Flurry of blows underscores state of affairs at Bendigo Amateur Soccer League halfway mark

The reigning premier has powerfully pushed aside all who have faced it down, maintaining its staggering average of more than six goals a game in its first time through the fixture order.

Goals were the theme of the weekend up and down the fixtures with at least five coming in all eight senior men’s and women’s games.

As for Tatura’s ruthlessness, it went back on full display under the chilly atmosphere of Saturday night lights at Vibert Reserve against Shepparton.

The rescheduled fixture got off to, let’s say, an eventful start when Shepparton keeper Khan Benice was sent off 10 minutes into the evening, forcing an outfield sacrifice that left the home side destined to battle uphill all night.

That it did — but it did so valiantly.

The ladder-leaders naturally flexed their muscle and imparted their will over the largely academic remaining 80 minutes, with young prospect Xavier Black at the double alongside top goal scorer Fraser Gosstray for the Ibises.

That said, Shepparton would not go quietly into the freezing night with Leo Szwec and Abdal Al Hashoush providing strikes of defiance to salvage some positives from the affair.

Tatura ultimately had little trouble maintaining the perfect record in its 6-2 win, but coach Tristan Zito gave the opposing red team some credit.

“I thought we controlled the game well, but they showed a lot of heart and passion in not making it easy for us,” Zito said.

“Given they had 10 men, I have to give kudos to them for giving us a really tough game.

“Fraser and Xavier were both very good up front with their braces. I think Xavier is only 16 or 17, but he’s gotten an opportunity and run with it.

“He works really hard and we love having Xavier around the club.”

In reflecting on the series of maulings Tatura has produced as it prepares to go through the order again, Zito is wary of new challenges.

“We’re happy to not have dropped points, but we know everyone will be bigger and better the second time around, so we can’t get complacent,” Zito said.

“We just have to keep going with it knowing there’ll be challenges every week, and if we rock up expecting to win every week then we won’t.

“Shepparton South is a side that always lifts to our standard and vice versa, so hopefully we can get a win at Epsom next week and keep moving towards them.”

Speaking of Shepparton South — and getting wins out west — the black and white saluted in a big way all its own in meeting Spring Gully earlier on Saturday night.

Stephen Appiah’s hat-trick underscored South’s total control of proceedings, with the 2023 runner-up proving far too strong in an 8-2 rout that saw the star man up front close in on Gosstray and move to 10 goals.

Strathdale notched a crucial set of three points at the halfway stage in a thriller at home to Epsom on Saturday afternoon, hanging on to a 3-2 win over Epsom despite being reduced to 10 men.

Rounding out the weekend’s action on Sunday afternoon was Eaglehawk doing the job at McEwen Reserve, with Keegan Smyth and Jesse Matthews netting twice each in a 4-1 win.

The goal glut continued in the women’s competition as Spring Gully United stayed perfect and comfortably accounted for Shepparton South in a 6-0 drubbing on Saturday.

Shepparton United stayed a step back in second courtesy of a dominant 5-0 win over Eaglehawk, while Strathsfieldsaye Colts held up their own end by sweeping five past La Trobe University for its fifth win.

Tatura moved into the top half of the table on Sunday with a strong 5-1 result at the expense of Kyneton Districts.