Southern league: Milestone matches for Sandown Cobras stalwarts

A scoreboard dedication and an armchair ride off the ground for two playing officials made for a memorable night for Sandown.

Sandown Cobras carry Ricky Logan and Ricky Ettridge off the ground. Pic: Sandown FC.

It was a night when names and numbers went on to the scoreboard at Edinburgh Reserve, and for milestones too.

The Sandown Cobras played their first home game for the season last Friday night and started it with a dedication to Yvonne and Wes Dettman and Kev O’Byrne.

The Dettmans and O’Byrne donated a scoreboard for the outer wing at the ground after a digital scoreboard was added above the clubrooms during renovations in 2015.

Everyone agreed it was tremendous but it couldn’t be seen by spectators in front of the social club.

The Dettmans and O’Byrne stepped in with a scoreboard for the other side of the ground, and the club decided to name it in their honour when football resumed in 2021.

At the end of the night it showed a convincing win for Sandown over Carrum Patterson Lakes in the Thirds match, 14.1 (85) to 3.9 (27).

The Cobras gather before the game.

It meant club president Ricky Logan could celebrate his 200th game and vice-president Ricky Ettridge his 150th (which brought him life membership).

Both had been waiting since 2019 to reach the milestones.

They joined the club in 2009 and have become integral to it.

Last year during COVID the pair put the Sandown Cobras on the map with a podcast that went around the world.

More than officials and teammates, they’ve become great mates and helped keep the club going in sticky times.

The Cobras dropped out of divisional football in 2019 due to a lack of numbers, but now they’ve got players missing out on a game.

“We’ve had a good influx this year,’’ Ettridge said.

“There’s actually now a need to train to get a game. We’ve got a good group. Players who come down really enjoy the culture and the direction we’re heading.’’

The Cobras plan to keep building and return to two teams in the next year or two.

Matt McCormick is coaching the club.