Solomon Islands soccer player Rovu Boyers has helped his club West Adelaide’s promotion into the National Premier League (NPL) of South Australia next season.
The Solomon Islander was a key signing for the West Adelaide as he has scored 12 goals so far for the Hellas, the second highest behind his teammate Yuya Kato with 13 goals.
Boyers and fellow Solomon Islander Junior David are both marching into the grand final of the Football South Australia (FSA) state level competitions with their respective clubs after last weekend’s second leg semi-final victories.
Boyers and his West Adelaide side won 2-0 against Fulham United and booked their ticket to the grand-final and the biggest prize of them all – a promotion into the FSA NPL next season.
David, despite being an unused substitute for Croydon saw his club overcoming Adelaide City 3-2 on penalties and with a 4-3 on aggregate after a 1-1 in the first leg, they are also marching into the grand-final.
As for Boyers, his club’s promotion to the South Australia NPL after finishing third on the table behind Sturt Lions and Fulham United was a bitter-sweet icing on the cake.
After spending a season long journey in the FSA State League One division, West Adelaide qualified for the playoffs where they started off beating Cumberland United before taking on Fulham United in two match home and away semi-finals. The first leg ended in a 1-1 draw.
On Saturday, Boyers and his West Adelaide side beat Fulham 2-0 in their second leg match granting them automatic qualification to the top division. The Hellas entered their second leg match on Fulham United grounds.
Boyers was named in the starting line-up and they wasted no time when in the third minute Dion Kirk scored the opening goal for a 1-0 lead into halftime.
They added their second goal in the 49th minute after a throw-in ball to the winger who delivered a perfect ball for James Odenwalder to score West Adelaide’s second goal.
Boyers remained pivotal in Hellas’ attacking game until he was replaced in the 64th minute.
The Hellas went on to win the match 2-0, a 3-1 aggerate as they gain automatic promotion to the FSA NPL next season.
Their celebrations have already started but they still have one more match to attend, the grand final against Sturt Lions.
Meanwhile, David’s club Croydon FC also played in its second-leg semi-final against Adelaide City on Saturday following their 1-1 draw in the first leg.
The match was locked nil-all at full-time and extra time. A penalty shoot-out was the only option left to separate the two semi-finalists.
Adelaide City missed their first two penalties but converted two, while Croydon converted their first, second and fourth, missing both third and fifth. The penalty scoreline was 3-2 at this stage.
After Croydon missed their fifth, all they needed to win the game was for Adelaide City to also miss their fifth.
The Adelaide City player squared off against the Croydon goalkeeper. He took the shot which went right into the keeper’s diving hands.
Croydon’s keeper guessed right as they went on to win 3-2 in penalties.
David sat through the entire match on the bench and celebrated with his teammates after the semi-final win.
The win grants them their ticket into the grand-final against league leaders Metro Stars to decide who will become champions of the FSA NPL.
Boyers and David will both be playing for their respective clubs in the FSA NPL level if their contracts are extended until next season.
Meanwhile, their participation in the South Australia state soccer competition was through Australian Government support in meeting the cost of what it takes to get them to Australia in February 2025 under the Solomon Islands – Australia Partnership program.
This is on top of Australia’s four- year SBD18.4 million investment to support the development of football throughout the Pacific.
By Ethan Habru
In Adelaide
