Image: Smile for Peter
Heidelberg United heaped more misery on South Melbourne following a 1-0 triumph over their great rivals at Olympic Village while the Bentleigh Greens have returned to the summit of the NPL ladder following a thrilling last gasp 3-2 win over Hume City at ABD Stadium.
A-League hopefuls South came into the clash desperate to grab their first victory of the season while the goal-shy Bergers were hoping to make their home ground a fortress again after an indifferent start to the campaign which has seen them win, lose and draw their opening three home fixtures.
A crowd in excess of 2,000 was on hand for a feast of football in Heidelberg West with the respective NPLW contests between the two sides and the 20s curtain-raiser warming the fans appetite.
United forward Sean Ellis had the game’s first real opportunity two minutes in, forcing South custodian Nikola Roganovic into making an early save to deny the Scotsman.
A through ball then found Heidelberg winger Reuben Way only for the villain of last year’s major semi-final clash to be thwarted by an outstretched leg from Hellas defender Carl Piergianni.
The visitors’ first opportunity on goal came from former Bentleigh midfielder Liam McCormick but Bergers shot-stopper Chris Theodoridis was on hand to make a comfortable save.
Ellis and Manchester-born midfielder Harry Noon had good opportunities for the home side but saw the efforts fly over the bar with the former also denied by the offside flag.
With no love lost between Victorian football’s traditional rivals, former Northcote teammates Theodoridis and Milos Lujic sparked an altercation for which the pair both received a yellow card.
South skipper Brad Norton then sent in a brilliant ball into the area which was met by a Marcus Schroen volley which just missed the target as the game headed into first half stoppage time.
With just seconds remaining of the first half, Heidelberg danger man Athiu forced Roganovic into a superb reflex save as the two sides headed into the break scoreless.
The second half began in similar fashion to the way in which the first ended with Roganovic again called into action to deny Ellis from opening the scoring by producing a fantastic save.
Reigning four-time Golden Boot winner Lujic was having a quite night in front of goal but had his first sight on goal soon after with the shot failing to trouble his ex-teammate Theodoridis.
Heidelberg utility Kosta Kanakaris went close to breaking the deadlock only to fire wide with Chris Taylor introducing Leigh Minopoulos into the game for Schroen.
With ten minutes of the contest remaining, the Warriors hit the front as Ellis broke through on the right and sent the ball into the danger area with Athiu beating Piergianni to the ball before volleying it home into the top left corner to break his goal drought in style.
Ellis almost doubled the advantage five minutes later but his chip over the former Melbourne Heart shot-stopper sailed over the bar as South scrambled in search of an equaliser.
That search almost came to fruition in added time when Piergianni directed a header goalwards only for Theodoridis to save it with the subsequent spill cleared away by a Bergers defender.
Soon afterwards referee Adam Bavcar flew the full-time whistle sending Heidelberg boss George Katsakis and the home supporters into the ecstasy as United moved into third position on the table.
For South it will be another week of soul-searching as the pressure intensifies on the under-fire Taylor with the reigning Champions rooted to joint-last on the ladder, level on goal difference with St Albans who take on Pascoe Vale at Churchill Reserve this afternoon.
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Bentleigh Greens returned to winning ways with a hard fought win over Hume City.
After last week’s shock to the system when giving up a lead to Melbourne Knights to succumb to a 3-1 defeat, this time the side came back from a deficit twice to claim a last-gasp 3-2 victory. It was also the first time the sides met since long-time Bentleigh servant Wayne Wallace made the switch to Hume City.
The first half saw chances exchanged but the goal came in somewhat comical circumstances when Liam Boland bounced on a poor Greens’ pass in defence; his shot was saved by Ryan Scott but ricocheted off Ross Archibald into the goals.
The visitors hit back in the second half when Tyson Holmes crossed in for Trent Clulow to net his goal for Bentleigh.
Hume City took the lead again as former Gully man Boland made himself a nuisance in the box again, finding James McGarry who struck a low effort past the outstretched arms of Scott.
It was a day for the Queenslanders however at Matt Thurtell emphatically got his side back in the contest with a powerful effort.
Ben Litfin started the contest on the bench, coming on in the 88th minute, and the move was a masterstroke as he latched onto Troy Ruthven’s ball into the box and poked the winner home just before time, a more characteristic win of the Greens following last week’s slip up.
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Despite a few spirited performances this season North Geelong took a step backwards on the weekend with a 2-0 home defeat against Bulleen Lions as the Warriors continue to look for their first win of the campaign.
Warning bells tolled in just the first minute when Marko Stevanja upended Christian McKenna outside the box – but not in a situation to receive a card – with Jordan Templin’s free kick cleared.
Davide Cardamone also had the hosts rattled when his strike after a scuffed free kick hit the crossbar.
North Gellong had a chance of their own when Michael Anderson won the ball and hit a cross to Matt Thorne, whose effort missed the target.
Both sides exchanged chances early in the second half via the likes of Anderson for the hosts and Tommy Nielsen and Templin for the visitors, but it was Cardamone who found his radar in the 63rd minute with a strong solo run and finish to fire his side into the lead.
In search of an equaliser North fashioned numerous half chances, and Kene Eze had a header from Bobby Vidanoski’s cross that flew over the bar.
With time running out Dylan Bresolin killed off the contest via a swift counter-attack to make it 2-0, sealing the three points for his side.