saw the Legends XI overcome the remnants of a wild night's weather, with the rain easing enough for an enjoyable morning of junior football.
From the opening whistle, the Legends XI settled into the match with confidence. Players instinctively found their positions and combined well across the field, producing a cohesive team performance built on communication, teamwork and plenty of positive play.
The visitors maintained their momentum throughout the game, creating opportunities across the pitch and supporting one another from start to finish. It was an impressive all-round effort that reflected the team's growing understanding and commitment.
Delasi and Emma were recognised as Players of the Day for their outstanding contributions, with thanks to the FMR canteen for generously sponsoring the Player of the Day vouchers.
The Legends XI finished with a victory over GMAS Cyclones, but the morning was another great example of junior football, with players from both teams enjoying the chance to compete and continue developing their skills.
U10 Mavericks
The wet weather did not dampen spirits at Gloucester Park on Saturday and we saw a tight match between the FMR Mavs and Rovers. A final score of 4 – 3 in the Mavs favour evidence of a close game. Ziggy Farina and Samson Durlick both showed tenacity on the field and their great team spirit saw them awarded well deserved Players of the Day.
U10 Raptors
A wet but wonderful match was played with the Raptors playing the BCFC Stingers. Player of the day was Jay Wheatley who was outstanding and a real team player for the whole duration of the game. Thanks to Domino's Margaret River for the voucher
U11 Hornets
The Hornets travelled to Churchill Park in Busselton to take on the BCFC Possums on a cloudy, windy, and wet morning. A rainbow appeared before kick-off, which seemed like a good sign for the day ahead. Despite the challenging conditions, the Hornets played with great determination and teamwork, scoring some epic goals on their way to an exciting victory.
A special congratulations goes to Declan, who was named Player of the Day for his outstanding effort and performance. Thank you also to the FMR Canteen for generously providing the Player of the Day voucher. Well done to all the Hornets players on a fantastic team win! 🐝⚽
U11 Serpents
The Margaret River Serpents took on the GMAS Tornadoes on this wet Saturday in Busselton. The rain held off for most of the match, only arriving in the final ten minutes when it bucketed down — though it did little to dampen the spirits of either side.
The Serpents put in a strong performance, stringing together some great passes and using the full width of the pitch to good effect. A standout on the day was Jonnie, who stepped up in goals for the first half before taking to the field — and didn’t skip a beat. Tireless, energetic, and always in the right place at the right time, it was no surprise when he was named Player of the Day.
A big thank you to Two Cracks Coffee for generously sponsoring the Player of the Day prize!
U12 Roos
Local Derby drama - Roos hold nerve against Storm. A wet and wonderful Saturday morning saw the Roos take on the Storm in a hotly contested home derby. The first half was a strong showing for the Roos. The defence stood tall, with Roos marshalling the back line superbly on a tricky, damp pitch. Keeper Didi was sharp between the posts, pulling off a few fine saves to keep things tight, while the attackers created several promising moments that had the crowd on its feet. As the second half got underway, the rain continued to fall — but not a single player let it dampen their spirit. The match burst into life when Charlie Bursey produced the moment of the game, unleashing a stunning strike from near halfway that flew into the back of the net. From there, tensions rose as the clock ticked down. The ball swung end to end in a nail-biting finish, with the Roos looking most dangerous when they found space to open up and drive toward goal. They held their nerve when it mattered most. Player of the Match: Ray Gardiner — relentless in midfield, always first to the ball, and never gave up on a single challenge. A thoroughly deserved honour. Enjoy something warm with a voucher to a fantastic club canteen! A fantastic effort from the whole squad to round out the first half of the season. Enjoy the break, Roos — you've earned it!
U12 Storm
What a morning of football! We had rainbows, we had sun, we had rain, and we had a Derby. U12 Storm took on our friendly rivals the Roos in what turned out to be one of the best games of the season so far. From the first whistle the kids were locked in, showing some truly terrific teamwork and real ownership of the ball as they worked it around the field.
They soaked up both the rainstorm and the Coach's encouragement, putting it straight into their play. Storm spent the majority of the game camped in the Roos' half, creating chance after chance. In the end the two friendly rivals couldn't be split and the game finished in a draw; a fair result for a great contest between two great FMR teams. Our Players of theDay, with thanks to Dominoes, went to Sunny and Billy for their fantastic efforts.
U13 Breakers
The Breakers met the All Stars at Gloucester Park for a derby that took place under scattered showers. The Breakers took the upper hand early when Lennox put a ball to the back of the net. Fynn played purposefully in the first half and shot a goal to take out POD along with Ronan who played an impressive game in midfield. Special mention to Oscar for fluent passing on left wing along with Zoe who played an incredible defensive game against Zoe in attack. Thanks to Golf Gardens for prizes.
U14 Stingrays
The Stingray's faced tough opposition today against GMAS, who were placed only one position lower in third. In terrible conditions with strong winds and torrential rain both teams fought extremely hard. They went into the half time break with the Stingray's up by one goal thanks to scoring machine Oscar Atkins. The second half proved to be an even greater battle with both teams really going for it. The game was finally decided with about 3 minutes to go thanks to a well-taken goal from man of the match Louis Bebbington. Thanks very much to the sponsors Golf Gardens.