Bentleigh Greens coach John Anastasiadis admitted that despite taking the three points against Northcote City, his side’s performance wasn’t good enough.
Anastasiadis was pleased however with the endeavour and fight his players showed, despite Northcote not allowing them to play their normal expansive, flowing football.
“Just happy with the three points, that’s all,” the head coach said post-game.
“The performance wasn’t up to scratch, we can play better. I think what was pleasing over the whole thing was our battles, individual battles which were good.
“A lot of boys put there body on the line, especially at the end there so that was a pleasing part but our game is a passing game, we certainly didn’t do that.
“Maybe Northcote didn’t allow us to do that but we’ve got to find a way to play out of that.”
The result and performance was in stark contrast to last seasons VPL Grand Final, the last time these two sides played, where Northcote perhaps fortuitously took home the title.
For Anastasiadis, the win felt like just rewards for his players, who were privy to the fact that revenge would be a large factor in the Round Two clash.
“Probably deep down there is [a feeling of revenge],” he said.
“It burns everyone that the fact that we should have won it, and they all know it and credit to Northcote who admit that, however we didn’t win it.
“We can go on about it and have bad feelings about it all our lives but at the end of the day we didn’t get it so its not going to come back – we’ve got to put it aside for the whole season.
“What we can do now is look forward and try and get to the final again and then win it, and then we can shut everybody up.”
The real road to redemption for Bentleigh is to go one better this season and take out the first ever NPL title.
With no state finals series to look forward too, Anastasiadis believes every game should be treated like it’s a grand final, starting with this weeks match against Pascoe Vale.
“Look the fact that this year’s league is going to be hard and [Sunday’s match] proved it.
“It’s going to be an absolute battle for us all year because everybody knows the way we play, we’re a ball passing team so it’s going to be a tough one.
“I don’t care if it’s Pascoe Vale or whoever it is, at the end of the day all teams are tough for me and we treat every game like a cup final and play like we’re playing a cup final and that’s all I can ask from the boys.
Bentleigh take on the winless Pascoe Vale in search of a second successive victory. Kick-off at Kingston Heath is scheduled for 8:30pm tomorrow night.