An Ethan Debono double along with goals to Oliver Cockle and Xavier Bertoncello sealed a 4-1 victory over Mounties Wanderers for the boys youth team as they push for promotion.
Ethan Debono opened the scoring in the 14th minute. Xavier Bertoncello turned his man before floating a cross into the Mounties area. Janni Rafty got his head onto the cross, forcing the Mounties keeper to parry the ball. Debono took control of the loose ball before firing it through the keepers legs into the back of the net.
The rest of the first half was end to end, with several chances falling to both the Youth team as well as Mounties Wanderers, but the score would remain at 1-0 going into the halftime break.
The Jets would add the second goal of the game in the 65th minute, with Debono adding his tenth goal of the season. Angus Muddle played a ball up the line searching for Oliver Cockle. Oliver evaded his defender before driving in towards goal. Once getting into the box, he slid a ball across the box looking for the onrushing Bertoncello. The keeper would push the ball away, but only into the path of Debono, who rocketed his effort into the back of the net from close range.
Oliver Cockle would get his name on the scoresheet just five minutes later. Bracco would find Xavier in the middle of the park, who turned before playing Cockle in behind. Oliver would drive towards goal before finishing with a small deflection off the defender, helping his effort in beating the keeper. That goal made it twelve goals in first grade for the 17-year old, as well as four first grade games in a row with a goal. He also scored on Wednesday night for the first team as they defeated St George FC 4-1 in a pre-season friendly.
In the 78th minute, Xavier, who also scored for the first team on Wednesday, would add his twelfth goal of the season. Cooper Vimpani would slide Bertoncello in behind, who would then nutmeg his defender before storming into the box and finding the bottom left corner from a tight angle. This goal would make it his seventh goal in his last five games for the Youth team, as he leads their goal-scoring tally alongside Cockle.
Mounties would grab a consolation goal just moments after, leaving the score at 4-1 when the fulltime whistle came. The Youth team currently sit fourth in the FNSW League One, just four points behind league leaders Norther Tigers. The team are back in action this Saturday, 26th July against Bonnyrigg White Eagles at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility. U20’s kick-off at 5pm, whilst 1st Grade starts at 7pm.
