Shoalhaven Football Club's introduction to the Football South Coast District League in 2024 has resulted in the club defying all expectations in its first few matches this season.
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With Shoalhaven men represented across four competitions, Youth Grade and First Grade are sitting on top of their ladders, with Second Grade in a competitive sixth place and the Junior Under 18s side yet to commence.
Last weekend, the Youth Grade blitzed the opposition in a 15-1 romp against Warilla Wanderers at Shoalhaven's home ground Ison Park.
After Calci from the Wanderers scored in the second minute, Shoalhaven regrouped and dominated from that point on.
Sharing the spoils were Harry Connell with five goals, Tyler Cooper and Thomas Van Oploo with three each, and Aaron Quirqe, Brock Irwin-Jerman, Jackson Amos and Ethan Leembruggen snaring one apiece.
Coach Rod Connell said the win was "surreal", adding it wasn't a score expected at this level and definitely one of those games where you sit back and wonder how you ended up with a scoreline like that.
Coach Connell was pleased with the fact that the majority of goals were scored by trying to play the game the way they trained, keeping the ball on the ground , moving it quickly and putting the opposition under pressure.
He said the boys put their best foot forward in that respect.
The Men's Second Grade team had a solid 3-0 win against Warilla.
After a hard fought 2-2 draw against Picton Rangers in round one and close losses in rounds two and three, Shoalhaven came out determined to show its credentials and aspirations.
Isaac Quirque found the back of the net in the ninth minute, but the score didn't change until the 61st minute when Tyler Cooper, backing up from a productive Youth Grade game, also scored.
Matthew Higham cemented the win in the 73rd minute when he also scored.
First Grade came into the weekend with a hard fought win against Berkeley Sports away the previous week - a tense encounter that resulted in a number of yellow cards and a send off.
Warilla Wanderers looked confident and slick at the start, scoring in the 11th minute with the score in their favour going into the half time break.
Logan Connell equalised for Shoalhaven FC in the 50th minute, and four minutes later Jaxon Scholtz put Shoalhaven ahead with some magical passing between the forward line.
The euphoria for Shoalhaven was dented when Warilla equalised three minutes later and most of the game's remainder consisted of sustained attacks and desperate defence from both teams.
Logan Connell broke the deadlock when he scored his second to put Shoalhaven ahead in the 89th minute.
The full time score of 3-2 was an accurate indication of a hard fought, exciting and evenly contested match.
After a break for the Easter weekend, the Youth, Second and First Grade teams take on Unanderra away the following Saturday, with the Junior Under 18s men starting their campaign at home at Ison Park on Sunday against Bulli at 1.30pm followed by the Women starting their season on the same day against Berkeley Sports at 3pm.