BOOMERS coach Andrew Grove is hoping a second round win against Myrtleford is a sign of a change of fortunes.
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Last year the club was ravaged by injuries and accidents that saw them limp to the halfway mark of the competition.
This season the early signs are more positive.
Last year Boomers opened with a 1-0 win against Hotspurs and repeated it this year.
But in the second round they were overrun late in the game to lose 4-2 against eventual Cup and League winners Wodonga Diamonds.
This year Boomers are two from two after a solid 2-0 win against the Savoy in the Ovens Valley.
Grove said it was solid form to be taking into a telling clash with Albury United this weekend.
“We have Dustin Patten at the back who has given us some quality, skill and strength, while Jordan Crawford in the middle of the park is also in good touch,” he said.
“Patten has returned to the club this year and in some ways Jordie is like a new player.
“He really only played the final month last year after being injured early in the season.
“The other positive has been the natural improvement of some of our juniors.”
But Grove said neither team created many opportunities in the first half of Sunday’s match.
“We went to the break at 0-0 but Peter Noordewier scored inside 10 minutes and I got the second with about 15 minutes to go,” he said.
“It was a good win against a team that I think will improve as the year goes on.
“Clearly they miss a player like Dan Summers but they still have some quality players and will push the top teams this year.”
Grove expects the Green Machine to be in the top four this year.
“United were very good in the pre-season and will no doubt be pretty physical,” he said.
“The way the byes work out it is their first game but I know they have been playing practice matches and expect they won’t suffer too much from a lack of game time this weekend.”