Essendon Royals produced an emphatic performance on Friday night, securing a stunning 5-0 victory over Brunswick Juventus at Cross Keys Reserve. In a match that saw goals from Dean Clarke, Jordan Adeyemi, and youngster Marcus Kotronis, the Royals sent a strong message to the rest of the VPL2 league.
The Royals started brightly and took the lead early. Dean Clarke opened the scoring with a brilliant strike, showcasing his quality once again after scoring a brace in the previous match. Clarke, who appeared to be limping, surprised everyone with a powerful shot from just outside the box that found the back of the net, putting the Royals 1-0 up just before the break.
Essendon continued to press int he second half, and in the 45th minute, they doubled their lead. A well-worked move down the right-hand side saw Graham Kelly deliver a pinpoint cross to Jordan Adeyemi, who finished expertly to make it 2-0 just before the halftime whistle.
The second half saw more of the same dominance from the Royals. Adeyemi was a constant threat, and his pace caused problems for the Juventus defense. In the 60th minute, Adeyemi’s persistence paid off as he laid the ball off to Clarke, who smashed home his second goal of the night, extending the lead to 3-0.
With the game seemingly out of reach for Brunswick Juventus, the Royals brought on young talent Marcus Kotronis. The debutant made an immediate impact, scoring his first senior goal for the club in the 78th minute. Kotronis showed great composure to finish off a move that had the Royals faithful in dreamland, making it 4-0.
The icing on the cake came in the dying moments of the match. Adeyemi capped off a brilliant individual performance by scoring his second goal of the evening. A corner delivered into the box caused chaos, and Adeyemi was on hand to scramble the ball over the line, sealing a 5-0 victory for Essendon.
This dominant display sees the Royals climb the ladder, closing the gap on the top four and bolstering their promotion hopes. The result is a testament to the team’s resilience and attacking prowess, sending a clear message to their VPL2 rivals.
Essendon will look to build on this momentum as they prepare for their next fixture, aiming to continue their climb up the standings.
© Essendon Royals Soccer Club 2024
