Sport
4 July, 2025
Fast-starting Maryborough lose out to Creswick 3-1
The Maryborough Soccer Club couldn’t hold on to their early advantage against Creswick on Sunday, eventually succumbing to the Cougars 3-1.
Fresh off scoring two goals in a competitive defeat against Bacchus Marsh, the blue and whites believed they had a strong chance of repeating their 2-1 victory over the Cougars earlier this season at Jubilee Oval.
Julian Callea, who scored both goals in Maryborough’s round four win, once again tormented Creswick almost immediately, breaking the deadlock inside two minutes to give the blue and whites a perfect start.
Callea’s early breakthrough was his ninth goal of the season in 10 matches, placing him tied for third in the race for the league’s golden boot.
Maryborough’s dream start came crashing down in the 24th minute when Creswick striker Florian Metivier equalised the match with his seventh goal of the season.
Despite both teams creating numerous chances in the latter stages of the first half, the score remained 1-1 at half time.
With everything to play for in the last 45 minutes, the blue and whites were hoping to replicate their fast start in the first half to set themselves up for a chance at three points.
Unfortunately for the blue and whites, it was the Cougars who grabbed the early advantage in the second half thanks to Beau Field making it 2-1 in the 50th minute.
As time slowly trickled away, the hosts took risks with their defensive line and shape to try and create an opening to score their first point since round four.
That left the blue and whites vulnerable to the counterattack, which Metivier took full advantage of, doubling the visitors’ lead in the 78th minute.
That goal proved to be the dagger, as Maryborough couldn’t respond in the dying stages of the match, allowing Creswick to confirm a pivotal victory in their season.
The result was a bitter pill to swallow for the blue and whites, as they now sit at the bottom of the division one table after 11 rounds.
Maryborough have a tremendous opportunity to pull themselves up the ladder when they take on ninth-placed Daylesford Hepburn United at Jubilee Oval, who just earned their first win of the season against Ballarat last week.
These two teams played a highly-memorable match when they met in round three earlier this season, with Callea scoring a 92nd-minute equaliser to salvage Maryborough a point thanks to a 2-2 draw.
