Moss Vale shows off its skills

Moss Vale Soccer Club played in the Senior Branch Championships on the South Coast on Saturday, October 13 and Sunday, October 14.

On Saturday, Moss Vale Soccer Club drew with Eurobodalla 1-1, and the Highlands-based team also had a draw with Shoalhaven.

However coach Bill Smillie said it was a fantastic effort from the Moss Vale team.

“It was a terrific effort. They were representative teams and we were a club team,” Smillie said.

“It was a great weekend. We were extremely competitive all the way through, it was good football.”

The Moss Vale team overcame several challenge during the competition, with three players sent off with injuries.

Moss Vale also competed with fatigue and playing in the heat.

On Sunday, Moss Vale played Eurobodalla, and lost 4-1.

The Highlands team held its own against the home team, that had the opportunity to bring new players into the team for the day-two game.

“We didn’t have a bigger squad. They were all close enough they could draft people in,” Smillie said.

On Sunday the team played the Far South Coast, and lost 2-1.

However Smillie said Moss Vale players’ efforts were something to be proud of.

“We had them under pressure and unlucky to get a draw with them,” he said.

“If we played them again i think we’d give them a run for their money.”

Despite narrowly missing out on several wins, the team took a lot away a lot of lessons from taking part in the South Coast competition.

“It was a good learning curve for us going through something like that,” Smillie said.

“It’s been an unbelievable season. For a club to do this well is great, Moss Vale has never had a team do as well [in the competition].

“I’d say we were the youngest team [in the competition]. There’s scope for growth.”