In what was a busy weekend for Maclean Bobcats FC, sponsored by the Maclean Bowling Club, it ended up being four wins from four across all senior competitions.
In a weekend that was an absolute goal fest it started with their 2nd Div side overcoming local rivals Iluka on Saturday in high scoring 4-3 affair where Luke Lambert and Harry Evans both scored twice to see Bobcats over the line is a fiercely competitive match.
The Sunday triple header was the place to be with no less than 20 goals scored across three matches.
It started with the Women’s Premier League which was one of the most see-sawing, free flowing games ever witnessed at Barry Watts Oval, the home of the Bobcats. Both teams netted once each in the first half and with the game locked at 1-1 nobody expected what was to unfold in the second half. Both teams went goal for goal until the Bobcats eventually triumphed with a 5-4 win. Rachel Anderson was outstanding with 4 goals and Emily Loy chipped in with a fifth that sees the Bobcats move up the premiership ladder.
Next was the Mens Championship League fixture that almost matched the women with goals and entertainment. Mitchell Dick gave the Bobcats the lead after 10 minutes with good pace and a classy 1 on 1 finish to set the Bobcats on their way but that was short lived, and Alstonville were ruthless in front of goal and were leading 3-1 by half time. That was hardly reflective of how close the contest was, and it seemed the Bobcats needed a moment of inspiration. With 20 minutes to go up stepped captain Nick Potente who let fly from 25 metres out and bulged the net to give the Bobcats a lifeline. What happened next was incredible. Liam Shaw, who was returning from injury, took the game by the throat. First, he equalised with a classy finish 1 on 1. Then he netted from a tricky close range indirect free kick. He put the cherry on top of the win with an intelligent and confident 40 metre thunderbolt strike that caught the Villa keeper off his line and rounded out a thrilling come from behind 5-3 win. Shaw’s cameo and hat trick was more than enough to win the Maclean Variety Meats Man of the Match.
With so many goals already in the net the Mens Premier League took the field against Mullumbimby Brunswick Valley in what seemed a hard act to follow but did not disappoint. Both teams were desperate for a result, but it was Braidy Power-Casson who broke the deadlock mid-way through the first half when he bundled the ball in after being deployed in a more advanced midfield role. Alex Moffitt was outstanding in goals, making a series of saves to maintain the locals lead and the Bobcats cautiously held a 1-0 lead at half time. The steel and team spirit that coach Jarrad Doyle has been instilling came to the surface in a dominant second half from the Bobcats. Star midfielder Nelson Burgess doubled the lead midway through the second half when he burst into the box from the left. Then break out striker Zane Neilson put a classy exclamation mark to confirm all three points with 15 minutes to go when he whipped one in the far post to round out a 3-0 win and one of the great days for Maclean FC in modern times with 3-0 whitewash across all grades. Moffitt’s first half heroics won him the McMahan Electrical Man of the Match.
The Bobcats are all over the place next weekend with the Mens Championship League at Casino on Saturday. Womans Premier League at Dunoon on Sunday along with the Mens Premier League at Alstonville at the same time. All three sides have momentum behind them, and things are looking up from their mid table positions.