Bendigo City's historic first match in the NPL1 under-18 division was a learning experience for the talented teenagers. Avondale won the game 3-1, but Bendigo coach Greg Thomas was proud of his side's efforts. "After the first 20 minutes we were fantastic,'' Thomas said. "We looked really nervous early on and Avondale scored twice in the first eight minutes. "Once we settled down we played really well and it looked like we could get something out of the game until they scored their third goal late in the game. "Our boys could hold their heads high. At this level, every week is going to be tough, so it's a great learning experience for the boys." Hamish Walker scored Bendigo's goal 10 minutes into the second half with a classy volley from 20 metres out. Bendigo City hosts A-League club Melbourne Victory from 1pm this Saturday. READ MORE: Bendigo City's winning streak snapped in State League Five Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
