First up win for United

Gippsland United's senior men's team have kicked off their new season in style with a comeback 3-1 win over Chisholm United away from home.

Having been relegated from the South-East's State League 1 to State League 2, Gippsland couldn't have asked for a much better start after slamming home three second half goals to sit second on the table after round one.

Sammy Gatpan scored a brace to lead the charge after the visitors found themselves 1-0 down at half time.
That deficit came despite a fairly dominant display of possession from Gippsland, who found themselves in control of the ball for most of the first half without being able to strike a critical blow.

Chisholm United found the opener instead against the run of play through a penalty, which Gerasimos Kavadas duly converted in the 36th minute.
Down but not out, Gippsland came into the second half full of run, wearing down their opposition until Oscar Sheehan found the equaliser not long after play resumed.

Gatpan, having come off the bench after half time, put his pace to good use, taking advantage of some tiring defenders to put through two goals in the space of five minutes, the first handing United the lead and the second sealing a round one victory.

Gippsland will return home to Baxter Park this Saturday afternoon against Noble Park looking to make it two from two.
Gippsland's senior women also secured a high-scoring shootout victory in round one of the Nike FC Cup, defeating East Kew FC 5-3.

Annie Dempsey kicked two goals while striker Melisse Bath put through a quickfire hat-trick, scoring three goals in less than 15 minutes of game time.

Juniors
Gippsland United FC (GUFC) hosted Port Melbourne in a round defined by tight contests and mixed results across the teams, with several matches decided in the dying moments.

Under 13s
GUFC recorded a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Port Melbourne in an entertaining contest.
Port Melbourne struck early, catching GUFC off guard with an opening goal. Gippsland responded quickly when Archer Riess applied strong defensive pressure, winning possession before cutting the ball back to Tayt Talerico, who calmly finished to level the scores.
The match remained evenly poised, but GUFC created the better chances in the second half.
Riley Nankervis produced a standout moment, driving forward from inside his own half, beating several opponents and delivering a precise cross to Hugh Mawer, who made no mistake to give GUFC a 2-1 lead.
A well-taken corner soon extended the advantage, with Jack Hynd rising above the pack to head home for 3-1.
Port Melbourne managed a late goal to set up a tense finish, but GUFC held firm to secure the three points.

Under 14s
Gippsland returned to winning form with an impressive 3-0 victory over Port Melbourne, built on a strong team performance.
GUFC made a fast start, opening the scoring in just the second minute when Kingston Vella played a perfectly weighted through ball to Jayden Ryan, who beat two defenders before finishing with composure.
Port Melbourne remained competitive and showed technical quality, creating several dangerous moments. However, GUFC extended their lead midway through the half, with Vella finding space and converting comfortably.
Holding a physical advantage, United controlled much of the second half. Yuen Ruey's persistence down the left flank led to a dangerous delivery into the box, and after a scramble, Vella capitalised to score his second and seal the result.
The defensive unit was outstanding throughout, while goalkeepers Aryan Singh and Brock Upton produced several crucial saves to maintain a clean sheet.

Under 15s
Gippsland United's under 15s were edged out in a tight contest, going down 1-0 to Port Melbourne.
In a closely fought match, both sides created chances, but GUFC were unable to find the finishing touch. A single goal proved the difference, with Port Melbourne capitalising to take all three points despite a strong effort from the home side.

Under 16s
GUFC suffered a narrow 3-2 defeat to Port Melbourne in a dramatic clash.
In the dying moments of the match, Port Melbourne found a last-minute winner to snatch victory.

Under 18s
GUFC secured a thrilling 4-3 victory, capped off by a dramatic last-gasp winner.
In an end-to-end contest, both sides traded goals in an exciting display of attacking football. With the match seemingly headed for a draw, Gippsland found the decisive breakthrough in the final moments to claim an important win.
Teams will now reset and focus on the next matches against Ringwood City FC at home on Sunday 29 March.