The Daylesford and Hepburn United Soccer Club has secured the talents of four former Ballarat Red Devils juniors in a bid to bolster attacking options in the 2017 Ballarat and District Soccer Association season.
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Owen Turbitt, Aiden Mayger, Lachlan Torquati and Jordy Barnes are all originally local talent, but have spent time honing their soccer skills in the junior ranks of the National Premier League for the Red Devils.
The quartet has returned home under the coaching of Dragi Koleski.
Turbitt and Barnes are certain to cause headaches for defenders in the BDSA, with a recent string of good performances at training.
Mayger and Torquati are younger and agile, and have shown great talent already, with Mayger scoring many goals in the Red Devils Juniors and Torquati knocking back an overseas contract.
The signings come as the club prepares for a tilt in the BDSA’s top flight after finishing second in the division two competition in 2016.
DHUSC senior team manager Ivan Carter said the additions would play a crucial role in the club’s division one campaign.
“The aim of our club is to encourage as many of the talented juniors to have a go in the NPL as possible but it’s always fantastic when they return,” Carter said.
“I think we will be competitive (in BDSA division one), but the speed and strength will be a bit of a challenge for some of the young kids.”
Also joining the ranks at seniors level are Marco Gonzalez from Chile and Sebastian Ironside who returns to the club from FC Brussels.
The seniors will kick off the first weekend of April, with a number of practice matches lined up for late February and March against Kyneton, Creswick and Castlemaine.
For the first time in more than 10 years the club will also look to enter two senior outfits into the BDSA competition, with a reserves side to again compete in the division two competition.
“It helps to have the two sides because it means you can have a place for those who wish to play socially while also having a pathway for the more talented players,” Carter said.
Daylesford and Hepburn United juniors will start training in March with the oval at Victoria Park nearing completion of the re-seeding.