GSSA 2024: Malcolm Van Burgel scores four in big Phoenix win, Denmark women drop first points of the season

A spectacular double hat-trick from Malcolm Van Burgel has led Phoenix to a huge victory over Stirling Rangers in round 16 of the Great Southern Soccer Association men’s division one on Saturday evening.

Van Burgel took just three minutes to register his name on the scoresheet before scoring again in Phoenix’s four-goal first half to lead his side to a crushing 9-1 victory.

He then added two more in the second half on either side of Rangers’ Liam Pretorius’ goal before Leroy van den Dool netted a brace as Phoenix added four more goals in the final 12 minutes of the match.

Caledonians secured their eighth consecutive victory with a 2-0 win over Bayswater thanks to a match-defining brace from Edward Tikoft.

Tikoft opened his account in the 24th minute before scoring the sealer in the 69th to keep his side two wins clear of Rovers at the top of the standings.

Rovers eased past Polonia by recording a strong 3-1 victory to stay within touch of the ladder leaders with four matches remaining in the season.

Bradley Bielecki and Malachi Tsuki combined inside 15 minutes in the first half before Bradley Chapman scored in the 72nd minute to take a three-goal lead.

Sam Jackson converted a penalty late in the match to give the Polonia faithful something to cheer about.

Late heroics from Phoenix’s Emily Amoraal on Friday evening meant Denmark dropped their first points for the women’s division one season after the two were locked at 3-all on the final whistle.

Amoraal scored an equaliser in the 88th minute to finish with a brace and end Denmark’s 14-game winning streak.

With each goal ladder leaders Denmark scored, Phoenix had the answer.

Denmark took the lead on three occasions through Elise Beaubien, Abby Carter and Lumeah Masih, but Phoenix dug deep to score as many equalisers with Asha Postmus also scoring a crucial goal in the draw.

Mt Barker’s Libby Morris scored a crucial early brace to help her team to a 4-3 victory over a spirited Rovers to extend their gap over fourth-placed Phoenix.

Morris scored twice in the first half, before Georgia Whitelaw nailed two at the start of the second half to even the ledger.

Gabrielle White gave Mt Barker the lead heading into the final 10 minutes before Timea Hurle netted the sealer in the 87th minute.

Rovers’ Rebecca Crotty scored a minute later to spark life into a miraculous comeback, but they were beaten by the final whistle.

In the final match of the round, Caledonians bounced back from last week’s loss with a consummate 5-1 victory over Polonia courtesy of a hat-trick from Kayla Stoney.

Stoney took just three minutes to score before adding her second on the stroke of half-time as Caledonians took a 2-1 lead into the break.

Rhiannon Cross netted a goal off the bench in the 65th minute before Stoney converted her third goal just 10 minutes later.

Maddison Manolini then rounded out a complete team performance with a goal in the 85th.