By Jonty Ralphsmith
Pakenham’s youth has propelled it to a strong two-week period, following up a 5-4 loss to Casey with a 2-0 victory over Barton.
The Barton win was Pakenham’s fifth of the season, with 15-year-old Osman Sesay scoring the match-winner midway through the second half.
The previous week Liam Brooks scored a hattrick – including the fastest goal in club history inside 18 seconds – while fellow teenager Jacob Smit also found the back of the net in a promising first half.
All six goals in the two matches have come from players who have graduated into the senior team from the junior program.
After scoring just 18 goals in the first 16 matches of the season, comfortably the fewest in the State League 5 South competition, the six goals in the last fortnight have come off the back of playing a different style.
“We’re a little bit more aggressive and on the front foot,” coach Dean Alburey said.
“We want to be proactive and go after it a bit more and actively try and deny opposition time and space with the ball and we’ve had a couple of goals come from that.
“Experience can catch us out defensively with the youth we’re playing.
“We’ve got video footage though which I don’t think they were getting previously so hopefully it is a helpful addition but going over that showed them how they could do things a little bit better so hopefully we can implement them in the games coming up.”
The increased competitiveness has heralded a more positive atmosphere around the club as Alburey begins to put the steps in place for his first full season in charge next year.
Highlighting the demographic of the team, six players have made their senior debut across the last two games.
“Considering the situation we’re in with a sudden change at a weird time of year for the lads and the youth we’ve had to play for various reasons, it’s all pretty positive,” Alburey said.
“The buy-in around the club has been fantastic; everyone is chipping in and doing bits here and there.
“I came into the club wanting to build a young squad I could hopefully have sustained success with so youth was always a focus.
“It’s happened a little bit quicker than anticipated because we’ve had unavailability.
“It’s provided a great opportunity for these boys to go out and have a crack.
“They’ve taken it all in their stride and stepped up to everything we’ve asked them to do.
“It’s been a happy coincidence.”
Pakenham will have a tough task on Saturday afternoon against ladder-leading Rosebud, before finishing the season against fifth-placed Mount Eliza.
Elsewhere, Casey was defeated 2-0 by Mount Eliza, Bunyip lost 3-1 to Aspendale, Endeavour Hills lost 3-1 to Mount Martha and Noble had a 1-0 win over Seaford.
