For the first time Mansfield Soccer Club hosted a match for the All-Abilities Soccer Association on Saturday with a game played between Wangaratta Rebellions and Oakley.

Michael Virgona from the Wangaratta Rebellions explained that the ‘All Abilities’ soccer clubs are for people with all types of mental health and all-abilities who come together and play in the teams – both male and female and from 14 years up.

“We play competitive soccer, social and the like," he said.

“The Wangaratta Rebellions are a regional team – for the whole regional and not just Wangaratta from across the region including Seymour, Benalla and Wangaratta.

“We play every second Saturday and often against teams from Melbourne and Broadford but we have been trying to get a game closer to home and obviously with an association with Mansfield we can make that happen.”

The soccer match on Saturday showed just how efficient some of these players can be.

They work as a team, help each other out and take their games very seriously.

The Oakley team that came to Mansfield this past weekend have been playing together for some 10 years.

“They are a good team and they know each other well, they play together very well and this year we have only three or four new players joining us,” said coach Mark Ngyen.