31 Aug
What a season
Congratulations to all who finished the season, what a season it was the ladies finishing on top undefeated, with 38 points from a possible 42, 64 goals for and 5 against and to top it off we had 2 ladies Alice Stoiden and Aleisha Newman qualify to represent the VCSA Vic squad in Newcastle in October. In the mens C team what a heart breaking Saturday the 28th of August was, so close and so far, with most of the team new comers to the club they seemed to gel very well to have a fantastic season scoring 74 goals and conceeding only 16 they were very unfortuniate
not to take the flag finishing 2nd with 45 points out of a possible 54 points. The A team and B team both had a tough season yes still finished mid table which is still a good result considering injuries etc. This weekend both the ladies and the C,s team play at home in semi finals the ladies at 1pm and the men at 3pm I would encourage all members of the club to be there to support the teams as they head twoards possible silverwear. Lets show all the other clubs just how good we can do things in the west by having the biggest support group at these matchen on the weekend and to follow them into the finals on the following weekend.Congratulations to all voulenteers and committee members who have worked for the club this year.
UNITED WE STAND
23 Aug
Thank You Ladies
You know it is a tough job to get a bunch of ladies together when most of them have not played football before and try to shape them into a team. The ladies team of Western United F.C. have proven that by true devotion, commitment and a willingness to learn anything can be achieved. The weekend result did start a while ago and it is thanks to all who gave their all to the taks of winning VCSA championship. In 2006 I started aS coach with the view of gining one year to the ladies team, 4 years on And with only 2 original players from 2006,Mim Anderson and Hannah Terry the team achieved what all sporting teams want to achieve. All the team know how I feel about them but I would like it to be in writing to stay with the club for years to come, that I am so proud of the way the ladies team have applied their skills over the last year, even in the face of defeat we have kept a positive attitude and turned things around. We stand to go undefeated for the season with a win this weekend against Monbulk, as I tell you all whatever the mind can concieve and believe it will achieve, lets keep that winning feeling going. We have the semi-final on the 4th of Sept which we will need to apply ourselves to. Glen Eira are no easy beats but we know we have the goods to go all the way. Win that we will play either Eltham or Northern Pumas in the final. Lets do it ladies lets show just how good the ladies of the west are.
Mandy got her dream goal to clinch the trophy of champions, who will it be who scores their dream goal to clinch the cup. Thank you again for all your efforts this season. YOU CAN DO IT
21 Aug
Title Town
In dramatic fashion, and after 12 long seasons, Western United clinched its first major trophy today as the Ladies completed a flawless season with a 2-1 victory. The win officially crowns the ladies champions and sends Manager McKenna off on the best note possible.
A Mandy Greenaway strike 12 minutes from time secured the win but not after a frustrating afternoon has to first be endured. Captain Taylor put United infront but the lead only last 90 seconds. Then after the woodwork was struck three times, Greenaway delivered the goal that all strikers dream of; a goal that wins your team a trophy.
The building blocks for this success were put in place many years ago and, although falling narrowly short last season, 2010 has, at last given the ladies and WUFC as a whole its first title.
To add to the drama, the club's Division 6 side now face a top-of-the-table match against Mooroolbark next week, needing only a draw to be crowned champions.
Today, however, must be about the Ladies. Co-captains Taylor and Evans have lead magnificently from the front, often in a talismanic role, often inspirational, never devoid of an appropriate word.
Under these capable duo, the goals have flowed freely from the two superheros up the front, Greenaway and Newman.
Then, as the other 'bookend' of the team, Terry, has shown fearlessness and passion in repeatedly keeping teams at bay.
When one adds the classy pair Stoiadin and Macknamara, the brick wall of Bonnicci and the guile of Porras and Anderson, it is easy to see why WU Ladies have marched their way to the championship this afternoon.
They still have the small matter of completing an historic league/cup double in a few weeks time, first achieved by Tottenham Hotspur in 1961. Further to this, if they avid defeat next week, they will have achieved the same thing Arsenal did in 2005...an undefeated season.
In the current Bouyant mood, whose to say these feats cant be emulated?
01 Jun
Round One Shield Game
9 players travelled to Monbulk on Saturday for the first round of the Gwen Wright shield. Monbulk who are sitting 3rd in the first division were met by a determined Western Ladies team who played their hearts out against 16 Monbulk players. With grit the ladies took a one nil lead to the half time break thanks to some fast work by Aleisha Newman who kept her head and slotted the ball home.Monbulk were kept on the back foot as the ladies continued to attack in the second half. It was not until at the 55 minute mark that Monbulk got their first goal courtesy of a long ball from the left side to a loose player an the edge of the box on the right hand side, Western ladied kept Monbulk out for another 20 minutes but the legs had no more left in them a a flood of goals came in a short period including an own goal. The ladies were not discraced even though the score line might suggest that, it was a fantastic job by the nine who played and I as a coach take my hat off to them to last as long as they did. We play at home this week at 1pm against Berwick and would love to see as many as can be there come down to support them. We are still sitting on top of the ladder by 5 points and as that is the main focus for the season I am sure that we will not see another game where we only have 9 players in the side. Keep up the good work girls this is our year.
24 Apr
The Unbeaten Dozen
Western United continued its remarkable start to the season today as all 4 teams maintained their unbeaten start to the season. Most impressive was the 3rds 9-0 trouncing of a home-sick and jet-lagged Monbulk. Karen superstar Toe Noe scored his first hatrick for the club in a dominant display. The ladies were also ridiculously easy victors 7-1 over in Bundoora with Alicia Newman taking her goal scoring tally into double figures and yet it is still only April. In the other matches, the seconds won their third match in a row with the Parker-Evans show up front yet again doing some damage in possibly one of the finest all-round WU team performances in 5 years. The firsts were held to a 0-0 draw in Knox, giving them their third clean sheet in a row and a platform from which to launch as they tackle Crossway at home next week.
21 Apr
Ladies off to flying start
As you all know the ladies have had the best start to the season since I took over as coach. This seasons team have a great belief in themselves and are willing to put in the hard yards to win the flag this year. We have had a few changes since last year, we lost 6 players from last years line up and have had 2 new players come to join us for there first time to play the game out doors. We have had a different line up from last year with Mandy playing up front with Aleisha and the two of them have clicked well. Between them they have scores 5 and 8 goals respectivly, (well done girls). Our mid field this year has done a wonderful job so far and have worked hard as the engineroom should. This week we meet Norhern Pumas away and although we have posted big scores so far I envisage that this week we will meet with some strong opposition. We are down 3 players whic won't help but if we keep to our game paln and work as we have been doing we should hold our own. Looking forward to the cup games we have drawn our nemesis opposition in Mooralbark along with Monbulk Lyrebirds and Berwick these 4 teams make up group 4 and I think we can perform well in this cup group. I would love to avenge our losses in the past to Mooralbark by having the goods on them in the cup (how sweet would that be). Ladies keep up the good work you deserve all the success you get.
11 Apr
Table-Top Dancing
There are moments within a football club that, with the benefit of hindsight, are a watershed, a landmark. These moments are few and far between...to change the culture of a club, never mind a team, is like trying to make the Queen Mary do a U-turn; the boat not the person.
Yesterday afternoon, 52 players stepped on the pitch wearing the famous WU strip; though made even more famous by the likes of Atletico Madrid, Stoke City and even Exeter City.
All 52 players walked off winners. Further more, no goals were conceded and a whopping 23 were scored.
Ten of these were scored by the WU Ladies. This is a team that, in its short 5 year history (with a 2 year gap in the middle) has 1 trophy to its name...the 2004 Knockout Cup. However, on April 10 2010, the Queen Mary turned forever, and quickly.
WU Ladies stomped all over a hapless, dispirited and a languid Knox ladies to the tune of 6 in the first half and 4 in the second half, 5 of which were contributed by the Rolls Royce of the side, Alicia Newman, barely out of nappies.
The destruction and dismantling was completed by Greenaway, Salita, Anderson and Stoiadin as WU Ladies recorded its biggest win ever over any opposition, anywhere.
Newly appointed captain, Rebecca Evans said pitch-side after the match, "from start to finish, from Hannah to Mandy, we were dominant...very pleasing after such a gruelling pre-season. Two months of training doesn't matter unless we actually make it count from April onwards".
Manager McKenna was also pleased with the new formation, the debut of Macknamara, and is happy that his Wife gave him permission to see out another season.
Next week, the Ladies put their watches forward an hour as they travel out to secluded Berwick in, it has to be said, bouyant mood.
The table-topping thirds and seconds are both at home, while the ladder-leading firsts are off to McKillop.
God Bless the Queen Mary.
10 Apr
Match Day 1
In possibly the best collective day for the club in its 11 year history, all 4 teams managed clean sheets and scored a total of 23 goals between them.
In Division 2, WU accounted for new boys SHAC 3-0.
In Division 4, WU defeated Healsville AWAY, 3-0
In Division 6, WU defeated Monbulk 7-0, AWAY
The Ladies had the most impressive result of all, equally the clubs all-time record win, 10-0, with centre forward Alicia Newman equalling the record for the most goals in a single match, 5.
For all individual statistics, please click on "Season" on the right menu bar.
More to follow....
08 Apr
Oh baby!
Congratulations to 3-time Player of the Year winner Matthew Duncan (and current Secretary) and his wife Heidi, on the arrival of their daughter, Annabelle Mary, born last Sunday morning 2am. We wish you Gods blessing as you settle in to a different kind of normal, as a family!
05 Apr
Match Day 1
Western United A V SHAC FC (3pm KO at VUT)
Healesville V Western United B (1pm KO in Healesville)
Monbulk Barons V Western United C (3pm KO in Monbulk)
Western United ladies V Knox (1pm KO at VUT)
