Thunder show grit and skill in big clash

UNDER 8s By JAMES BODYCOAT The sun was shining, the pitch was perfect, and Euroa Thunder were fired up for a big clash against Bourchier Street. Starting one player short, the Thunder showed grit from the first whistle. Ruby was lively up forward, finding the ball often and coming agonisingly close to her first goal of the season. Bourchier Street opened the scoring with a stunner from halfway down the pitch and a contender for goal of the year. But the arrival of Isaiah sparked Thunder’s defence, with relentless chasing and tackling. Momentum shifted, and within minutes Paddy and Noah each found the back of the net, only a minute apart. Between the posts, Skylar, making her debut as goalie, played with the composure of a seasoned keeper, pulling off sharp saves and delivering pinpoint passes . Including the one that set up Thunder’s second goal. At halftime, Thunder held a deserved 2-1 lead. The second half saw Darcy and Max charging forward with pace, both sending shots just wide. Isaiah almost grabbed a goal of his own, while Ruby kept the pressure on in attack. Skylar remained a wall in goals, denying Bourchier Street time and again. Up front, Paddy and Noah continued to shine, each adding another goal, before Noah completed his hat trick in style. SCOREBOARD: Euroa Thunder 5 defeated Bourchier Street 2 It was a match filled with determination, skill, and teamwork from start to finish. Skylar’s heroics in goals and Isaiah’s tireless defensive efforts earned them the day’s awards. The Thunder’s spirited performance had parents proudly cheering all the way to the final whistle and a brilliant win on a brilliant day. UNDER 12s By HAYLEY ROWAN In perfect conditions, the Euroa under 12 boys faced an in-form Kyabram side in what turned out to be a nail biting encounter. The first half was a tightly contested battle, with both teams creating chances and applying pressure. Jasper’s relentless running and ability to find space finally paid off when he broke the deadlock, giving Euroa the lead. Kyabram, however, struck back late in the half to level the scores at one goal all. After the break, Euroa lifted their energy and began to find more rhythm, pushing forward with determination. Despite this, Kyabram managed to edge ahead two to one. The Euroa defence stood strong, while the midfielders worked tirelessly to support both ends of the pitch. Their hard work was rewarded when a superb through ball found Harry, who skilfully slotted it home to make it two-all. Kyabram again looked set to take the win after regaining the lead, but Euroa refused to give in. In the dying minutes, Nick found the back of the net to equalise, sealing a three-all draw. AWARDS: Harry, Leo, and Luca