Tara Murray
Balmoral is focused on continuing what it has been doing, with a championship and promotion firmly on the cards in FV state league 5 west.
After 14 rounds, Balmoral sits atop the table with a perfect 14 from 14 record.
Club president Enver Malkic said they couldn’t have asked for much more this season.
“It’s going beyond our expectations,” he said. “We’ve played 14 games for 14 wins and conceded just six goals.
“Half of those goals came in a 15 minute period when our first goalkeeper went off injured.
“The goal for us is to get promoted and win the title.”
Balmoral has been in the mix the last couple of seasons, finishing third in 2022 and were sitting equal third on points in 2021 when the season was called off due to COVID-19.
In 2019, they finished in second spot, just one point behind Barnstoneworth United which was promoted.
Malkic said they wanted to take the side of the next level and beyond in the future.
“State league 5 isn’t easy,’ he said. “Teams that are involved have high quality players and we want to match and go above them.
“We were missing the x-factor last season, so we added a lot of quality players from higher divisions.
“Our goalkeeper is from state league 1 club Altona City, while we got two players from Kingston City. A lot have already signed for next season.
“We’re pleased to be where we are.”
As well as bringing in some high quality players, the club is focused on bringing through players from their junior program.
He said they had five or six under-18s in their reserves side with the aim to bring a couple of up seniors each year.
“We want to develop our own homegrown players.”
Balmoral faced the Surfside Waves on Saturday after deadline.
Balmoral came away with a 2-0 win.
The club then has a couple of big weeks ahead of it with clashes against second placed West Point and third placed Melton Phoenix in the next three rounds.
Wins in those matches will take the side one step closer to the title. Malkic said it will be a challenge.
“We already have about three players left to go overseas on a holiday,” he said.
“We were aware of that at the start of the season. We have another three leave next week so we will be tested.”
Off field, Malkic said everything was going well with a change of committee bringing in some fresh ideas as they aim to strengthen not only the senior but the junior programs.
“We have a lot of energetic young people who have brought in,” he said.
“Last season was the first we had a technical director and we’ve got more quality coaches for the juniors.
“Everyone is working together.”
